Pretty Lies (Watch Me Burn Book 1)

by R. E. Bond

  I didn’t have the heart to tell him it had basically been for nothing.

  “Don’t be sorry. There’s nothing to be sorry for, Luke.”

  His body seemed to sag in relief when I called him by his nickname, and he kissed the top of my head affectionately like he always had when we were kids when he wanted to comfort me.

  “We can talk later, okay? C’mon, we’re gonna be late for class.”

  Jensen muttered something under his breath, but he seemed to perk up slightly as I moved back under his arm as we walked into the school together.

  I knew it would happen, but not like this.

  Girls usually stole the new girl’s clothes in the shower block or made up nasty rumours, but these rich girls were beyond petty crap.

  They grabbed me from under the shower spray after gym class, dragging me towards the main door, completely butt naked.

  I struggled against their hold on me, but Claire’s posse didn’t let go until we were out in the main hallway, where they pushed me to the ground and locked me out without even a towel to cover myself.

  Familiar panic set in as I noticed eyes on me everywhere as people whispered and giggled, and I scooted back into the corner, trying hard to shield myself from everyone’s stares and jokes.

  No one moved towards me to help, and tears formed as the anxiety started to race through me.

  I never cried in front of people and let them see my weakness, and I was only just managing to hold myself together as a familiar voice cut through the growing crowd.

  “C’mon guys, move along. What the fuck are you even looking…”

  I peered up from behind my wet tangled hair, finding Caden and the guys in front of me.

  For a moment it didn’t look like they were going to help me, until Lukas suddenly yanked his hoodie over his head and moved towards me.

  Jensen followed, blocking me from everyone’s view as Lukas helped me into the hoodie that luckily went halfway down my thighs.

  I still felt too exposed, but at least I was covered.

  Once they helped me to my feet and I was safely tucked under Lukas’s arm, Jensen glared at the crowd of students that had gathered, with complete rage.

  “Who the fuck did this, huh? You all know what happens to people who fuck with us, so speak up!”

  Caden lazily walked past us, glancing over at me through hooded eyes, his voice quiet.

  “They still in the showers?”

  I nodded, watching as he kicked the door hard, hearing wood splinter as the door swung wide to see Claire and the girls stop their gossiping, some having the decency to look fucking scared.

  Claire was only in her panties and bra, but she smiled as if he was about to sell her a fucking puppy with a bow on it.

  “Problem, Holloway? If you wanted a good time, you didn’t have to kick the door in. You know I’d let you in.”

  No one moved as Caden’s hand shot out and grabbed her throat, fear flashing across her gaze as he shoved her back hard into the wall with a scowl on his face.

  “What did I say, Claire?” he asked in a low voice, the other girls scattering, their leader forgotten.

  I’d call them pussies, but I didn’t blame them.

  He was mad as fuck.

  “Oh, come on, she…,” Claire started, but he just shouted over the top of her.

  “Is one of us!” Then he slammed her hard into the wall again to get his point across.

  She just chuckled, looking over at me with a nasty glint in her eye.

  “It’s just one big game to them, you know? Girls don’t join their group. They’ll fuck you until they’re bored, then all of a sudden, you’ll be dropped like a sack of shit. You think they’re actually your friends? You’re just a way for them to be amused for a while. Just you wait, Aurora. They’re making a joke out of you, and you don’t even know it.”

  Caden muttered under his breath at her, making her sneer before he released his grip and stalked off without a backwards glance.

  Tyler got everyone to move along, while Jensen and Lukas guided me into the bathroom to collect my things.

  Everything was a soaking pile of fabric in one of the showers, so I sighed as I grabbed my bag, leaving the clothes there in the splattered heap.

  I moved against Jensen, hiding my face in his chest as his arms went around me protectively, my anxiety pushing and pulling inside of me as I tried to calm myself.

  He kissed the top of my head before brushing the damp hair off my face, meeting my gaze.

  “Let me take you home, okay? Lukas can drop the Lambo off at mine later.”

