by Caitlyn Dare
I think back to yesterday and the connection that was between us. I’m about to keep walking to give them some privacy when her friend asks a question that freezes my body in place. “You like him, don’t you?”
My heart pounds wildly in my chest, although I’m not sure if it’s with panic or fear. Fucking hell, do I want her to say yes?
“Yeah, I think I do.”
All the air comes rushing out of my lungs, and I stagger back a little. There might have been a part of me that wanted her to say yes but fuck, I was not ready to hear it.
My feet take me away from the scene, and, before I realize it, I’m at my bike. I glance back over my shoulder to see kids laughing and joking with their friends, enjoying their stress free bullshit privileged lives, and I cave. Throwing my lunch into the nearest bin, I throw my leg over my bike and get the fuck out of here.
The house is in silence when I enter. I’m really fucking grateful, because I really don’t need to go for a second round with James right now.
“James, is that you back?” Ellen calls from the kitchen before her head pokes around the kitchen doorway. “Oh, Ace. Finished school already?” she asks with a knowing wink.
“Something like that.”
“Have you eaten, or would you like me to make you some lunch?” I want to say no, but my stomach rumbles loudly, making her chuckle. “Come on, what’s your favorite?”
“I… um… whatever you’ve got. I’m not fussy.” I drop down onto one of the chairs around the table in the center of the huge kitchen.
“I really don’t mind, Ace. James pays me to ensure the four of you are well looked after.”
I scoff. “That’s really not necessary. I’m more than cap—”
“I know, Ace.” She rests her hand on my shoulder and squeezes slightly. “I know. But you don’t have to now. So just enjoy the rest, eh?”
“I’m just not used to it.”
“Just give it a few weeks. This place will feel like home in no time.”
“We’ll see.”
“So tell me about school,” she starts. “Made any friends yet?”
I can’t help but laugh at her positivity. “Do I look like the kind of guy who’s going to make friends with anyone in this town?”
She shakes her head but doesn’t comment. “James said you’d been hanging out with Remi.”
“Yeah, he’s real happy about it too.”
“Things haven’t been easy for her and Sarah since Remi’s dad left. He’s just looking out for them. I know they’ve not been together long, but he cares about her as if she’s his own. He only wants the best for her.”
“Yeah, and that isn’t me apparently.”
Ellen glances over her shoulder at me, an amused smile playing on her lips and a twinkle in her eye.
“What?” I ask, not knowing what she’s getting at.
“Oh, nothing, Ace. Nothing at all.”
She falls silent as she continues with whatever she’s making me, and my mind wanders back to Remi.
I knew the moment I saw her, saw how James looked at her with pride and love in his eyes, that she was going to be the perfect target. But it’s only been a few days and she’s already admitting to her friend that she likes me.
Even though the plan is to make her fall for me and force James to watch as I break her, proving that he doesn't have the control he thinks he does... I need to stay away from her. For a while at least.
I can’t lose my head.
Not now.
Not when I’m so close to the answers I need.
So what if she's a hot girl who’s clearly interested? I need to focus on my end game here. And it’s not for her to fall for me.
Or worse.
Nothing good can come from that.
I don’t leave my room for the rest of the day, and when the sun rises the next morning, I reluctantly pull my uniform on and get ready for another day in Hell.
My down time yesterday gave me chance to sort out what I’m going to do where Remi is concerned. I have a plan. Now I just need to put it into practice.
She makes avoiding her at school easy, and throughout the day I don’t even get a flash of her dark curls in the hallway. I actually start to think she’s not in school until our last class of the day.
I ensure I turn up first.
The teacher gives me a double take when I’m through the door before the bell. “Well, well, well. This is a nice surprise, Mr Jagger.”
“Don’t get used to it,” I grunt. “I didn’t have anywhere better to be.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
I mumble something at her before finding a seat.
It’s only a few moments later that the bell rings and students start filing into the room. They all take a seat, but the one beside me remains empty. It’s like they’re too scared to sit beside me or something.
That is, until she walks in.
My eyes lock onto her immediately and I have to fight to pull my gaze away so I don’t look more interested than I want to. I know the moment she finds me because my skin tingles with awareness. I watch her move through the room out of the corner of my eye before she comes to a stop at the table beside me.
“Sorry, that’s taken.” I don’t look up at her, but that doesn’t mean I miss her gasp of surprise.
“O-oh… okay. Sorry.” She stares at me for a beat, but when I don’t so much as look up at her she spins and walks away.
I have no idea who I’m reserving it for, but I soon get my answer when a familiar blonde walks through the door. She scans the room before her eyes lock on mine.
A smile twitches at my lips and I gesture to the spare seat. She beams at me, delight filling her eyes as she drops down in the chair beside me, but not before she slides her table a little closer.
“I thought it was about time you and I got to know each other a little better.” Her voice turns me off immediately, but I smile at her like I’m interested in doing just that.
All the while, Remi’s death stare burns into the side of my head.
I’m getting to her.
Good.
“You’re coming to the pep rally tonight, right?” Cole asks, poking his head into my bedroom Friday morning before school.
