FURY: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Rosewood High Book 6)

by Tracy Lorraine

  “Right, so shall we continue this conversation when you can be less of a hypocrite?”

  “Ruby,” she warns, her voice low and angry.

  “No.” I hold my hand up to stop her. “All you need to know is that I know what I’m doing.” I don’t, I don’t have a fucking clue but like fuck am I telling her that. “We’re being careful, I’m on birth control, so you don’t need to worry about that.” I pull the door open as a thought hits me. “Oh, and... we didn’t do it on your bed. That was a prank that Ash pulled on me. So don’t worry, we haven’t dirtied up your space.”

  I blow out of there before she has a chance to respond. My legs feel like jelly as I race down the small hallway and back to the party. I have never stood up to Mom like that before. To be fair, I’ve never had to. But there was no chance I was allowing her to look at me like that. Like I’m an idiot being corrupted by Ash. I walked into all of this with my eyes open, I can’t help it if I never stood a chance against him.

  I scan the room, looking for Stephen. I fully intend on giving him my apologies and getting the hell out of here. Something tells me that Ash isn’t going to show his face, and I really can’t deal with Mom again right now.

  Spotting him across the room, I make my way over but I can’t be halfway there when someone else catches my eye.

  “Willow?” I breathe, my brows pulling together. Her pixie cut hair looks as perfect as it did last night and her makeup is on point, making me feel even more of a mess than I already did. And like most people in this room, she’s wearing black, but I have a feeling that’s not because she had any intention of attending a funeral. The rest of Ashton’s friends didn’t show up, so I’m assuming the church was it for them.

  “You need to come with me.” She reaches out and takes my hand, pulling me from the room without a second thought.

  “Wait, I can’t just leave,” I argue, but it’s weak at best.

  “He needs you, Ruby. Who’s more important right now? These people you’ve never met or him?”

  My lips part to respond but she must read the answer on my face because she resumes pulling me toward the exit once more.

  “What’s he done?” I ask once we’re outside and the noise of everyone’s chatter has vanished behind us.

  “Nothing yet, but it’s only a matter of time. He’s drowning, Ruby, and I think there’s only one person who’s able to keep him afloat.” My brows pull together. “You, Ruby.”

  She opens the door of the muscle car we come to a stop by and all but pushes me inside. I drop down into the passenger seat as she races around and sits beside me, bringing the engine to life.

  “This your car?” I ask, suddenly realizing this isn’t the sort of thing I’d expect her to drive.

  “No, it’s Axel’s. Probably best we don’t tell him I borrowed it either.”

  “Your secret’s safe with me.” I really don’t want to talk to that guy more than I have to.

  Willow drives us away from this side of town toward where they live, or more specifically where the party was last night.

  Dread twists in my stomach the closer we get until she pulls the car to a stop around the back of the building.

  “What is this place?” I ask, looking at the old, dilapidated building before us.

  “It used to be a factory, but business ceased a few years ago. It’s been our hideout ever since. I’m pretty sure Dad’s forgotten it even exists. Works perfectly for us.” She pushes the door and twists to get out.

  “Wait, who’s your dad?”

  “We definitely don’t have time for that little history lesson. Let’s just say that he’s someone you probably never want to meet.”

  “Okay,” I breathe as she closes the door behind her before I turn to do the same.

  The second I’m out, she’s ushering me toward the door.

  She knocks and in seconds we’re inside and heading back down the hallway. A hallway I kinda hoped I’d never see again.

  The cigarette smoke mixes with the weed and I struggle to suck in the air I need.

  We’re just about to round the corner to where the party is when she suddenly turns to me, forcing me to stop if I don’t want to crash into her.

  “What?” I ask when her eyes search mine.

  “I just... remember that he’s really hurting.”

  My heart jumps into my throat. What the hell am I about to walk into?

  I suck in a breath and nod at her.

  “I know,” I whisper but with the music booming in the distance, I doubt she heard me.

