Pretty Lies (Watch Me Burn Book 1)

by R. E. Bond

  They knew I’d never be able to afford a performance car, so their minds would have been spinning with different scenarios.

  They didn’t know what to do with me, and it was fucking hilarious.

  I headed off before they could follow, and once I got back to Skeeter’s place and walked inside, I lit another cigarette and made my way through the house to find Skeeter, ignoring his crew member’s gazes as they glanced over my nearly naked body.

  Skeeter raised an eyebrow as I walked into the kitchen, where he was sitting at the table cleaning guns with Slash and a few others.

  “Did you wear that to school, baby girl?”

  I snorted, accepting his touch as he pulled me down onto his lap.

  “No, I did have those nice black pants and red shirt on, but between Caden and Claire’s little group, they were stolen from the showers. The guys actually looked concerned and wanted to know where I’d been. It was cute. Anyways, how was your day?”

  He shrugged. “It was okay. Had a bit of a problem at the shed, but it’s sorted now.”

  “Like a dead body problem?” I offered, ignoring the look that Slash gave him as he replied with a simple, “Yep.”

  “Well, fuck,” I cringed, flicking the ash from my cigarette into the ashtray before noticing the irritated look in his eye. “Skeet? What’s up?”

  He scowled, giving me a stern look.

  “What’s up? Claire needs to back off before she’s my next dead body problem, and I’m going to have a problem with Holloway’s boys too if they don’t back the fuck off from you.”

  I nipped his neck playfully, secretly loving how protective he was of me.

  “How about we go upstairs so I can make you feel better? Then we can go to the shed so you can watch me demolish bitches for fun.”

  He smirked, biting my shoulder sharply.

  “Fuck, you’re the best. C’mon, let’s fuck.”

  Slash rolled his eyes but gave me a wink on my way past as I led Skeeter up to his room, and after we’d finished, I watched him as he cleaned the slice he’d given me on my thigh.

  He must have felt me staring because he smirked and glanced up.

  “What?”

  “Can girls fight guys in the cage?” I asked curiously, his eyes narrowing to slits.

  “They’re allowed, but not many guys will fight females. Honestly, I don’t want you getting beat to shit by some guy, and when I mean some guy, I mean the big cunts. They’re the only ones who’d get in the cage and swing at you. Most of the guys that fight wouldn’t hit a girl, and they know how well you fight.”

  “I’m getting sick of fighting the girls, they fucking suck,” I muttered, hearing him sigh as he watched me thoughtfully.

  “I’ll ask around, but its only happening if I find a fair fighter, and if they win and you get seriously hurt, I’ll shoot them.”

  “No, you won’t.”

  “Bet on it!” he snapped, making me frown.

  He sat up and yanked me closer by the throat, speaking in a firm voice.

  “You promise to only fight a guy if I let you?”

  I nodded, groaning as he kissed me hard before releasing my throat and stalking from the room to let me finish getting changed.

  Moody bastard.

  Most of the Psychos had cleared out by the time I got back downstairs, but Slash leaned against the wall with a frown fixed to his face.

  “Guys would do some damage to you, babe.”

  “I know,” I answered, halting as he put an arm out to stop me without touching me.

  He peered at me cautiously.

  “You’re trying to block out the emotional hurt with physical, but the problem is that you’re so fucking strong that you’ll be dead before it soothes the emotions. You’re a good fighter in the cage, Donovan, but I think it’s best you listen to Skeet. He’s watched you fight for nearly two weeks, so he knows what you can handle. He won’t take it easy on you, but he won’t let you get destroyed either. Trust me.”

  “I’m not trusting a single fucking person again. I know Skeeter knows what he’s doing, so yes, I will listen to him. Can I go find him now?”

  He chuckled and jerked a thumb at the front door.

  “He said he’d meet you at the shed. I’ll follow you.”

  Of course he would.

  I snatched my keys and cigarettes before heading out to my car, waiting for Slash to climb behind the wheel of his Mustang, then we drove the short distance down the road to the shed.

