by J Bree
He continues, but I zone out their bickering easier than I breathe air so I just direct them into their places and then I stand between the twins. Avery cools the arguing off with a single look and I’m a little jealous at her superpowers.
“Right, Blaise is Geordie. He’s made it to the last three by sheer size so far. He’s easily four times bigger than me, he sees me as a nothing job. He doesn’t pay any attention to me at all.”
Avery nods and tilts her head. “He’s focused on the other male contender.”
“Exactly. Harley is playing the part of Xavier. The best way to describe him is to say he was a sober Joey. All of the psychosis, none of the manic.”
Avery shudders and I squeeze her hand. “Just watch and listen this time. Right, Geordie lunges at Xavier. What’s the plan, Aves? Ash?”
Ash waves a hand. “Let them fight. Then you only have one to take out, and hopefully whoever is left is injured.”
I nod, oddly impressed that he’s thinking it through. I shouldn’t be; he’s always been the level-headed one. Except for the entire year he insisted I was evil; that one time he was an emotional asshole.
Avery frowns. “You can’t just watch them though, if Geordie lands even a single hit on Lips she could be out. You’d have to be watching for an opening to take him out.”
Harley crosses his arms, watching me just a little too closely. “Xavier is the real danger. Joey sees fucking everything, even as high as he is. He picks up all the little shit that you guys do. If you’re standing there watching, he’d be trying to find a way to throw Geordie at you.”
Avery shrugs. “What did you do, Lips?”
I step up and slip the fake knife we practice with out of my pocket. Harley gets Blaise in a headlock at my directions and I stand behind him.
“I danced around them, never letting them get too close to me intentionally. I knew I had to wait for Xavier to be dealing the killing blow to Geordie. This was before my leg was destroyed and I was faster than any of them. Eventually, Xavier got impatient and stabbed Geordie, waiting long enough for blood loss to weaken him and then went about strangling him.”
I press the knife into Harley’s Achilles tendons and push him to kneel, dragging Blaise down with him, grunting in protest, but being a good sport overall. Fuck. I didn’t think this one through at all.
I shoot Avery a look and she raises an eyebrow at me. “Remember you asked me to show you. This was your doing.”
She frowns at me and Ash crosses his arms. “Well, hurry up then.”
Ugh. I lean forward and whisper in Harley’s ear, “Please don’t be a dick about it, Avery will murder us both.”
And that is the only warning I give him before putting him into a chokehold and using my free arms to grab a fist full of Blaise’s hair to hold him still while I ‘stab’ him through the eye and ‘kill’ him. How did I have free arms to do this while strangling Harley, you may ask?
My thighs.
My thighs were wrapped around Harley’s neck, ankles locked and squeezing just enough that he knows how fucked he really would be if I wanted to take him out.
“Holy fucking shit, Star!” Blaise sputters as he watches Harley very slowly, and I hope peacefully, grow weak from lack of oxygen. I let him go before he actually passes out and Ash gapes at me.
“Then once he’s out I find a rock and smash his skull in. There was a crowd watching and I didn’t want anyone watching thinking I was afraid to get my hands dirty. Half of the power of the Twelve is the rumors that precede us and as a starving teenage girl, I couldn’t risk looking weak.”
There’s a sort of reverent, stunned silence for a second.
“Okay, teach me how to do that. Now, Mounty, I need to be able to do that. You looked like an assassin seductress, I’m in.” Avery gushes, her eyes lit up like I’ve just handed her a box of blood diamonds.
“Fucking Christ, we’re going to have two of them blood thirsty and trained.” Harley croaks and I lean down to kiss him sweetly in apology. He smirks into the kiss, fisting my hair in one hand and cupping my jaw in the other.
“I can think of worse ways of dying, babe. Your legs wrapped around my neck might just be my preferred way to go.”
Avery snaps at us both and I pull away, ready to torture my boyfriends for a few hours while I arm Avery with enough knowledge to be a danger to society.