  23

  Ruby

  If I thought my legs were weak when I walked away from Mom not so long ago, it’s nothing compared to how I feel as I follow Willow into that party.

  I look around and it feels like déjà vu. It makes me wonder if any of these people even left after we did last night or if this is just one permanent party down here. The number of cups and bottles that litter the place sure point toward the latter being the case.

  I scan the people down here. There’s less than last night. Maybe some of them do have lives aside from getting drunk and high.

  The guys who carried the coffin earlier, well four of them, are sitting on the same couches Ash was at last night. Two of them look up and Cash smiles sadly at me before nudging the one beside him who also looks my way.

  Their attention makes me nervous but not as nervous as knowing that both Ash and Axel are missing.

  “Where is he?” I ask, turning to look at Willow who’s standing beside me.

  She tips her chin in front of us, and after a beat, I look that way.

  I scan the heads looking for him but it’s not until I get to the very far wall that my eyes land on him.

  My stomach turns over, threatening to spill its contents over the concrete at my feet.

  “Is that... is that...”

  “Nat,” Willow spits.

  “He doesn’t want her, Ruby. He’s just—”

  “Hurting. You said. Although I’m sure it hurts a little less with her tits in his hand,” I mutter, taking in where his arm disappears under her shirt.

  “He doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

  “You’re really going to defend him?”

  She spins me to face her. “He doesn’t want her. He needs you. Go and prove it to him.”

  I turn back to look at him pressing that whore into the wall, his body pinned against hers, his hand disappearing and what I can only assume is his tongue in her mouth.

  I think back to the kiss we shared in the graveyard earlier. It was so sweet, so full of emotion and need and the memory just shatters. He ruins it, just like he ruins everything.

  My chest heaves as I continue to watch him. Betrayal flooding my veins, jealousy eating me from the inside out.

  But he’s not yours, a little voice says in my head.

  “Ruby,” Willow warns, beside me. “You can’t just stand there staring. Go teach him a lesson.”

  The thought of walking over there and announcing my presence, seeing the smug as fuck look that I know will be on her face, fills me with dread.

  Thankfully, I don’t have to because as if he can feel my stare, he rips his lips from his little slut and looks over his shoulder.

  His eyes don’t focus for long seconds and my breath catches in my throat.

  “Is he on something?”

  “Yeah, although I have no idea what he’s taken. Stupid motherfucker.”

  Just as I don’t think things can get any worse, fear snakes down my spine a second before arms wrap around my waist and I’m hauled into a solid chest.

  “Didn’t think he’d let you back in here, baby,” Axel practically growls down at me. His eyes run over me, heating with desire. “You look hot, but I gotta say, I preferred yesterday’s dress.”

  “Axel, put her down. She’s here for Ash.”

  “Yeah, but it seems to me that he’s otherwise engaged. He fucked her yet?”

  “Axel,” she snaps. But he didn�
�t need to ask the question out loud, we’re all already wondering the same thing, I know that I am.

  I look to Ash to find that he’s pulled back from Nat a little, he’s released her, but she’s now wrapped around him like a fucking snake.

  “My sister told you to teach him a lesson, so shall we?” he offers, his voice low and dangerous, but he doesn’t give me a chance to tell him to fuck off because his grip on me tightens and before I know what’s happening, my back crashes, against the wall, my head bouncing off it as pain shoots down my neck and I’m caged in by his huge body and his lips are on mine.

  “No, no,” I cry against his lips as his giant hand wraps around my waist, pinning me to the spot. “Get off me.”

  I find my fight just as his other hand drops to my leg in search of the hem of my dress and I lift my knee, but it doesn’t connect because he’s gone and when I open my eyes, he’s no longer in front of me.

  People shout, scream, and run toward me, excitement in their eyes.

  “Don’t fucking touch her,” Ashton roars.

  At hearing his voice, I look to where everyone else is and find him on top of Axel, smashing his fists into his face.

