by K. G. Reuss
“Then what did I walk in on?” I whispered, staring into his pretty blue eyes.
“You walked in on me making a deal with Juliet to keep you safe.”
“You had to fuck that bitch to keep me safe?” I let out a raspy laugh.
Fox frowned. “What’s wrong with your voice? It’s all low and crackly.”
I swallowed hard, the ache from my throat searing through my neck as I peered up at him. “Ian’s dick is too big for my mouth. Guess it gives me a sore throat.”
Fox’s face darkened, his lips turning down into a frown. “Why are you torturing me, Rosie?”
“You tortured me for five years, Fox. I’d say you deserve everything I give to you.”
“Even fucking the guy whose dad killed my mom?” His words held no anger, only a sadness so deep and dark it cinched around my heart like a vice. “Is that your revenge? Hurting me like that? Or is it fucking up my Jeep?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Right. I’m sure you don’t. But hey, let’s pretend like you do. Maybe you can tell me why you decided to leave a fucking fish under my seat. That was disgustingly creative but not as good as taking the stereo knobs and the other buttons off so I’m stuck listening to farm animals fuck themselves at the highest volume.” His blue eyes glinted.
I couldn’t stop the soft chuckle that bubbled out of me at how absurd it sounded coming from his mouth. “Let’s pretend like I did do it then. If I did, know that it’s only the beginning, Fox.”
“Don’t let it be, Rosalie. Let’s fix this.” He reached out and pulled me to him. I let out a whimper at his firm hold on me, my ribs screaming for distance.
“What’s wrong?” He gave me a searching look, the annoyance leaving his face. He switched gears so fast. One minute he was an asshole, the next he was concerned. “You’re hurt. What’s hurting, baby?”
I shook my head, his term of endearment making both desire and anger course through me. “N-Nothing.”
“Don’t lie to me. Please. I know you. You blink when you lie. Your cheeks turn pink. Your lips part.” He reached out and thumbed my bottom lip, a hungry look in his eyes. “Tell me so I can make it better.”
I steeled myself. “There’s nothing to tell. I like it rough. Ian just tries to accommodate it. Probably have Cole to thank for that.”
“Liar,” Fox growled. “You hate Ian.”
“I hate you too, and yet here we are.”
“You don’t hate me, Rosie.” Fox ran his nose along mine. “Baby, you love me right back. You’re just mad.”
“No, I really hate you, Fox,” I whispered. “So much.”
“Please don’t.”
“Then make Juliet go away. Stop seeing her. Start telling me the truth.”
“I can’t. Not yet.”
If he loved me, he’d let her go. He’d tell me the truth.
“She owns me. For just a little bit longer. I swear to you I don’t feel shit for her. It’s your name on my lips. Your face I see. It’s you that I kiss. Not her. Never her.”
I cried out as he squeezed me. His eyes swept over me, his brows crinkled.
“He’s not good for you. He’s hurting you. Tell me he is, and I’ll fucking kill him, Rosalie.”
“It’s you who’s hurting me. It’s always been you, Fox.”
“I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t mean to.”
“But you keep doing it. If you say you’re sorry and then continue to do the same things you said you’re sorry for, how does anyone ever believe you? Leave her, Fox.”
“Leave Ian,” he countered. “Stop fucking the guy whose dad took my mom.”
I flinched at the anger behind his words.
“You wanted to hurt me. You got me, Rosie. You broke my fucking heart, but I love you so much I can push past the betrayal.”
“Guess that makes one of us.”
I shifted to push him away, but his mouth crashed against mine, his tongue sweeping inside. Heat pooled between my legs as he kissed me. Tingles shot through my body. His arms wound around me, causing pain to shoot through me.
I let out a cry against his lips, trembling in his arms.
“What’s wrong?” Concern darkened his features as he asked for the third time. He released me, his eyes wide. “Tell me, Rosalie. Let me help you. Let me fix it. He’s not good for you.”
I shook my head. “This isn’t going to work. Coming here was a mistake.”