“Uh…”
“Come on, man. They’re going to announce the starting line-up. I need you there.” He knows exactly what he’s doing. I can’t say no to something like that. He barely asks me for anything, so I know this is a big deal for him.
“You’d better get that fucking spot,” I mutter, pulling on my shirt. I don’t do pep fucking anything, but for my brother, I’ll make an exception.
The last thing I want to do is spend the night with Bexley and his bunch of assholes, but seeing as I helped force Cole into it, I guess the least I can do is support him.
“It’s in the bag, man. I’m the best fucking running back the Seahawks have ever seen.”
“You’d fucking better be.”
“I’m sure it won’t be a total loss for you. No doubt Remi will be there.”
My head snaps up in his direction and my eyes narrow.
“I see everything, Ace.” Of course he fucking does. He’s always fucking watching.
“I’m not interested in Remi.”
His eyebrow quirks. He’s obviously used his quota of words for the day. After shrugging one shoulder, he backs out of my room.
“I’m serious. I don’t want her,” I call after him.
It’s Friday night, a pep rally is the last thing I want to do.
But he’s right. There’s a good chance that Remi will be there…
Chapter Fourteen
Remi
“Come on, you have to come,” Hadley whines down the phone.
“No way. I’d rather douse myself in gasoline and set myself alight than spend the night pretending to cheer on the team.”
“You could always come and cheer on your friend. You know, the girl who has to pretend she actually wants
to be a Seahawk cheerleader.” Her voice is full of sadness, and I feel like a total bitch.
“I’m sorry, Hads, but I can’t—“
“Cole Jagger is going to be there, which means there’s every chance Ace will be too.”
Just hearing his name makes my stomach dip.
We spent an amazing day together, and then he completely ghosted me. No, that doesn’t accurately describe what he did to me. He hit me right where it hurt most.
Michaela.
I still can’t quite believe he did that, especially after what I told him about her.
Foolish girl.
I let myself fall for the bad boy’s charm, ignoring all the warning signs. Ace Jagger is everything people whisper about him.
Cold.
Cruel.
And a complete asshole.
“He is the last person I want to see at the pep rally.”
“I’m not saying you have to try and talk to the guy, but you could use the opportunity to show him that you don’t care.”
The problem, though, is that I do care.
I thought we were the same. I thought he saw me.
Turns out, he just saw me as a bit of fun. Something to pass the time. Hell, he was probably just using me to say a giant ‘fuck you’ to his uncle.
Dejection burns through me.
“Bexley will be there,” Hadley continues. “I bet he’ll be more than willing to lift your spirits.” I can practically hear her smirk down the phone. “And you know it’ll drive Michaela crazy if you show up and steal his attention.”
“I doubt that,” I say, knowing that my step-sister has her eyes on another guy.
A plan unfolds in my head. It’s not the best idea I’ve ever had, but what was it Ace said? Live a little.
Maybe it’s time I start doing just that. Screw Michaela and her stuck-up cheer friends. Screw Bexley and his entitled ways.
Screw Ace and his games.
“I’m in,” I say, feeling a sliver of excitement snake through me.
“Oh no,” Hadley sounds concerned. “What are you planning?”
“Who, me?” I reply sweetly. “Nothing.”
“Remi, I didn’t mean...” She stops herself, letting out a resigned sigh. Hadley knows me well enough than to try and talk me out of anything. Only, before now, it’s always been her trying to talk me out of hiding out at lunch or avoiding extra-curricular activities.
But she’s right. It’s senior year. I don’t want to graduate and regret being the girl who let everyone walk right over her.
“Just don’t do anything too crazy tonight, okay?”
“I can’t make any promises,” I reply, and she chuckles.
“I’m going to regret ever saying anything, aren’t I?”
My lips curve into a devious smile as I whisper, “We’ll see.”
The football field is a sea of blue and white as I weave through the crowd. Kids stare at me; girls sneering and guys checking me out. I’m not usually on the end of their appraisal, but tonight I came dressed to impress. The black denim mini skirt hugs my hips and skims my ass, and the Seahawk tank I dug out of the bottom of the wardrobe is two sizes too small, but it makes my boobs look great and shows off a sliver of my toned stomach. I’ve gathered my long curls into two bunches that flow down my shoulders, and the pristine white sneakers I’m wearing give me that prep school look the boys of Sterling Bay seem to love so much.
Someone wolf whistles, and I glance over my shoulder. “Looking good, Tanner,” a guy from class calls, his eyes roaming down my body.
Fickle jerk.
I flash him the fakest smile I can muster and continue moving deeper into the crowd. The cheer team is already on the field, whipping up a frenzy, but there’s no sign of the football team yet. I’ve just found a seat in the bleachers when Hadley spots me. Her eyes widen as she approaches me. “Holy shit, girl, you look...”
“Thanks,” I smirk. “Thought I’d better make the effort, you know? Go Seahawks.” I punch the air.
She chuckles, but her smile quickly melts away. Hadley leans in, whispering, “Are you drunk?”
