Eventually, when he doesn’t move or speak, my body begins to relax into the softness of the mattress. There’s a cool breeze flowing over my back and arm, the air vent must be pointed in my direction.
I lay awake for what feels like hours with Ares sleeping peacefully beside me, his breathing is even, steady. At some point I turn over, too chilled to stay still any longer. Reaching for the edge of the blanket I pull it over me, burrowing into the warmth.
The click of the door wakes me, I didn’t even realize I’d fallen asleep. There’s a heady warmth behind me. Blinking, I get my first impressions of the room. It’s dark. The walls are a textured slate gray. In front of me is a curtain of heavy black drapes reaching from floor to ceiling. The light shining into the room is coming from behind me. I peer over my shoulder aware of the heat there. The top of Ares’s dark hair is against my back. Movement catches my eye. Squinting I look at the other side of the room. Dante is standing in the open doorframe. His hard eyes focused on me. I sit straight up, dislodging Ares as I do.
“What’s wrong?” My voice is thick with sleep. Kicking the blanket from my legs I push my feet to the floor and rise. The bed is low to the ground and covered in a heavy black comforter. That’s about all I have time to notice before Dante is in the room, stalking over to the bed and giving Ares’s back a shove. He grunts in response, still sleeping deeply.
“What the hell, why is he still sleeping?” Dante’s eyes search mine. “What were you guys doing that he’s still passed out?” Realization dawns, I know what he’s implying. I cross my arms over my stomach, hurt by his assumption.
This isn’t the first time Dante has assumed I’m an easy lay. I don’t bother giving him an answer, he wouldn’t believe me, but more importantly, I don’t owe him one.
“I’m so tired of your wishy-washy back and forth crap Dante. That’s twice you’ve treated me like a whore,” I growl at him through my teeth, uncaring if I wake up Ares or not.
His mouth pops open like I’ve shocked him. Did he think because I choose to go unnoticed at school that I was some wallflower? The thud of fast footsteps draws his attention to the hall. Ollie slides to a stop next to Dante, his eyes go from me to the bed, then up to Dante, then jerk back to the bed.
I look down too, Ares’s naked back is on full display. A little of the wind leaves my sails. I don’t know when he took his shirt off, but maybe Dante isn’t completely to blame for his assumption. Looking away I jut my chin out. It’s none of his business either way.
“Fuck off Dante,” Ares mumbles from the bed. All eyes watch as he pulls the pillow I was using over his head, covering it with his arm. I narrow my eyes—how long has he been awake and listening, and why didn’t he say something sooner?
When no one else bothers to say anything, I shove past Dante and Ollie. I take a few steps and stall. I have no idea where I’m going. It was way too dark last night to venture a guess at which way the kitchen is.
I spin on my heel. “Don’t we need to get to school? Why are you guys just standing there?”
A door opens across the room revealing a youngish dark-haired woman. Her legs look impossibly long in a pair of black stiletto trousers. A cream fitted sweater with a wide neck falls to just above her hips. My back straightens, and I run my hand over my messy hair. I’m caught in the middle. I don’t feel comfortable going back to Dante and I can’t walk past her either, she obviously belongs here and knows exactly where she is. I, on the other hand, can’t even find the door to get the hell out of here.
The mystery woman does a double take at my appearance. Her eyes linger on my bare feet and then at the door behind me.
“I came in early today. I couldn’t make the trip with Ares yesterday when he returned.” Her voice is soft and sweet, there’s a tiny hint of an accent, but nothing I could place. “Rather quickly,” she adds, her eyes narrowing on me.
Milo chooses that moment to come through from another archway. He pulls a carton of yogurt and spoon away from his mouth. “Hi Mia.” A small smile lifts his lips, he likes her. Maybe even really likes her. He takes a few steps and ends up standing right in front of me. “Haven’t seen you in a while, how ya been?”
Ollie steps up beside me and wraps his fingers over mine, with a tilt of his head he beckons me in a different direction. “Will your guest be here long Ollie? I need to know what to tell the others,” Mia calls as we’re making our way to the door. I drop my head; I know Ollie was trying to get rid of me before she could ask any questions. Milo was the distraction.
