Five minutes turns to ten and soon enough, half an hour has passed and I finally start breathing easy. Nothing during this service has been anything like my father’s funeral and for that, I’m grateful. Feeling me finally starting to relax, Nic squeezes my hand and leans into my side. “The boys are chilling outside,” he says. “They wanted to be here for you too.”
A warm smile pulls at my lips and I drop my cheek to Nic’s large shoulder. “They didn’t have to do that.”
“I couldn’t keep them away.”
“You never told me where you got the suit,” I murmur, keeping my voice low.
Silent laughter bubbles through Nic and has my head gently rocking on his shoulder. “I rented it.”
Yeah, right. That’s as good as saying that he actually put a little thought into being here today. We both know that he was probably just in the area and when he thought about checking in with me, he remembered where I was. Besides, if this was a planned trip, all four boys would be sitting in this pew and I’d bet the few saved up dollars hidden in my underwear drawer that not one of them have a suit with them. “So, by renting it, what you mean is that you intimidated some poor kid out in the parking lot until he gave up the goods.”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” he murmurs. “Now hush before you get us kicked out of this circus.”
Another smile pulls as my lips and I pull my hand free before curling it around his strong arm and holding him to me. I get comfortable against him and he allows me to hold him until the service is finally coming to an end.
The priest wraps up his service and then looks out at the congregation. “I’d like to invite the family to come and say a final goodbye and once they are done, the floor will be open to the rest of the guests.” He looks to Colton and his mom and sisters before waving his hand toward the casket. “When you’re ready.”
The twins are the first to stand, eager to get this over and done with. They adjust their big glasses and make their way to their father with Colton trailing behind. The three of them stand by the casket for a moment until they’re joined by their mother.
As a family, they look down at Charles and say their private goodbyes. The twins are the first to walk away as expected and just as they take their seats, Colton turns and lets out a heavy breath. As he walks back to his seat, his gaze lifts to mine.
Nic stiffens beside me, not liking what he’s seeing just as Colton does the same, taking me in as I’m pressed into Nic’s side and taking comfort in his closeness. Trying to not make himself too obvious, he tears his gaze away and as he does, Laurelle speaks out, loud and so fucking proud, sounding like a survivor who is finally at peace.
“I hope you burn in hell, Charles.”
With that, her hand flies toward the casket and in the blink of an eye, the whole thing goes up in flames as she sends Charles to spend an eternity rotting in hell.
Chapter 8
The ballroom of the Carrington mansion quickly begins to fill with guests as I stand around with Milo and my boys, still reeling from the shock of what just happened at the church.
She set the fucking casket on fire, and when I say that thing went off like a college girl at her first frat party … damn. I’ve never seen flames take so fast. It was zero to a hundred in three seconds.
Who the fuck does that? Laurelle Carrington must be suffering from some pretty nasty mental scars to have gone through with that. I mean, I completely understand thinking about it the whole way through the service, but actually getting up there and doing it? I don’t know whether I should be terrified of her and her twin spawns or if I should be bowing at her feet.
The woman is clearly a little fucked up.
One second we were ready to wrap up the service and the next it’s absolute chaos. The moment the guests saw the flames quickly licking up the side of the casket and taking over, all hell broke loose. Women started screaming, grabbing their shit, and heading for every available exit while men ran toward the fire, desperate to put it out.
The priest stood up on his podium, madly praying as though the chaos was magically going to go away as Laurelle was dragged from the church, kicking and screaming while desperately wanting to watch her ex-husband burn.
I don’t know what the hell is going to happen there. Is it a jailable offense or will she get away with it like so many other things get swept under the rug around here? It’s not as though her crime was exactly done in private as most of the rich and famous do.
I couldn't believe my eyes as Milo stood beside me, watching the show unfold as though he was watching a midday TV drama. The twins howled with laughter pleased with their mother’s craziness while Colton just stared, humiliated, horrified, and completely unsure what the hell he should be doing.
His father’s body was burning and the church was quickly filling with smoke, also at risk of burning to the ground.
I started to go for Colton, unsure how I was going to help him but knowing that he needed someone in his corner. Nic had other plans though. The second I made my move toward Colton, Nic clutched onto my hand and pulled me toward the exit, claiming my safety always comes first.
Milo scrambled along with us, not wanting to get lost in the crowd of screaming women all dying to get out of there. Just as I reached the exit, I looked back to find someone with a fire extinguisher, madly trying to save what was left but it would have already been too late. I can only imagine what Charles would look like now.
Harrison and Maryne had gone to all that extra effort of having Charles dressed in his best suit which was then going to be kept for Colton as a keepsake. That won’t happen now and the fact that his mother was the one to take that away from him really pisses me off.
Everyone has always said how Laurelle was the nice one, the woman who was all about her children, making memories, and having a good time, but I don’t see it. I’m not even going to pretend that I knew what it was like when they were living as a family. I’m sure it would have been awful and I’m damn sure that Charles would have been a terrible husband, but what she did today tells me that there’s so much more about Laurelle Carrington that we’re all missing. Something much darker than anyone could have anticipated.
Once all the guests were safely outside, it became a waiting game.
