by R. E. Bond
Pretty Lies
Book one in the watch me burn series
R.E Bond
Copyright © 2020 by R.E Bond
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover design: Ciaran Strange.
Editors: Dark Raven Edits & Diamond Editing and Proof Reading.
To my Instagram bestie, Megan,
who’s talked me into this fuckery since day one.
This one’s for you, soul sister.
Contents
1. Chapter one
2. Chapter two
3. Chapter three
4. Chapter four
5. Chapter five
6. Chapter six
7. Chapter seven
8. Chapter eight
9. Chapter nine
10. Chapter ten
11. Chapter eleven
12. Chapter twelve
13. Chapter thirteen
14. Chapter fourteen
15. Chapter fifteen
Pre-order
Acknowledgments
Stalk me!
Spotify playlist link
About the Author
Chapter one
Rory
“You’re joking, right?” I exclaimed as I crossed my arms tightly across my chest and glared at my father.
He gave me a stern look from his seat behind the desk, his voice rough with warning.
“Aurora Donovan, don’t even bother to argue with me on this. This new school will be perfect for you, and you should be grateful for the opportunity.”
Was he for fucking real? Grateful?
“I didn’t ask for a new school, or a new mother,” I snapped, hurt and anger lacing my tone, but he turned his attention back to his paperwork as he spoke again.
“I didn’t ask to have a spoiled bratty daughter, but I sure as hell got one.”
“How the hell am I spoiled and bratty? We’re broke and have been for a long fucking time! No thanks to the debts that you keep racking up. That’s the only reason you like this woman, isn’t it? You love her money, not her,” I spat.
I wondered how long I could argue with him before he completely lost his temper with me again, and I didn’t have to wonder for long.
I didn’t flinch as he slammed his fist onto his desk, his dark blue eyes boring into my light blue ones.
“Josie and her son are expecting us, go and get ready so we can leave.”
I rolled my eyes, my arms still crossed firmly.
“I am ready.”
“Like hell, Aurora. You’ve got to make a good impression. Tattered jeans and a ripped shirt won’t work,” he gritted out, making me frown and look down at my outfit with annoyance.
The black ripped skinny jeans and white crop top didn’t look that bad if I was being honest.
I thought I looked pretty alright for a casual meet.
“I always wear this?” I finally questioned, making him look away from me, disgust in his voice.
“Exactly. Find something nice for fuck’s sake.”
“This is my nice outfit, unless you want me to wear overalls or my pajamas?”
He was such a fucking prick.
I headed from the room, needing to get away from him, grabbing my black combat boots and lacing them up.
I leaned against the wall to wait for Dad, brushing my long black hair with my fingers and tying it up in a high messy ponytail.
Well, Max. I only called him Dad when I had to.
He finally emerged from his office, shaking his head at me with irritation as he walked past, grabbing his car keys.
“You know, you could at least pretend to like the idea of not having to get a job so badly now. Maybe Josie can take you shopping and you can get some nice new clothes? Maybe even a haircut?”
I gave him a dirty look before walking out the door behind him.
“I still need a job, and no, Josie won’t be taking me out to do shit, because I don’t give two shits about her money. I’ve had to look after myself for a long time now, so I’ll be fine, thanks.”
He was such a freeloading piece of shit.
Once we were in the car, he sighed in defeat, a soft tone in his voice.
It was fake, it always fucking was.
“Look, I know you miss your mother, but Josie…”
“You make it sound like she’s dead. She just couldn’t stand you and your spending habits. When I find her, I’m gone, you got that?” I gritted out before he could finish his sentence.
He always pushed thoughts of Mom to the side, and I fucking hated it.
“She left without you all those years ago because she didn’t want you, Aurora. Stop living in your head with your happy stories of having a home with her again,” he said in a low voice, making my heart tighten.
He was fucking wrong.
Mom wanted me, I just knew it.
We drove the rest of the way in silence, my face scrunching into a scowl as we drove up to a massive mansion to park the car.
Seriously? That belonged to Max’s latest piece?
She actually lived there?
“Bit overkill, isn’t it? Who is she, the fucking queen?”
He ignored me as usual, climbing out of the car and heading towards a huge door as it opened, and a slender blonde woman walked out to greet him.
I climbed out but hung back until he gave me a frustrated look.
“Josie, this is my daughter, Aurora.”
Josie’s smile was sweet, but I dodged her as she tried to hug me, not that she seemed to be offended by my lack of affection.
“It’s nice to meet you, Aurora. Your father’s told me so much about you.”
All bullshit, I bet. “I prefer Rory.”
“Well, Rory, come inside and make yourself at home. Would you like a sparkling water? Your father said you love them.”
