Page 302 of Primal

The knife hits the ground. My palms lock around her hips. I pull her in.

She peels the mask off me.

Everything sways. Don’t know if it’s the drug. Or the heat rolling off her.

‘Mmm,’ Vanessa purrs from somewhere beyond the trees. ‘You feel that, baby? That ache? She wants it bad. Go on. Make her smile pretty like me.’

I focus on Payton.

Her eyes searching mine. Her palm on my cheek.

“You’re here,” she murmurs.

Her skin bubbles. Lips twisted too wide.

‘Face it, sugar. You touch it, you break it. That’s what you do. No wonder you’re always left holdin’ the pieces.’

I blink.

‘You gonna kill me … or fuck me?’

Payton this time.

Real or not, my blood sings. My body answers.

I back her into the tree. Crush my mouth to hers. My tongue slides over hers.

Behind my eyelids, the bitch’s still there. Grinning. Bleeding. Watching.

But Payton’s in my arms. And this—this is real.

I slip my hand under her hoodie, past the tank. Straight to warm, smooth skin. Her ribs.

Higher.

The swell of her breast. Soft, full … perfect.

She arches into me. “Kade …”

I yank at her top until it gives way. Wrench her bra aside and pop her breast free.

That breathy cry when my mouth closes around her nipple. I suck, hard. Copper spills over my tongue. My cock swells.

My hand’s up her skirt. Two fingers in her hot, wet cunt.

Vanessa jeers. The forest could be burning. Stacked with bodies. Doesn’t matter.

Payton’s here. Soaked and ready. She’s everything I fucking need.

I pull away. Bring my fingers to my mouth. Musk and salt. Sharp as blood.

Fuck. I can almost taste the lie—the rot beneath her skin. This isn’t Payton.

Vanessa’s laughter curls around us. ‘Damn, baby. You tryna fuck a ghost instead o’ facin’ the truth? Mm. Mind if I join in? I like it rough—and dead don’t say no.’

The knife glints in the dirt.

I grab it. Press the hilt into Not-Payton’s palm.