Tangled Up In You (A Savioe Family Novel)

by Atkinson, Ginny

  Luke stood there like a deer in a headlight. I closed my eyes, bit my lip and squeezed his hand. Our parents all turned and stared at us awaiting the answer to the question. He swallowed loudly and whispered. “Maybe.”

  My father’s eyes bulged from his head, his face turned an unhealthy shade of purple before he lunged at him. His fingers wrapped around Luke’s throat for a brief moment before Nate pulled him off. “You fucking bastard. I’ll kill you. It’s bad enough that you defiled her but to potentially knock her up like she is some trailer trash whore. I’ll fucking kill you.” He pushed away from Nate and ran an agitated hand through his blonde hair. “I want you out of my house. I want you out of my daughter’s life. You are to have zero contact with her. Your entire family is to have no contact with her.”

  Nate narrowed his eyes at my father. “And what if there is a child?”

  My father looked up his eyes haunted with fear and apprehension. “Then we will expect both of them to accept their responsibility.”

  “You mean…?” Eva gasped.

  “Yes. He will have to marry her.” My father said flatly. “I will accept nothing less.”

  Nate nodded and motioned for them to leave the house. “We will be waiting.”

  I grabbed hold of Luke’s shirt as he turned to leave. He gave me a sad smile and kissed my forehead. “Je t'aime, mon cœur.” My tears flowed freely as he walked out the door. My throat burned with regret and fear. I collapsed to the floor, my body heaving with my sobs.

  I faintly heard my father say to Jess before he walked out of the room and slammed his bedroom door. “You are no longer welcome in my home. Once your father gets here do not come back. If you ever set foot on this property again I will have you arrested for trespassing. Do I make myself clear?”

  *****

  It’s been three days since I’ve seen Luke or anyone really. My father made me stay home from school Monday and Tuesday. He’s taken away my phone, laptop and car. I have absolutely zero contact with the outside world. Honestly, I think he was trying to talk his mother into having me move in with her yesterday. I swear to god if that happens, I’m going to run away.

  I scooted down in my seat on the bus and pulled my hoodie over my head to try to tune everyone out. I lied to my father Sunday when I told him I don’t have any classes with any of them. Otherwise he’d probably pull me out of school completely and try to home school me. I shivered at that thought.

  The bus pulled up to the school and one by one everyone exited. I pulled my bag over my shoulder and headed inside the commons. My eyes scanned the room for anyone of them. I already knew they were here. I saw Beau’s truck and Luke’s bike in the lot. Marie stood up and smiled at me. She apparently had embraced the makeover Jess and I gave her. Her hair fluttered around her shoulders as she marched over to me.

  “Hey.” I croaked at her. Yes, I croaked. My voice was shot thanks to my three-day cry fest.

  “Hi Roxy. I have to be quick unless they get to me too. Your dad has the security here keeping us away from you. I don’t know how it’s going to work with your classes and all, but as soon as you got off the bus, they came and took Luke to the office. He wanted me to tell you he loves you and go to the bathroom twenty minutes after your first class starts. Shit, got to go.” She rambled out before spotting the security guard heading her way.

  I sighed and sat down at my old table. This freaking sucks. Not only has my father killed my love life, but he’s scaring off my friends. Jess plopped down a few seats away from me and gave me her Cheshire cat grin. “’Sup girl?”

  “Hey. Aren’t you afraid that security will remove you from my presence?” I asked looking around for one of the imitation bacon to make their appearance.

  “Nope, I found a loophole. He said that I couldn’t be at your house not I can’t sit at the same table and ramble to myself with you in the same proximity.”

  I laughed for the first time in days. “Damn girl I’ve missed your punk ass.”

  “Of course. Who wouldn’t miss me?” The bell rang. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

  I waved bye to her and headed to my locker. A security guard shadowed me the entire way. I sighed in frustration as I opened the locker and placed my bag in it making sure to keep my sketchpad and Science book out. A small note fluttered to the floor when I shoved the bag in. I bent down picked it up and opened it. Big feminine handwriting greeted me.

  Whore. Now that you two are finished he will be mine again. Tell your dad thanks for me. Christie.

  Over my dead body. I thought as I crumpled the note in my fist and slammed my locker door shut. The security guard raised his brow at me. “What?” I snarled at him. I stormed off to my art class with him in tow.

  Twenty minutes into class, I asked Mr. Hester if I could use the restroom. He gave me a pass and I headed out the door. That same damn security guard stopped me from leaving the art department. I held up the hall pass and stomped on by him. He watched me go and followed staying a few feet behind me. I snorted as I walked into the girl’s restroom.

  A calloused hand wrapped around my neck pulling me against a lean chest. “Gawd, chèr. I’ve missed ya.” His mouth met mine in wild abandon. My tears ran down my cheeks unchecked. “Don’ cry, love.”

