by G N Wright
“No, you listen here, you arrogant, big headed fuck. I didn’t come back here for you, so stay the fuck out of my way and we won’t have any problems. You don’t wanna cross me River, I’m not the same girl you remember,” I keep my voice cold, calm, and calculating.
This is exactly what I needed to keep Marcus from getting too close to me and what better way to do that than to throw down the gauntlet.
I press the knife firmly into him before pulling it back. I grab my bag and throw my lunch inside and turn to leave when his arm reaches out and pulls me until my back hits his front and his mouth is next to my ear. I ignore the heat of his hand clutching my arm and the tingle of his warm breath on my ear refusing to let the shudder I’m feeling escape.
“And if I do cross you, little King?”
I turn my head slightly and lick my lips and his eyes instantly track the movement.
“Then I guess you’ll feel my wrath, caveman.”
I drag my arm from his grip and storm out heading straight to my jeep. I need to clear my head space and once inside I decide to call Zack in an attempt to calm my thoughts.
He answers on the third ring and I lean back in my seat and close my eyes to let his voice soothe my racing heart. He’s always had that effect on me.
“Hi sweetheart, how’s my girl’s first day going?”
“Uneventful,” I grumble because there is no way I can get into bullshit high school politics with Z. He cares too much about me and I don't need him going all alpha male on my ass.
“I find that hard to believe but okay, we can go with that.”
I laugh at how well he knows me, “How are things with you?” I ask.
“All good, just grabbing some lunch. Everything okay, Elle?”
“Yeah, yeah course everything is fine. I just wanted to check in.”
“Don’t worry everything is great.”
“Great. Will I see you for dinner later?”
“Yeah, sure. Shall we say 7?”
“Sounds great. I should go. Love you, Z.”
“Love you too, sweetheart.”
He hangs up and I release a breath opening my eyes back up and immediately spot the Rebels. They are right across the lot, but I can feel their glare burning me in place. Looks like it’s going to take more than a little conversation to turn Marcus’ and his guys attention away from me.
Well bring it boys, I love me some Rebels.
Chapter 5
MARCUS
Ican tell the moment she spots us because I can see her tense from here. Instead of backing down like everyone else would, she flips us the finger. She jumps from her jeep and storms towards us, the sun bright behind her making her porcelain skin fucking shine. She was always pretty even at that young awkward stage when we were ten, but she has grown into a fucking vision.
As she nears, I expect another confrontation, but she barges past us like we don’t even exist. With no direction from me, Jace and Lincoln let her pass and we all turn to watch her go.
I see my boys and every other fucking male in the hallway checking her out and why wouldn't they? She looks like every guys’ wet dream come to life. Nothing like the wannabe sugar babies we got here already. All desperado-hoes wanting to be noticed by the rich picks across town yet jumping on our dicks any chance they get.
Fuck if it doesn’t make my blood boil to see the interest in all their eyes. Yeah, she’s a fucking knockout, straight up ten out of ten. Toned with curves in all the right places and an ass that makes you want to indulge but she is also a fucking liar and a traitor. I don’t fuck either but that doesn’t stop the possessiveness from rearing its ugly head.
I need to shut it down.
She isn’t mine and never was. No matter what promises she made me.
Lincoln speaks first as he turns back to me.
“So, Elle King is back?” he asks, cocking his brow like he always does.
I’m slow to reply, “Clearly, she’s—”
They both cut me off.
“Hot as fuck,” Jace gleams at me.
“And a bit of a badass,” Lincoln smirks.
“Yeah I like her and that ass,” Jace adds playfully.
They both laugh.
Fucking typical Jace always thinking with his dick, I am used to it by now, but Lincoln is never taken by any girl and it unsettles me. She is getting to me and my boys already and she hasn’t even been here a day.
I need to sort this shit out now.
“She’s also a fucking traitor who can’t be trusted,” I bite back.
“So, what do you want to do?” Lincoln asks.
“Exile her.”
“How?”
“She’s invisible, spread the word. Nobody talks to her; nobody even fucking looks at her. Elle King is a fucking North bred princess and she doesn’t belong here.”
I turn to march away, not waiting for their response, when an idea hits me. I spin on my heel and nod my head towards her jeep.
“Nuke it,” I say angrily.
They both look surprised and then Jace looks absolutely gleeful, he’s a little pyromaniac, but Lincoln looks grim, still he nods his head in agreement.
Elle thinks she can come in here and fucking have whatever she wants. Well, she is wrong. The King name means nothing to me anymore. Wrecking her car will be a minor inconvenience for her that will be easily fixed by daddy’s black card, but it will make me feel better watching it fucking burn.
I head to class, thankful when I find that I won’t be sharing it with Elle and wait for the show. I don’t know how my boys get it done so fast, but I knew I could count on them. Twenty minutes later I hear the explosion and I am fucking giddy as everyone jumps to run outside.
I exit the school and the crowd parts, giving me a clear view of Elle watching her precious jeep go up in flames. She must sense my presence because she turns and meets my gaze instantly.
