He gasps. “Oh, you’ll definitely make a badass politician.”
“You with me or not?”
He smiles. “All the way, Elly. Why not hold hands and giggle like soon-to-be-love-doves, as we walk out? That’ll definitely rub some people the wrong way, don’t you think?”
I’m impressed by his quick thinking and ability to adjust to almost any new situation. I don’t trust Kyle to one day take a bullet for me, but I can definitely use this flexible character of his while I navigate the perilous waters of Trinity High.
He takes my hand in his, and we get out of the booth, waving Mary Sue goodbye on our way out.
“Thanks, Mary Sue,” I say, beaming like the sun. “This is the perfect place for a wonderful first date!”
She smiles with all the warmth that a human being can muster, watching us as we head out the door. “Come back soon, then!” she calls out.
“Will do!” Kyle replies.
And we laugh and trade small jokes, while Rhett, Gage and Kellan’s eyes drill holes into the back of my neck. I can feel them watching. The air changes composition even when we’re outside, my spine tingling and my skin tickling as I swiftly look over my shoulder.
They’re not moving. Shadows cut through their faces. Oh, they’re definitely not pleased with any of this. Good…
My wounded heart feels just a little bit better, as Kyle and I hold hands, walking down the street and reveling in the subtle blow we’ve just delivered.
“I really hope this doesn’t get you in trouble with them. Hell, I hope it doesn’t get me in trouble with them,” Kyle says.
“They won’t dare touch you,” I reply. “They got my message earlier. That’s why they’re so pissed off. They know I’m right. So, going forward, should they dare come at me again, all I have to do is call 911. I’ll bring all the drama to Trinity, if I have to.”
We stop at the junction, about to go our separate ways. Kyle takes my hands into his, taking a deep breath as he looks at me. “Either way, I want you to be careful, Elly. They’re dangerous.
The more I ask about their dealings, the nastier the stories that come back to me. I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“Thank you, Kyle,” I reply. “It’ll be okay.”
I’m lying again. I’m not sure anything will ever be okay again, but I’ll be damned if I let the Hotshots hurt me any longer. They’ve found my limit, but they sure didn’t expect to see consequences.
What I lack in brute force and mobster relations, I make up for in wit and cleverness. As much as it pains me, I am ready to admit that while I still have feelings for Rhett, for Kellan… even for Gage, they will not get to me.
I won’t let them.
20
Elly
I thought my life was tough and weird, given everything that’s been going on. Turns out, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. As soon as I get home, I find myself in a surreal, moving picture. My mom’s here, and she’s not alone.
“Elly! Sweetie!” She jumps out of the kitchen chair, rushing to hug me. “How was your day?”
I’d love to answer, but I can’t take my eyes off the guy she’s been entertaining over iced tea and pecan pie. He’s in his mid-fifties and remarkably good looking. He’s tall and slender, but he’s got swimmer’s shoulders that make him look buffer than most. His hair is cut short, the color of honey. His eyes, an inquisitive blue that feels familiar.
“Peachy,” I mutter, staring at the man who, in turn, eyes me with a half-smile.
“Oh, this is Connor O’Donnell,” my mom says. “He runs the security company that handles our jewelry store! I invited him over for tea and stuff.”
“Stuff?” I ask, my tone flat.
I know who he is, and all kinds of feelings cut through me like red-hot knives. Connor O’Donnell is Gage’s father, and I don’t understand how he made his way into our house. Does he know about me? Does he know what his son and his friends have been doing to me? Is he part of the Irish mob, too? I mean, his name is as Irish as they get.
Head of a security company. What are the odds that they’re enforcers, huh? For the Flanagan crime family, two of whose offspring I’ve already fucked? My god, I am in so much trouble on so many levels, and Connor’s presence here isn’t making anything any better. On the contrary.
“The pie is fantastic,” Connor says, as he stands and reaches a hand out.
I shake it, firmly, and he seems to notice, offering an appreciative nod. “Yeah, my mom’s baking borders on legendary. So, how’d you two meet, exactly?”
