Wrong Crowd (Kingsley Academy Book 1)

by Lisa Helen Gray

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Selina had her driver take us over to the Remington estate. Unlike the gated community I’m staying in, this one is at the end of a private road filled with luxurious houses that could rival the manors.

  The house at the end is bigger, the one the car pulls up to. The driver turns around, addressing Selina.

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to stick around, Selina?”

  She seems to be close with her driver, something I thought was beneath rich people. He’s an older gentleman and watches her the way I imagine a father looks at his daughter. I wouldn’t know. My mum told me I didn’t have one and never once answered my questions about him. She just yelled and screamed about her not being enough.

  Selina leans forward and kisses him on the cheek. “Curt, we’ll be fine. I have money in my purse to get a taxi back. If, somehow, I misplace my bag, I have another twenty tucked away in my bra. And if, by some miracle, I lose that baby, I promise to call you.”

  He grimaces at the mention of her bra, and I chuckle. “Okay. Have fun.”

  “I will. See ya,” she sings, then pulls me out of the car behind her. She claps her hands, looking at the intimidating house with glee. “Tonight is going to be so much fun.”

  “Yeah,” I murmur, not sounding so convinced.

  She bumps her shoulder against mine. “Come on, Ivy. A party is just what you need. You’ve been through a lot and this is the best way to forget about it all.”

  The car pulls off when something occurs to me. “Wait, I didn’t bring any cash. Mrs White gave me some money, but I’ve left it at home.”

  She looks confused for a moment. “Hasn’t Nova given you money?”

  I nod. I still have ninety something quid tucked away in my drawer. But something occurred to me that day I spent helping Mrs White: I need to work to get what I want. It felt good, great even, when Ellie handed me that money. She was right, it wasn’t a lot, but it was the first lot of money I had earned. And some part of me hoped that if I earned my own money, then people might give me a break and treat me better. I wasn’t naïve to think it would be that easy. Their issues run deeper than where my cash flow is coming from. But I knew where it came from and that’s what counted.

  And I want to use as little of Nova’s money as possible. I don’t trust her enough not to throw it in my face down the road, so until I can be sure she won’t use it against me, I’m not going to spend more than I can afford.

  And thanks to Elle, I might have some extra work with her son, who now runs their land. They breed horses. I jumped at the offer and said I’d do anything.

  “Yes, but I don’t want to use it unless it’s an emergency. I want to make my own money,” I finish explaining.

  She shrugs, waving me off. “Well, I’ve got it covered.”

  “And what if I lose you?”

  “Here, pass me your phone,” she orders, and I pull it out of my back pocket, handing it to her. I decided on jeans today, and a red flowy top that actually looked and felt good on me. I was used to T-shirts and tank tops. This was between a tank top and a blouse. I found I liked it. “Now you have Curt’s number programmed into your phone. I’m surprised Nova hasn’t hired him before now. He’s always there when I need him. A few times he comes to London, depending on what we’re doing.”

  “Thanks,” I say, forcing a smile. I still don’t feel comfortable. I have no idea where we are, only whose house it is. I have no means to get home, and calling Nova in the middle of the night when she isn’t even home, sucks. I found out when I showed up for dinner and she wasn’t there. She had to go out of town for the night and won’t be back till morning.

  “Let’s get a drink and I’ll introduce you to my friends.”

  I follow her inside, amazed by how many people are here and how no one has called the police. We only had to make a bit of noise in a park back where I lived and someone would call the police to get us moved on. I guess the rich really do live by different rules.

  The place is filled with smoke and weed fumes. I wave it out of my face as we walk through a lavish hallway, oil paintings of different landscapes hanging on the wall. Something like that wouldn’t last five minutes where I’m from. A stick man standing in the middle would have been drawn on with permanent marker by now.

  It’s hot in here. Really hot. And sweat is already clinging to my skin.

  I can’t help but compare the house to Nova’s. Where Nova’s house is all white and creams, this place is dark and mahogany. I’m intrigued to find out who lives here.