“The mistake would be walking out—”
“And if I stayed?” I wiped at the tears falling down my cheeks. Damnit. I didn’t want to cry in front of him. “You fuck me then fuck Juliet in the morning? You get both of us? Or do you want her to join us all like some big screwed up harem?”
“I don’t want her near you,” Fox snarled. “And I’ll continue to fuck her until I know she’s not a threat to you anymore.”
“Nice,” I choked out. “Real nice, Fox. You’re a real piece of shit.”
“I’m really not,” he breathed out. “I’m just a guy in love with his best friend who is stuck in a really shitty situation.”
“You love me?” I zeroed in on his words. “Really love me?”
“So fucking much, Rosie. Just…let me, baby.” He reached out and cradled my face in his hands. “I need you. You don’t even realize how much. When this is over, you’ll belong to me for good. To all of us.”
“I don’t want you.” I hated the whispered lie. I hated myself more for the way I wanted to cave in and belong to him and the others. I couldn’t stop now though. “I-I love Ian.”
Liar! I love you, Fox.
Fuck.
“Ian is a fucking dumpster fire, Rosalie. He only wants one thing from you. You already know that.”
I shook my head, grinding my teeth as his hands fell away.
“If he touches you, I really will kill him.” His words sent a shiver down my spine. “If you had any sense, you’d tell me what’s going on so I can save you.”
“I don’t need you to save me, Fox,” I snapped, pushing him away from me. “I’ve made it this long without you. I don’t need your help now.”
“So you admit you need help,” he murmured.
I shook my head and looked at a spot over his shoulder.
“I’ll save you,” he whispered. “I promise to keep the monsters away.”
Tears stung my eyes again. “What if you’re the monster?”
His bottom lip trembled. “Just ask for help, Rosie.”
“I can handle myself.”
He sighed. “Then pick someone else! Fuck Brandon. Cam. Anyone but Ian. If you want to make me and the guys suffer, then pick anyone else.”
“What if I pick only one of you?” The idea sprang up in my mind, a devious plan forming.
“We all care for you, Rosie, but we have an agreement. It’s all or nothing. Those are our rules.”
“Rules were made to be broken.”
“Not with us. Never with us.”
“I bet Cole would take me up on that offer without much convincing on my part. We could have a dirty, little secret.”
A muscle popped along Fox’s jaw again as he gritted his teeth. “Don’t even think about it.”
I shrugged.
“Rosalie, I’m serious. T-That’s not playing fair.”
“All’s fair in love and war. Besides, don’t you trust the guys?” I cocked my head at him, the tears gone.
“I trust them with my life.”
“Then I guess there’s nothing for you to worry about then, huh?”
He shook his head at me. “I love you, Rosalie. With my entire heart and soul, I love you.”
My heart clenched, but I shoved the feelings away. I swallowed down my answer, hating that it was on the tip of my tongue, wrestling to make itself known.
“I hate you, Fox,” my voice cracked as I spoke.
“You blinked,” he whispered. “Your cheeks are pink.”
I let out a soft laugh as I backed awa
y from him.
“Stay the night, Rosie. Don’t go.”
“I don’t want to intrude. I’m sure you’ll need to check in with your girlfriend.”
“You’re my girlfriend.”
“No, I’m Ian’s girlfriend. I’m just the girl you fucked.” I stepped out the door, taking in the pained expression on his face. “Stay away from me, Fox. We’re over. I mean it.”
He stood in the center of the treehouse, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I really do love you. Please believe me, Rosie.”
I turned, unable to bear looking at him anymore. If I didn’t leave then, I knew I’d stay the night. And nothing good ever came from giving in.
He gave me the fuel I needed to push forward.
Nine
The following Monday, I stuffed my clothes into my locker in the locker room and set the combination.
“What’s wrong, sweetie? Missing someone?” Juliet called out to me.
I turned to face her, surprised she was without her minions. “Just the silence you interrupted.”
“Cute.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Guess where I was Saturday night.”