“I told you. Connor runs the security company—”
“In charge of the jewelry store, yeah, I got that,” I cut my mom off, my defensive nature stronger than ever. His presence here could be innocuous, but if it isn’t, it’s not just me who’s in danger. My mom, too. And if The Hotshots are doing this to get to me, I’m beginning to think that maybe moving out of Trinity wouldn’t be the worst choice, yet. I can fight them all I want, but my mom… she’s innocent in all of this. “But how did you two actually meet? Like, at work? Did you bump into one another? Did Connor here save you from a robber?”
They both chuckle, and I realize the only tension I’m picking up here is coming from me. Connor settles back in his chair, and so does my mom. I pour myself a glass of iced tea but don’t join them. Some distance gives me a false sense of security.
“I visit all the businesses that my security company handles every month,” Connor says. “I like to review my employees’ performance, talk to the managers, see how we can improve our services. You know, customer relations stuff.”
“Oh, wow. You’re quite involved then,” I reply. “Not just sitting behind a desk and barking orders at people.”
“Elly!” my mom gasps. She’s always had issues with my straightforwardness. But I don’t really care right now. I need to figure out what Connor is doing here.
“It’s okay,” Connor reassures her, looking at me. I can see where Gage got his intense glare from. The apple does not fall back from the tree. “I don’t mind getting my hands dirty, Elly. It’s why I’m very good at what I do.”
“Oh, I’m sure of it,” I mutter. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Connor. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go for a run…”
“You jog?” Connor replies. Again, I’m not sure if he’s asking so he knows when to grab me and torture me in the back of a black van… or if he’s just making conversation with the daughter of the woman he’s looking to date. I mean, it’s not hard to see he’s attracted to my mom. He looks at her the way Gage used to look at Belladonna. And Bangles. And what’s her face… the prissy cheerleader prom princess… I’m forgetting her name.
“I do, sometimes. It’s good for stress relief, getting my thoughts in order. You know, the usual,” I say.
Mom looks at me. “Don’t go too far, honey. Dinner’s at 7, and Connor will be joining us.”
“Sure, count on me.”
I bid them both a brief farewell and fly up the stairs. Locking my bedroom door, I take deep breaths, wondering if I should text Gage and ask about what his father’s intentions are. But if I’m wrong in my suspicions, and Connor is simply into my mom, I risk bringing The Hotshots into parts of my personal life that would just stir all sorts of shit. No, I’m better off observing the whole mom-Connor dynamic for now.
But I’ll need to talk to Kyle about him. He can ask his friends—whomever they may be, about him. I can learn more about the O’Donnells, too. Connor is way too good-looking to be single, so I would like to know how he wound up at my dinner table.
Slipping out of my school clothes, I put on my running shorts, my sports bra and cotton vest. Pulling my hair up into a tight ponytail, I go to the window, the hairs on the back of my neck tingling, ever so slightly. It’s like a Spidey sense, it seems, because Kellan is outside, behind the wheel of the Range Rover, glancing up. He sees me and raises the smoky glass window, but it’s too late.
I obviously know he’s the
re. I also wonder if Connor knows he’s there.
Best not to tempt fate. Keep them separate, Elly, for everybody’s sake.
I put on my sneakers and make my way downstairs. “Mom, I’m not taking my keys or my phone with me, so watch out for the doorbell!” I shout from the hallway.
“Okay, honey! Be safe!” she calls out from the kitchen.
“It’s friggin’ suburbia, mom, not South-Central. Relax!”
The door slams shut behind me. Outside, the Range Rover sits between the neighbors’ cars again. It blends in a little better than the black sedan that Gage drives when he’s stalking me. But still, I get shivers down my spine and a familiar ache in my lower abdomen.
Kellan is within my reach, and I can’t touch him anymore. He doesn’t deserve so much as a tear, yet I struggle every day with the memory of us, back at summer camp. I still can’t reconcile the two versions of Kellan I’ve met.
