by R. E. Bond
“Rory? I asked if you were coming or not?”
I blinked with confusion, glancing around the table at the others.
“Where?”
“Home. Ride with me, yeah? It’s only study period, and no one sticks around for that shit,” he said lazily, watching me intensely as he waited for my answer.
I hated how everyone in the room seemed to be waiting for my response.
I finally shrugged. “Yeah sure, why not. Did you need me to fuck off tonight for your guys night thing? Because if you want…”
“You’re invited too, stupid,” he rolled his eyes, standing and clearing his tray, before waiting for the rest of us to follow his lead.
As we walked past Claire’s table, Caden moved from one side of me to the other, and I could hear the muttering and protests under people’s breaths at it.
I didn’t get why it was such a big deal.
Word had already spread through the school that Caden and the guys had put an end to the bullying on me, and everyone seemed to want to catch a glimpse of me as we all walked through the school and up to the parking lot together as a group.
Everyone split up to go to their cars, and Caden gave me an amused smile as I climbed into his Challenger and we drove towards home.
I was worried I’d moaned out loud about the car or something fucking stupid, but before I could worry about it for long, he spoke.
“You know, you’re about to become the most popular girl at school, right?”
“You mean unpopular. You saw how people glared at me. Why did you stand up for me anyways?” I muttered, peeking over at him to see him offer me a cigarette.
I hesitated before accepting it, lighting it before putting the window down.
“Because, you aren’t who I thought you’d be and to be honest, you cop enough bullshit at home. Besides, now I’ve said you’re with me, no one will mess with you. Claire might, but you just let me know and I’ll keep her in line, okay?”
“Caden…”
“Okay?” He asked sternly, waiting for me to nod before giving me a sly smile.
“So, do we make it look like we’re up to no good together in front of your dad, or what?”
“You’d be up for that?” I asked with surprise, making his smile widen.
“Hey, you wanna fuck in the kitchen and get caught, I’d be up for it. I mean, you’re hardly difficult to look at, Rory.”
Did he call me hot?
I was quiet for a while before giving him a small smile, hoping I didn’t look panicked by the thought.
“Maybe we could upset him a little? No fucking though.”
He laughed heartfully, “You want me to give you a sappy cute nickname then? I’ve noticed you actually freak out when you’re touched, and since I know you won’t talk about it…”
“It’s not so horrible when it’s you,” I mumbled softly, watching him pause before lighting his own cigarette, giving me a curious look.
“You ever gonna talk to me about it?”
“We’re only on day three, Caden, but if you wanna hold my hand or something in front of Max, that’s okay.”
My face heated with embarrassment, but he didn’t seem to notice as he took a drag of his cigarette and turned into our driveway.
Once he parked the car, we climbed out and waited for the others to park close by before we all headed towards the front door together, Caden giving me a cheeky grin.
“C’mere, troublemaker.”
I moved closer, letting him put an arm around my shoulders and pull me closer.
I knew the others were watching us with curiosity as we walked into the house, but I didn’t comment about it as we moved through the front room.
Max and Josie were in the dining room talking when we walked in, Max instantly noticing Caden’s arm around my shoulders.
Josie gave us all a big friendly smile though like the good mom she was.
“Hey guys, good day at school?”
Caden smiled back, not moving his arm from around me.
“Yeah, pretty good day. We’re gonna have a movie night, so if you’re looking for us, we’ll be in the movie room.”
“Alright. Don’t drink too many beers, okay? You know I don’t like it,” she replied, but Max snorted as he looked at me.
“Don’t you have any beer, you got that, Aurora?”
I smiled with fake sweetness at him, sarcasm in my tone.
“Of course, Daddy. Only enough room for one alcoholic in this family, right?”
His jaw tightened, but Josie rolled her eyes.
“One or two never hurt anyone, Max. She’s seventeen after all.”
“Yeah, not twenty-one. I’ll check on you when you go to bed, okay?” He frowned at me with annoyance.
How fucking embarrassing.
I went to speak, but Josie laughed, my body relaxing.
I wasn’t used to someone being on my side when it came to Max.
“Leave her be, sweetheart. Besides, they’ll all camp out in the movie room for the night. The boys normally have movie nights at each other’s houses. It’s good to see them including Rory too.”
He silently fumed as Caden smirked and moved behind me, wrapping his arms around my middle to rest his chin on top of my head.
“Don’t be silly, Mom. We love Rory being around. Did Max tell you Lukas was her best friend until he started high school with us?”
Josie beamed, giving Max a swat on the arm.
“You didn’t tell me that! Oh, how wonderful! Don’t be too loud tonight, okay guys? I don’t wanna be kept awake by you.”
Caden met eyes with Max, making sure to give him a sly grin as he answered and started walking me towards the hallway.
“Trust me, we’ll try really hard to be quiet. C’mon, Rory.”
Once we were in the movie room, Lukas gave us a filthy look.
“What the fuck was that?”
I glared at him, about to tell him it was none of his fucking business, but Caden chuckled and spoke first.
“Nothing man, it’s just funny to stir her dad up, that’s all.”