“Judging by what I know of you, about asshole deep in a shit ton of cocks.”
“Usually I’d laugh, but in this instance, you’re right. I was with the horsemen. All of them. We finally made it official.”
“Really? What time was that?”
“Around eleven.”
I laughed softly. “You couldn’t have been with Fox since I was with him around eleven. Try again.”
Her cheeks flamed red before she pulled her phone out and thumbed through it quickly. She shoved it in my face a moment later.
“Take it. See for yourself.”
I took her phone and stared down at the group message.
Cole: Christ, Juliet, get your ass over here already.
Juliet: I’m coming ;)
Enzo: Just hurry. We’ve been waiting.
Cole: Is Fox with you?
Juliet: No. He said he’d meet me at your house.
Fox: I’m just finishing up something. I’ll be there in a few minutes.
I looked at the time stamp of Fox’s message. Eleven thirty-seven. Right after I’d talked to him. The bastard.
“Look at the next picture.”
I did as she instructed. Bile burned my throat as I stared down at a photo of her draped over Fox. Enzo was beside her. It was a selfie, so the angle only showed the three of them. But there were definitely clothes missing.
“Why do you think I need to see this?” I asked softly, doing everything in my power to control my fury.
“In case you had any ideas about trying to win the guys back. Figured you should see what’s really going on.”
I nodded, my jaw tight. “Do you have videos of me? Are you blackmailing the horsemen, Juliet?”
She crinkled her brows at me, looking confused at the question. “No. I’ve known about the notebook since the beginning. Fox never really participated in it unless we were broken up. But then they said they wanted to fuck with you. Since I can’t stand you, I thought it was a good idea. I went with it and did as I was told. If they told you differently, they’re lying.”
“I see.” I gripped her pretty, pink phone tightly.
“So you can stop your secret meetings with Fox. You can stop talking to any of them. They’re trying for the lightning round. It’s a game, sweetie. They just want to break you so they can fuck me harder. It gets them off to hurt girls. I’m the only one they care about. If they cared about you, they wouldn’t lie to you and then fuck me after. Think about it.”
“Right.” I nodded. “So all four are fucking you now then?”
“Yep.” She popped the p on the word and smiled smugly at me.
“And you knew about this thing the whole time and have been in on it? And Fox and the guys are lying trying to see if they can get me a second time?”
“Pretty messed up, huh?”
“And what about you having the videos? Ian said you did. He even told me a similar story that the guys told me.”
“Well, Ian wants you. He approached me with the idea. I agreed because the guys had gotten in too deep. I stole the notebook and gave it to Ian who made sure it got into your hands. We’re all working together in this. Although, I think Ian actually does want your ass.”
“So everything has been a lie? All the begging, messages, calls, meetings, all of it. Lies.”
“They’re good, aren’t they?” She reached for her phone.
Hatred raced through me as I pulled away, her phone still in my hand. “It’s still a fucking game. I’m just a fucking joke to you all.”
“It’s not even a big deal. It’s just a bit of fun. I thought we should end it though, which is why I’m here telling you. Just let it go and move on.”
“Who has the videos?”
“Ian.” Her answer was automatic. “And Fox has copies somewhere. I gave my copies to Ian in exchange for his help on this. So he’s probably telling you the truth when he says he has the goods.”
I squeezed her phone tighter, trying to control myself.
“But the game is over. Walk away before you really do get hurt. I don’t want you to have to watch your back all the time. Plus, I might take Ian from you too. Just a little warning and advice, girl to girl. I mean, he is cute.” She giggled and tossed her hair over her shoulder again.
“Girl to girl, go fuck yourself, you dumb bitch.” I reared my arm back and threw her phone as hard as I could. It crashed against the brick wall and shattered on the way down. She stared in horror at her phone for a moment before turning her glare on me. It didn’t last long because I was ready.
I full on punched her in the face, knocking her back. She fell on her ass, grabbing her bleeding nose.