Her frame being licked by the flames makes her look like she’s the devil’s fucking princess. I drag my gaze lazily up her body to meet her face, but I don’t find the expression I was expecting. I wanted distraught anger or upset confusion but what I find is pure excitement. What the fuck?
She moves until she is in front of me and puts her hand to the center of my chest, her touch burning through my shirt as she speaks.
“Didn’t anybody ever tell you not to start a fire you can’t put out, Riv?” and then she just pulls back and laughs as she heads back into school like none of this is even happening. I turn to watch her leave and see her lean in to whisper something to Principle Lock and his gaze fixes with mine before turning back to her and giving her a slight nod. She then pulls out her phone and heads inside.
What the fuck is happening?
I search around for the guys and find them staring after Elle too with a similar expression to what I am sure is on my face. I motion for them to follow me and we make our way to our parking spots. I climb onto my bike and tell them to meet me at the loft before I rev my bike and fly away from the school and the girl fucking with my head.
----------------
I am already sitting with a tumbler of smooth amber liquid in my hand by the time Jace and Lincoln arrive. It's 5 o'clock spmewhere, right?
“Right, you need to spill your fucking guts, man,” Jace yells as he enters.
“That chick didn’t even fucking flinch and we just blew up a fucking hundred-thousand-dollar jeep,” he adds.
Lincoln is silent beside him because he isn’t as in the dark as Jace. When we met and I realized what a fucking tech guru he is, I had him hunt Elle, trying to find out where she had disappeared too. I never told him who she was to me or why I wanted her found just that it was a priority, and he should keep at it until she's found.
I motion for them to grab a drink and sit down. I neck the whiskey before taking a deep breath.
“Elle King is the daughter of Jonathan and Sarah King.”
Jace eyebrows shoot up but Linc remains stoic. There isn’t much here I
will tell him that he doesn’t already know. The only thing he doesn’t know is why I wanted to find Elle so much.
“She disappeared three summers ago without a trace. It was a few months before my dad was murdered.”
I still remember that day like it was yesterday. Summer had just started, and we were spending more and more time out in the woods exploring together. I told her we should go deeper into the trees further than we’d been before, but she was too scared. Until I teased her with our double dog dare tradition knowing she would never back down.
The last thing I remember is seeing the flash of her blonde hair disappear into the trees as she took off like a shot. Then I lost sight of her. It got dark shortly after that and when I couldn’t find her, I panicked and ran back to my house to tell my dad. I remember him looking more worried than I did but he remained calm as he told me to stay at the house to wait and he would look for her. She never came back, until now.
“We were friends, best friends. More than friends even or as much as you can be as a couple of kids. We did everything together. Our parents were friends, so we were always together. It was just us two until the Donovan’s moved in next door to her and brought with them their sons.”
Jace interrupts, “You were friends with the man who murdered your dad?”
“Yeah I was.”
He looks to Linc as I continue. They know I hold a vendetta against Donovan for killing my dad, but I have never gone into the stuff surrounding it.
“Well, Donovan has two sons, one is the same age as us.”
“You mean that pretentious little psycho, Asher, from Hallows Prep, don’t you?”
I nod.
“Well, he became our third wheel. Me and Elle were always getting into trouble and causing mayhem wherever we went but Asher was the goody two shoes. The Kings’ loved him and they started to talk about uniting the families when they were older.”
“What? In some sort of arranged marriage?” Lincoln asks.
“Yeah, they were supposed to be in one or they still are. I don’t even know anymore. All I know is that she disappeared, and my dad was on edge. Taking late night phone calls and sneaking around when he thought I was asleep. It was clear he knew something but every time I asked he just went with the same bullshit line that the Kings fed me that she had gone to boarding school.
Then one night I came home and found him with a bullet to the head. The day CPS came to pick me up Elliot was there, and he said it didn’t have to be like this, but Elle chose the wrong side and my dad had to pay the price.”
“What? So, she’s the reason he’s dead?” Jace asks, clearly confused.
“Yes,” I say almost silently into the quiet space.
“But she was just a kid,” he says carefully, “I mean what could a fourteen-year-old girl possibly do that would make Donovan want to kill your dad?”
“Does it fucking matter? He’s still dead,” I snap angrily.
“Dude, chill. I get it, I do but I just don’t get an evil vibe from her. I doubt she wanted your dad dead especially if you guys were friends.”
“Where does Asher fit into this?” Lincoln interrupts, his mind always working and trying to figure things out from every angle. He has wanted the pieces to this puzzle ever since I gave him the task of looking for Elle and now he is being given them he won’t stop until he has them all.
“That little snake was in on it, I guess. I mean he is like his dad’s little lap dog. The only time they aren’t joined at the hip is when he’s at Hallows Prep or when he disappears once a month to fuck knows where. Fuck knows where she has been for the last few years, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that she has come back now they’re old enough to be married.”
Silence descends on the room.