I gave my father a sideways glance before replying in a relaxed voice, trying not to sound rude.
“Well, he’s lying because I hate them. It tastes like television static in a plastic bottle.”
She let out a genuine laugh as she led us inside the big ass mansion, and I tried hard not to be intimidated by everything.
It literally spelled out money.
The corners of her lips lifted into a small smile. “My son will like you. He’s in the gym at the moment, I’m sorry.”
My eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You have a gym?”
Of course they had a fucking gym.
“We have a gym, pool, movie room, bar, and so many bedrooms. You can use anything you like, okay?” She beamed, making me realize the woman wasn’t some snot-nosed cow like I’d originally thought she’d be.
I gave her a small smile, warming up to her a little.
“Thanks.”
Josie showed me through the entire house, beaming even more when she stopped in front of a huge bedroom that our entire house would have fucking fit inside.
“This one’s yours!”
“Pardon?” I asked with confusion, taking a small step back as tension rolled through me.
Max cleared his throat, managing to at least look slightly embarrassed.
“Your bedroom, Aurora.”
I narrowed my eyes and took another step back sile
ntly, but Josie actually scowled at him, winning herself a few bonus points from me.
“Max Donovan, you didn’t tell her?”
“We’re telling her now, aren’t we?”
Father of the fucking year.
Josie shook her head and glanced at me with an apology in her friendly green eyes.
“I thought you knew, honey. I asked your father to move in, and I asked him to bring you around so we could meet each other properly first.”
My back hit the wall and I sneered at my father, my fists clenching by my sides as I tried to contain some of my anger.
I could kill him.
“Wanna drop anything else on me today? New mom, new house, new school. I’m glad I haven’t sorted a job out yet, or you would’ve fucked that up too, wouldn’t you?”
“Aurora, what did I say at home?” He asked sternly, but I was pissed off and not feeling too agreeable.
He shouldn’t make a habit of upsetting me at important times, then maybe I’d stop embarrassing him in front of people.
Fuck him.
“I’m not fucking moving. No way in hell.”
“Well, tough. You aren’t eighteen yet kiddo, so you don’t have a choice,” he said smoothly, acting as if he had me under control.
He didn’t, and he hadn’t for a long fucking time.
Josie looked concerned, so I gave her a small polite smile, knowing it wasn’t really her fault our little tour went sour.
“Thanks for showing me around, Josie. I might go and wait in the car while you and Max finish talking. You have a beautiful home.”
I could be polite when I wanted to be.
She went to hug me but stopped herself last minute as my whole body visibly tensed.
“That’s okay. We won’t be long,” she nodded before I excused myself and headed back through the house.
As I wandered through the kitchen, I heard a snort, making me glance up to find a guy my age with hazel brown hair scowling at me like I was the devil incarnate.
“So, you’re the girl that’s moving into my house to spend my mother’s money?”
That got my hackles up instantly and I clenched my hands into fists, deciding against punching his lights out.
Fucking rich prick.
“No, I’m the girl that had no idea she was moving in, and don’t worry, I don’t want your mother’s fucking money. I look after myself.”
“You’re just a charity case that my mother’s taken interest in. You know Max has been coming here for years, right? I’ve heard a lot about you, and I’ll tell you right now that you need to stay out of my way,” he said bitterly.
Who the fuck did this guy think he was?
Hate burned under my skin as I managed to speak confidently.
“Gladly. Spoiled over-privileged rich kids aren’t exactly something I like to hang around anyways, so maybe you should be the one to stay the fuck away from me. Got it, rich boy?”
An amused smirk hit his face just as our parents walked in, halting when they saw the stand-off between us.
Josie frowned with confusion. “What’s going on? Do you two already know each other?”
Her son chuckled almost cruelly, grabbing a beer from the fridge and popping the top to take a sip, his eyes landing on me again before he smirked.
“We were just talking, weren’t we, Aurora?”
I rolled my eyes, figuring it would be better than telling him to go fuck himself.
“Sure, if that’s what you wanna call it.”
“Aurora,” Max warned in a low voice, but I raised an eyebrow, biting one of my lip rings for a moment before answering him.
“You don’t get to decide how to parent me now. I raised my damn self, and you know it, so if you wanna put on some act in front of your coincidentally rich girlfriend, then be my guest. I’m not playing along, and I sure as shit won’t be lounging around by the pool, acting grateful to be here. Josie’s too fucking good for you, and I hope she learns that you’re a using piece of shit before you spend the last fucking cent she has. Does she know about the gambling and the drinking? How about the illegal poker games and hookers? You only care about yourself. It was nice to meet you, Josie.”
