With no movies that I’m in the mood for, I find the latest ‘Game of Thrones’ episode and flick it on before grabbing the blanket over the back of the couch and pulling it down over me.
I completely stretch out.
This is the life. No parents. No one telling me what I should be doing. Everything is on my own schedule. Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents, but having this little slice of freedom has been great.
A noise at the front door has me flying to my feet. What the hell was that? More importantly, who the hell was that? I flick the TV off as I hear someone walking through my house and find myself cowering in the corner of the room and sticking my head out to see.
Shit. My heart races as a stranger walks through my home. Maybe I’m not ready to be left on my own. I mean, why the hell didn’t the security system pick up on the fact the someone was either coming through the gate or jumping it?
Fuck.
“Where the fuck are you?” I hear the familiar voice call out in annoyance.
My mouth drops open. That couldn’t be Nate, right?
I wait a little longer, waiting and watching until he steps into my line of vision.
I see red.
I storm out of my hiding spot and find him walking through the kitchen as anger bubbles up inside me. “What the hell do you think you’re doing breaking into my house?” I demand as I get right up in front of him.
He watches me as though I’m some kind of irritating rodent. “What crawled up your ass?” he grunts with that annoying smirk on his face.
“What are you doing in my house?”
“Take a fucking chill pill,” he says. “Mom sent me to check on you. Believe me, if I could, I’d be anywhere else but here.”
“Right, that’s great,” I smile. “You’ve checked and now you can get your ass out of here,” I tell him before turning my back and walking away. “Tell her I’m fine.”
The sound of the fridge opening has me stopping in my tracks. “Ah… what the hell do you think you’re doing?”
He searches through the fridge, but I don’t know what he’s looking for. There’s absolutely nothing in it. Well, nothing worth eating.
“What did you have for dinner?” he questions with a grunt.
“How is that any of your business?” I ask as I prop my hand on my hip.
He closes the fridge and turns to face me with his dark eyes piercing into me. “Answer the damn question, Tori,” he demands. “Or are you not eating again? You know, I’ve watched you throw out your lunch every day this week.”
My back straightens as I suck in a breath. How the hell does he know that? Nobody knows that. He didn’t just ask if I wasn’t eating, he asked if I’m not eating again like he knows about the other time. I desperately want to question him on it, but that’s not a conversation I’m willing to have, especially not with him.
The way he watches me with an impatient raised eyebrow has my jaw clenching as the anger takes over. I mean, how does what I put into my body have anything to do with him? I turn back and start heading for the stairs. “I hope the door hits you on the way out.”
I can just picture him narrowing his eyes on my back, probably fuming from not having his questions answered. It’s a basic rule around here; if one of the Ryder brothers tells you to do something, you jump, no questions asked. I’m sure the fact that he’s not getting what he wants right now is probably grating on his nerves just the way I like it.
I make it to my room and close the door behind me before laying back on my bed. I listen out for him to make his way back through the front door so I can go down and set the alarm for the night, only the sound never comes.
I’m about to go and figure out why the hell he hasn’t reacquainted himself with the front door when the door of my room flies open and Nate comes tearing into my room looking like a man on a mission. He walks over to my closet, grabs a bag, and starts ripping clothes off the hangers before shoving them into the bag as I lay here and gawk.
Words are lost on me as I watch the scene unfolding before me. He looks my way before looking back at the task before him. “Don’t just sit there,” he tells me. “Pack your things.”
“Um…. What?” I grunt.
“My mother promised your mother that she would look out for you, and right now, this bullshit where you don’t buy yourself groceries, you don’t eat, or lock the fucking door is not going to fly with her. So, pack your shit. You’re staying at my place,” he demands.
Those last few words have me jumping into action. I scramble up to my feet before storming into my closet and ripping my bag out of his hands. “Over my dead body,” I snap. “I’d rather die than sleep in a room next door to you.”
“Too fucking bad. You don’t have a choice,” he says, snatching the bag back and continuing throwing clothes into it. It doesn’t go unnoticed that he’s grabbing all my favorite clothes, though, I’m not surprised. After all, he makes a habit of glaring at me every day. “Now, pack your shit. I’m leaving in two minutes.”
I scoff as I walk back out of the closet and make a show of collapsing into my bed and pulling out my Kindle. “No,” I say. “No way in hell.”
“Fine by me,” he says. “But mom is going to ask me what happened when I came over here, and I’m sure she won’t be too pleased to find out you’ve forgotten to feed yourself all week. I mean, you know how our parents like to talk.”
Shit. “You wouldn’t.”
His eyes sparkle as he watches me and I know without a doubt that he would. “You want to make a bet?” he says with an annoying smirk that I want to slap right off his face.
I groan as I get myself to my feet and head into my bathroom. “You’re an asshole,” I yell over my shoulder. I can’t believe that dirty swamp turd. He’d rat me out to my parents, and knowing them, I’d end up in therapy again.
That damn rat bastard.
He doesn’t respond, just keeps working on pulling my clothes off the hangers. I huff around the bathroom, grabbing the few things I’ll need before storming back out and grabbing my phone and Kindle off the bed.