  Selina waves at a few people as we shove our way through the crowd, and none of them give me a second glance. I’m grateful and begin to feel a little easier about coming.

  When we make it into a large kitchen, there’s a cooler breeze coming in from the patio doors. I sigh, wanting to get out there so I can breathe. She walks over to some clear plastic cups and pours a heavy amount of vodka into them. I glance away, taking in everyone standing around. There’s a couple up against the fridge, making out, a game of cards going on at the huge glass, rectangular table, and a few people munching on the food lying around in bowls.

  When she hands me the clear drink, I just force a smile. She doesn’t know I don’t drink alcohol, so I can’t berate her for handing it to me. She’ll figure it out eventually when I don’t drink any, but until she’s drunk herself, I’ll hide it. She seems like someone who won’t give up until I start drinking with her. It just doesn’t excite me the way it does these people. I tried it once to see why my mum loved it so much and never did it again. It was horrible.

  My mum didn’t even notice I was close to going to hospital because I was violently sick. She never noticed much of anything when it came to me. She tolerated me at the best of times, so for her to pay attention, she’d have to care. And I don’t think she did. Sometimes it felt like she couldn’t even look at me. It freaked me out, like I reminded her of someone.

  Selina shakes me out of my thoughts when she nudges me with her hip. She looks up from her phone after taking a swig of her drink.

  “My friends are outside,” she yells over the music, nodding towards the patio doors. I nod, following her out into a wide, long garden. Again, there is a pool, and I grimace.

  Why they have spent money to get one, I don’t know. More times than not, it’s cold and raining here in Britain. It’s a waste of money if you ask me, and utterly pointless.

  One thing is for sure, however: no one here is staring at me in revulsion. No one is giving me the side eye or glaring holes into my head.

  They don’t know me.

  The tension in my body eases a bit as we step up to a small group of people. “Guys, this is my cousin, Ivy. Ivy, these are my friends, Chrissy, Bee, Dawson and Si.”

  “Hey,” I wave, and the girl called Bee grins over her cup at me.

  “Don’t mind her. She’s checking you out. Bee, no,” Selina warns, and my eyes must pop out of my head.

  She’s flirting with me?

  When I look at Bee again, she winks. “Sorry, but I had to try,” she drawls before narrowing her eyes on Selina. “Stop pussy blocking me. Not all girls are as straight-laced as you, Selina. Some like a bit of both.”

  “I like boys,” I add in quickly.

  She laughs, not caring in the slightest. “Ever want to try it, give me a call. You’re seriously fucking hot. That hair reminds me of a raven. It’s sexy.”

  Hearing her say I remind her of a raven makes me think back to the night Kaiden said it. He’s only said it once, but it was the heat in his eyes that made me shiver.

  Is that why he called me Raven—because of my hair?

  I hate that my thoughts are going to an arsehole like him, and I accidently lift the cup to my lips, taking a sip. I choke, forgetting it had vodka in. I look to Selina, glaring. “Seriously, did you want some lemonade with your vodka?”

  “It’s not that strong,” she dismisses, taking a sip.

  Chrissy, who seems like a ho
t IT nerd, snatches the cup out of my hand and takes a sip. Her eyes widen as she pulls back, wincing. “Seriously, Selina, where’s the lemonade in here?” Her voice is smoky and pure raspy.

  Selina snorts, taking another sip, and Dawson snatches the cup from her hand, tipping the contents on the floor. “You are not throwing up tonight. I’ll go make you another drink.”

  The way he watches her, I can’t tell if he likes her or not. Not in a friends way, but romantically. He’s got long hair that falls across his forehead and down behind his ears. He’s slim, but not in a way that says he missed puberty, not like his friend, Si, who looks like he did miss that part. He’s scrawny, covered in acne, yet has this uptight air to him.

  Selina beams up at him, and Dawson links her arm through his. They go to step away, but Selina swings her hair, looking over her shoulder at me.

  “You okay here?”

  I hide my grin when Dawson silently pleads for me to say yes.