“What, no!” She gives me a pointed look. “Okay, so I may have had one or two of Mom’s wine coolers before I left the house.”
“Remi.” Disappointment etches into her expression.
“I needed some Dutch courage to leave the house dressed like this.”
Her brows crinkle. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay? I have to go do my thing.” She flicks her head to the field, and, surprise surprise, Michaela is glaring right at us.
“You should go. I’ll see you after. Besides,” I slide my arm through the guy’s sitting next to me, “my new friend here will keep me company.”
“I will?” he chokes out.
“Is that going to be a problem?” I flash him a smile. I recognize him from a couple of my classes last year but can’t remember his name. It’s clear he’s the booksmart type. He's wearing a button down shirt, dress pants and a sweater vest. The poor guy looks as out of place here as I feel.
“I... uh, no... sure, whatever.” His friends all snicker, teasing him, but then the music booms over the PA system, drowning them out. The cheer team breaks formation and starts tumbling and flipping across the field. I scan the crowd, wondering whether Hadley is right about Ace coming to support his brother. I can’t imagine him being here, with the prep school masses.
But then I spot him, standing over by the edge of the bleachers, in the cover of the shadows. He notices me and his eyes narrow dangerously, sending a violent shiver rolling through me. He looks pissed.
Good, that makes two of us.
Inhaling a long drag on his cigarette, he exhales a tendril of smoke, never once taking his eyes off me. I break the spell, forcing myself to look at the cheer team. I don’t know what game Ace is playing, or what changed after the day we spent together, but I’m done being his toy.
Tonight, I’ll give him a taste of his own medicine.
Hadley blows off the cheer team after the pep rally and we ride together to the party... with none other than Cole and Conner.
“I can’t believe my little brother is a fucking Seahawk.” Conner leans over and grabs Cole’s shoulder.
“I thought you were twins,” Hadley says.
“We are, but I’m the eldest.”
“By two fucking minutes,” Cole grumbles. He doesn’t seem very pleased to have made the team. I thought Hayden was going to combust when Coach Miller announced Cole as first string running back. He’s held that spot for the last two years, and it’s a definite blow to his cred.
“You need to take the next right,” Hadley says. “Lylah lives in that house over there.” She points to the house in the distance. There are already kids everywhere, cars lining the street and a bonfire flickering high into the sky.
“Holy shit, she lives here,” Conner breathes as he tries to find a parking spot.
“It’s probably the best house in the whole town.” Hadley isn’t wrong. The Donovans own a premium piece of Sterling Bay real estate, a big Art Deco style house overlooking the ocean, complete with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, and its own private access to the beach.
But tonight, it’s party central.
Conner pulls out a blunt and lights it up. “You girls want in?”
I decline, but my jaw falls open when Hadley takes it. “What?” she says with a dismissive shrug. “It helps to relax me.”
“Hell yeah.” Conner winks at her.
“Cole, you in?”
“I can’t, Coach makes us take drug tests.”
“Fuck, for real?” Cole nods and Conner howls with laughter. “More for me then.”
Cole flips him off, pulling out a bottle of vodka from somewhere. “Doesn’t mean I can’t get shitfaced though.”
They pass the bottle back and forth, until eventually Cole twists his body around and offers it to Hadley. “I’m good.” she says, taking another drag of the blunt.
<
br /> “Remi?”
I stare at the bottle. The buzz I felt earlier is long gone, and now I’m about to venture into enemy territory. Snagging the bottle from him, I down the rest of the contents.
“Holy shit, Princess,” Conner says. “You’re supposed to savor it.”
“Whatever.” I shoulder the car door and climb out. Hadley and the guys follow suit, and before I can change my mind, we take off toward the party.
“Hey,” Hadley loops her arm through mine, “are you sure this is a good idea?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She pulls my arm, letting the guys go on ahead. “Remi, it’s me. You don’t need to put up those walls of yours. Talk to me.”
“I don’t want to talk. I want to live.” I want to forget.
“So this isn’t about getting back at Michaela and making Ace jealous?”
“It was your idea,” I hiss.
“Yeah, but I didn’t think you’d actually go through with it. I just wanted you to come tonight.”
“I guess you should have thought of that before you planted the seed.”
She lets out an exasperated breath, defeat clouding her eyes. “Just be careful, okay? I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
Too late for that.
The party is already in full swing when we reach the house. People file in and out, carrying red Solo cups, their bodies swaying to the mellow beat. We’ve already lost Conner and Cole, but it hardly surprises me.
“Holy shit.” Hadley grabs my arm and I glance back at her, frowning.
“What’s wrong?”
“I feel so buzzed.” She laughs, her eyes cloudy and hooded. “You don’t think Conner laced the blunt?”
“You need some water.”
“Nah, I need some snaaaacks.”
Jesus. I roll my eyes, grabbing her hand and pulling her further into the house. We’re bumped and jostled as we make it inside. I’ve been here before, but not since we were all middle graders. The kitchen is a big open space with a huge island in the middle. It’s been set up as the bar for the night, chock full of liquor bottles, ice buckets, and trays of snacks.