“Don’t worry about her,” Milo dismisses me easily. I tug my hand free from Ollie’s. These guys only see me as one thing, a battery.
“I want to go home now, please.” The pleasantry tastes like ash on my tongue.
Sixteen
Instead of taking me to the car, Ollie ushers me up the stairs to Dante’s studio above the garage. The brief time we spent outside clues me in that we’re late for school since the sun is high in the sky. It’s probably closer to noon.
Once upstairs I close myself in the bathroom, I need to pee. But more importantly, I need a few seconds without the weight of everyone’s expectations. Looking in the mirror I wince, my face is flushed, the loose ponytail I was wearing yesterday is gone, leaving my hair matted. I finger brush it as best as I can to tame some of the mess. There’s a bottle of mouthwash on the counter, which reminds me I didn’t brush last night.
I look over at the door confirming it’s locked and slowly open a few of the drawers as quietly as possible. I hit the jackpot on the first try, there’s a half full tube of toothpaste. After washing my hands, I squeeze a thin line of paste on my finger and scrub my teeth, I even tip the bottle of mouthwash up, making sure the bottle doesn’t touch my lips. A few swooshes later I’m as fresh as I’m going to get.
Even though I’m tempted, I don’t search through the other drawers. I found what I needed.
I’ve stalled as long as possible. I need to head out there and demand answers, then I need to get home. I’ve already missed too much school today to bother going in at all, besides, I need to get ready for work tonight.
When I open the door, I expect to find Ollie, maybe even Dante, but the place is empty. After peering over the railing to see if anyone was on the stairs, I make my way over to the kitchen sink to get a drink of water. How long do they expect me to stay hidden away up here? My stomach rumbles when I catch sight of the open pizza boxes, all that food gone to waste. We should have put it away last night.
The lower door opens and I spin, putting my back against the counter while still holding the blue plastic cup I found in the cabinet. Milo’s mop of light brown hair crests the railing. His eyes search around until they land on me, and Ollie is right on his heels.
“I need to get home.” My voice comes out a little softer than I intended, so I clear my throat.
“What’s the rush, your mom probably thinks you’re at school, unless you make a habit of staying out all night and skipping school?” Ollie tries to play his question off as a joke, but the lightness in his tone is off, forced.
“Can you give me a ride or not?” I put my cup into the empty sink and cross my arms over my stomach. I’m tired of these guys thinking they’re running the show. I haven’t had anyone but my mother to answer to, and that doesn’t even really count. My mom is so out of it half the time she can’t remember if I’ve even been home.
Milo looks over at Ollie then begins to explain, “We need to wait for Dante, it’s his car.” He’s not looking at me, in fact it’s like he’s avoiding me. I narrow my eyes, I’m about twenty seconds from demanding they drive me home, or just walking to get the hell away from them. It would take me an hour or two, but it’s not like I haven’t walked that far before.
I look around and I see this studio for what it really is. It’s their hangout, an older version of a fort or clubhouse. All the expensive toys, like the big screen TV and gaming systems, are just entertainment. I’ve been kidding myself, I d
on’t belong here. Never have, never will.
Where the hell do Milo and Ollie even live and why is Dante the only one with a car? I get that they are always together but give me a break. That’s a bit extreme.
Without another word I make my way over to the stairs. I’m so done with letting everyone else decide how I’m going to live my life, for as long as I can remember I’ve been taking care of my mom. She left me without as much as a goodbye. I’m not going to give these guys the chance to do the same.
Neither of them stop me as I head outside and down the long lane that doubles as Dante’s driveway. The lengthy walk home is exactly what I need to finally make some decisions about my life. I’ve been driven here a few times now. I’m confident I can find my way back to school and from there it’s an easy walk back to Turtle Creek. I should never have stayed there last night anyway, what if my mom came home and I wasn’t there?