  “I can’t help it.” I laughed against his mouth. “I’ve just felt like I’ve been ripped apart being away from you. Now I finally feel complete.”

  He gave me his dimpled smile making my heart flutter. “At lunch we are going to Frank’s. Beau’s friend Drez has offered to give you a ride there.”

  “Drez?”

  “Yeah, Marcus Dresden.” He brushed a piece of hair away from my face.

  My eyes widened in surprise. “Oh. Mr. Bad boy.”

  He got a confused look on his face. A knock sounded on the bathroom door. “Shit that’s probably that damn security guard that has been following me.” I gave him one last toe curling kiss. “I’ll see you in class?”

  “Absolutely.”

  *****

  Luke

  I watched her slip out the door and roll her eyes at the guy before heading back toward the art department. After making sure he had left, I slipped out of the restroom and headed back to class. I thought I was never going to see her again after Saturday. I thought for sure her dad would have packed her up and sent her somewhere far away from me.

  When we had returned home that day, I was ushered straight into my father’s office. He pointed to the seat across from his desk. I obediently sat there leaning forward resting my elbows on my knees. He nudged my shoulder and handed me a glass of amber liquid. I reluctantly accepted it.

  “Drink. It will dull the pain.” He told me as he sat in his chair. I tipped the glass to my lips and cringed as the liquid scorched a path down my throat. I resisted the urge to gag as I placed the glass on the table beside me. He shook his head and glared at me disapprovingly. “Lucien, son, if I had known you were headed over there to have sex with her I would never have let you go.”

  “That wasn’t why I went there.” I muttered and sat back in the chair.

  “Why did you go there?” He leaned forward.

  “She sent me a text early this morning saying she loves me. I just wanted to hear her say it. When I got there, Jess let me in and I went to her room. She was snuggled on the bed asleep. So I laid down beside her and just passed out.”

  “Let me guess when you woke up you guys….”

  “Yeah.”

  “Was that the first time?” He asked with a knowing look on his face.

  I ran a hand over my hair and ruffled it. “No it wasn’t.”

  “So how likely is the possibility of her getting pregnant?”

  My heartbeat picked up as my throat tightened in anxiety. “I don’t know. I mean she’s been on the pill for a week and it was only that one time without anything. But….”

  “It only takes once. Trust me.” My father snorted and shook his head. “That’s how your brother got here and Marie and the
twins.”

  I stared at him wide eyed. “Seriously?”

  “Yeah. So we’ll say it’s a 50/50 shot. So that means that you may end up marrying the girl. If that happens you are more than welcome to stay here and finish school. Your mother will help with the baby so both of you can still graduate. After that, I can see if my brother can get you a job down there. You know Grand- mère would love to see you again and would help with babysitting. Or you can stay here and go to college. That choice is yours.”

  I swallowed trying to keep the multitude of emotions flooding me at bay. A small lump formed in my throat. I coughed in an attempt to dislodge it. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “That’s okay, son. If you need to, just let it out. Keeping things bottled up is not good for you.” He got up and walked over to me placing a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll be in the kitchen with your mother if you want to come talk to us.”

  I know it’s not manly of me but after the door shut, I stayed in there and cried. I cried over losing Roxy, over the possibility of being a father and everything that entailed. Over my parents accepting that and making such a huge offer. When I finished I left his office and was greeted with hugs from the twins. Charles patted my back. Beau motioned for me to follow him outside.

  We walked around the pool for a few minutes in silence. “You going to be okay?”

  “I don’t know.” I said honestly. “She’s my everything. I knew it when I first saw her. I know that if I can’t be with her now. We will be together when we graduate.”

  “Do you think she’ll wait for you?”

  A slice of pain ripped through my heart. “Gawd, I hope so.”

  *****

  Science class felt like heaven. I sat there next to her with her hand in mine while Dr. Sloan droned on about our carbon footprint and how each one of us is affecting the earth. I brought her hand to my lips. “Drez will meet you at your locker after class.”

  She smiled at me before a twinge of uncertainty flickered in her eyes. “Do you know anything about him?”

  “Not much really. I know he owes Beau a huge favor. So Beau cashed it in on bringing you to Frank’s each day until your dad relents or….” My eyes lowered to her stomach.

  She blushed profusely. “Oh.”

  “Why do you ask?” Now she really had my curiosity up.

  She let go of my hand and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear as she bit her lip. “She’ll kill me if she found out I told you. So you have to promise not to say anything to her.”

  “I promise.”

  “Marie has a crush on him.” She rambled out. “Jess told us a bunch of stuff about him and I’m just concerned that if it’s true your sister might get hurt.”

  “Okay. I’ll ask Beau about him. Just a question. How much stuff did Jess tell you about us that wasn’t true?” I touched her chin rubbing my thumb across her bottom lip.