Milo stuck by my side as Nic called the boys to come and chill. I have to admit, I've been to a few funerals in my time. Living in Breakers Flats, there’s a high chance that you’ll lose a friend before your fifteenth birthday. I’ve seen every different kind of funeral you can see, but today, that shit was all new.
Colton finally came out of the church and told everybody that the party at the mansion was still going ahead and that everybody should head on over there early and grab a few drinks. He was factual and emotionless, straight to the point, and clearly in way over his head. But just as I knew they would, people listened.
I don’t know what it is about these Carrington men, but when they speak, people move. It would be nice to have that kind of power.
A champagne flute is pushed into my hand and I look up to find Sebastian grinning back at me. “You look like you could use a drink.”
“Thanks,” I tell him, noticing the way he looks so damn awkward inside this mansion. “But you look like you could use one more.”
“Ain’t that the fucking truth,” he grumbles as Eli grunts his agreement beside me.
I’m not going to lie, watching these four boys walk inside of the Carrington mansion was kinda comical. It’s not something any of us thought would ever happen. Hell, I’m still shocked by the fact that I walk through here every day.
We lost Kairo twenty minutes ago and if I had to guess, I’d say he was upstairs somewhere, checking through the bedrooms and hoping to find a pile of cash lying around. He might find something that can be easily slipped into his pockets and pawned the moment he gets back to Breakers Flats, but cash? I don’t know. I haven’t come across a massive safe yet and seeing cash lying around isn’t somethin
g the Carrington’s like to do. After all, they didn’t end up billionaires by giving everything away.
Nic steps into my side and slides his hand around my waist. “Are you good?” he murmurs, leaning his face into my neck so I feel his breath upon my skin.
I give him a warm smile and lean into his side. “Yeah,” I tell him. “I’m fine, just still reeling from that service. I can’t believe momma Carrington set him on fire.”
“Right?” Milo laughs. “That was fucking insane. I still can’t believe it. Laurelle is such a bad fucking bitch.”
I roll my eyes as I look at Milo. He's had a lady crush ever since Laurelle showed up to the funeral fashionably late and made her entrance in ridiculous stilettos, not giving a damn what anyone thought of her.
Sebastian sighs, shaking his head in devastation. “I can’t believe I missed that shit,” he says. “I would have paid to see one of these hoity-toity bitches finally snap.”
Milo’s eyes sparkle with excitement. “Trust me, man. It was so fucking worth it.”
Someone slams into my shoulder, sending my champagne flute flying out of my hands. I screech as the expensive glass goes toppling while Eli does his best to catch it but in doing that, gets covered from head to toe in champagne.
How is it that whenever there’s a party in this damn mansion, bullshit always goes down?
Sharp laughter has my head whipping around to the dumb bitch who couldn’t possibly watch where she was going. I find the twins, looking down at me and scrunching their faces at my boys. It’s impossible to tell which one did it but I honestly don’t care. I bet these are the type of girls who would have worked out their little plan together before putting it into action, making them both equally as guilty.
“Ugh, watch yourself,” the one on the right says, making me wish I’d taken the time to learn who is who so I could curse them out appropriately. “You’re such a fucking mess.”
The other laughs and they go to keep walking and although I know I should just let it go, I can’t seem to stop myself from launching out and grabbing a fist full of fake, brunette extensions. I pull the one making the nasty comments back to me, spinning her around and loving the high-pitched screech that comes tearing out of her. To be honest, I’m surprised such a small thing can make such a big noise. I should congratulate her.
I pull her up in my face as her sister squeals for me to release her. “What did you just say to me?”
Her eyes bounce between mine and my boys and as they form a circle around us, blocking any kind of escape, she finally starts to understand that I’m not the bitch she wants to mess with.
“I … I …”
“No, No,” I say, shaking my head. “I talk. You listen.”
She looks around again and I watch as her brows crease with fear. I don’t see Colton, but I feel him and I know he’s watching this bullshit go down, but he’s not doing anything to stop it and because of that, I give it my all.
“I’m going to tell you what I told your brother,” I say, licking my lips and tilting my face closer to hers, so close that if I was to move another inch, my plum-colored lips would be rubbing against hers. I drop my tone to an intimidating whisper by her ear. “Are you ready?”
I hear her swallow before she nods once again. “We may be in your territory, but this is my fucking game, understand?”
A small squeak pulls from within her and I resist laughing and breaking my concentration. I love the few spoiled girls from Bellevue Springs that I’ve met so far. They’re like cats. Always ready to strike and act like fucking bitches, but put a lion in their path and they scatter like pussies.
The other twin grows a set of balls and grabs hold of my hand that’s tangled in her sister’s hair. “Let her go,” she demands, her voice loud and demanding, getting the attention of every guest in the room.
She pulls on my hand yet all that does is tighten my grip. I tear my gaze away from the twin in front of me and look to the other. “Careful, now. You don’t want to be the reason your sister has a bald spot. I’ve been to the salon here and trust me, they’re amazing but they can’t do God’s work.”
She sets her jaw and I’m sure had her daddy still been here, she would have been having a tantrum and running to him right now, but unfortunately for her, she’s shit out of luck.