  I nodded silently, letting him lead me out of the room and through the school until we reached the parking lot, not speaking as we climbed into the Camaro and drove off.

  Once he’d gotten me home to the Holloway’s, he helped me into my room, pulling me against him for comfort.

  “Are you okay?”

  “No,” I mumbled honestly, his hand cupping my cheek as he gave me a small smile.

  I nearly melted at how cute he looked when he did that.

  “You want me to stick around for a little?” he offered, and I let out a nervous bubble of laughter.

  “Should I at least put pants on?”

  That earned me a cheeky smirk from him as his thumb ran across my lower lip.

  “Only if you really have to. Kind of wish it was my hoodie you were naked in.”

  I peered up at his bright blue eyes, my lip twitching into a tiny smile.

  “Make up your mind, Gilbert. Do you want me naked, or in your hoodie?”

  “Trust me, you’d look better naked,” he murmured, his hands resting on my waist as if to stop them roaming my body.

  “Jense?”

  “Hmm?” he hummed, his thumbs rubbing along my hips.

  “Take my mind off today,” I whispered, an unsure expression suddenly crossing his handsome face.

  “Aurora…”

  “Just kiss me, please,” I asked, hating that I was practically begging him.

  I just needed the comfort, and to forget about the shitty afternoon.

  He groaned, his hand moving to the back of my neck, pulling me closer as he kissed me without another word, his other hand sliding down to squeeze one of my butt cheeks as the hoodie lifted slightly.

  I rubbed against him as his kiss became more desperate, until he suddenly growled and grabbed my thighs, lifting me and carrying me across the room to plonk my ass down on top of the drawers. I parted my legs and pulled him closer, letting out a breathy moan as one of his hands moved between us, his fingertips teasing my clit lightly.

  He yanked me forwards, pushing a finger inside me and making both of us groan as he started pumping it faster.

  My nails dug into his shoulder through his shirt as he added another finger, his lips moving to my neck before he nipped me sharply and took me by surprise.

  My legs clamped around his waist as if to hold on when I felt the tingling start, and the moment his thumb rubbed my clit, I fucking detonated, pulling him closer if that were possible.

  I bit his neck to silence myself until his fingers slowed and I leaned back, his lips softly kissing over my tender skin where his teeth had nipped me.

  “Holy fuck, Rory,” he murmured, as if I’d been the one to rock his world instead.

  My body was weak from the intensity of it, and I hardly remembered him tucking me into bed and closing the door on his way out as I drifted off to sleep.

  He and Caden were going to kill me with orgasms one day, I just fucking knew it.

  Caden

  I don’t even know why I’d helped Rory.

  Claire had that shit planned since day one, but I’d told her to fucking hold off on it.

  Tyler tracked me down after I’d taken off, a satisfied look on his face as he approached.

  “You’re starting to like her, aren’t you?”

  “Why do you say that?” I growled, leaning against the building and lighting a cigarette with irritatio
n.

  I watched Jensen lead her up to the parking lot, not realizing I’d made a noise of annoyance until Tyler moved in front of me with a smirk.

  “You took off for starters, but you get shitty whenever Jense helps her out. Let him play with her for a while, you’ve had a turn.”

  She was fucking with Jensen’s head, was I the only one who saw that?

  I kept catching him watching her when she wasn’t looking, and his attention usually never wandered, unless the bitch was at least fucking naked.

  Then again, she was starting to fuck with my head too.

  I caught myself wondering what she was doing whenever she wasn’t with me.

  Only for a split-second, but the thought was still there.

  “Holloway, we can call this shit off if you want? Maybe we just stop and let Lukas fucking have her. You know he’s got his hackles up about it all,” Tyler stated, snapping me from my thoughts.

  I shook my head, giving him a dirty look.

  “Lukas doesn’t fucking know what he wants. Leave it, I mean it.”

  “Alright, it’s your call,” he shrugged, but I could hear the irritation in his voice.

