Flawed (Caught By The Bad Boys Book 2)

by Raathi Chota

  “What does that mean?” I pointed at the lid that had the number three marked.

  “I don’t know, but look at this,” Liam said as he showed Benny and me a photo on his camera. It was a utility hole like the one here except that was the one in the alley. “Since the alley is no longer under investigation, I managed to take a photo of the lid there,” he added, and I saw the number one on it.

  “This wasn’t here the last time,” Benny said.

  “Yeah, which means that someone else was down here after we came,” Nick said.

  “Before and after, if you want to be specific. That’s why the tiles were unsteady, and now that Lana has told us about Christo, it’s quite clear that James was here and might be hiding the body down there.” Liam smiled.

  “Wow, Liam, you’ve really been thinking about this,” Benny said with an impressed look.

  “Yeah well, it’s not every day you’re an investigator.” Liam nodded, then crouched down to open the utility hole. I took the hair tie around my wrist and tied my hair up into a high ponytail. Once the lid was off, Nick took a flashlight and climbed down the ladder. Benny went next, then me. I sat on the edge, then glanced up at Liam. He looked down and gave me a supportive look. I pinched my nose as I began to climb down.

  We walked through the sewers for about half an hour. Nick led the way since he had the sketch of the sewers, yet I did notice that there were pathways we didn’t go down. Hopefully, he knew where he was going. The sewers looked the same as the last time. The ground and floor were wet, strange noises were in the distance, and the horrible stench was in the air. I distracted myself as I scrolled through the pictures on my phone because I was bored. Benny spoke to Nick while Liam…

  “Oh, Mr. Aimar! Come out, come out wherever you are!”

  “Dude, he’s dead. He’s not going to answer you,” Nick groaned.

  “Oh, wait…what if he only comes out in…” Liam snickered while I raised a brow.

  “Don’t say it.” Benny shook his head as we walked.

  “August!” Liam laughed as we groaned. “You guys have such a funny friend keeping you company.”

  I looked down to my phone again and stopped by the picture I screenshot of Levi when we FaceTime. He was in the middle of lighting his cigarette, and it looked cool because the quality was decent. He was in his car with the city in the background. As I walked, I bumped into Nick’s back, then stumbled a bit. I looked up to see that Nick and Benny stopped. Liam stopped too and sent me a look as we watched the two in front of us.

  “Why did you guys sto—”

  “Ssh!” Nick whispered as he raised his hand. We followed his gaze to see that they stopped a few feet away from a corner where we’re supposed to turn. I heard something snap, followed by footsteps. My eyes widened when I saw a shadow on the opposite wall. Benny reached over for a loose brick. Right when the person turned the corner, Benny raised his arm while Nick held Liam and me back.

  “Marcus?” Benny exclaimed as we saw the muscularly built, curly-haired brunette turn the corner.

  “Whoa, what the hell?” Marcus yelled as he held up his arms. Benny dropped the brick, and we stared at Marcus.

  “What are you doing here?” Nick asked.

  “Well, I was just curious yesterday when I saw photos on Liam’s camera about this place.”

  “So you decided to follow us?” I started, and he slowly nodded, then turned off the flashlight from his phone.

  “So why are you guys here in the sewers?” he asked, then covered his nose.

  “Well, we’re here because…” Liam began as he looked at us for help.

  “Lana dropped something here, and we’re helping her look for it,” Benny answered with a poker look.

  “You lost something in the sewers?” Marcus asked as he raised a brow.

  “I’m quite clumsy,” I said with a lopsided grin. Marcus slowly nodded, then looked at his surroundings.

  “So what did you drop here?” he asked, then spun around. Benny, Nick, and Liam turned to me, their eyes widened as they pointed to Marcus with questioning looks.

  “Err…m-my designer pink bag.” I said the first thing that came to mind.

  “Designer pink bag?” Liam asked, and I glared at him to play along.

  “Yes! Remember!” I said through gritted teeth.

  “Wow.” Marcus nodded.

  “Yep,” Nick said, then caught up to Marcus. I figured we’d continue to walk to the other utility hole since we couldn’t look for Christo’s body anymore. Yet I had the strange feeling that Marcus was on to us.

  “Ugh, look at him,” Liam said as he stared at Marcus, who had his back to us. “Marcus Sanders and his luscious hair, eight-pack, all in everyone’s business.”

  I laughed as Liam shone the flashlight on his back, then put his middle finger in front of the light so that it showed on Marcus’s back.

  “Well, just be glad that he didn’t find those photos of Miranda,” I said.

  “Yeah, holy crap. I would’ve been beaten up by a soccer player with good hair.”

  “Just…keep the memory cards away from each other.” I sighed as we reached the utility hole that led to the alley. I checked my phone, and it was four p.m. I wanted to go first, but Liam stopped me, then whispered in my ear.

  “Let him go first. Whatever is up there will take him.” Liam and I snickered as we let Marcus go first. He didn’t complain since he wanted to get out of the fetid place. As he climbed up, Liam poked his hair and Nick smacked his hand away before he’d notice. Once we were out, we walked out of the alley, then to Liam’s apartment. Nick and Marcus’s cars were still at Ethan’s cottage, so they took the bus, then they’d walk from there.