Eli laughs and steps closer to her side, crippling her with fear. “Come on, baby,” he coos. “Chill out. We’re just having a little fun. Why don’t you relax and come over to the dark side? I promise you’ll like it.”
“Eli,” I warn. “Careful. They’re seventeen.”
“So?” he says with a seductive chuckle, his eyes raking up and down her body. “You were only fifteen when I took your virginity and you fucking loved it. I bet she’d have the time of her fucking life.”
“Really?” Nic grunts, shooting his glare at Eli as Sebastian groans. “You want to bring that shit up now?”
“Umm …” the twin in my face says. “Can you please just let me go? I swear, we’ll back off.”
I raise a brow as I study her, not believing it for one second but to tell the truth, I’m starting to get a little bored. It’s clear they’ve got the message and I have a feeling they won’t be fucking with me much longer.
I meet her eyes. “Which one are you?”
“Cora.”
Ahh, the one from Colton’s room last night. Why does it make me so damn happy that this isn't Casey? “You better watch your back, Cora. I won’t hesitate to fuck you up. I don't care who you have at your back. You will not win here. Got it?”
“Yeah, I got it,” she says, her attitude firing back up, not appreciating my verbal smackdown.
Keeping my eyes trained on hers, I finally release the grip on her hair and she falls back against Sebastian’s chest before he steps away and makes room for the two of them to scurry away. “Hey,” Eli calls after them. Casey turns back and meets his eyes and the grin he sends her is more than wicked. “That offer still stands.”
Her eyes bug out of her head and they run faster, making the boys buckle over, howling with laughter as Milo stares in wonder, probably wondering if Eli would extend his offer to him.
The boys have hardly finished their celebration when a hard body steps into my back. My body stiffens and as his familiar scent wraps around me and my knees buckle beneath me, Nic straightens.
Colton’s hand falls to my waist, keeping me steady as my boys all stop to stare, confusion twisting on their faces. I don’t know where the fuck Kairo comes from but suddenly he’s there, able to smell the threat from a mile away.
Colton leans into me, his hand slipping further around my waist and doing all sorts of things to me, but the way Nic watches has me ready to duck for a shoot out. He steps forward, putting himself right in front of me to where he can easily reach for Colton’s throat. “Take your fucking dirty hands off my girl.”
I feel Colton’s grin as his hand tightens on my waist. He leans down, dismissing Nic’s request. His breath tickles my throat and I keep my eyes locked on Nic’s as Colton’s demanding whisper sounds right beside my ear. “As of five minutes ago, you were on the clock. If you want to keep your job, then I’d suggest fucking them off and picking up a goddamn serving platter.”
Oh, fuck. This is not going to go down well.
My face scrunches as my jaw clenches.
What am I supposed to do here? Tell my boys to go and cause all sorts of shit or lose my job?
I turn in Colton’s arm and look up at him, meeting those eyes that have tortured me since the second I stepped through the doors of this over-sized, power-hungry mansion. “Please,” I murmur, hating that I’m about to beg, but when it comes to my crew, there’s not a damn thing that I won't do. “Don’t make me do this.”
A grin pulls at his lips and it’s clear that he’s enjoying himself. “After the scene you just caused with my sisters at their father’s funeral, you're fucking lucky that you’re not going with them. Your friend was just up in my bedr
oom trying to steal my father's Rolex while this other prick just offered to fuck my underage sister. Take your pick, Jade. What’s more important to you? A bunch of gang members who have nothing to offer except a prison sentence or a fucking shot at a life after graduation?”
No, no, no, no, no. Why did he have to word it like that?
“Come on, this isn’t fair.”
“Five fucking seconds. I’d suggest you hurry up and choose.”
“Colton.”
“Three seconds, Jade.”
Fuck.
This is not going to go down well.
I let out a breath and turn to face Nic with regret heavy in my eyes. His gaze tightens and all my boys stiffen, seeing where this is going before I’ve said a damn word. “You should go,” I tell them. “Chill out in the pool house until I’m finished working and we can hang out after that.”
“The fuck?” Nic grunts, his face twisting as his brows drop low. “You’re turning your back on your boys for this fuckwit?”
“I’m not,” I demand, stepping into Nic and feeling the loss of Colton at my back like the loss of a limb. “You’re my fucking boys. You always will be, but if you stay you’re going to fuck things up for me here. I have a good thing going. You know how much mom and I need this. Colton is my boss now. I have to do this.”
“Babe, come on,” Sebastian says.
“Please,” I say, feeling my heart breaking, seeing the devastation deep within his handsome features. “Just go chill out in the pool house.”
Colton scoffs behind me. “What makes you think they’re welcome in the pool house?”
I spin around and shoot my glare at him, letting him see just how fucking deeply he’s killing me. “I can have guests in the pool house. That’s always been the rules,” I demand, hating that I’m making a scene right in the middle of the ballroom for Harrison, mom, and Maryne to see.
“They were my father’s rules,” he says darkly, moving an inch closer and making Nic flinch at my back. “This is my property now.”
Cocky F*ck: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Rejects Paradise Book 2) Page 8