Ruthless (The Privileged of Pembroke High #4)

by Ivy Fox

  “If I did anything to upset you, I didn’t mean to, Elle. You know that, right?”

  She lets out a long exhale before falling to the ground and sitting on my lap. She wraps her arms around my neck, staring deep into my eyes while I get lost in hers. My throat begins to run dry when her inquisitive golden stare sees more than I want her to. I swear she can read every secret I’m trying to keep away from her just by looking at me. Like the coward I am, I tilt my head to the crook of her neck just so I can keep a few secrets to myself.

  “I didn’t like seeing you kiss him,” she mumbles after a pregnant pause.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” I ask nervously.

  “No.”

  She places her chin on top of my head, hiding her somber expression from my eyes. I guess my father’s right on this account, too. Elle and I are too in tune with one another. We have grown so accustomed to sharing every secret, every thought, that over time, words became obsolete. Who needs words when just being in each other’s presence is enough to sense what is troubling us? Hiding my turmoil from her would be like lying to myself—a challenge I need to overcome if I want things to stay the same between us.

  “It was just a game, Elle. Harmless fun,” I lie, hoping she won’t hate me too much for the deception.

  “I still didn’t like it. Would you have liked seeing me kiss Lace or Kim?”

  “I’m a guy, Elle. I wouldn’t mind it.” I play it off lightheartedly.

  “Well, I would. You shouldn’t be kissing anyone if you don’t mean it.”

  “Okay. I won’t do it again if it bothers you.”

  She cranes her head down to me, hope swimming in her rich golden pools. But there is still a trace of sadness dampening their shine that just breaks my heart.

  “Promise?”

  It’s the desperation in her voice that has me nodding and committing to a promise that I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep. I run the back of my hand over her cheek, her body instantly relaxing in my arms.

  “It was our first high school party, Elle. People got carried away. Don’t be cross with me for trying to have some fun.”

  “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

  “Okay.” I pretend to zip my mouth shut and throw away the key, coaxing the first honest Elle smile from her.

  “How about we eat then?”

  “Only if you feed me,” she taunts.

  “Oh, it’s going to be like that, huh? Princess Elle needs some pampering?”

  Her smile falls from her face, swiftly unlatching her arms from around me before she stands back up.

  “Elle—”

  “Don’t call me that. He calls me that, and I hate it. Ever since he came into our lives, he’s been nothing but trouble.”

  My face turns to stone at her demonization of Saint. She can’t even bear to say his name, for crying out loud. I won’t stand for it.

  “Elle, stop it. You are my best friend. But so is he. If you can’t put your grievances to the side, then you’re just going to make this more difficult than it needs to be.”

  Her eyes turn wild, her hands clenching at her side.

  “If I asked you to stop seeing him, would you?”

  “No,” I deadpan without even blinking.

  Her eyes start to sparkle with angry tears, but even though I hate seeing her so upset, I will not give in. I’d say the same thing if it were Saint making such a demand. I might be conflicted with my emotions, but I know that I need them both in my life. And they’ll just have to get used to it if they want to be a part of mine.

  I let her stew in that knowledge while I take her favorite strawberry cheesecake dessert out of its container and placed it in front of me. I moan exaggeratedly when the rich cream touches my lips, watching her reaction from under my lids. Elle scrunches her nose but then returns to sitting on my lap, either waving the white flag in defeat or just compromising to put an end to the conversation so we can enjoy the rest of our day.

  “Can I ask you a question?” she finally says after a few bites.

  “Go ahead.”

  “Did you kiss anyone else at Lace’s party yesterday?”

  “No. Just Saint.”

  She bites her inner cheek, pissed at the reminder, but I tug playfully at a lock of her hair until the deep-rooted frown on her face is no longer so prominent.

  “Can I ask you a question now?” I retort after feeding her another spoonful of delicious goodness.

  She nods.

  “Did you kiss anyone yesterday?”

  “I was barely there a half an hour before Rome picked me up.” She scoffs with a hard roll of her eyes.