“Won’t be fucking funny when he beats her fucking bloody over it and she ends up in hospital. Again,” he growled, shoving past us and angrily sitting down on one of the couches.
Caden’s eyes moved over to me and he frowned, looking like Lukas just pissed in his cornflakes.
“Rory…”
“Leave it, Caden,” I replied softly, sitting down on one of the couches as he set a movie up.
He sat beside me, hesitating before putting an arm up for me to curl up under. I could feel Lukas’s eyes boring into me as I let Caden pull me as close as possible, and by the time we’d started the third movie for the evening and had a few beers, I was comfortably sitting on his lap.
It scared me how relaxed I was with his arms around me, if I wanted to be completely honest.
The moment Caden headed upstairs to get some snacks, Lukas plonked down beside me and narrowed his eyes.
“What the fuck is up with you and Holloway?”
Fuck me, really?
“Nothing, why?”
The other two chuckled, but Jensen gave me a smirk as he leaned back in his seat, managing to make lazy look a little bit sexy.
I needed to calm down on the beer or some shit.
“Babe, Holloway doesn’t cuddle. Not even after a good fuck. So, tell us what’s going on? Be a team player and share the gossip.”
Lukas gave me a concerned look as he spoke again.
“How can you fuck him when you hardly know him? Especially after what happened to you?”
I was officially starting to panic, and I’d lost the relaxed feeling I’d had all night.
I curled into myself and choked out, “Lukas, fuck off.”
He didn’t take the fucking hint, continuing to speak and make me even more fucking nervous.
“Seriously, Aurora. You don’t even know him. How the fuck can you just trust someone after what you went thro
ugh?”
“I trust him more than I’ll ever fucking trust you. I’d trust almost anyone more than you,” I snapped defensively, his almond eyes dropping with shame as he sighed.
“Look, I know I fucked up and wasn’t there for you, but you don’t understand what actually…”
I wasn’t going to have that conversation with him.
“Drop it.”
“Rory, I’m sorry,” he said gently and reached for me, but I scrambled off the couch, landing on my ass almost painfully, but I kept moving backwards.
I needed distance between us before I couldn’t breathe.
“Stop it, Lukas! Leave me alone!”
“Damnit, Rory. I get that they fucked you up, but just listen to me for a second,” he asked as he went to stand, but I pressed my back against the wall firmly, getting worked up as I shouted at him.
“You fucked me up! Don’t you get that? It’s what you fucking did that fucked me up! I would have been okay if I’d had you!”
Tyler finally took pity on me and my obvious fear, giving Lukas an impatient glance.
“C’mon man, leave her alone.”
“She just needs to listen to me and…”
I slammed my hands over my ears as the guys continued to argue, and it wasn’t until a hand touched my shoulder that I uncurled from myself and swung my fist up hard, zoning back to my surroundings as it connected.
I glanced up, my breath coming out hard and fast as I tried to get control of the panic that was consuming me, finding Caden squatting beside me, rubbing his eye where I’d punched him.
A small smile was on his face, but it didn’t quite hide his concern.
“That’ll teach me for sneaking up on you. Didn’t mean to scare you, are you okay?”
I peered over his shoulder to find the others all gone, making me relax slightly.
“Yeah, sorry I…”
“It’s fine. Jense said Lukas was being a prick. They’ve all gone upstairs because Ty suggested you needed a minute or two. Lukas is heading home too.”
I sucked a breath in as he slowly took my hands in his, uncurling my fists and wincing slightly as he saw the blood on the palms of my hands from my fingernails.
“C’mon,” he said softly, my eyes peering at him with confusion.
“Where are we going?” I asked as I went to stand, but he carefully put his arms around me and lifted me against his chest like I weighed nothing.
He walked silently up to his bathroom and placed my ass on the sink so he could rummage in the cupboard, grabbing a clean cloth and some ointment.
He washed my hands as I watched him cautiously, putting ointment and band-aids on my palms once they were washed and dried.
He gave me a cheeky wink once he was satisfied that he’d sorted it.
“All better. Do I need to kick Lukas’s ass?”
Did I blush a little?
Fuck.
“No, it’s okay.”
“You sure?”
“Positive. Can we go and watch another movie now?” My voice sounded shaky, but I didn’t care.
I just needed to forget about my meltdown and hoped the others did too.
“Of course. I’ve got you,” he smiled, lifting me from the bench, and I instantly wrapped my arms around his neck so he could carry me down to the kitchen.
Jensen raised an eyebrow at us, and I instantly wriggled so Caden would put me down.
I kept forgetting that I didn’t trust these guys.
Tyler’s concerned steel grey eyes were on me as I put some distance between me and them.
“You all good?”
I nodded, giving him a tiny smile.
“Yeah. Sorry if me being here is ruining guys night or…”
“Don’t be dumb. Lukas is the one who couldn’t leave well enough alone,” he stated, surprising me that he was taking my side.
We headed back into the movie room, and Caden made sure I was curled up on his lap again by the end of the night.
I actually enjoyed myself, despite being tense.
I couldn’t let them get close, not until I knew that I could trust them.
“Rory, wake up.”