They know my past, but I always kept Elle out of it not wanting to think about her, let alone speak her name. They are helping me trying to dig up dirt on Elliot and his fucking ring of friends, but I always kept this part to myself. I don’t know what is going to happen next, but I know my boys will be with me no matter what.
Chapter 6
ELLE
Iam still amused by today's antics at the end of the day. Clearly Marcus wanted to piss me off but in reality, he only succeeded in pissing himself off. What can I say, it’s only a car. Like yeah what a fucker for doing that, like seriously I love my jeep but it's just stuff. Easily replaceable. The old me would have freaked out majorly and thrown a huge fit but the new me knows that material things have no true value to life. Not to me anyway. The only things that matter to me are my family. And I guess you could say my revenge.
Either way, today was fun and if that's how Marcus needs to tackle his grief then so be it. Because that's what today was. Grief. Grief at seeing me and missing his father. They go hand in hand.
I don’t know how to play things with him. On one hand I don't want him anywhere near me or my plans but on the other he is still my best friend even if I'm not his anymore. He will always be my River. No longer a boy but a man, a broken one.
I won't bring him into this, but I won't stand by and be his punching bag either.
I am still mulling over what to do when I climb from the Uber I got from school to grab some food while I wait for Zack.
The Shack has been in this town for as long as I can remember, and hands down has the best burger I have ever tasted. It stands alone in the middle of a huge parking lot with plenty of picnic tables outside to sit on in the warm summer months. The inside is worn but nice with its large leather booths and sleek red tables and a huge service area across one wall.
God, I've missed it here. I can see it’s still just as popular with the amount of people here. It’s a mix of the old regular types and students from schools on both sides of town. There is never any drama here, no one would dare, we all have too much respect for the owner. She spies me as soon as I enter and her face lights up with a genuine smile. She's small and slim with brown hair that has obviously been dyed because she's old enough to be a grandma yet despite that she's beautiful and this place and the people in it are her babies.
"My child, tell me my eyes don't deceive me and my little Elle has finally come home." I laugh as she steps from the counter and engulfs me in a tight hug.
"Come on now, Pam, did you really think I could live without the best burgers in town for too long?" I tease as I return her hug.
She steps back and appraises me from head to toe, "You have grown into quite the beauty, Elle, I see you finally grew into these ears," she laughs as she pinches my ear.
I roll my eyes while laughing. She always loved to tease me about my ears growing up. She pushes me to a booth and starts fussing over me, immediately shouting in my old regular order, and telling a waitress to get me a milkshake and it feels like I never left.
“Michael told me what happened, I can't believe you’re really back,” she leans in, slightly lowering her voice.
I flinch slightly at her unexpected words, "Yeah, I didn’t know whether I would ever make it back here."
"I won't say sorry but I will say I hope you're back for more than just my food," she levels me with a serious look and I know she knows what type of people run this town.
I wink and she smiles at me the way a mother should a child. Warm, loving, and safe so much so that I can't help flinging my arms around her again.
"Thank you," I whisper, getting choked up. I pull back but keep my voice low, "I have someone I'd love for you to meet. I'll bring them by when I can. I know they'd love your burgers and shakes just as much as me."
She smiles, "Anytime, my sweet girl."
She gets up to leave, "Don't you dare think about leaving without saying bye again!"
I laugh "Never."
I zone out everyone around me enough to not pay attention to them but while also keeping fully aware of my surroundings. I wolf down a double cheeseburger, fries, and a side of onion rings with two chocolate shakes and feel like I might burst. I really did miss this place
.
I'm idling now waiting for Zack to pick me up on his way home when the bell over the door rings and I hear a new familiar voice.
"Yoooo Pam, I need one of your juicy big p's in my mouth, woman," Jace's cool smooth voice reaches out across the diner with an echo.
“Oh child, behave,” she scolds him from the counter and it’s clear he’s a regular here.
He saunters his way through tossing a wink at two girls who practically swoon. His face is light and chilled until he spots me, and he changes course immediately.
Fuck me with a rusty spoon here we go again.
"Well well well, princess, and to think Marcus told me you had no taste," he says as he pops a cocky grin at me.
I scoff, "Yeah, well Marcus doesn't know shit about me anymore so don't trust everything you hear."
He holds his hands up in mock defense as he slides into the booth with me, taking the seat across from me.
"Hey, don't shoot the messenger, babe. I'm still undecided."
I feign flattery as I deadpan, "Oh wow, lucky me, one of the Rebels thinks I may be worthy, the joy.”
His signature smirk finally returns to his face and, before he can say anything, I add,
"Did you enjoy blowing up my jeep, pretty boy?"
His eyebrows shoot up like he can't believe I'm actually acknowledging it by accusing him right out, but his whole face lights up.
"It's the most fun I've had all summer, princess,” he chuckles.
"Must have been a shitty summer," I quip back, making his grin fall.
"You have no idea, princess," he says in the most serious tone I've heard from him and I immediately don't like that sound on him.
He changes the subject before I can dig any further, “So, why are you back in Hallows?"
The question catches me off guard, so my answer comes out in a questioning tone