  I nod, watching them go. I feel a little uncomfortable, so I slowly turn around to make boring small talk with her friends. At least the Bee chick seems cool.

  They’re gone. I look around for them, seeing Bee chatting up some girl. Chrissy and Si seem to be in a heated argument with another couple. There is no way I’m going to just walk up to them and say nothing.

  Selina is already out of sight by the time I turn back. I sigh, heading into the crowd to take a look around while I wait for her.

  It’s refreshing that no one knows me here. It gives me more of a chance to really look at the scene without being worried someone is going to chew my head off.

  I’m a big girl. I’m used to taking care of myself, and I’ve had to be strong for as long as I can remember. A few times I’ve got into scraps because of jealous bitches. I might have come from nothing, but it didn’t put anyone off from hitting on me. The girls at school hated it, especially when they found out where I came from and who my mum was. They didn’t get why they weren’t chosen over the town’s tramp.

  I got it, I did, but I still had to pick up for myself. I didn’t have anyone else.

  Being here is different though. They’re vultures and clearly money hungry. I don’t think they’d know what to do if they didn’t have any cash to blow on shit they don’t need.

  That said, they still make me feel small. I might be able to fight with the best of them, even talk smack back when it’s given, but these guys have a whole different power play. They have the upper hand. They could crush me in a second and no one would blink. I need to face the facts that I’ll be spending my time here deflecting all their insults.

  I sigh, shifting my depressing thoughts aside, and move closer to the side of the property. Seeing the pool near terrifies me, so I skirt around it, heading towards a long picnic bench. I take a seat on the table, putting my legs on the seat, and watch the people dancing and having fun.

  I can still smell weed and it makes my stomach heave. When I scan the crowd to see who’s smoking it, I spot three people doing coke on a table near the pool.

  “Who do we have here,” a deep, masculine voice rumbles from beside me. My mouth gapes a little at how fucking gorgeous he is. Selina was right earlier in saying they put something in the water, because this guy is dangerously hot; dark blonde hair with a slight curl to it, the most piercing blue eyes I’ve ever laid eyes on, with dark eyelashes that make them pop out more. If his ‘come to bed’ eyes aren’t enough, then the wicked smile he gives me is. My knees lock together when I see those deep dimples.

  “Um…” I mumble, looking around for Selina. I don’t know who this guy is.

  “What’s the name, sweetheart?”

  I turn around and glare at him. He might have all those pretty looks, but he ruined it by calling me ‘sweetheart’. My mum’s boyfriends called me that, and I hated it.

  “None of your business.”

  “You’re in my house, so I think it is,” he says, still easy-going. He doesn’t seem pissed at being snapped at.

  Wait.

  “You’re Carter Remington?”

  Jesus, Selina was right, he is fucking hot. No wonder she talks stupid around him. I swear I can feel my brain cells dying off just being in his presence. It’s a pretty, boy-next-door kind of hot though. Not the dangerous, smouldering and intense look Kaiden holds. `

  He grins, flashing those straight, white teeth at me. “The one and only.”

  Maybe he can give me the answers I need about the Kingsley’s. I lean forward, flashing him my best smile.

  “Is that right?”

  His grin only spreads, thinking he’s scored hook, line and sinker. Boy does he have it wrong though. He steps between my legs, his arms caging me in on either side.

  “Want to go somewhere private, baby?”

  His breath causes shivers to run down spine, and as I look over his shoulder, feeling a little dizzy, my eyes land on Selina. She looks deflated and so sad it makes my body tense.

  And she’s looking right at me.

  No, at us.

  Oh my God, she’s likes Carter Remington.

  I’m about to push him away, but then I watch as her eyes go round and she drops her cup. She takes a step forward, but glass smashing has me turning towards the house. People begin to scream.

  I lift my hands up to push Carter away, when someone beats me to it. I’m almost relieved not to have him so close. However, my body locks when Kaiden’s gaze burns holes into me.