I ignored the furious look on my father’s face and the stunned one on Josie’s son’s as I turned and headed out the door, shutting myself in the car.
It was worth being fucking backhanded once we got home.
Caden
Aurora was a fucking brat, plain and simple.
I was going to destroy her piece by piece, and Jensen was going to have a fucking field day with her.
He liked crushing people more than I fucking did, and that said a lot.
Problem was, she seemed more broken than I first realised.
Watching her with her dad made me wonder what the fuck he did to her to make her the way she was.
Max hadn’t done anything wrong towards me or my mom, but I still had never grown to like him.
I’d heard my dad talk about him before, and since dad liked him, I knew Max was a piece of fucking shit.
Dad had warned me that Aurora was a little cunt, so I guess I had to find out for myself.
Who was Aurora Donovan, and why the fuck did I have to fight my smile when she shot Max down like she did?
I headed up to my room, watching her from my bedroom window as she sulked in the car, but my eyes narrowed as Max stalked out after a while and waved his hands around, obviously yelling at her.
I didn’t miss the way she flinched.
I needed to know what the fuck was going on, and I had every intention of finding out what kind of man my mother was dating.
I had to be fucking nice to her, didn’t I?
If she wouldn’t tell me the easy way, the guys and I would get it out of her the fucking hard way.
No matter the cost.
Rory
A sigh escaped me as I glanced around my new school the next day as I walked through the gates.
Fucking rich pricks.
I’d never really made close friends anywhere, so I knew it would be like every other time I went somewhere new.
I’d just stick to myself like I always did.
I headed to where my locker was assigned, slightly surprised to find Josie’s son leaning against it, and the way people stayed out of his way, made me realize he was a big deal.
His arms stayed crossed as I approached, but he silently moved out of my way as I jammed my jacket inside.
I turned to face him and scowled when I found him still watching me.
I sneered. “What?”
His eyes scanned my face, pausing as he noticed the bruise on my cheek, before he met my hard gaze.
“The fuck has my mom gotten herself into with Max?”
My body relaxed slightly at his concern, before I shut my locker with a sigh.
“Honestly? He’s a piece of shit and she should get the fuck away from him. She’s too damn nice to deserve what will happen if she lets him stay. He ruins everything around him, and I like your mom, so you need to convince her to leave him.”
I turned and walked away, chewing on my lip ring as I went, but I was surprised when I noticed he was walking beside me when he spoke again.
“The gambling and shit’s true?”
“Yep. My aunt gave me money for my birthday every year as a kid. She stopped when she found out Dad was stealing it to gamble,” I shrugged lazily.
“The hookers?”
“Basically thinks he’s Charlie Sheen after a big night of booze. I watched him snort coke off a hooker’s tits one night, so that was fun,” I muttered, heading across the yard towards my classroom and trying not to shiver at the horrid memory.
He suddenly grabbed my arm, instantly letting go as I spun around and yanked myself away from him, my whole body tense from his simple touch.
He seemed curious by the way I reacted, but he masked it quickly and leaned against the wall, his voice serious.
“Is he violent towards wome
n in general, or just you?”
My face stayed unreadable as I shrugged. “I’ve never seen him hurt a woman in my life. Look…”
“Caden.”
“Huh?” I asked, watching his lip twitch with amusement as he fought a smile.
“My name’s Caden.”
Good for you.
“Oh, okay. Well, Caden, I’ve watched my father get into trouble that he can’t get out of so many fucking times, so listen when I tell you to get your mom to leave him. He’s poison, and the only people who get hurt are those around him. He’ll throw anyone under the bus to save himself if he needs to, trust me on that.”
He gave me a nod before turning to walk away, talking over his shoulder at the last minute.
“Careful around here, Aurora. He’s placed you in the lion’s den. Girls like you don’t last.”
I smirked at that.
These fuckers could bring it on.
“Yeah? Well I’m not like most girls, and I already live in hell at home. I may as well live it at school too, huh?”
He hesitated, looking like he was going to say something, but he continued to walk away and disappeared around the corner just as the bell rang.
I headed into the classroom and sat down, noticing people staring at me and whispering, but I ignored them throughout the whole lesson and kept my head down in my books until the lunch bell rang.
I quickly made my way down the hallway and put my books in my locker, grabbing my bag before heading to the cafeteria to eat.
I instantly regretted it though, when I sat down and a cold sticky drink was tipped over my fucking head.
People erupted into laughter, but the only reaction I gave them was to glance up at the blonde girl who did it, with a small smile on my face.
“Probably best you didn’t drink that anyways. I mean, it can’t be good for your waistline.” My eyes roamed over her and I smirked. “You could lose a few pounds.”