Well, more of a danger then she already is.
Chapter Seventeen
We fall back into a steady routine, the events of the party and our time away during fall break fading into the background with so much classwork to get done.
Harley is still barely around and I miss him so goddamn much it’s like a hole in my chest. Ash is quieter and more reserved the longer we’re back, but I decide to wait him out. There’s no point pushing him, he’ll only snark and hiss like the lovable asshole he is.
Blaise becomes so focused on his studies that I’m fucking impressed as shit at him. He refuses to fool around until his studies are done and we’ve worked on my vocal training. I’m usually so shaky after we’re done that he won’t do much more than kiss me, but fuck it feels good to finally hear myself sing without vomiting.
I think Blaise likes being able to help me, to teach me, and not always be the student. Plus I think he finds my voice a turn-on, more often than not he has to use his bag to cover himself when Avery gets back from ballet. There’s nothing that girl likes more than threatening some dicks.
I start to relax a little., Just enough that I’m once again caught unaware by the next move on the board.
I’m sitting in choir with Blaise, trying to ignore the sick feeling of dread in my stomach as we warm up, when my phone starts vibrating insistently in my pocket. My rock god boyfriend raises his eyebrows at me and I shrug, knowing there’s only one person outside of Hannaford who would be calling.
Well, two but I doubt I’m on the Jackal’s speed dial these days.
When class finally comes to an end I check my phone and see Illi has called eight times and left three messages. I duck into a little alcove in the hallway to call him back, anxiety creeping up my spine. Blaise crowds into the little nook, his broad shoulders covering me from prying eyes and I lean my forehead onto his chest while I wait for Illi to answer.
“Is Odie okay?” I whisper the second I hear the phone pick up. Blaise wraps me into his arms at my quiet tone.
There’s a beat of silence and then Illi sighs heavily down the phone. “You’re too good for this fucked up world we’re in. My girl is safe, kid. I’m calling to let you know I’ve just had to have a stern chat with three more guys sent by our friend.” Translation: he’s just killed three of the Jackal’s men. He doesn’t wait for me to comment, “They were sent up the coast, kid. They were sent after Iris, to finish what that dickhead Liam started.”
I suck in a breath. Fuck. How the hell had I forgotten about Harley’s mom? Of course the Jackal would go after her, she’s a sitting fucking duck! Blaise runs a hand up and down my spine gently, resting his cheek on the top of my head.
“I’m only saying this in a phone call because I don’t want to leave her. You might want to suggest to your little mobster that he send her somewhere a little more secure now he has the funds.”
I finally find my voice again. “I’ll sort it. Thank you, Illi. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
He chuckles down the phone and says, “You have my back, kid, and you have from the first day we met. I’ll have yours until I stop fucking breathing. Tell Arbour not to worry, I’ll keep her safe until you can move her.”
I end the call and let Blaise hold me until I can figure out my plan of action.
Avery is already handling Harley’s fortune. The moment the money hit my accounts I had her move the money into investment accounts she had set up for him. It’s a fuck-tonne of money, and he could easily pay for his mom to move to any facility in the world. Avery will know what to do.
The problem is I have to tell him
first.
“Is his wife alive?” Blaise mumbles, and I shake myself out of my thoughts and pull away from him.
“She’s fine. We need to go. We need to find the others, fuck,” I mumble, and he tucks me under his arm.
“Avery’s already texted to ask why we’re late to lunch. Let’s go eat and you can tell us what the hell is happening now.”
I nod distractedly and let him guide me to the dining hall. The others have already gotten our lunches and are sitting in our usual seats. I’m relieved there’s a little buffer of empty chairs around them and one look at the thunder on Ash’s face tells me he’s the reason.
“You okay?” Harley calls out as soon as Blaise has me in earshot and Blaise shrugs at him.
I step up to my usual seat next to Avery but I take a second to think before I sit down. Apparently that’s the wrong thing to do because the tension at the table suddenly heightens until I’m choking on it.