  “That wasn’t an answer, Elle. You spent a long time alone with Saint completing Lace’s moronic dare. Did anything happen between you two?”

  “Why are you asking? Don’t you trust your friend?”

  “Not with you,” I tell her honestly.

  She ponders that statement, and whatever conclusion she got from it is enough to get her to answer the question that has been on my mind continuously since yesterday. She pushes the plate away from her lap, so she can once again wrap her arms around my neck.

  “I didn’t kiss him.”

  I let out an exhale, hugging her to me, only realizing now how frightened I was of her answer.

  When I let her go, Elle runs her thumb over my lower lip, and before I can stop her, she presses her lips on mine. This kiss isn’t like the storm Saint delivered. It’s soft and sweet, breathing life into a depleted soul. When she breaks away, I’m completely tongue-tied.

  “There.” She smiles. “Now Saint and I are even.”

  I don’t add anything to her remark.

  Elle and Saint are even. They both have a piece of me, and that’s the problem.

  “Chad?”

  “Hmm.”

  “Promise once we start school tomorrow, things won’t change? I don’t know if I can handle any more things changing in my life.”

  “Things won’t change, Elle. Not between us, at least.”

  “Do you promise?”

  “I promise.”

  Chapter 14

  Saint

  Freshman Year

  “Are you excited for today?” Mom asks, sipping on her coffee as I wolf down my cereal.

  “It’s school, Mom. Not exactly a cause worthy of excitement.”

  “Don’t act aloof, cariño. It’s your first day at Pembroke High. It’s okay to be a little excited. Even nervous.”

  “I’m not nervous, Mom. Like I said, it’s just school.”

  She pulls a chair next to me, covering my hand with hers.

  “No, Santo. It’s not. This is an opportunity. One that I could never have given you on my own. Please take advantage of it. This could be your way out of this life,” she explains, her eyes gazing around our tiny, humble apartment to drive the point home.

  I pick up her hand and plant a kiss on it.

  “I think you’re the one who’s nervous.” I tease lightly.

  “Maybe just a little.” She smiles. “All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy and safe. This school can offer you both if you let it. It’s a blessing. Please don’t throw it away.” She insists, giving my hand a soft squeeze.

  “I won’t.”

  “Good, cariño. Now give me a kiss and get going. You don’t want to be late on your first day.”

  I lean in and kiss her temple to soothe her worry before washing my bowl in the sink.

  “I’ll call you later once I get out,” I tell her, once I’ve grabbed my bookbag and am at the door.

  “I can’t wait to hear all about it. Good luck.” She waves.

  I get why Mom is nervous for me. And I also get why she doesn’t want me to fuck this up. Although I’m not exactly ecstatic to go to a school where most of the kids enrolled have allowances that would put my mother’s hard-earned diner salary to shame, I’m smart enough to know that this r
eally is my best chance at getting out of the projects. Just the fact that I don’t have to worry about having to look over my shoulder all the time, worried that some gangbanger wants a piece of me, makes going to Pembroke and having to rub shoulders with snobby wasps easier to stomach.

  But I’m not the only one who’s getting this shot. Pembroke High will ensure that Maya gets her fair shake in life, too. Lord knows her clusterfuck of a life is ten times worse than mine.

  I knock on Maya’s door, instantly feeling anxious when she doesn’t answer it straight away. I knock again, a little louder, and this time she opens the door, the dark rings under her eyes a testament that she didn’t sleep a wink last night.

  “Hurry up, kid. We don’t want to be late,” I state, throwing a quick glance behind her.

  Maya’s apartment is littered with beer cans, whiskey bottles, pizza boxes, and overflowing cigarette butts in various makeshift ashtrays spread around her living room. There’s a guy on her couch snoring up a storm, and another one passed out on the floor—neither of which is her old man. Looks like her folks had a party last night. Her place is a fucking pigsty. But what did I expect? Junkies aren’t exactly known for their cleanliness and perfect hygiene.