I shake my head and clench my teeth—she left me. I’m not going to let myself fall back into the same role of easy acceptance. Once I make it to the road I keep on the gravel shoulder, my pace is a little rushed, so bits of dirt and pebbles fly with each step.
Each mailbox I pass makes the anger in my stomach rise. I shouldn’t have to walk home. What a fucked up situation I’ve gotten myself into. I’m mad at myself for letting them convince me I could be someone important to them, no, they don’t even know me. They just want what they think I can give them. Well fuck them. I’m not anyone’s battery. They think they can hide me away like I’m some basement troll? That they can go on doing whatever they please while I wait around for them to think I’m good enough?
I force down the scream that wants to claw its way up my throat. My eyes water, but it’s definitely not tears pooled on my lower lashes.
The purr of Dante’s engine revving up the street warns me they’re coming far before I even see his car. Apparently they finally noticed I’d left. It probably took Milo and Ollie five minutes to realize I wasn’t just sitting in the car waiting on them like a good little pet, and another five to round up Dante.
Luckily, I’m already to the neighborhood surrounding the school so it won’t be any trouble to detour down a side street. I jog up the sidewalk to the first house with a car parked out front. I duck down and pretend to tie my shoe, waiting for them to pass. Once they do, I keep heading in the new direction, bypassing the school altogether. I’m being childish, I know I am, but I can’t pretend to care. It actually gives me a slight thrill to think they’re looking for me.
Once I make it to the next block I make a left, hoping I can follow it down and find the street near the diner. I need to hustle. I don’t want them waiting for me like yesterday.
When I enter the camper is empty, just like I’d assumed it would be. The heavy drapes are blocking out most of the sun, but it’s stifling hot. I can barely draw a breath. I leave the door open to let some of the hot air out and make my way over to the little controls on the wall near the fridge to turn the air unit on. The clock on the microwave tells me I have less than an hour to shower before I need to leave to make it to work on time. I gather my shower caddy and a fresh set of clothes, locking the door behind me as I go to the bathhouse.
Pushing open the heavy red door, I peer around to see if I am alone. I haven’t really had much company back here, so I don’t feel guilty when I throw the deadbolt, locking myself in. It’s a stark reminder at the differences between the guys and me. I couldn’t see Ares stepping foot in a place like this, not with his fancy vest and shoes. Ollie would find some way to make it into a joke.
The first stall doesn’t work, I know because I tried it already, but I push back the yellow rubber curtain anyway. The floor is dry, as are the walls.
I set my stuff on the tiny wooden slats that make up a bench just outside the shower area of the next cubby. The curtain makes a loud screech as I pull it closed behind me. I always check the roof vents and floor grates for any sign of cameras before stripping out of my worn clothes. You never know what kind of creeps hang out in these places.
At least the water is hot when I finally dip into the spray. I’m relieved this isn’t one of the places you have to buy a token for the shower to work, or where you have to keep pressing the button every five seconds so the water keeps coming out.
My dollar store flipflops slap against the tiled ground with every move I make, echoing through the room. It doesn’t take me long to shampoo and condition my hair, scrub my body, and rinse.
I’m wrapped in a threadbare towel when I hear the handle of the main door jiggle. “Sorry, I locked it! Just a minute,” I shout to be heard. Dropping the towel, I shove my damp legs into my jeans. I have to jump several times to get them all the way up, then I throw my shirt on, I tuck my clean underwear back into my basket, intending to finish getting dressed at the trailer. Lastly, I gather my dirty stuff and wrap it in my used towel.
I’m out of breath when I unlock the door, pulling it open seconds later. Ares is standing in front of me, with his arms folded over his chest. The white button down shirt and vest are gone, replaced with a fitted black t-shirt, dark jeans and black boots. If I hadn’t met him yesterday, I’d probably be slamming the door back in his face and locking it. His narrowed eyes scan me from head to toe then back up again. When his eyes meet mine, his nostrils flare and his lips pinch tight. The darkness starts to creep over his irises, concealing the pretty orange flecks.
“What?” My hands are full, so I can’t give him the same pissed off pose he’s giving me, but after the shock of seeing him wears off, I give him the best fuck off face I can muster.