  I always felt powerful when I walked into the shed and people parted when they saw me, but this time I had to ignore the stabbing pain in my chest when I spotted Tyler talking to one of the fighters near the back of the room.

  I saw him stiffen out of the corner of my eye when he noticed me stalking through as people cleared a path, and I grinned as one of the regular fighters bumped fists with me as I headed into the cage and moved over to Skeeter, who raised an eyebrow.

  “I didn’t know Ty was gonna be here tonight. You okay to fight with him here? You know he’s probably already sent word out to the others that you’re here, right?”

  “I’ll fight him in the cage if he wants?” I offered, making him roll his eyes with a small amount of amusement that he couldn’t hide from me.

  “Just play nice and only fight the fighters, okay? You’ve got that blonde bitch up first.”

  I nodded, tying my hair up in a high messy ponytail before he nodded at the blonde girl to enter the ring.

  People cheered as Skeeter left the cage and closed the gate, grabbing the microphone and smirking at the crowd.

  “Alright you fuckers, you ready to see a good bloody fight? You’re gonna fucking get one!”

  I zoned him out as I glared at the girl in front of me, who gave me a cocky smirk.

  “Yo, Donovan. You ready to bleed, bitch?”

  My lip lifted in a nasty smirk right back.

  “Bring it, blondie. Show me what you’ve got.”

  The moment Skeeter called the start of the fight, the bitch flew at me, but I was ready and swung around suddenly, knocking her back with a solid jab of my elbow, tripping her to the ground.

  She growled as she scrambled to her feet and clenched her fists, but I kicked my foot out and clipped the side of her head, stunning her long enough to straddle her and pin her to the ground.

  I laid punch after punch into her face until Skeeter ripped me off her so some of his crew could drag her out to clean her up.

  My blood was pumping as I bounced on my feet, and Skeeter had to shove me against the cage hard to draw my attention.

  “Hey, no dead body problems, remember? Once they’re out, can you stop fucking hitting them?”

  “Make me!” I snapped, giving him a feral grin as he gripped my throat hard and got in my face.

  He was hot when he was angry.

  “You wanna fight again tonight? Listen to me. I like how pumped up you get when you start seeing these bitches fucking bleed, but if you start actually killing them, then I have to do a lot of covering up, and you’ll be doing it with me. You read me?” he growled loud enough for me to hear him over the crowds cheering.

  I gave him a sharp nod and he released his grip on me instantly.

  “Good. You got the kicker up next,” he muttered before letting another girl into the cage who I’d fought many times over the past week.

  She was good, but she fought with her feet more than her fists.

  I got the first punch in, but she got me in the eye twice pretty quickly.

  I ignored Caden and the guys as they stood by the gate, Jensen getting in Skeeter’s face, but I kept my attention on my opponent, kicking the girl in the kneecap and hearing the crunch as she screamed and hit the floor in agony.

  I jumped on her and started punching her in the face until Skeeter pushed past the guys to rip me away, but I stopped on my own accord and stood back with a grin, just before he could grab me.

  I clenched my bloody knuckles and raised an eyeb
row at him as he scowled.

  “Last warning tonight, babe, or I take your ass home.”

  “Give me a fucking challenging one then!” I shouted, one of his fingers jabbing into my chest with frustration.

  “I’ve got a guy. Your height and close to your weight. He goes to the school I did, but the problem is he’s known to fight dirty. He’s been searched for weapons, but promise me if you’re seriously hurt, you tap the fuck out and I’ll split it up. You got it? I already told him if he does anything dodgy, I’ll put him in a fucking hole. Hopefully, it’s enough to keep him in line.”

  “Bring it on,” I gritted out, flexing my fingers again as he nodded at Slash who brought a young guy into the ring.

  People went ballistic, but the guys were seething as Skeeter gave me an encouraging nod.

  “Like I said, this goes south, tap out or I’ll start shooting people.”

  “Fucking hell! Yes, Skeet!” I yelled, earning a dirty look from him before he nodded at the male fighter and left the ring.