  Fucking savages.

  I’m happy at least to see that Maya followed my instruction to a T in not putting on her uniform. We don’t need the hassle of people from our block seeing us in those preppy clothes. It will only put a target on our backs.

  Envy makes villains of us all.

  “You ready, kid?”

  She offers me a stiff nod, holding onto the straps of her backpack as if her life depended on it. With her head bowed, she follows me down the stairwell, without so much as a peep out of her. It’s only when we reach the safety of a subway car that she mutters a word.

  “Are you nervous?” She fidgets, holding onto the steel pole.

  “Why is everybody asking me that today? No, kid, I’m not. It’s just school. There will be classrooms, teachers, and fucking homework. Nothing to be nervous about.”

  She scrunches her nose and goes back to staring at our feet.

  “Hey,” I call out, knowing exactly why she’s so restless. “Remember when we get there that those rich pricks have nothing on us, okay? Don’t let anyone mess with you. If they do, come find me.”

  She gives me another one of her usual clipped nods as her reply.

  If staying silent is her coping mechanism to get through today, then I, for one, am not going to bust her balls for it. Whatever she needs to do to get by is fine by me. I know Maya is a fighter. She has to be to survive the fucked-up life she’s been dealt. If she can survive her shitty parents, then she can deal with whatever Pembroke High throws at her. Of that, I’m sure. Still, I want her to know that I’ve got her back if she needs it.

  When we reach our station, I order Maya to go into one of the nearest women’s bathrooms and get changed. It’s not an ideal place to change clothes in since there are a lot of weirdos hanging around at this hour, but until I find an alternative, the subway bathrooms will have to do. I rush to do my own costume change and take about three minutes to suit up. When I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror wearing khaki pants and a fucking tie, I almost barf.

  Fuck. Even I look like a douche in this getup.

  Not wanting to hurl so early in the morning, I head over to the women’s bathroom to wait on Maya. When she gets out, she can’t help but snicker at me.

  “I know, I know. I look like an asshole.” I groan, tugging at the noose around my neck.

  I give her a once-over and am happy to establish that she’s taken special care of her uniform, making sure that it’s clean and ironed properly. Her dark ginger hair is pulled up in a bun and away from her face, making her almond-shaped eyes that much more prominent.

  She looks good. We both do in that preppy sort of way. I just hope we look good enough to pass for people who actually belong in the Upper East Side.

  “You ready, kid?”

  “As I’ll ever be.” She shrugs.

  “Good. Let’s show those fuckers what East River kids are made of.”

  I throw my arm around her shoulders, feeling pumped about the day ahead. Of course, when we pass the iron gates of our new school, my stomach begins to cramp.

  Shit.

  I am nervous.

  Snap out of it, Saint. It’s just a fucking school. Not death row.

  We’re both walking toward the fountain at the very center of the quad when my phone starts blowing up with incoming text messages. It’s Boy Scout giving me the heads up that he’s running late since he’s still stuck in traffic.

  “Guess we’re on our own,” I mumble, putting my phone away. “Do you have your schedule with you?”

  “Yeah. It says I have homeroom in the Morrison building.”

  “Good. So do I,” I reply, wondering which of the five buildings is fucking Morrison House.

  “Yo! Saint!” I hear someone suddenly call out my name.

  My hackles rise as I turn around, wondering who could possibly know my name. Aside from Boy Scout and Princess, I hardly know anyone else that goes to this school. When a familiar raven-haired guy waves before sprinting toward us, I relax.

  “Chad told me you’d be here today.” Reid smiles enthusiastically when he reaches us.

  Nice to see that the looming shadow that hung over his head when we first met at Lace’s party last weekend is no longer in sight.

  “Hey, Reid. Yep, first day and all.”

  “Are you trying out for the swim team this afternoon?”

  “That’s the plan.”

  “Cool. So am I. With any luck, we’ll both make it. You know that Coach Richards used to train Michael Phelps when he was a kid before Bowman did, right? They say that he’s the real reason behind Phelps going to the summer Olympics when he was just fifteen.”

