by Melody Adams
"Come. We'll get you a drink," Bonnie's voice tore me from my trance.
I followed her into the kitchen, where a couple was making out in front of the refrigerator. Bonnie walked straight up to the couple.
"Hey! Get a room."
The couple drove apart, and it looked like the guy was about to say something, but then he shrugged and pulled his partner out of the kitchen. Bonnie opened the refrigerator and looked inside.
"What do you want? Coke. Sprite. Fanta. Water..."
"Water, please."
"I'd offer you something alcoholic, but Kent would probably kill me. Boy's got it rough for you, girl."
She handed me the water and took a sip from her red plastic cup, which no doubt contained something stronger than water.
"Nonsense," I said, unscrewing my water.
Bonnie laughed and shook her head.
"Believe me, if anybody knows Kent, it’s me."
"Were you... together?"
Bonnie laughed.
"No, sugar. We are – were – fuck buddies. Kent's not the guy who'd settle for anything permanent. At least he wasn't before you came along."
"It's not what you think. He just wants me..."
"Yeah, I know what you're gonna say. I am aware of what's going on. I'm not stupid. Everyone at school knows. But like I said, I know Kent well. I know what makes him tick. That boy can't keep his eyes and hands off you. He's possessive. Jealous. And he kisses you in public. That's not his usual trick, believe me." Bonnie leaned forward. "And between you and me, Beth deserved what she got. In my eyes, you deserve a medal."
"l... uh... l... The thing is, I didn't do anything. Beth is lying. – Not that anyone would believe me."
Bonnie looked at me with narrowed eyes. Then she nodded.
"I believe you."
Really?" I asked, astonished.
Bonnie nodded.
"Why? You do not know me."
"No, I don’t know you, but I am good at reading people. You are no liar. But you hide things. Secrets. You always wear long sleeves. If I took a guess, I'd say you cut."
I blushed and looked down at the bottle in my hands.
"Don't worry, sugar. Your secret is safe with me. And I'm not judging. If you cut, you'll have your reasons. We all have our problems to deal with."
"Really? What problems do you have?" I asked bitterly.
"I'm a nympho," she replied with a shrug. With my startled gasp, she laughed softly. "Yeah, I cannot keep my legs closed. I need sex like the air I breathe. And I don't really care who I fuck. Well, I do have some standards. Clean. Not too old. But I'm not picky."
"And you and Kent...?"
"Not since the party at the fire department. Kent hasn't touched a girl since. Another sign of how crazy he is about you. Trust me. He may tell himself it's because Nate told him to break you, but there's more to it than that. He wants you."
Kent
Nate, Ian and Gregory were already in the game room when I entered the room with Seth. Seth closed the door behind us.
"About time you guys showed up," said Nate.
"What's so urgent?" I wanted to know.
Nate poured whiskey for us, then dropped himself on a sofa and slammed one foot over the other and looked at me from half-lidded eyes before taking a sip of his drink.
"How far are you with the little one?" he asked after he put the glass down.
"She is in my net," I replied calmly. "Why?"
"Beth is nagging me about it. Especially since someone broke her nose." He looked at me suggestively and I shrugged my shoulders.
"I won't apologize for that. She has..."
"Yeah, I know. I said it was your right to defend your pet, and I meant it. You won't get any lectures from me about it. But Beth wants blood."
"Nobody hurts Abby. She's not..."
"I didn't mean it literally, you moron!" Nate interrupted me with a roll of his eyes. "You're unusually possessive when it comes to that girl. Are you sure you're up to the job? Are there feelings involved I should know about?"
"No feelings," I assured him, although a little voice in my head called me a liar.
"Okay. Then listen to what I have to suggest. It was Beth's idea. Or more – her request. But in the end it's your decision, because it puts you in the spotlight, too. If you say no, I'll accept that."
"What do you want me to do?"
"A video. Beth wants a love declaration from Abby when you’re fucking. She wants it sent to all students via WhatsApp. That means, of course, you'll be on display."