Exhaling sharply, I go on my run, leaving the house and Kellan behind.
My muscles burn after a while, sweat dripping down my face and neck. I pace myself, breathing evenly as I keep a steady speed through the neighborhood. The sunset casts its pink and reddish hues across the sky. The wind blows softly through the orange and magnolia trees that line the streets.
It’s a pretty town. The only shame is that it seems to be home to the three most complicated and baffling creatures I’ve ever dealt with. And I have feelings for each and every one of them. It’s nothing short of unfortunate, really.
Shaking my head, I stop for a minute, breathing in and out as my pulse races, my skin basically on fire. I don’t run that often, so I always get sore after a session. My thighs and calves are already tense. Soon enough, the ache will begin, but that’s always remedied with a hot shower.
An idle engine makes my ears twitch. A familiar sound. Turning my head, I spot the Range Rover a dozen yards back, parked behind a Prius—the neighborhood’s vehicle of choice. It’s Kellan. I flip him off and resume my run.
The Range Rover moves, staying closely behind. Lucky for him that there’s not much traffic at this hour, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to pull this off. But it pisses me off. He’s following me, and I can’t allow that. Maybe panic should set in somewhere too. Who knows, his plan might be to run me the hell over and like I said, there’s not much traffic. Add that to the family he’s from and I’m pretty sure he could get away with mowing me down and burying me in his backyard.
“Fuck this!” That’s the brave idiot in me talking. The one who apparently doesn’t remember what fear or caution or any of those damn things mean. Definitely not the part of me that was just recognizing how easily Kellan could get away with murdering me. For some strangely morbid reason, that part of me wins.
I walk out in the middle of the road, forcing him to slam the breaks. Okay, so killing me wasn’t a part of the plan. At least I have that much figured out. The Range Rover stops inches from me with a mild screech. Kellan jumps out of the car, downright livid. “Are you fucking crazy?!” he barks.
“Says the stalker,” I retort.
“I’m not stalking you. I was just in the neighborhood,” he says. “Now, get off the road.”
“Get out of my life, first,” I snap. “I’ve had enough of your bullshit, Kellan. Go. Away!”
He sighs, his gaze fixed on me. It’s hard to read his face right now, but a muscle ticking nervously in his jaw lets me know he’s frustrated. “I can’t. I’m sorry,” he matters.
“Oh, so this is the game now? Assholes in public, soft puppy dog eyes in private? Seriously?”
He frowns. “You don’t understand, Elly. We told you to run.”
“Right. Because that’s what normal people do. You tell them to skip town and they just do it, without even questioning such a crazy request. Come on, Kellan,” I groan, rolling my eyes.
“It’s complicated, and the more you know, the more dangerous it becomes for you,” Kellan insists.
I flip him off again and go running again. This time, however, I take one of the side streets, which leads me behind the football field. It’s shaded and cool along this stretch of narrow road, perfect for me to avoid overheating, as I’m about to make my way back home soon.
The Range Rover pulls over at the corner behind me. I glance back, then start running faster as Kellan gets out of the car again and slams to door behind me.
“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” I gasp. He’s running after me, now. “Goddammit!”
I’m fast, but I doubt I’m faster than Mr. Quarterback here. Within seconds, he catches up and I find myself flattened between him and a hard wall.
“Elly, stop!” he growls, as I try to break free, squirming and kicking like my life depends on it.
He’s got my wrists now, and a thigh wedged between my legs, and I’m breathless, panting and sweating my ass off as I try to figure out my next move. I’m in survival mode, and I don’t know what his intentions are. But I do know it’s just the two of us on this back street, and there’s ugly history between us, now. Logic kicks in. So does a hint of fear. I’m not sure I like this more than I liked the bravery.
“I’m not going to hurt you, just stop,” he says, squeezing my wrists with enough strength to make me gasp. So much for not hurting me.
“Ow! Okay! Okay!” I hiss. “Fine!”