  The guy seemed irritated as I dodged a lot of his hits, but he got cocky when he landed one on my already blackening eye, and a solid one to my lip.

  I tasted the blood and smirked, confusing him before I surprised him with two fist jabs and a crack with my elbow to the side of his head.

  He jabbed me in the ribs and got a kick to my head, but after I headbutted his nose and managed to get him on the ground, I laid into him until he was out.

  I scrambled off him and walked towards the gate as people whistled and cheered, Skeeter grinning at me with admiration.

  “Nice, babe. Head into the office and get cleaned up. I’ll be in soon.”

  To fuck me, I hoped.

  I did as I was told, fist-bumping a few people on my way through as they parted for me again, and once I was shut in the office, I sat and lit a cigarette, thankful when one of Skeeter’s guys delivered a bottle of whisky to me.

  I’d had two glasses by the time Skeeter wandered in, instantly lifting me to plonk my ass on his desk so he could stand between my legs and lift my shirt.

  He always checked my damage.

  “How sore are you?”

  “The usual. Can’t really feel it,” I mumbled as I had a drag of my cigarette, earning a grin from him as he leaned forward.

  “Fucking liar. You’ve had broken ribs since your first fight here the other week, not to mention your face is bruised and bleeding. Your knuckles are ripped to shit too.”

  “I don’t give a fuck, I need it,” I glared, finishing my cigarette before he tugged me forward, shoving a hand down the front of my pants and jammed two fingers inside me firmly.

  I heard the familiar click of his blade, and between being impatient and the adrenaline rush still flowing through me, I was nearly bouncing on the fucking desk.

  He knew how to make me want him without a whole lot of effort.

  He ran the blunt end of the blade down my chest before moving it up to the base of my throat, speaking sternly in my ear as he stilled the fingers in my pussy that was now soaking wet.

  “If you ever argue with me in my fucking cage again, I will fucking slit your throat, Donovan. My guys can’t think I’m weakened by the girl I’m fucking, or I start to lose my respect. I don’t want to fucking hurt you, but don’t think for a second that I won’t think twice about it if I have to choose.”

  “Can I still tell you what to do to me in bed?” I smiled sweetly, watching him smirk as he pushed his fingers in and out of me again without moving the blade.

  “You can tell me how to fuck you as much as you like, but I already know how to turn you to fucking jelly, so I wouldn’t worry too much if I were you,” then he pulled his fingers out and brought them up to my lips for me to suck my own juices.

  He finally moved the blade from my throat once I’d sucked his fingers clean, then he snatched a cigarette from the desk for himself and sat heavily in his chair.

  He’d finish getting me off later, he always did.

  I changed into a clean shirt before giving him a kiss goodbye and walking out of the room, nearly getting to my car before I heard Caden bark from behind me.

  “Cage fighting? That’s what you’ve been fucking doing? Ty told you not to fuck with them, Aurora. They fucking kill people for sport, and you have no idea how cage fighting even…”

  “Why would I listen to Tyler fucking Johnson? I never listened to Jensen when he told me numerous fucking times not to trust anyone. Don’t tell me that I don’t know shit about cage fighting either, I used to come here and fight after I was fucking raped when I was thirteen years old. Don’t you dare pretend to give a fuck about my safety, Holloway.”

  Tyler snorted from beside him as he joined the conversation, Jensen and Lukas standing off to the side.

  “I’ve never seen you here before.”

  “So?” I asked curtly, watching him roll his eyes.

  “I’m surprised Skeet even fucking lets you fight. He knew it would just piss us off.”

  A smirk stretched cross my face and I leaned back against the door of the Corvette, holding his dark gaze.

  “You think Skeet gives a fuck if he pisses you off? Word of advice, guys. Don’t fuck with the Psychos.”

  Lukas looked concerned as he finally spoke up.

  “We didn’t fuck with them?”

  My gaze landed on him and I raised an eyebrow, my smirk widening.

  “Well, Skeet’s pissed.”

  Caden narrowed his eyes on the hickey on my neck, his voice sounding curious and pissed off all at once.