  “Ashton,” Willow screams, reaching for his arm but he pays her no attention as he pulls his arm back once more, his elbow connecting with her ribs and sending her stumbling back to the floor before he continues his assault.

  The guys cheer him on, all hungry for blood while the few girls that are here either back away or scream.

  “Fuck,” I shout, ripping my eyes from Ashton’s back to Willow, who’s sprawled on the floor.

  I rush her way because let’s face it, she deserves my help more than either of those two.

  “I’m okay. Go and stop him.”

  “Willow, I—”

  “Please, Ruby. Just stop them from killing each other.”

  Jesus fucking Christ.

  Pushing to stand, I storm over.

  “Ashton,” I scream at the top of my voice, not wanting to get too close after watching Willow go flying only moments ago.

  But he doesn’t so much as slow down.

  “Ashton.” I try again but the roar of the crowd and I’m sure the blood rushing in his ears right now is too loud for him to hear me.

  Both his hands go around Axel’s throat and I seize my opportunity.

  Sucking in some strength, I take a step forward, hoping I can avoid his arms should he decide to use them and place my hand on his shoulder.

  The second I touch him, his muscles relax under my touch.

  “Stop,” I plead, looking over his shoulder at Axel’s almost unrecognizable face to find Ashton’s grip on his throat hasn’t lessened. “Ashton, please. You’re going to kill him.”

  Axel splutters for breath, his fingers clawing at Ashton’s forearms, desperate to get some air into his lungs.

  “I should kill him. He fucking touched you... again.”

  “Ashton,” I say much more calmly than I’m feeling. “Let him go.”

  After a few seconds he does before he slumps forward.

  “Let’s go,” I demand, my voice hard once more as I try to keep my anger beneath the surface. I refuse to lose my cool in front of these many people, even if I want to wrap my hands around Ash’s throat just like he did to Axel.

  After a beat, he starts to climb from Axel’s limp body. But he’s not out of it enough because the second he can move, he sits and his fist flies toward Ashton’s face.

  His lip splits, bright red blood immediately begins trickling from it.

  The roar that rips from Ashton’s throat is like nothing I’ve ever heard before as he turns and with one swift punch to Axel’s temple, knocks him cleanout.

  “Fucking hell,” I mutter, pulling at Ashton’s arm to get him away from Axel in case he comes back to and tries again. It’s unlikely looking at the state of him but I don’t want to risk it.

  As we back away, I feel his chest still rising and falling and breathe a sigh of relief. At least he hasn’t killed him.

  “We need to leave.” He doesn’t move for a beat, he plants his feet into the floor and just continues to stare at the scene he created before him.

  “Ashton. Now,” I bark.

  Finally, he moves, but not toward the exit, instead, he turns his cold, angry eyes on me.

  I gasp and he steps into my body. He stares down at me, his heat burning into me and his scent filling my nose.

  The image of him with Nat slams into me and a fresh wave of anger and betrayal races through me.

  Unable to control myself, my arm flies out before the soft skin of my palm connects with the roughness of his cheek.

  His eyes flare in anger as he captures my wrist in a tight hold and hauls me into his chest.

  “You’re going to regret that, little one.”

  Before I even know we’re moving, he’s backed me up and I only realize we’re in a side room when a door slams behind him and we’re plunged into darkness.

  “Does this hurt?” he asks, glancing at my palm which feels like it should be glowing red.

  “Yes,” I hiss. I’m just about to tell him that it was worth it when he roughly pushes me against whatever is behind me. A desk? A unit? I have no idea because aside from the light coming through a small, frosted window to the main room, it’s completely dark in here.

  “Well, allow me to help you forget about it.”

  His lips crash to mine, the taste of copper fills my mouth as I fight against him but he’s too insistent and as his tongue slips past my lips is when I succumb to his kiss.

  The kiss is the opposite of the one we shared in the graveyard only a little bit ago. There is no tenderness or concern about how the other is feeling. It’s brutal, vicious, full of hate, and the need to hurt.