  We were back in Liam’s room, and I sat on the bed while Benny used the bathroom. Liam was on his wall, which seemed to grow bigger and more significant since it had to do with James Cornelius and his men.

  “Marcus is getting suspicious. Remember that day when Detective Kale questioned him about the pills he found in the alley?” Liam asked as he spun around and looked at me. I nodded, then tilted my head. “Well, when Detective Kale left, he kept looking at us.”

  “Well, I told Nick before he left that he should just have a little talk with Marcus,” I said. Liam nodded, then returned to his desk. My phone rang, and I took out my phone to see that Carter called me. Weird, he rarely called me.

  “Hello?”

  “Lana! I need your—hehe—never mind.” He giggled, then burped. I scrunched my nose up since I heard music in the background.

  “Carter? Where are you?”

  “I can’t remember…but what I do remember is that you’re so fucking gorgeous. Like WHOOAA—”

  “Carter, you’re drunk! Tell me your surroundings, and maybe I’ll come and get you.”

  “Err…I see a bed and a girl,” he replied, and I facepalmed. “I always see that! What’s wrong with me, Lana?” He hiccuped, then continued. “I sleep around, but I wanna change! For myself, my friends, for you, and college! I don’t wanna be known as Carter Halls, the sex god, in college! I want to change for the better.”

  “Well, you can change, Carter. Everyone can because sometimes change is good.”

  “You’re right. Love you, my sexual tension friend!” he cheered, then ended the call. I stared at the phone for a moment, then realized Carter was still at the party, drunk off his ass. I stood up, ready to go, but realized that I didn’t even know where the party was.

  “What’s wrong?” Liam asked.

  “Carter’s just really drunk, and since we live the closest to each other, I think I should be the one to take him home,” I said, then sniffed myself.

  “Oh, cool. He’s at Blake’s house,” Liam replied, and I raised a brow. “Blake’s having a party because his mom is gone for the weekend.”

  “Oh,” I mumbled, then sniffed myself again as Benny entered the room.

  “Here,” Liam said and tossed me his cologne.

  “Oh, I’m okay, th
ank you,” I said.

  “No offense, but you smell like shit.” Benny smirked, and I playfully punched his shoulder.

  “Fine,” I groaned, then sprayed myself with Liam’s cologne. It wasn’t too strong like Blake’s or Carter’s, and it had a sweet scent to it. “I have to go get Carter from Blake’s house, then go home for dinner.”

  “Oh, okay. Do you want me to take you?” Benny asked as I hugged him.

  “Yes, please,” I said. We greeted Liam, then walked out of his room. His grandma was nowhere to be found, so we left, then walked down to the car.

  As Benny drove to Blake’s house, I couldn’t get Carter out of my mind and what he said. It’s nice that he wanted to change before college and my guess…become more mature. I sometimes admitted in Physics he was more focused than me even though I was the one who wanted to become a physicist.

  When we arrived at Blake’s street, I heard the music. So many cars surrounded the house that Benny had to drop me in front of the house. He offered to come inside, but I assured him that it was okay. I saw Carter’s truck and reminded myself to drive it. My feet ached by the time I got to the house since I walked a lot today.

  “Name?” a bouncer asked, and I instantly groaned. The door was wide open, and I saw right through the house.

  “There you are!” a guy exclaimed as he stepped out of the house and looked at me. I stared at him because I didn’t know him, but something about his presence made him familiar. The guy swung his arm around my shoulder then brought me into the house. Once we were inside, I dropped his arm and turned to him.

  “Who are you?”

  “Look, I don’t even know you, but you might know my brother.” He looked over his shoulder. I followed his gaze, and my eyes widened as I realized it was the Willis twins. The two at Jaden’s party and the one I knocked out when I hit a bottle against his temple. I slowly backed away from him because I didn’t know which one was which, since they were identical. “Look, we’re here for the party, and Jaden just wanted me to make sure that you’re here,” he said, then pointed to Jaden, who was making out with a girl on the sofa. “You are Lana Willson, right?”

  I nodded, then oddly walked away from him. I came here for one reason only: to find Carter. Yet how did Jaden know that I’d be here? I slowly walked down the hall and passed each room to hear if it was busy. By the third door, I stopped, then leaned my ear against it. I cautiously twisted the doorknob, then opened the door. A dark room met me, and the only available light was from the curtain. As I walked into the room, the door shut, and I quickly spun around.

  “Carter?” I gasped as someone approached me.

  “Hey, there, beer pong babe.” My eyes widened to see Quinton’s face. I didn’t understand why he was here. Blake and Benny hated him.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” I asked. Other than being a humongous pervert, he reeked of alcohol.

  “Snuck in.” He shrugged, then walked closer to me. “Turns out my girlfriend is somewhere around here looking for me while I look for her and well…I’m tired of waiting.”