I bend down to grab the charger when Nate moves on to my dresser and rips open my underwear drawer. “What do we have here?” he says slowly before digging in and pulling out a black lacey thong. “Who are you planning on wearing this for?”
I let out an annoyed huff before tearing my way back into the closet and snatching the thong out of his fingers. “What’s the matter, Nate? You’re acting as though you’ve never seen one before,” I tell him as I grab a handful of my undies and bras and shove them into the bag.
“Please,” Nate scoffs. “I’ve seen more of them than you could possibly own in a lifetime.”
I roll my eyes as I know he’s not lying. He’s just that much of a manwhore. “Ugh,” I say in distaste. “You’re such a pig.”
I throw my toiletries and array of chargers into the bag and watch as he gives me a smug look before stalking out of my room. “Get your keys to your car,” he demands as he walks down the stairs. “I’m not driving your sorry ass around all the time.”
“No, can do,” I tell him. “I don’t drive it.”
“What?” he grunts, stopping on the second last step and turning to face me. “What do you mean you don’t drive it? There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s brand new.”
“It’s a stick,” I reply.
“So?”
“So, I don’t drive a stick,” I say, throwing my hands up, annoyed that I’m even explaining this to him.
He scoffs as he watches me. “You’re telling me, your dad bought you a car that you don’t know how to drive?”
I ignore his comments and storm past him as I make my way down the rest of the stairs. My body rushes past his, bumping his shoulder on the way past. I head into the kitchen and grab my house keys before marching to the front door, which Nate has left wide open.
I look out into the driveway and see the famous Camaro. Nate’s matte black Chevrolet Camaro with bla
ck rims. The car that every single person in the senior year talks about. The boys all want it for themselves while all the girls dream about getting in there with him and letting him take them for a ride followed by a different ride in the back seat or on the hood. The car is sexy and screams danger, just like it’s driver.
This is the car that I never in one hundred years thought I’d be getting into.
“Hurry up,” Nate demands.
I let out what must be my hundredth huff in the last fifteen minutes before turning around to set the alarm and lock the door. I cautiously get into Nate’s stupid car as though I’m about to catch a disease. He turns on the engine and it purrs to life. The engine vibrates right through the seats and I feel it against my lady bits and right up into my core.
I adjust myself on the seat and don’t miss the smirk on Nate’s face as he peels up the driveway before leaning out the window and entering the code for the gate. “How the hell do you know the code?” I question.
“It’s been the same for the last seventeen years,” he scoffs. “1005. October fifth. Your birthday.”
I rip my eyes away from him, not sure how that makes me feel. I mean, sure, back when we were younger that could be something I’d assume he would know, but not now. Surely, he would have forgotten those details about me.
I focus on looking out the window and ignoring the wickedly sexy man beside me. He doesn’t deserve my attention. Not one ounce of it.
Nate jams his knee up under the steering wheel and frees his hands so he can easily pull a cigarette out of the box and light it up. I have to admit, watching how easily he can control his car with just one knee is pretty damn impressive, yet the fact that he’s doing it so he can inhale a cancer stick has me just as disgusted.
A few minutes later, he pulls up to his place and I look up at it with a million different emotions rushing through me.
I used to come here all the time. That only stopped when mom decided I was old enough to make my own decisions about where I’d like to spend my days. It could also have something to do with the fact that she and Trish liked to have a few glasses of wine and would always lose track of time, staying up until crazy hours of the morning talking. After the third time that happened and Nate’s dad had to scoop me off the couch, she stopped bringing me. That decision made me the happiest little girl in the world.
Yet, here I am again. Facing the house I hated coming to as a teenager. I mean, when I was younger I liked to come as I loved hanging out with Nate and Jesse. They were always so cool and fun. They got to run around and make a mess in the back yard. They could swim all day and invite their friends over. I loved it here until things changed.
Nate’s door slamming has me jerking out of my thoughts and I groan as I get myself out of his car. I watch as he walks up the stairs of his home with my bag in his hand. I have to admit, I didn’t think he’d take it for me, though, that thought is shut down as he opens the door and dumps the bag right in the middle of the entryway. I narrowly escape tripping over it before I watch as he darts up the stairs.
I stand awkwardly in the doorway. How did this become my Thursday night?
I make my way into the house, feeling completely out of place. I mean, this home is just as big as mine, but it has a bit of a weird layout, not to mention the fact that I feel really awkward.
I walk through a hallway and come out into the kitchen to find Trish Ryder in the kitchen, standing before the stove. “Um, hi,” I say with a little wave when she doesn’t notice me.
Her head whips in my direction before her eyes widen in surprise. “Oh, Tora, honey. What a nice surprise,” she says as she places a pot on the stove and wipes her hands on a dish towel. “What are you doing here? Is everything alright?”
“Yes,” I smile. “Everything’s fine.”
“I sent Nate to check on you,” she tells me.
“Yes,” I say with a groan. “I know. That’s why I’m here.” Her eyebrows furrow as she looks to me in confusion. “Nate doesn’t believe I’m capable of looking after myself, so he kindly suggested I stay here.”
“Oh, no,” she says with a knowing sigh. “What did he do?”
“Kidnapping would be putting it mildly.”