Ares’s hands reach out and he grabs my bundled up towel from me. He goes for the bath caddy too, but I don’t release the handle. We have a mini stare down during the tug of war that has him baring his teeth at me. He finally lets go and I almost stumble backwards from the force, I was pulling that hard.
“Why are you here?” I question him again when he shows no sign of answering my first question. I look around behind him, making sure Mike, the camp host, isn’t witnessing our exchange.
Ares closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Apparently, my brothers aren’t capable of keeping track of you.”
I lean forward my voice tight. “No one will be keeping track of me.” I reach out with every intention of stealing the towel back, but Ares grabs my wrist and pulls me forward. I collide with his torso and bounce back a step. He doesn’t release me.
My mouth falls open in outrage, and I can’t believe he thinks he can manhandle me. I drop the caddy, uncaring that all my stuff spills out, and use my fingers to pry his hand from my wrist. “Let me go, you big asshole.” It’s useless; I can’t budge his hand from mine. I stop struggling and look up to meet his eyes. In that moment I want nothing more than to have control. “Let me go.” The command is soft, barely a whisper, but Ares immediately drops my hand. I look down to see welts forming around the bones of my wrist. I wrap my fingers around the redness and gently twist over the area.
Ares steps back. His eyes on my hands and he peers down at his own as if he doesn’t recognize it. “Cara, I’m sorry.” He shakes his head slowly. “I shouldn’t have…”
“You’re damn right you shouldn’t have.” I’m in disbelief. I can’t believe I trusted this guy enough last night to sleep next to him. All because I was worried about his comfort. I’m an idiot.
I shove past him. Ares falters back a step or two like he’s off balance. I’m in a full out sprint when I get to my RV. I pull the handle and let my head slam forward on the flimsy door. For the second time I’m locked out. My keys are probably on the ground with all my other stuff back at the bathhouse.
I tilt my face to the sky, anger, fear, and frustration warring inside me. My thoughts are racing, I feel trapped. I want to run from Canton. Pretend I never stepped foot in this shit town. But I can’t, I can’t leave without knowing what happened to my mom.
“Laura.” There’s a hesitancy in Ares’s voice when he cal
ls my name. I turn around letting my back hit the door before sliding down to land on the step. He’s standing off to the side, keeping several feet of distance between us. I don’t look at him, instead I let my eyes gaze focus out in the distance. In my peripheral vision I see Ares scrub his hands over his face a few times.
“No one is supposed to come here.” My voice wavers. I don’t know how much more I can take, I’m close to losing the thread of sanity I have left. I want my mom, I want her to tell me everything is going to be all right. I snort out loud. Who am I kidding, that’s never been my mom. I’ve always been the one that had to keep her from falling apart. I want to let it all go for just a little while, I thought that’s what I was doing yesterday, but it’s all still there. My mom is still gone, I’m a few hundred dollars away from being homeless, and I have four guys trying to convince me I’m somehow destined to be part of their group. Yet, they can’t manage to be nice to me for more than five seconds. Oh yeah, sign me up for a lifetime of servitude to a bunch of assholes who want me to stay hidden like some Quasifuckingmodo.
“Oliver told me we weren’t allowed to disturb your mom.” Ares examines his hands flipping them back and forth a few times. “Cara, I’m so sorry I grabbed you.”
“Laura, my name is Laura. Not Cara.”
Ares nods his head vigorously and continues, “I… that… I’m not sure…” He struggles to find words finally settling on, “That will never happen again.”
“You know you guys are ridiculous, right?” I tilt my head, looking in his direction. Ares straightens his spine. “You think I’m desperate enough to cling to a bunch of guys that are barely able to tolerate me?” My tone is flat, unaffected. I don’t mention the way they acted like I didn’t even exist in front of that girl who was looking for him. I can’t imagine what would have happened if she had found me in his bed instead of Dante, him calling me a slut was bad enough.
Infinity Chronicles Book One: A Paranormal Reverse Harem Series Page 15