  “Who are you fucking, and where the fuck did you get the Corvette from?”

  “None of your fucking business, asshole,” I retorted as I climbed into my car and put the windows down, cranking the stereo up as Oh My God by Hellyeah blasted, giving them a wink despite my insides feeling tight from the pain of them being there.

  “Don’t mess with the bull or you’ll get the horns,” then I tore out of the yard before they could say another word.

  Chapter nine

  Rory

  “Oh, fuck!” I gasped as Skeeter held my hip in one hand and thrust up, holding my tangled hair in his other fist tightly as I rode him hard.

  He’d convinced me to pierce my nipples, and one of his buddies had given me a tattoo with the word warrior across my shoulder blade.

  I was feeling more reckless, I guess.

  I ground myself down on him, my orgasm hitting me hard as his hand shot up and wrapped around my throat so tightly that my scream came out raspy.

  The door opened, but we ignored it until Jensen’s startled voice came from close by.

  “What the fuck?”

  Skeeter glanced up and let go of my throat, a taunting smirk on his face.

  He totally knew they’d been standing there.

  “Oh, hey guys.”

  I scowled before stopping and glancing over my shoulder, seeing all four of them in the loungeroom doorway, looking shocked at what they’d walked in on.

  Caden looked pissed off, but Jensen seemed broken as his eyes met mine.

  I could see all the regret that I’d noticed in his eyes since we’d first started hanging out, but now I knew he deserved to hurt.

  I sneered at him, and Skeeter grabbed my chin hard, jerking my gaze back to him and speaking in a demanding voice.

  “I’m not fucking done.”

  I was pretty fucking high, so I didn’t care that we had an audience as I started circling my hips again, letting out a small groan as his piercing rubbed the right spot.

  I had to place my hands on his chest to balance myself as my head spun slightly.

  “Aurora, cut that shit out!” Caden snapped, but Skeeter gripped my throat hard again without taking his eyes off Caden, smirking when I kept fucking him.

  I couldn’t focus, but I just tried to ignore the fact that Caden was even there.

  At least I could trust Skeeter to keep them in line.

  “Don’t fucking talk to
her like that. Also, don’t cock block me, or I’ll be super fucking angry at you, Holloway, and I know you don’t want that.”

  Tyler stared at me as I rode Skeeter, my ass smacking against his thighs as I picked the pace up, and Skeeter grinned.

  “Watch all you like, Johnson, she fucks like a porn star. Have a seat, guys. Get comfortable.”

  They all hesitated before sitting down on the couches, and Skeeter moved his hand from my throat to reach for his knife on the side table next to us.

  Jensen’s eyebrows shot up and he blurted, “You’re the one who’s been slicing her up?”

  Skeeter paused before dragging the blunt end of the cool blade down my back, a shiver running through me.

  “Yeah, why? You know I like to play with knives, Gilbert.”

  “I thought she was doing it to herself,” he mumbled, Skeeter laughing hard as he turned the blade up the other way and moved it to my shoulder, sliding it across my skin with ease.

  “You thought you guys drove her to self-harm? Don’t be stupid. If anything, you made her fucking stronger.”

  Jensen frowned, but Caden growled and motioned to the blade with disgust.

  “Can you not do that?”

  Skeeter moved the blade back and licked across my skin as the blood trickled down my arm, warning in his tone as he spoke.

  “You’re in my house while we fuck, so if you don’t like it, you can leave, Holloway.”

  “You’re going to fucking hurt her.”

  “For starters, why do you give a shit what I do to her? And also, she can’t feel it. You broke her hard enough for her to stop feeling. Nifty, huh?” he responded with a chuckle, moving to slice me again, but I spoke softly.

  “You’re wrong, Skeet.”

  “How so, baby girl?” he murmured, his light green eyes boring into me.

  I lifted my eyes to his and ran a hand up his tattooed chest.

  “I do it to feel, because I can’t stand the numb, empty feeling.”

  “Either way, you like it, right?” he asked lightly, waiting for me to nod before looking back at Caden with a grin. “See? It’s fine.