by J Bree
Hmm. Either would work to clean the cash. I wouldn’t mind him taking a cut as long as it was a reasonable amount and he keeps his mouth shut.
Avery moves on to scrub the coffee table in our little lounge area, complete with a massive TV on the wall and an honest-to-God fireplace, and she blushes a little as she clears her throat. “The truth here is that I used to have a crush on him. A big one, I would follow him around like a lost puppy but then he hit high school and started avoiding me. I think Joey’s violence scared him off.”
It’s honestly weird to see her blush. I stare at it for a second before I can speak. “If he avoids you, how will you get him to clean the cash?”
“Oh we still see each other at society functions and galas. He’s nice to me, just distant. I’ve given up on my feelings for him.” Her tone says otherwise. I wonder how Ash feels about this and then I remember he’s a dick and I don’t care what he thinks.
I can’t avoid my truth forever so I take a deep breath and just blurt it out. “The Jackal told Joey not to touch me because he thinks he owns me. He’s going to take me someday, lock me in a room, and force me to be with him. He’ll rape and torture me until I submit to him. If I don’t make some very careful moves in the next three years I’m going to be trapped by him. Any guy who touches me is in danger if it gets back to him.”
Avery stops scrubbing and straightens up sharply. Her eyes narrow and she looks the exact same as when I met her a year ago, cold and stunning and calculating.
“Well, we need to plan some moves then, don’t we?”
It’s only the first fucking day back to class and I’m already facing Harley and Blaise’s bullshit.
I’ve come down for an early breakfast, knowing Avery had to deal with some issue involving the student council, and I’ve saved her a seat. Even though the ban on speaking to me has clearly lifted now I’m friends with Avery, the other students still give me a wide berth.
It’s fine.
I like the quiet.
And it is quiet.
Right up until the moment Harley and Blaise drop themselves down across from me at the table with full plates of food and wary looks in their eyes. I haven’t seen hide nor hair of either of them since Ash stormed off at the hotel and I’m not feeling much warmth towards them now. Okay, that’s a lie, I’m feeling pissy but turned on at the very sight of them. Sue me.
“Seriously. I’m not dealing with either of you this fucking early in the morning unless it’s a life or death situation. Is someone bleeding?” Harley snorts at me and offers me a glass of juice. I give him a truly dark glare, one of my very best, and I shake my head.
“I’d rather not start my week off with the runs, thanks, asshole.”
He cackles at the curious look Blaise gives us both. I try not to blush at having the rock god’s eyes touch me. Maybe this will be the year I get over my obsession for him and his music. I can only live in hope.
“Don’t ask, man. We had a great winter break last year. I like to think that was when we became friends.”
I point my knife in his direction. “We are not friends. I’m Avery’s friend and you two are firmly Team Ash.” Blaise gives me another look and I grumble into my eggs. I’d love to tell him to fuck off but I can’t imagine saying those words to his face. Harley watches us both, watches how I react to Blaise, and I think I see a hint of jealousy in his eyes. I roll my own at him. I’m no threat to their bromance, I doubt Blaise even remembered my name before Avery and I became friends. I Joey Beaumont saunters into the dining hall flanked by his usual group of simpering flunkies. He meets my eye and tips his head at me with a challenge. Great.
“Look, it’s only a matter of time before Aves wears Ash down and then we’ll all be one big happy fucking family. So stop fighting it. We’re friends by association,” says Harley.
“Fuck off,” I mumble around my food because I can say it to Harley, I have said it to him a hundred times before. I also do not care if I look like a savage. Fuck these boys and their heartbreakingly good looks. Fuck them.
Actually, I wouldn’t mind—nope. Not going there.
“God, are you going to be a grumpy ass like Harley all the time? There’s only so much of that shit I can take.” Blaise’s eyes goddamn twinkle and I want to claw mine out rather than look at him. Harley elbows him and they both laugh. They are so clearly the best of friends that I’m a little jealous. Then I remember I have Avery now and I smile to myself instead. That girl and her fierce loyalty is worth a hundred gorgeous boys.
Harley clears his throat and pegs me with a look. I try not to squirm. It is too damn early to be dealing with him at such intensity. “Listen, I’m not Ash. Avery can’t throw pretty words around and fool me. I know exactly what scratches down a cheek fucking mean. I need you to tell me exactly what happened between her and Rory. I’ve spent the whole break fucking stewing on it and I need an answer.”
My spine snaps until I’m sitting straight and rigid. Both boys have stopped eating and they’re staring at me like I’m the most fascinating thing in the damn room. I’ve been working on my poker face and I know Harley is pissed he can’t get a thing out of me. “If Avery has chosen not to tell you herself then you will never get it out of me. End of story.”
Harley’s eyes narrow but it’s not really a glare. He’s looking at me like he wants to crack my head open and sort through everything inside my brain.
“Good. I’m glad you’re a decent friend to her. She’s never had one of those. But I need to know if I need to kill Rory. No, not beat him bloody or start a social campaign against him. I need to know if I need to end his life and fucking bury him somewhere. Because if that piece of shit raped my cousin, if he did that to her, I will end his life. I’m not asking for details, just tell me if he has to die.”