“What the fuck has happened now?” Ash hisses, and I quickly drop to my seat.
“I’m trying to decide if I should say it here or drag Harley away so he doesn’t rage out and flip the whole fucking table,” I mumble and Ash’s eyes narrow.
I sigh and turn to Harley before blurting it out. “The Jackal sent men after your mom.”
His face shuts down, his body turning to stone and his cutlery drops to crash down on his plate. I reach over and grab his hand, squeezing until I know he’s listening.
“Illi dealt with them. He called to let me know he’s staying with her for now, but we need to move her somewhere more secure, somewhere far enough away that the Jackal forgets about her until we can… deal with him.”
Avery immediately takes over. She’s out of her seat and snapping orders down the phone as she moves to the door for privacy. We’re too close to where the teachers are sitting for comfort. The Jackal has eyes in the school and we still don’t know who they are.
“I’m sorry,” I croak, and Harley’s eyes flash up to meet mine.
“Don’t apologize for that sick fuck; this is payback for us provoking him. Well, fuck him. I’m not giving you up.” He says, his free hand closing over the little gold locket at his neck.
I feel like a monster.
All my bullshit is at our door.
Ash watches us both and then says, “Liam’s been trying to kill her for years, Mounty. Adding the Jackal to the mix barely changes things. We all have demons stalking us, don’t take it out on yourself.”
My eyes flick over to him. “What’s eating you today?”
His mask settles into place and he turns back to his food. “Joey.”
I groan. Haven’t we gotten away from that psycho? “What’s the little fucker done now?”
Ash gives me a curt shake of his head that I interpret as not here but could be fuck off for all I know. Blaise snorts and starts on his lunch.
Harley turns his hand to lace his fingers through mine. “I guess I’m going to have to thank Illi now, aren’t I?” he says, a little wryly.
I fight the smile threatening to break out over my face and say, “He loves a good muffin basket. Even better if there’s blueberry.”
By the end of the day Avery has Harley’s mom transferred to a safe facility in Switzerland with a permanent armed guard. Illi stays with her until she’s on the plane and, though he won’t admit it, Harley is fucking relieved to have him there.
I still feel guilty.
I go through the motions for the rest of the day; dinner with Avery, studying with Blaise, then we work on my singing until Avery comes home. Blaise notices how crappy I’m feeling and slips me his iPod before he leaves, kissing me sweetly until Avery bitches him out on her way to the shower.
I climb straight into bed, messing around with the iPod to find a song that will help slow my brain down, when I hear the sound of keys in the door. I frown at the sound. It’s barely ten, Harley never gets here before midnight.
Ash locks the door behind himself and stomps over to my bed, pulling the sweatshirt he’s wearing off and climbing in wearing only his boxer shorts. He sighs and flings an arm over his eyes, channeling the drama of his morbid best friend, but the move only makes his chest look broader.
Oh fuck.
I try to focus on the blank mask over his features, because something has pushed him to come here, but he is something else to look at. A half-naked Ash Beaumont has angels freaking weeping at his feet.
I clear my throat twice while I attempt to focus on something other than his nipples but it’s hard work. He snorts at me, rolling over to tug me into his arms, and the icy depths of his eyes cool me off a little.
“Has something happened?” I murmur, holding my breath as I wait for his answer because I have so many things on the planner I can’t think about another one. I had pushed Joey out of my mind for now, Senior being the bigger threat.
“Are you planning on killing Joey?” Ash mumbles, his eyes screwing shut, and I grimace.
“I think I’m going to have to. He’s going to force my hand and he’s not someone we can neutralize long term. I have to figure Senior out first, because he’s already made it clear that he’ll kill you and Avery if anything happens to Joey but… yes. I’ll take him out.”
Any hesitance I had in telling Ash I’m planning on murdering his brother is obviously pointless because he just nods thoughtfully.