  He reached out to wrap his arm around me, but I shoved him back, then stepped to the side of the room. He cussed, then launched himself at me. I quickly ran to the door, but he grabbed me and tried to get me onto the bed. I screamed, then elbowed him in the stomach. While he recovered, I looked around for a weapon to defend myself. The room was dark, yet I saw an outline of something big. I walked to it and picked it up. It was quite heavy as I spun around and swung my arm. Everything happened so fast as I heard a thump, then watched as Quinton fell onto the bed. I put the object down and slowly walked to him. He laid on his stomach as his shoulders rose and fell. I quickly walked out of the room, then shut the door. As I continued to look for Carter, “Howlin for You” by The Black Keys came on, and I instantly smiled, remembering when Levi would say that it’s our song. Since Carter was nowhere on the first floor, I decided to look in the basement. I’d seen Jaden, and he smirked at me. I saw Tamia and Axel in the kitchen, and they seemed anxious when they saw me, but I hadn’t seen Blake, Keene, or Ethan.

  As I walked downstairs, I heard laughter, and the music was much softer than it was upstairs. I turned my head and instantly froze. My gaze fell to the floor but slowly traveled up as I took in everything. There he was in his Vans high tops, dark jeans, and white tee that made the tattoo on his neck stand out. His laughter was poison to my ears as I watched the corner of his eyes squint and dark hair fall in his face. He stood in front of Blake, who sat on a sofa while they laughed. Keene sat on the end with a cigarette. As he dumped the ash in the ashtray, he looked at me.

  “Lana?” Keene blurted out, and immediately everyone turned to me. My bottom lip trembled as I saw him, all muscular and tall. So brave and happy, who helped me stop my suicidal thoughts when I thought everything went downhill, so carefree and right here.

  “L-Levi? What are yo—when did you get here?” I whispered as we locked eyes. Levi looked at me, and I watched as he opened and closed his mouth, but nothing came out. I saw Blake smirk as he drank his beer.

  “Oh, baby girl.” Blake laughed as he looked at me then Levi. “He never left.”

  The song, our song, continued to play like nothing happened. Sometimes I wished I was like music, a change in mood, but there’s a start and an end, and no one’s there to stop me unless forced. No one moved as they all stared at me. I guessed I was out of place compared to them, who either had a bottle or can of beer in their hand, cigarette at the corner of their lips, or swayed in their comfortable clothing. The heavy guitar riffs bounced around the room and went through everyone, including Levi Radcliff. I didn’t want to look at him, but my throat closed up for a second when I caught sight of his guitar and other items that belonged to Levi. From what Blake said and the items that sprawled across the room, I concluded that Levi lived here, but I didn’t want to believe it. He could’ve lived with anyone else in Illinois, Keene, Jaden, Aidan, Carter, or Ethan, but he chose Blake Gunner over me.

  Acknowledgments

  The acknowledgments have become the hardest part for me to write. With a book, it’s planned and fiction—therefore I know what to write. When it comes to acknowledgments, there are so many things going on, and I hope that I won’t forget something.

  Flawed, the second book in Caught by the Bad Boys, is very deep. There are specific topics revealed about the characters that readers weren’t aware of in the first book. I included that, not only because it’s part of the plot, but because it brings out the primary goal I’m trying to get across. We can’t judge people based on their looks or what we’ve heard because everyone’s been through something that affected their well-being somehow.

  For the confidence I gained in writing such sensitive topics, I’d like to thank the power of social media for making this a matter to speak about more frequently. There are many people out there who are going through similar situations that my characters are going through. It is great that it’s being spoken about nowadays rather than being hushed or ignored.

  I want to thank my parents who always supported me and were mildly open about these things. They’ve given me the chance to live comfortably and helped me reach my goals, one day I will repay them for everything that they’ve done for me. I’d also like to thank my sister, who eagerly waited by my side to read and motivated me to continue writing, and the rest of my beautiful family who supported me.

  Everyone on Wattpad who started it all! I wouldn’t have been where I am or accomplished so many things at such a young age if it weren’t for your engagement. I’ll never forget the messages I receive thanking me for writing such a heart-wrenching story with complicated characters. This book is for you.

  I want to thank Limitless Publishing for giving me the opportunity to publish my work through them. You’ve all been wonderful to work with, and I hope we work together again with future books! My editor, Toni Rakestraw, who taught me so many things and helped me throughout the story to make it flow sati
sfactorily.

  To all the YA books and thrilling TV shows I’ve seen over the years that inspired me to write a complex piece. If it weren’t for your tips and guidance, I would be stuck in the first book!

  About the Author

  Raathi Chota’s writing first began as a hobby and after growing in popularity, her gift for storytelling took off. Since gaining over ten million reads with her first novel on Wattpad, Raathi found her true calling. Being a regular high school student in Australia and a dedicated writer, her imagination knows no bounds. She enjoys random adventures where she knows she will find inspiration. Her stories are general fiction that is packed with young adult, thriller, mystery and romance themes. Raathi’s stories are page-turners leaving you yearning for more. She gained over twenty-five thousand followers across Instagram, Twitter, Wattpad, and Inkitt combined. She recently began the second book on Wattpad and additional chapters on Inkitt where it gained its popularity and began trending on their website.

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