  Fuck me, were they all getting soft?

  Rory

  “It reeks like pussy in here,” Caden stated as he wandered into my room a few hours later.

  I peeked out from under the covers and stretch out contently like a cat in the sun.

  “Don’t like it? Leave, Holloway.”

  A smirk hit his face and he winked.

  “Didn’t say I didn’t like it. I happen to quite like your pussy.”

  I hesitated before moving over and patting the bed beside me.

  “Jump in?”

  He seemed surprised but nodded, pulling the covers back and climbing in, putting an arm out for me to cuddle up to him.

  He groaned as I placed one of my legs over him, his hand resting high on my thigh.

  “You’re still only wearing Lukas’s hoodie? C’mon, babe. Play fair.”

  I snorted with amusement.

  “My lack of underwear suddenly a problem for you?”

  He grinned, his hand running up and down my thigh, toying with the bottom of the fabric.

  “It’s not a problem, my lack of willpower might be though. You been playing with yourself in here, or has someone been doing it for you?”

  Fucker.

  My face heated, a low chuckle coming from him instantly.

  “Jense help you relax, did he? I noticed today that you and Lukas’s seem friendly again. You guys playing nice now?”

  “We had a talk this morning after you left. I don’t really wanna talk about it, but…”

  “But you talked to Jense, right?” he shrugged, hurt in his voice that had me peering up at him, speaking softly.

  “I don’t wanna talk about it again, okay? Jense and Luke can tell you about it though, if you really wanna know.”

  “Hey, that stunt the girls pulled at school today will be dealt with, okay?” he stated, changing the subject.

  I tensed, but his hand trailed right up my thigh and moved under the hoodie, resting on my bare hip.

  “They seem to forget that we run the school, not them. It’s time they were put back in their place.”

  He seemed startled when I leaned over and kissed him, but he recovered quickly and kissed me back, almost pulling me on top of him in his need to get closer.

  His hands clamped onto my butt cheeks as he ground himself against me, and the moment I nibbled his lower lip, he growled in warning, flipping us over so that I was laying under him.

  He yanked the hoodie over my head before he jammed two fingers inside me, a gasp leaving me at how aggressive it was.

  Fuck yes.

  “Do you want me to fuck you, Rory?” he bit out as his fingers worked harder and faster, a groan of surrender leaving me.

  I was going to fucking hell.

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, what?”

  “Yes, I want you to fuck me,” I breathed as he pulled his fingers out and quickly unzipped his pants, my back arching as he pushed himself inside me firmly without any other warning.

  He fucked me like a crazed man, making me scream as he fucked me savagely through my orgasm once it peaked, and when he buried deep and came inside me, he collapsed on top of me with a groan.

  We laid in silence for a while, which was surprisingly not awkward in the slightest.

  His phone rang from down the hall, making him groan with annoyance as he gave me a kiss and rolled off my sweaty body.

  “Come join me in the kitchen in a bit? I’ll make some dinner.”

  I gave him a nod, watching him leave the room before pulling myself out of bed and padding into the bathroom to have a quick shower.

  When I finally walked into the kitchen in my tank top and shorts nearly twenty minutes later, I found Caden shirtless in front of the stove, cooking us steak and fries.

  I’d never noticed it before, but all the guys seemed to have tattoos here and there, Caden and Jensen having the most.

  I was a sucker for a bad boy with tattoos, apparently.

  I was surprised to find Tyler sitting at the bench with a beer in his hand, his eyes running over my body before giving me a wink, causing tingles inside me.

  “You’ve got the nicest fucking legs I’ve ever seen on a woman, Rory. They’d look fucking better over my shoulders though. Come sit on my lap.”

  “That’s a shit pick up line, and you know it,” I snorted, despite it actually working as my traitorous body warmed at the thought.

  I sat beside him, giving Caden a grateful smile as he slid a cold beer in front of me, while Tyler grinned as if he was saying the world’s greatest fucking joke.