He strokes his long fingers over my face, brushing my hair back absently as he thinks. “The gossip site posted about our relationship and Joey messaged me to threaten you. He told Senior about you too. Mounty, I’m not going to let them get to you.”
I swallow roughly at the emotion in his voice, something I’m not sure I ever thought would be aimed at me. “Don’t think about it. The Crow will keep Senior away until we can deal with him properly. The only reason I haven’t gone in to deal with him myself is because you and Avery are underage. Too many variables. Avery seems to think Atticus would step in for you both but—”
“Fuck Atticus. I’d rather live in the slums with you than owe that dickhead anything,” Ash hisses. It’s fucking hard work, but I contain my eye roll. How does he go from sweet to asshole in a flash?
I ignore his tantrum and say, “Like I said, too many variables. If we can keep him away from you, and somehow keep fucking Morningstar away, then we’ll be able to wait until you’re eighteen. Then I’ll sneak into his bedroom and slit his throat while he sleeps. Or Illi can take a meat cleaver to his throat and then dismember him.”
Ash mutters unhappily under his breath at the mention of Illi and I nudge him playfully. Avery exits the bathroom, quirking a brow at Ash’s appearance but doesn’t make a comment as she climbs into her own bed and cuts the lights. I hear her iPod start up and smile at her attempts to give us a little privacy.
I let my eyes drift shut, ready to sleep and forget about the sociopaths looming over us, watching our every freaking move. Ash presses his lips to mine and kisses me so sweetly I can’t believe it’s him. He usually kisses me with fire, with dominance, with that arrogance that only a Beaumont can have.
I tremble like a freaking wilting virgin in his arms.
When he breaks away to press his forehead against mine, he whispers, “If I lose you, then everything we’ve done has been for nothing. If he takes you away from me… I can’t let that happen. Every time I close my eyes I see you strapped to that fucking table, bleeding out while they watch, and I won’t live through that again. If there’s a chance of that, then we need to kill them both. I almost wish you weren’t so strong, that you’d dropped out freshman year, because even though I wouldn’t have you, at least you’d be safe and far away from Senior.”
I will not cry, I won’t let myself, but fuck it’s hard not to.
When I’m sure my voice won’t betray me, I say, “If I had dropped out, I’d be the Jackal’s personal whore by now. He would have chained me to his bed and fucked me until I was nothing but an empty, manipulatable shell. Then he would control two sea
ts in the Twelve and be unstoppable. We’ll get through this together, like we’ll get through everything else life throws at us. As a family.”
He nods against my neck, biting the skin softly until a shiver runs down my spine.
I don’t know how long it takes me to fall asleep but I’m woken by the dip in the bed and smell of chlorine hits me before his voice does.
“What the fuck has happened now?” Harley whispers, pulling me back into his arms and Ash grunts unhappily in his sleep.
“Nothing. He just needed… me.”
Harley nods and kisses my neck, right over the bruise Ash left behind. “We all need you, babe.”
Chapter Eighteen
The only way to spend any time with Harley is to study down at the pool while he’s at practice. It’s stuffy from the water heaters and my notes somehow end up watermarked every time, but it’s worth the trouble when Harley walks out in his swimsuit.
As my eyes trace the ridges and plains of his muscles, the Adonis belt I swear had to to be seen to be believed, I absently wonder if I’ll ever be able to look at him without feeling lightheaded. It’s not like he’s some idealized dream; I’ve seen so many of his highs and lows already, I know he’s human. I know he’s not some perfect man. But, sweet lord, to look at him is like looking at the fucking sun; searingly hot and dangerous to your health.
I’m distracted from my lusty daydreaming by Ms. fucking Vivienne sitting her whorish ass next to me with a smirk.
“Stunning, isn’t he?” she says, coquettish in her breathy tones.
I could rip her fucking head right off of her body.
“I would think a teacher in her, what, thirties would know better than commenting on the physical appearance of students,” I snark, channeling Avery Beaumont at her scathing, polished best.