She presses her lips together and walks forward. “Well, you’re more than welcome to stay,” she tells me. “It must be very lonely being in that big house all by yourself.”
I think about it for a moment and how Nate coming in unannounced had scared the crap out of me and made me realize that maybe I can’t quite handle being by myself. “Yeah, I guess,” I say.
“Alright,” she says with an excited smile. “That settles it. You’ll stay here until your parents return home. I’ve always wanted another girl in the house.”
“Thank you,” I say with a laugh.
“Now, it’s been a while since you’ve been here. Do you need me to show you to your room?”
“Do you mind?” I question. “I already got lost walking from the front door to here,” I admit.
Trish presses her lips together and shakes her head in exasperation. “Did Nate not show you in?”
“No,” I scoff. “Though, I wasn’t expecting anything different.”
“Oh dear,” she says before leading me out the kitchen. “I apologize for his appalling behavior today. I don’t know where he gets it from.”
That much is clear. His parents are the nicest people on the planet, in fact, just being here with Trish for the last few minutes reminds me of just how much I liked her when I was growing up. Surely Nate’s bad attitude isn’t something that’s in his genes. It’s just not possible.
I grab my bag before following Trish up the stairs. The more stairs we climb, the louder the music gets from up here. She leads me to a door and pushes through to a beautiful guest room. Super modern with a personal bathroom. Exactly what I’ll need… for the night that is. I intend to escape as quickly as I can. Maybe I’ll get Brooke to take me back home after school tomorrow.
I drop my bag into the room and look to Trish who points down the hallway to a closed door which has music blasting from the other side. “That’s Jesse’s bedroom at the end,” she tells me before pointing to the one directly across from me. “And this is Nate’s room. I’m sure the boys will help you with anything you need.”
“Thank you,” I tell her as I eye Nate’s door.
How did I end up in a room right across the hallway from him? Was I an awful person in another life? Is this punishment for something I’ve done?
“Alright,” Trish says. “I better get back to dinner. I hope you’re hungry.”
With that, she disappears down the stairs and I find myself once again, standing awkwardly in the Ryder home.
With nothing else to do, I close the door and practically lock myself in my new room.
Chapter 5
I hear Trish calling out for dinner and I reluctantly get to my feet. This is going to be the worst night of my life. Sitting around a table with both Nate and Jesse while their parents dote on what good little boys they are. Not to mention, I’m going to have to eat whatever it is she’s served up, rather than just grabbing some frozen veggies out of the freezer and heating them up like I’ve done every other night.
I pull the door of my room open at the same time both Nate and Jesse do. Nate’s eyes find mine and I instantly look away with a scowl. “Whoa,” Jesse says from down the hallway, and I swear, I can practically hear the smirk in his voice. “Do we have a house guest?”
I look back over my shoulder at the irritating sixteen-year-old, not wanting to be rude and give him a little smile. He hurries and catches up to me before throwing his arm over my shoulder. The three of us walk down the stairs and I’ve never felt so out of place in my life. “You let me know if there’s anything you need,” Jesse says in a sleazy tone. “I’ll be more than happy to lend you a hand. Hell, I could lend you my bed if you want.”
“Ugh,” I groan as I push his arm off my shoulder. “Do you forget that
I was there for your whole ‘shitting your pants’ phase?”
At that, Jesse goes quiet while Nate knocks his shoulder and laughs. I ignore them and race down the stairs before them, feeling proud of my small victory.
I turn into the dining room which joins from the kitchen and smile at Trish. “Is there anything I can help you with?” I question.
“No, darling. You just find a seat and dig in.”
I do just that and grab myself a plate before reaching for the serving spoon with the intention of dishing up the smallest serving.
As I lean across the table, a large hand comes down over mine and slides the spoon out of my fingers. “Here,” Nate says, sending a bolt of electricity shooting up my arm. “Let me help you with that.”
He instantly scoops deep into the food and places a large helping on my plate. “That’ll do,” I tell him with a grunt as he goes for a second spoonful.
“Don’t be silly,” he says. “I saw you at lunch today. You hardly ate anything. You must be starving.”
“I ate plenty,” I tell him as I glance up to see Trish watching Nate with nothing but love as she takes in her son acting like a gentleman, though I know better. “It must have been when you and Jesse were busy making the new kid feel welcomed,” I say.
He gives me a hard stare, knowing I’m referring to how they made some poor kid feel like absolute shit when they disregarded him and laughed when he asked to sit with them. Though to be fair, Nate didn’t say a word through the whole thing, but he’s their leader. He could have told them to knock it off and they would have stopped in the blink of an eye. That makes him just as guilty.
“There’s plenty to go around,” Nate says before the spoon comes down on my plate again, doubling the huge pile. He finally releases the spoon before grabbing the sugariest soda possible and filling my cup as high as it can go.
Jesse drops down beside me with a smirk while Cade appears from who the hell knows where and gives me a warm smile. “Welcome, Tora,” he says as Nate walks around the other side of the table and drops down into the spot directly opposite me. “I understand you’ll be staying with us a while.”
Broken Hill High: The Broken Hill High Series (Book 1) Page 4