  “You’d know if I was trying to pick you up, because you’d be on my lap, screaming my name, babe.”

  Bold assumption.

  Also, probably true.

  “Believe it or not, you aren’t that fucking irresistible, Johnson,” I lied, popping the top on my beer and sipping it casually as I tried to control my hormones.

  “Ouch, damn girl. That’s cold,” he laughed, taking a swig of his beer and giving me an amused expression.

  Caden placed a plate in front of both of us before sitting down to eat his own.

  Such a gentleman.

  Tyler groaned as he watched me shovel fries into my mouth like the animal I was.

  I was fucking starving, alright?

  “I love a woman who can eat. Seriously, come sit on my lap.”

  “Nope.”

  “But you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and it would be such an honour to…,” he started with the fakest sweet smile I’d ever seen.

  The fact that I was tempted pissed me off, so I stabbed my knife into his steak swiftly, causing him to jump as I smiled back with the same fake sweetness.

  “I said no, Ty. And you’re so full of fucking shit.”

  Caden cracked up laughing as I took my knife back, but Tyler shrugged.

  “Well, it’s kind of true. You’re super fucking hot.”

  Wow, romantic bastard.

  I took a big forkful of steak and rolled my eyes, letting the guys talk over the top of me for a while.

  I jumped when a pair of hands suddenly landed on my waist, looking up to see Caden behind me, seeming apologetic.

  “Didn’t mean to startle you, baby. You wanna come for a swim with us? Ty skinny-dips most of the time, just a heads up.”

  I pushed my plate away with a nod and climbed off the seat to follow him outside, wondering if it was a good idea.

  Tyler had thankfully jumped into the pool by the time we got outside, and when I subconsciously pulled my shirt over my head, Caden growled.

  “You’re swimming in your fucking bra and panties? You trying to kill me?”

  I chuckled with fake confidence as a tug of anxiety moved through me, ruffling his hazel-brown hair playfully to hide it.

  I wasn’t sure if these guys
were making me brave or fucking reckless.

  “Well, I’m not swimming naked, now am I?”

  “You totally could!” Tyler offered from the pool, Caden grinning with obvious agreement.

  “Yeah, Rory. You could.”

  Pigs, the both of them.

  I rolled my eyes and sat on the edge of the pool, sliding in and enjoying the cool water as it lapped at my warm skin, simmering my nerves slightly.

  There was no fucking way I was going to get naked in front of Tyler.

  Caden jumped in and swam up to me, backing me into the pool wall with a smirk.

  “You make me so fucking horny.”

  “So I can feel,” I smirked back, startled when he kissed me hard without warning, pressing his erection against my hip firmly.

  Tyler mumbled something under his breath, but I ignored him as Caden’s hands trailed across my bare waist, setting my skin on fire.

  I tensed when his fingers dipped into my panties, but he didn’t seem to notice how anxious I was.

  As much as I loved his hands on me, it scared me at the same time.

  I wasn’t supposed to want this.

  His voice was soft, calming me slightly.

  “Relax, baby. Let me look after you.”

  “But, Ty…”

  “You’ll just give him blue balls, it’s fine,” he grinned, earning a splash from Tyler.

  “Hey! Blue balls fucking suck, asshole!”

  I ignored Tyler, giving Caden an uneasy glance.

  He placed a kiss on my shoulder to reassure me, and I’ll be damned, but it soothed my panic.

  “You can trust him, you know? He’d never make fun of you for anything.”

  I relaxed more as his fingers brushed over my clit, my head dropping back as he moved them in a slow circle.

  God, it felt so fucking good.

  “Oh, fuck,” Tyler murmured, shamelessly watching us as Caden worked me towards release.

  I should have been ashamed of the public display Caden and I were giving Tyler, but I just didn’t fucking care.

  Somehow, these guys understood me, and I knew I was safe with them to explore if I wanted to.

  Caden suddenly spoke up again, a small amount of panic rising in me.

  “Let Ty in behind you.”