  “That’s what I heard.”

  He nods excitedly, his blue eyes shifting to the fidgeting girl beside me.

  “Maya, this is Reid. He’s good people,” I tell her so she can relax.

  “Hi,” she mumbles, head bowed, avoiding all eye contact.

  “Hi,” Reid retorts, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

  God, I wish the kid was a little more bad-ass.

  I can literally smell her fear a mile away. And if I can, so will all these other dipshits.

  “How about I show you guys around?” Reid announces, still smiling at the awkward girl at my side.

  “Sure.”

  I throw my arm over Maya’s shoulder again, knowing that the protective move seems to relax her, but I don’t miss how Reid’s face falls with the endearment.

  “These two buildings on the left are where we will have most of our classes. Morrison and Hamilton House are reserved for freshmen and sophomores. Those two buildings to the right are Avery and Blythe Houses, and they are for juniors and seniors only. That big monstrosity of a building in the middle is Pembroke House. That’s where the cafeteria, library, and gymnasium are. That’s where tryouts will be held for the swim team this afternoon. I can take you there after class if you want.”

  “Thanks,” I mutter under my breath, thinking there is no way I won’t get lost today without a little outside help.

  I feel Maya shrink next to me, intimidated and overwhelmed by it all. And I hate to say it, but I perfectly understand where she’s coming from. This whole place is an entirely different world than the one we are used to.

  Shit.

  It doesn’t even feel like we’re in the same city anymore.

  The old English landscape and ivy vines wrapped around each building give off that ‘too rich for my blood’ vibe.

  “You both look like you’re about to be cast in the real-life version of a Saw movie,” Reid taunts, pulling open the door for us. “Don’t worry, you two. Pretty soon, this will all seem normal to you.

  “I doubt it,” I hear Maya mumble
softly.

  I tighten my hold on her as Reid shows us the way to our lockers. Most of the kids loitering around in the hallway are all yapping away excitedly about their first day or what they were up to this summer. But there are a few who throw curious stares our way. I don’t miss how some of those stares morph into unwelcomed sneers, and neither does Maya.

  “So, this is you, Maya,” Reid says at last. “If you want to show me your schedule, I can tell you where your classes will be.”

  Maya grabs her phone and offers it to him.

  “Okay, so homeroom is on the first floor, the second door to the right. You have English with me as your first class, so if you want, I don’t mind picking you up from homeroom to walk with you there.”

  Maya hesitantly looks up at me as if waiting for my consent. It takes an extreme amount of effort on my part not to roll my eyes at her. Instead of reminding her that I’m not her keeper, I snatch her phone from Reid’s grip and hand it back to her.

  “Thanks, Reid. That actually would be helpful if you could show Maya around today.”

  Even though we are both in the same year, I don’t have that many classes with her. It would take a load of worry off my shoulders if Reid could help me out with Maya settling in here.

  “Hey, take this,” I add, giving her the food-allowance card that the school gave me as part of my scholarship. I doubt Maya has any money on her, much less enough to cover whatever lunch a joint like this charges in their cafeteria. After she’s stored the card away, I pick her chin up and look her in the eye. “Remember what I said. Anyone fucks with you, come get me. Got it?”

  Once I’ve made sure she’s all sorted, I ask Reid to show me to my own locker.

  “So, is Maya your girlfriend or something?” Reid asks, trying to make small talk that doesn’t revolve around the swim team.

  “Do I look like I’m boyfriend material?” I scoff. “Nah. She’s just a friend.”

  I’m probably Maya’s only friend, but that tidbit I keep close to my vest. I don’t want her to feel any more self-conscious than she already does.

  “Hey, thanks again for helping Maya and me out this morning. I hate owing favors, but I’d really appreciate it if you could keep an eye on her for me. She’s got thick skin and all, but this place might be a little too much for her to take on all on her own. I’d owe you one.”