“It’s not me who should watch her back,” I snarled down at her as I fisted her hair.
She let out a screech, her bloody hands flailing as she tried to reach me.
“It’s you because I’m going to set fire to your fucked-up world and dance in the ashes. Keep your boys close because I’m coming for them. And once I’m done, you’re next.”
I punched her again before landing a decent kick to her side. I was just about to smash her ass to the floor when arms wound through mine and tugged me back. Feeling my revenge could come later since I’d pretty much gave it to her good, I let the fight leave me.
“That’s enough,” Jamie said. “Come on.”
She dragged me a few steps from Juliet who sat sobbing on the floor, her blood coating her hands and gym clothes.
“Say one thing to the principal or anyone else, and I swear to god, I won’t stop next time. Fucking try me, Juliet. I’d lose everything just to watch you fucking burn, you evil bitch.”
She didn’t answer me, only cried harder. I let Jamie lead me out of the locker room. We didn’t bother stopping to go to class. When we made it to my locker in the hall, I finally turned to look at her.
“Why?” I asked.
“I heard what she said,” Jamie answered softly. “I-I didn’t know any of this happened to you, Rosalie. I’m sorry.”
I nodded, my throat tight. “It’s my fault. I should’ve just told you in the beginning.”
“We suck.” Jamie laughed softly, her brows crinkling in worry.
“And Ian, he swore he’d hurt you if I didn’t agree to be his. I never had sex with him, Jamie. He lied. He’s been one of my biggest tormentors.”
“Oh, Rosalie.” Jamie wrapped her arms around me. We hugged it out in the hall, both of us crying softly.
When we pulled away from one another, I gave her a watery smile. “I have to finish this. My way.”
Jamie nodded. “But Rosalie, we could just get the authorities involved—”
“Maybe, but not yet. I need more proof. If I’m sending Ian away, he needs to be gone for a long ass time. He’s dangerous. I-I don’t think he’s ever going to let me go.” I swallowed hard at th
e realization.
“God, Rosalie. What do you need me to do?”
“Stay away from me. He doesn’t want me around you. He already told me. Just let me figure this out—”
“I’m not going to let you do this alone. You never should’ve been alone to start with. I’m the worst friend. I don’t even know how you’ll ever forgive me—”
“Jamie, I was never mad at you. There’s nothing to forgive.”
She sniffled and hugged herself. “Thank you, Rosalie. I’m sorry for everything.” Her gaze swept over me quickly. “You should wash up. Juliet’s blood is all over your hands.”
A tear slipped out of my eye. The adrenaline had worn off, and my body shook.
“What happened?” Cole’s voice boomed out. He jogged toward me with Enzo in tow. “Rosalie, what happened? Are you OK?”
“I’m fine. Your bitch isn’t though. Maybe you should go check on her before she bleeds out on the locker room floor.”
“We already know,” Enzo murmured, reaching for me.
I took a step away from him. “Don’t even think about it, De Luca. Get. Fucked.”
Enzo’s brows crinkled as he stared back at me. “Rosalie, we’re here because Juliet came and got us—”
“Then here I am. She sent her dogs. Do your fucking worst, but I guarantee it’s nothing compared to what I’ll do back.” I stared defiantly up at Enzo who still wore a look of confusion on his face.
“Easy, Rosebud. Why the fuck would you think we’re here to hurt you? And on Juliet’s orders. That bitch doesn’t own me.” Cole’s gaze darkened as he stared at me.
“Just your cock, right?” I looked from Cole to Enzo. “After all, you’re all fucking her.”
“It’s not like that, Sunshine—”
“Oh, shove it up your ass, Enzo! I just talked to Juliet. She told me everything I needed to know. I know how you wanted to break me. I know she knew from the beginning. I know everything. Even how you were with her over the weekend. I saw the fucking selfie.”
For the first time ever, both guys visibly paled in front of me.
“I was just a fun, little game, huh?”
“Things changed, Rosalie,” Cole growled.
“Did they?” I cocked my head at him.