I took a sip of my drink. I didn't like the idea. Didn't like it at all. But if I said that, the others would know that Abby got under my skin too much. I couldn't let that happen. If we would let such a video go around, Abby would hate me. It was the best thing for everyone. I didn't trust myself not to make a fool of myself for her. If she hated me, all the better.
"Okay," I agreed.
Ian frowned and gave me a skeptical look. I returned his gaze and shrugged my shoulders. Nate saw our wordless exchange.
"What? Do you have any objections, Ian?" he asked.
"I think you're making a mistake, dawg," Ian said to me. "You may be able to fool the others, but I know you. That girl means something to you."
"Fuck you, Ian," I growled. "The girl doesn't mean shit to me! This is all just an act to get her to fall in love with me. That's what it's all about, isn't it? How can I get her to fall in love with me if I treat her like shit? I've found just the right mixture to pull her into my web. She'll say the three words. Soon!"
"Are you sure?" Nate probed, giving me a worried look. "I also have a feeling that the girl is getting under your skin more than you'd like to admit. If you want her for yourself, say so. We call off the revenge plan. If she's your girl, she has our protection, and Beth will have to forgo any more revenge."
I shook my head.
"That won't be necessary. I'm going to do my job. That's all!"
I needed a fucking drink. I’d promised Abby's aunt not to drink too much. But one more drink would not get me drunk. I needed to forget what we just discussed in the game room. A video. Beth wanted a fucking video! Motherfucker! The idea sat heavy in my stomach. But I would do what I had to do. And in the end, it might even make things easier for Abby. She would hate me. Hate was a strong emotion. Hopefully, it would help when I broke her heart. I couldn't forget that she wasn't as innocent as she was acting. She had cut Beth.
What if Beth lied? Abby denies that she did it.
No. Beth is way too vain to risk a scar on her face. And too much of a coward to put a fucking knife to her skin. No, that's more Abby's expertise.
I rushed to the bar and looked for a bottle of whisky from the range to pour myself a double. I took a few deep breaths before I lifted the glass to my lips and emptied it in one go. Okay. That was better. Now I could search for Abby. I let my gaze roam, but neither Abby nor Bonnie were in sight. Slowly, I made my way through the crowd as the mention of Abby's name made me stop.
"...sexy thing. I wouldn't throw Abby out off my bed."
"Better not get any ideas, man."
"Why?"
"Man, are you really that stupid or just suicidal? Didn't you see the way Kent staked his claim on her when he kissed her right here in front of everybody?"
"No way. He's only playing a game with the girl. Everyone knows that."
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he won't rearrange your face when you touch her."
"The bitch is not his girlfriend. If she wants me, he can..."
The idiot fell silent when I showed up right in front of him. He paled. I crossed my arms in front of my chest and raised an eyebrow. Conversations around us stopped when people realized what was going on.
"You want to explain what you mean, Carter? What am I supposed to do," I asked with deadly calm, even as the adrenaline in my blood boiled.
"I... I... Nothing, man. Nothing. Honest. I didn't mean it. You know, I just got a big mouth and nothing behi
nd it, man. I would never..."
My hand around his throat shut him up and his eyes widened in panic.
"And you think you have a right to disrespect me like that? Or to touch something that belongs to me?"
"N-no! No! Well, of course not. Sorry, man. Won't happen again. I swear!"
"Of course it won't happen again," I said calmly. "Because that would be pretty suicidal and stupid of you, don't you think?"
Carter nodded in my grip.
"Then we understand each other?"
"Yeah, yeah, sure, man."
"Okay, but let me make this a little clearer. That I can be really sure you understand," I said, pulling back with my free arm to punch Carter in the face.
A couple of girls screamed. Several guys cheered me on. I pushed Carter off me and he landed on the floor. The crowd made room as I approached the bastard lying on the floor. Bending over him, I grabbed him by the collar and gave him a few more punches for good measure. Nothing drove a point home better than a few well placed punched. Blood splattered, but I stopped only when he lost consciousness. I straightened up and spat down on him, then turned to those standing around.