  The punch he lands on Carter throws him onto the grass, just in time for the commotion inside to settle down. I don’t know where to look—there’s too much go on. However, I gravitate towards the house where Lucca—or Ethan—steps out with Grant. There’s a few more guys with them, some I think I saw at the twins’ birthday.

  My attention moves back to Kaiden, who stares impassively at me for a moment longer before leaning against a tree. He makes it look so casual, like he didn’t just gate crash a party and knock the host to the floor with one punch.

  Our eyes meet again, and I’m not surprised to see hatred and betrayal shining back at me.

  “Are you okay?” Selina asks breathlessly, her eyes glazed over.

  “What is going on?” I whisper.

  “A cluster fuck is what is going on. They’re so going to kill me,” she whines.

  I jump off the bench when more lads step out of the house. A shiver runs up my spine because they aren’t friends of Kaiden and his group.

  No.

  This is bad.

  “We should go,” I whisper in her ear.

  “Yes. It’s going to kick off big time,” she squeaks, just as one of the twins pushes his way through the crowd, coming towards us.

  Carter is standing up now, wiping blood off his lip. He glares up at Kaiden, taking a step towards him.

  “A sucker punch, really?” Carter quips.

  Kaiden arches his eyebrow, not speaking.

  “You mean like the sucker punch you gave my brother when you and your friends ganged up on him?”

  “We really need to go,” Selina squeaks, sounding more panicked now.

  I pull her back when she goes to leave. Call me crazy, but I really want to see how this pans out.

  “How is Ethan?” Carter mocks, just as a group of his friends stand beside him. They try to make it look casual, but you can tell they’re there to support him.

  It’s also good to know it was Ethan who was hurt. Now I’ll be able to tell them apart for a while.

  Briefly, I look to Kaiden. He’s still leaning against the tree, his expression completely blank.

  What I would do to make him feel.

  No! Do not think like that, Ivy. It’s that bloody sip of vodka making you think it.

  “You think you’re a big man? Too scared to take him on, one on one?” Lucca snaps, pushing at Carter’s chest. He goes back an inch, bumping into his friends.

  Carter smirks, straightening his shirt. “It was one on one.”

  Not the right thing to say, beca
use Lucca’s face goes an angry red. “Yeah, and when he beat you, another one went at him. Still a fucking coward, I see.”

  Lucca swings and chaos erupts around us. There are more of Carter and his friends. A lot more.

  Even so, Lucca and the guys he walked in with start to get in on the fight, swinging at anyone close to them.

  I watch in horror as someone tries to come up behind Lucca. He might have been a jerk that first day, but he doesn’t deserve that. Without thinking, I pick up the bottle Carter was drinking from and move forward. I smack the bottle around the guy’s head, and he falls in a lump to the floor, glass raining down on him. Lucca’s eyes meet mine, stunned, but then he grins, winking at me, and carries on punching whoever he can get his hands on.

  People push and shove into me. A cold hand grips my arm and I startle. I spin around with the broken bottle raised. When I see Selina, I drop it to the floor, my heart racing.

  “We need to go.”

  I nod, stepping over an unconscious body, and take her hand. We run towards the gate Kaiden must have walked through to get into the garden. On the way, I see him still standing next to the tree, fighting four huge guys. He doesn’t even seem to be out of breath.

  He looks up through a sea of moving limbs and stares at me until goose bumps form on my arms. I shake myself out of it, taking a look around. Spotting a hose pipe wound up on a reel, I pull back on Selina’s arm. She falls back a step, looking at me like I’ve grown two heads.

  “What are you doing?” she hisses, yet follows me over.

  “Turn that on,” I order, pulling the hose. Once I have enough, I move over to Kaiden and notice another two guys there. He’s still standing, still fighting them off, but I can see he’s taken some shots. A red mark is beginning to swell on his right cheekbone.

  I keep pulling the hose for more length, and just as I get close enough, Selina has the tap running. It’s not strong enough to break them apart—I’m not stupid—but it surprises them enough to give Kaiden a chance to get the upper hand.

  He knocks one clean out, and I shouldn’t, but I begin to feel turned on.