  “Ashton,” I pant as his lips rip from mine in favor of sucking on the skin of my neck.

  “You drive me fucking crazy.”

  “See, I thought it was that whore who was driving you crazy not so long ago.”

  “She’s nothing,” he growls, his hand skimming my waist and sliding around until he’s squeezing my ass, his fingers digging in until it starts to hurt.

  “No? You sure seemed to be enjoying yourself with your hand up her top.”

  “I needed a distraction.”

  A bitter laugh falls from my lips. “I’ve heard that before. Is that all I am to you?”

  He pulls back from nipping at my collarbone and looks into my eyes. He looks so fucking deep, I swear he can see right into my soul. His blown orbs flashing in the darkness surrounding us.

  “No, Ruby. That is not all you are to me. You’re... you’re... different.”

  “Right. So different that it’s fine to come here, get fucked off your ass, and feel up some whore. Fuck you, Ashton. I’m worth more than this.”

  I push from whatever it is he has me against, but I don’t get very far because the second I move forward, he comes at me with more strength and I end up against the wall.

  “You’re everything, Ruby. Fucking everything.”

  One minute my feet are on the floor and the next my skirt is bunched up and my legs are wrapped around his waist.

  His hard length grinds against my core and my head spins.

  “You feel that? That’s for you, only you.”

  “You’re a lying shit, Ashton. Don’t try to tell me you weren’t hard for her only minutes ago.”

  “It wasn’t her I was hard for. She might have been the body, but in my head, it was you. Only you.”

  “So you were going to fuck her, imagining it was me. That’s fucked-up.” He continues to grind against me, the pleasure sparking from my core making it harder and harder to think straight.

  “Fuck,” he groans. “Yeah. Always you in here, little one,” he admits, tapping his temple. “Always fucking you.”

  His lips find mine again and this time, I don’t fight. I can’t.

  “Ashton,” I moan when his fingers slip inside my panties and f
ind my core.

  “So wet for me. You like fighting, huh?”

  “You’re an asshole,” I say, my head falling back as he spears two fingers inside me.

  “I know, but I think you love it.”

  “Oh God.” He finds that spot inside me and rubs until I see stars.

  His lips brush my ear. “I didn’t want her, Ruby. I needed... I needed out of my head and you... you weren’t here.”

  “Because you sent me away,” I gasp as he stretches me wider.

  “I... I need you.”

  “So take me, Ash.”

  His cock is pushing at my entrance in record time.

  “Oh God,” I whimper as my body tries pulling him in deeper.

  I shouldn’t need him this badly. It’s dangerous. And I already know it’s going to damn near kill me when it all comes crashing around my feet. Because I have no doubt it will.

  24

  Ashton

  The second I thrust up into her, everything in my head settles and everything feels right once again.

  I knew the moment her car vanished from my sight that I’d make a huge mistake sending her away.

  She was my lifeline. She was the one thing that was stopping me from drowning and I’d just let her go.

  Going to the factory wasn’t a conscious decision, it’s ingrained in me to go there when shit gets too hard. It’s been the place I’ve escaped to for years. Down there, no one judges, no one criticizes, everyone just lets you lose yourself in whatever poison you choose. Alcohol, drugs, pussy. Anything and everything is on offer and available at almost every hour of the day, and never have I needed to lose myself more than I did after walking away from that church and leaving Mom to rot in the ground.

  The boys were already there and the second they saw me, someone shoved a bottle of vodka in my hand and I almost downed the bottle in one in my need to disappear, to drown the pain, to just make everything go away.

  She was my lifeline, and she was no longer by my side. Alcohol and whatever pills someone passed me were all I had. Until Nat dropped onto my lap.

  Ruby’s not wrong. Nat is a whore. She’s fucked her way around all the boys more than once, and time and time again tries to play us off against each other thinking that she means more to us than the easy fuck she is. She’s a game. One we’ve played many times over the years.