He’s serious. I’ve met enough killers in my life to know what it looks like when a man is going to follow through with his threat. Clearly there is more of his father’s blood in his veins than he’d like to admit. I think about saying that to him, riling him up more to get him to forget about Avery’s assault, but I don’t actually want him to hate me. Fuck, I don’t want him to hate me at all. When did all of this become so complicated? I move my eggs around my plate for a minute while I think. The tension in our little bubble at the table soars. When I look up at Harley he’s barely containing his anger and his shoulders have begun to shake.
“Fine, no details. If I were ten seconds later than what I was, you would be burying that dickhead. But I got there in time.”
Harley lets out a breath and nods. He doesn’t look relieved, just like he can put off the killing for a later date. Just because Rory didn’t rape her didn’t mean he was a decent guy, it just meant I got in his way. Harley is definitely on the same page as I am. Rory cannot stay at this school with Avery. He’s a danger to her and to every other girl here.
“Color me impressed. Rory’s a linebacker, you’re what, five-two? How the hell did you stop him?” Blaise asks, his eyes moving over my tiny frame leaving behind a trail of fire.
I snort at him and drop my cutlery onto my half-eaten plate. I can’t eat now that I’m thinking about this shit. My digestion has always been at the mercy of my brain. The moment I’m thinking too much, agitated, nervous, any strong emotion, I can’t stomach a thing.
“I’m a Mounty. I’m a foster kid. I was a child of neglect before that. Last year I was the target of a game that had most of the male population of this school following me around bugging me for sex every day. I’ve had to threaten Harley’s psycho cousin with a knife to the dick. You think I don’t have experience fighting off rapists? Please. Go back to your privileged, gilded fucking towers and leave me the hell alone.”
Blaise’s face drops. He looks like he’s going to question me so I stand up and grab my bag instead, my heart thundering in my chest dangerously. As I shove away from the table, Avery struts in like she owns the whole damn school and a smile tugs at my lips. She grins back at me and t
hen levels Harley and Blaise with a look. I meet her in the line and she tucks her arm into mine.
“They giving you shit?” She’s wearing a vibrant shade of red lipstick and I’m jealous that I could never pull off such a polished look. I’ll always be rough around my edges.
“Nah. They want to be one big happy family.”
Avery snorts and grabs a banana and an iced coffee. I grab a drink as well and we duck out of the dining hall. We share our first class with Harley. I share nearly every class with the gorgeous asshole.
“Ash will be livid. He’s still gunning for you.”
“Let him. I’m not scared.”
Avery laughs.
This year is going to be a fucking blast.
Chapter Three
A quick glance at the listing on the door of our math class confirms we’re still being seated alphabetically by surname. Another year of working with Harley, sitting next to him, and being drowned in the scent of him. Okay, that sounds creepy but he really does smell incredible.
Avery is directly in front of us once again. She’s sitting next to some guy I don’t recognize and she’s pissed off about it. She doesn’t frown or snap at him but the smile she gives him is pure ice. I almost feel sorry for him. I wonder how long it will take before Ash is challenging him in one of the guys’ dorms fight club sessions at her order.
Harley walks in seconds before the teacher and drapes himself in his chair. He doesn’t look at me or acknowledge me which pisses me off considering not even an hour ago he was declaring us friends over plates of eggs. I should know by now not to trust a single word out of his mouth.
“Can we just agree now on how we’re going to halve all of our joint assessments this year so I can save myself some work?” I whisper at him as the teacher starts to take attendance. Harley smirks at me without looking up from his notes. He’s always so prepared for his classes. I mean, I am too but it’s still a surprise to me.
“Nope. I’d rather keep you busy studying than running around the school getting jumped. Besides, you just said we’re not friends. I don’t help people that aren’t my friends,” he drawls. The teacher starts handing out worksheets and I roll my eyes at Harley. He refuses to look at me.
“I’m not going to get beaten up. I’m pretty sure we sorted that out last year.”
Harley shrugs and we fall into silence again as the class gets into full swing. I focus on the numbers and formulas and I let myself forget about everything else for a minute. I don’t want to admit to myself just how much I’m enjoying being back at school. It’s good to focus on something I’m good at.
When the class finally wraps up and I have the syllabus firmly tucked into my bag I follow Harley out and to our next class. Avery is still giving him icy looks but he just grins at her, his charm doing nothing for her and everything to me.
“By the way, Mounty, I meant getting jumped for the sweep.”
My stomach hollows out. He can’t be serious? How could it still be going?
“It’s now well over the million dollar mark and there have already been…ideas thrown around about how to get you into bed. Or against a hard surface really, they don’t care about the particulars.”
Avery scoffs and links her arm in mine so I can stop her from falling while she focuses on her phone. I’ve seen her do it with the guys a thousand times and I smile at her effortless trust in me. Harley shrugs and leads us to our next class. Biology.
“As long as none of the ideas involve rape then I really don’t want to hear about it. I’m not fucking a Hannaford boy.”
Tension forms in his shoulders but he doesn’t turn to face me. Avery chuckles under her breath and I glance over to see she’s watching him, her phone gone.