"Anyone else feel the need to lay claim to Abby?"
Head shaking everywhere and muttered denials.
"Good! Get this fucker out of here!"
I turned away and Nate came towards me. He tapped me on the shoulder.
"Your girl's on the terrace with Bonnie."
"Okay. Thanks."
I left Nate and walked to the patio door. I pushed the door open and stepped outside. Only a few kids were standing out here in the cold, but I spotted Abby and Bonnie further back on a Hollywood swing. They were engrossed in conversation. I wondered what Bonnie told my girl in my absence. But she knew better than to turn her against me, so I assumed it couldn't have been that bad.
Chapter 15
Abby
I didn’t expect to like Bonnie. There was this jealousy I wasn’t supposed to feel. And she was closely connected to the KINGS. But the longer we sat on the Hollywood swing and talked, the more I liked her. Bonnie was uncompromisingly frank. She seemed to give a damn what anyone thought of her, or what she did or said. When she opened her mouth, everything came out unfiltered. She was just as honest with herself. I never met anyone who was so okay with their flaws. But Bonnie didn’t do false shame. When she told me she was a nymphomaniac, I thought it was a joke at first. But I’d quickly found out that Bonnie didn't say anything, she didn't mean exactly the way she said it. And she didn't like Beth any more than I did.
"Ladies," a deep voice interrupted Bonnie and my conversation about our principal who, as I’d learned from Bonnie, had an unhealthy interest in underage girls.
"Kent," cried Bonnie, delighted. "Come to get your girl?"
"I do," Kent replied curtly. I wondered what’d crawled up his ass and died, when I noticed his cracked knuckles. Kent had been in a fight. "Time to go, Abby," he turned to me.
"Whose face did you rearrange," Bonnie asked with a meaningful look at Kent's hands. "I swear, no guy got within ten feet of Abby. We sat here most of the time."
Kent shrugged.
"Somebody had a big mouth. Thanks for looking out for Abby."
"My pleasure. Abby's a good girl. One worth keeping."
I blushed. What Bonnie meant by those words was clear, and Kent knew exactly what she was alluding to. I didn't dare look at him.
"Come on, Abby," Kent said, ignoring Bonnie's words.
I stood up, avoiding his gaze. I gave Bonnie a helpless look, and she gave me an encouraging smile.
"Thanks for your company, Bonnie."
"Anytime, Abby."
The drive back was silent. I didn’t know what happened at the party. Neither what the KINGS had discussed nor what led to the fight Kent had been involved in. All in all, the party – at least for me – turned out better than I feared. I had not been humiliated or insulted. For most of the time Bonnie and I’d been sitting outside on the swing, talking. It seemed like I found an ally tonight. I couldn't get out of my head whether Bonnie was right when she said Kent felt more for me than he admitted. I preferred not to investigate too closely why the idea made my stomach flutter. I shouldn't hope for such things.
"I'm coming in," Kent said, and I realized we’d already arrived in front of the house.
I hadn't even noticed how we turned into the driveway. Kent parked the Jag in front of the house and turned off the engine.
"Stay in your seat," he said and got out.
After Kent slammed his door, he came around the car. He opened my door to help me out. Kent the Gentleman. Who would have thought?
The house lay in darkness. Aunt Claire seemed to have gone to bed already. Beth was probably still at the party. I hadn't seen her, but Bonnie told me she was at the party. I went into the kitchen, undecided how to act. Kent came up behind me. What did he want? Did he plan on coming up to my room? I opened the refrigerator in an attempt not to show how much his presence threw me off balance.
"Would you like a drink?" I asked without turning around to face him.
"Beer."
I took out two beers and closed the fridge. This was the point when I could no longer ignore or avoid him. With a gentle sigh, I turned to him and handed him a bottle. Kent opened it with his lighter.
"Need help with that?" he asked, pointing to my bottle.
"No," I said and opened the bottle on the edge of the table.
"Interesting method. I must remember that."