I jolted awake in a panic, my eyes frantically glancing around in the dim light until I noticed Caden beside me, giving me the space I needed to calm down.
When I realised who it was, I let out a deep breath and absently reached for him, trying to calm my breathing as he tucked me against his chest and ran his fingers through my hair in a soothing motion.
“I wasn’t sure whether to wake you or not. You were thrashing about and you screamed in your sleep,” he murmured, my eyes closing as shame washed through me.
How fucking embarrassing, freaking out like that in front of him?
He must have felt my body go rigid, because his calm voice reached my ears again as I tried to get my shit together.
“I know you don’t want to talk about it, but you need to, Rory. It’s eating away at you more than you realize.”
“I can’t,” I choked out, his hand still stroking my hair as he spoke carefully.
“Can’t or won’t? It doesn’t make you weak for admitting it’s too much. Think about it, okay?”
I nodded, finally feeling like I was able to breathe properly, and I eventually went back to sleep, snuggled up against his chest.
It didn’t seem like much later that I was woken by chatting close by, and I knew it was Jensen and Tyler gossiping.
“Seriously, I don’t get it. Maybe they dated?” Tyler mumbled, making Jensen snort.
“Maybe, but I doubt it. She’s not just cut up at him for breaking up with her. She was way too freaked out by the shit he was saying last night.”
“Maybe Caden’s right and we should keep him away from her? What if he did something to her?”
Caden’s voice rumbled in my ear as he spoke up without moving from his hold on me.
“You know we’re awake, right? Stop gossiping like a bunch of fucking old ladies.”
They were quiet for a moment before Jensen cleared his throat.
“Ah, sorry.”
I went to sit up but Caden pulled me back down so that I was lying half on top of him, making me tense slightly.
What the fuck?
I stared at him, a small smirk hitting his face as he spoke quietly.
“Kiss me.”
I heard Jensen snort with amusement, but I ignored him and stared into Caden’s green eyes with confused.
“Why?”
“I can hear Max stomping our way. Live a little,” he replied, making sure to move slowly as he ran his fingers through the back of my messy black hair, pulling my lips down to his.
My arm held me back from him at the unfamiliar closeness, but when he kept the kiss slow at my pace, I relaxed against him a little.
My hand rested on his chest as his hands went to my waist to hold me, and it actually felt nice.
I didn’t even realize I’d climbed on him properly, until he smiled against my lips just as the door opened and Max’s voice shouted from close by.
“Aurora Donovan!”
I went to sit up but Caden held me in place, his thumbs rubbing on my hips affectionately as he spoke to my father.
“No need to yell, Max. She can hear you.”
“Caden, you listen to me…,” he bit out, but Caden chuckled and cut him off.
“Nope.”
“Aurora, get your ass up to your room. Now.”
When I didn’t move, Max walked over and grabbed my arm tightly, yanking me off Caden more roughly than necessary. I gritted my teeth as pain shot through my arm, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of hurting me.
Caden got to his feet and gave Max a glare, but he didn’t seem to notice as he yanked me out of the room and up the hallway.
Once in my room, he slammed the door behind us and locked it, shoving me to the floor hard.
Uh oh, I’d poked the bear.
“Think you’re funny for fucking your st
epbrother? I didn’t raise you to be such a dirty little whore. You can stay in here all fucking day and I don’t want to see you until breakfast tomorrow, you got that?”
I scowled, standing up and stumbling as he backhanded me.
I blocked out the sting as I kept angry eyes on him and growled, “Fuck you.”
Wrong words, apparently.
I fell on my ass as his fist connected with my eye, but this time I rubbed it and winced, a snort of annoyance leaving him.
“Enough of the attitude, Aurora. I mean it,” then he left the room, slamming the door behind him.
I stood back up on unsteady feet, wandering across the room and into my bathroom to stare at myself in the mirror.
My eye was already bruising, and his ring had left a cut on my cheek.
I quickly had a shower and had just climbed into bed to watch a movie, when there was a soft knock at the door.
Caden poked his head in, his gaze instantly zoning in on my face.
“Go away,” I mumbled, but he ignored me and walked in, closing the door quietly behind him and moving towards me to sit on the side of my bed.
He slowly reached out and cupped my chin, turning my face towards him so he could look at the damage.
A nasty scowl hit his face, and I could hear the rage burning in his voice.
“He fucking hit you?”
I tried to jerk from his hold with frustration.
“Back off.”
“No. Let me look,” he replied softly, holding my gaze as my body calmed.
His fingertips trailed gently over my tender skin and he sighed.
“Let me talk to Mom about it. Maybe…”
Fuck no.
I yanked back from his grip and scowled.
“Leave it, Caden. Seriously.”
His face hardened as he took one of my hands in his.
“Rory…”
The door opened and Max and Josie walked in, Max’s face instantly becoming upset and distraught.
I knew it was fake and so did Caden, but that didn’t stop him from having his fake meltdown to make it look like he gave a shit about me in front of Josie.
“What the hell did you do to her?”
Hold up, what?
Caden’s eyes shot daggers at him, his voice lethal.
“The fuck are you talking about? I didn’t do shit, you fucking prick.”