I’m stiff as a board, but his body is molded over mine against the wall, and I’m getting lightheaded and useless already. The Kellan effect is undeniable and, unfortunately, ever present, even after all the crap he’s pulled, alongside Rhett and Gage.
“Thank you,” he sighs, but doesn’t let go.
Anger courses through me, amplifying the flames that have already begun consuming my legs. I could smack him. Actually, I couldn’t, since he’s still clutching my wrists, but I would love to smack him.
“So, what now, then?” I ask, my voice low.
“We need to talk.”
“Oh. Now we need to talk? Really?”
His brow furrows. As much as I hate to admit, he’s genuine in his frustration. Pain flickers in his hazel eyes. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. None of us did.”
“You didn’t mean to humiliate me and bully me, repeatedly?”
“It wasn’t supposed to go down like that!” he says, and I hate myself because I’m inclined to believe him. All the thoughts I’ve had about revenge seem to melt into a puddle of what used to be my resolve. “I swear, Elly. We didn’t know you were coming to Trinity. We were blindsided!”
I scoff. “Kellan. The truth. The whole truth, now, because none of this is making any sense. The more you speak, the more confused I am…”
“I told you, it’s not in your best interest,” he replies, but my mind keeps wandering down to that thigh between my legs, the hard muscles pressing against my most intimate body part. Heat gathers there, crackling like a Tesla coil at his slightest move. “It’s too dangerous.”
“Right now, the three of you are the only danger that I’m aware of.”
“Oh, Elly… We’re the least of your worries. There are people here in Trinity who will stop at nothing to hurt my brother and me. And they’ll go straight to the ones we care about the most,” Kellan says, his voice trembling.
“What?”
“Leave, Elly. Leave town and never come back. Please… we’ve done awful things to you, and I am so sorry. You don’t deserve any of this shit, but your hard head is going to get you in trouble,” he insists. “Get your mom to move back to Barkston or something. Find a way to get out of here before it’s too late.”
It’s my turn to frown. “You’re not telling me everything. That wasn’t the deal.”
“We didn’t make a deal,” he replies, the shadow of a smile darting across his lips. “Elly, someday, I’ll make it up to, I promise.”
I try to get away, but all that does is press his thigh harder against my crotch, sending my heart rate out of control. “I’m done!” I mutter. “I’m done with this. Either tell me the w
hole truth or let me go!”
His gaze darkens, and everything changes around us, as if the world is conspiring with him, gradually disappearing like paint under a steady stream of hot water.
“I can never let you go,” he whispers. “I can’t tell you everything, either. Just understand that… everything we did, as awful and as stupid as it may sound, was for the sole purpose of protecting you.”
I stare at him in disbelief. Every fiber in my body wants to believe him, because accepting the other version of reality would be too much. If they’re trying to keep me safe in their own sick and twisted way, I… I can understand that. I will rather understand that, than the possibility that summer camp was just a pretty lie, and that they’re really just heartless monsters who like to fuck with people’s feelings.
Accepting the latter would mean accepting that I’ve allowed myself to be lied to for weeks on end. That I let them into my life, my soul, and even my body, on the basis of lies and fabrications. My defenses are shaky, now, and I don’t know what to do. What to say…
What the hell can I even begin to say to any this?
“Kellan… You could’ve talked to me,” I mumble, unwittingly softening against his body.
I think he can feel me relaxing, because he inches closer, the hard bulge in his jeans pressing against my lower abdomen. “Would you have listened?” he asks, the distance between us shrinking with each second that goes by.
“Maybe…”
He chuckles softly. “You know you wouldn’t have. Besides, and I know I’m repeating myself, we can’t tell you everything, anyway. It’s best if… It’s best if you just leave, and we all go our separate ways.”
“You could’ve just said goodbye,” I say, my vision getting hazy as tears threaten to come out. “You could’ve just told me we can never talk again. Honestly, Kellan, that would’ve been better than what you did to me.”
Trinity High: High School Bully Romance Page 16