Raising my beer to my mouth, I took a pull. I was not thirsty, and I wasn’t even a fan of beer, but I needed a distraction from the fact that I was alone in the kitchen with Kent. Or that his gaze told me all too clearly how much he would like to peel my dress off my body to eat me up. Kent also took a pull without taking his eyes off me. Our silence lay heavy in the air. As heavy as the sexual tension between us. My heart beat hard and my panties were soaked through. Nervously, I avoided Kent's burning eyes and let my gaze slip to the ground. That had been a mistake, because on the way down my eyes got caught on the considerable bump in Kent's jeans. I swallowed hard.
"Does it make you nervous to see how hard I am for you, Abbygirl?" Kent whispered.
I only saw his legs as he came closer until he stood right in front of me. He took my bottle out of my hand and put it on the work surface. Then he put a finger under my chin and lifted it.
"You want to hear why I beat a guy's face to a pulp at the party?"
I whimpered, unable to answer him as my heart threatened to jump out of my throat. There was an almost crazy glint in Kent's dark eyes.
"The bastard had the nerve to tell his friend how much he would like to lay his hands on you. No man touches you or fantasizes about touching you without feeling the consequences. As long as I have a claim on you, you are mine and mine alone!"
"You... you have no claim on me!" I responded, furious.
"Is that true?" Kent replied in a dark voice, clasping my chin hard in his hand. "Who says so, huh? YOU? Do you think you have any say in this matter?"
"I am my own master, Kent! This is America in the 21st century. The days of slavery are over!"
"Is that so?" scoffed Kent. "Then I guess it's about time I reminded you WHO your master is. Whom you belong to, Abbygirl."
I was angry, but not just at Kent for the way he spoke to me and the way he treated me. No, I was angry with myself, too. That my pussy gushed at his words, and that my nipples pressed hard against my dress.
"We're going upstairs now. To your room. And there I will prove to you that you are mine, Abby."
"My... my aunt is in the house. If I scream..."
"Your aunt’s not in the house."
"How do you know that?" I asked, worriedly.
"She told me when I came to pick you up, Abby. She asked me to stay here tonight and make sure you were okay. Your aunt knows about your little problem with razor blades, Abby. And she trusts me to take care of you."
&
nbsp; I shook my head in disbelief.
"I don't believe a word you said."
"It doesn't matter if you believe me or not, Abbygirl. It does not change what is about to happen."
Before I had time to realize what was happening, he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. Damn Neanderthal! My pussy – the traitorous slut – wept with joy as Kent carried me up the stairs at a brisk pace. At the top, Kent headed for my room. Once in the room, he threw me on the bed. As soon as I recovered from the shock, I pulled myself up and tried to escape, but Kent grabbed my arm and dragged me around. I screamed and tried to free myself from his grip. When that didn't help, I slapped him hard in the face. I knew I made a mistake the moment my hand hit his face. I froze and looked anxiously at Kent. He seemed calm. Too calm. Only the pulse at his temple throbbed hard, showing that he was anything but calm.
"I warned you, Abby. Didn’t I?" he said coldly. "I warned you there would be consequences if you hit me again."
I began to sob. For the first time, I was really scared of Kent. He let go of me and went to the door. Confused, I stared after him as he left the room. I heard the key being turned from the outside. Kent had locked me in. He’d threatened me with consequences, but then he disappeared and locked me in? I didn’t understand what was going on.
Kent
It cost me all my willpower to keep my inner beast under control. I ran down the stairs and stormed out of the house to my car. Opening the trunk, I took out my backpack. I’d expected I would need the contents of the bag, eventually. Well, tonight it was time for Abby to learn whom she was dealing with. If she thought she already knew my dark side, she would soon find out how wrong she was.
I forced myself to calm the fuck down as I climbed back up the stairs. I opened the door to Abby's room. She sat on the bed. As I entered, she jumped up and looked at me. This time there was genuine fear written in her eyes. Good. She would learn an important lesson today. I did not make empty threats. I’d threatened her with consequences if she hit me again, and I was ready to go through with it. Abby looked at my backpack, then back at me.