“Got your fill of Mounty guys over the break?” he snaps and Avery’s chuckle turns into what can only be described as an evil cackle. He cuts her a glare and she ignores it entirely.
“What do you have against Mounty guys, Harls? That big guy the other night, Luca was it? He was pretty hot. I’d fuck him.” Avery teases and I groan at her. The fastest route to pissing the guys off is the very thought of any guys touching their sweet Floss.
“I wouldn’t ever let you near him. He’s… a good guy but he’s… very loyal to a bad guy.”
Harley sneers at me. “Like you are?”
I grit my teeth and ignore him. It takes serious fucking willpower. Our conversation about the Jackal is still fresh in Avery’s mind and she kicks him in the shin, her polished school heels nicely pointed. “She’s as loyal to him as you are to Liam O’Cronin so don’t be a dick.”
“Difference is I can’t help the family I was born into,” he grumbles under his breath.
Her eyes are pure ice. “Neither can she.”
I sign up to tutor students again and I’m sure I’m going to be as popular as last year.
I arrive to the library early and find a guy sitting at the table I’ve come to call my own. I feel the prickle of irritation and then grumble at myself to stop being so stupid. As I move past the table to stake out one of the others the guy calls out, “Aren’t you Eclipse Anderson?”
I grimace and then turn back to him. I don’t recognize him at all but he doesn’t look old enough to be an upperclassman. “I go by Lips.”
He smiles at me and I’m struck by the niceness of it. Not that I’m attracted to him, thank God because I have enough trouble containing my hormones, but he doesn’t look like he’s aiming for anything. He’s just smiling.
“I’m Lance. I’ve signed up for your tutoring, the librarian told me this was your table.”
I let out the breath I was holding and pull out my chair instead. He watches me, still smiling, and I glance at the work spread out in front of him. I recognize the assignments straight away. He’s a freshman.
“I’m the new scholarship student. I thought it would be nice to meet the first kid to make it past freshman year since they started handing out these scholarships and see if you have any pointers?” he says and still he’s fucking smiling. I’m starting to get creeped out. Guys don’t smile at me like that.
I give him a stern look and say, “Get as far ahead in your classwork as possible, don’t accept drinks from anyone, and stay away from the Beaumonts.”
The smile finally falters and he grimaces as I pull out my own textbooks and supplies. “So they roofie drinks at parties here, do they? Typical rich brats.”
I look up to answer him as the library door opens again and in strides Ash and Blaise. I swear under my breath and silently pray they’re here for something else.
The universe does not listen.
“Mounty! Lovely to see you again, though I’m a little disappointed you’re not in your party clothes. Such a shame,” says Blaise as he drops down into the chair beside me. I roll my eyes in his general direction. He doesn’t mention our meeting at breakfast earlier in the week, which makes me think he hasn’t told his best friend about it.
Ash glares at Lance as he stands over him with a malicious look. “Move. You’re in my seat.”
Lance plasters on that friendly smile again and moves across while Blaise chuckles under his breath at Ash’s shitty attitude.
“Is there a reason you’ve signed up for another year of pointless tutoring?” I raise an eyebrow at the arrogant dick and he just stares me down. Lance’s eyes dart between us both and then he breaks the heated silence.
“I’m Lance. Nice to meet you both.”
Neither of the guys even bother to look at him so I sigh and say, “This is Blaise Morrison. Don’t insult his music or beat him in choir or he’ll get pissy and you’ll be miserable for the rest of the year. And this is Ash Beaumont.”
“Ah. A member of the family I should stay away from?”
Blaise’s face has this little smile on it that makes me want to scream. I keep my focus on Lance as I answer. “Yes. His older brother is insane and his sister would destroy your will to live without breaking a sweat. Ash, here, could beat th
e life out of you and then run a marathon for shits and giggles. Or just pay someone else to bury you, he’s richer than God,” I say in my most monotone voice, while I sort through Blaise’s assignments. We’re only two weeks into the year and he’s already behind, I feel like this is his true skill in life. Which is saying something because he’s a musical genius.
I manage to corral them all into working on their assignments quietly for the hour, which I count in the top five hardest things I’ve ever done. Ash is moody and petulant and he looks at me with obvious suspicion. I try not to let it get to me but I feel his moody gaze on my skin like a scouring pad.
“How do you stay away from them if you’re tutoring him?” Lance says as he packs away his work. Ash glowers at him and Blaise is watching them both with that dark gluttonous need they all have, like he’s feeding on the inevitability of blood being spilled.
“I don’t. Avery is my best friend and roommate. I tutor Ash even though he hates me. Joey is hell-bent on murdering me. I’m saying you should stay away from them if you want to survive the year.”
“You think you’re tougher than me?” He grins at me and I get the feeling he’s trying to flirt with me. I don’t need any more guys following me around, especially not a fellow Mounty. How the hell do I discourage this kind of thing without violence? Fuck.
“Have you ever broken the bones in a guy’s hand in half a second one-handed?” Ash drawls. I forgot I even did that. Lance frowns at him and shakes his head. “Then she’s tougher than you.”