  “Oh almost everything. The only thing that was true was you guys stick up for your own.” She laughed and grabbed my hand away from her face. “I’m still working on that collage for your mom. I already have everyone but Charles finished. I still need to get a good picture of him. So when we go to lunch I’ll try to quickly draw him out. Since I don’t have a phone right now to grab a quick pic.”

  I let out a faint whistle. “Yeah, I didn’t know he was going to do that. So Saturday night I sent you a message. Damn did I get a hateful one in return.”

  “I can imagine. He fumed the rest of that day. Sunday he took my laptop, car keys from me, and he spent most of the Monday on the phone with his mother. I thought for sure that he’d try to make me move up there. Mom hasn’t spoken one word to him since you guys left. Not that I blame her. You should have heard the crap he said to us.”

  My lips tightened to a thin line. “I did. I was on my way back to your room to try to… I don’t know. Stop him. That’s when he pushed me into the living room and threw the lamp at me.”

  “Sorry about that.” She reached over and caressed my cheek.

  I captured her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Don’t be. I’m lucky he didn’t beat the shit out of me.” The bell rang startling us both. I gave her a quick kiss. “Don’t forget Drez will meet you at your locker. I’ll see you in a few, mon cœur.”

  *****

  Chapter Sixteen

  Roxy

  I watched him walk away with a smile on my face. I gathered my things and headed to my locker. So I get to meet the infamous Marcus Dresden the bad boy with the face of an angel. Somehow, I really don’t doubt the rumors about him. No one can fake getting into that much trouble. I sighed, opened my locker placing my books inside and grabbed my bag. I quickly shoved my sketchpad in it and my history book. A familiar hand placed itself next to my head.

  “So I heard that you and Luke are broken up?” Bus purred in my ear sending a wave of nausea course through my body.

  “Really? And just who told you that bullshit?” I snapped at him slamming my locker.

  “Doesn’t matter. Not like it did before anyway.” He slithered up beside me and grabbed the base of my neck. He sniffed my hair and chuckled. “I can’t wait to get you on my list. Popping your cherry is so going to be worth the wait. I might even invite Luke to watch.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him and jerked my head away from him unfortunately ripping some hair out in the process. “You’re too late for that. I’ve been getting a piece of him for weeks now and damn is he good.”

  “Roxy?” I turned around to see the fallen angel leaning against the locker behind me with his arms crossed over his chest amplifying his muscles in the tight black t-shirt. The tattoo of a gothic angel on his left arm undulated as he shifted his arm causing it to appear to flap its wings. His dark dirty blonde hair framed a face set in stone as he glared over my head. Those startling pale grey eyes looked like chips of ice as he sized Bus up.

  “Oh hey. Ready to go?” I glared at Bus who just stood there sputtering and stalked off with Marcus trailing behind me.

  “Was he bothering you?” Marcus asked in his clipped English accent. His shaggy hair waved in the breeze. The security guard from earlier shied away from us when he noticed who was walking with me.

  “Yeah. He’s been trying to get me in that book of his. The bastard just can’t seem to take no for an answer.” I flung my bag over my shoulder and slowed down to walk at the same pace as him.

  “Oh. That explains it. Well, as long as I’m doing this for Beau I’ll run as much interference as possible for you. I’d hate to see a little thing like you getting hurt by a git like him.” He opened the Charger door for me and waited for me to get in.

  I thanked him as I got in. “So how do you know Beau?”

  He revved the engine causing the seats to vibrate at the power under the hood. “Auto shop last year, when I moved here during the middle of the school year he did me a solid. He’s a pretty good friend to have.”

  I tensed as we sped off so fast the tires barked against the pavement. “Oh.” I swallowed my fear. “Yeah, the whole family is pretty cool.”

  “Haven’t met the others yet.” His eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror then back to the road. “They do seem pretty close.”

  I laughed. “Yeah they are. It took me by surprise being an only kid and then being exposed to them. They love pulling pranks on each other.”

  “I’d say so.”

  When we pulled into Frank’s I saw Jess and Marie’s eyes widen when they saw the car. Beau and Charles sat next to them at a small table. Luke stood by the table with a smile on his face. As Marcus parked the car and turned it off, I jumped out and ran over to Luke jumping in his arms. I wrapped my legs around his waist and kissed him. His fingers dug into my ass as he supported my weight.

  “Get a room you two!” Charles laughed and threw a fry at us.

  I leaned back and unwrapped myself from him. “Sorry.” I licked my bottom lip as I savored his taste.

  “Don’t be, chèr.” Luke took a seat and pulled me o
n his lap. “I’ve already ordered you something to eat. Grilled chicken with light lettuce, no tomato and honey mustard and a root beer float to drink.”

  “Thank you.” I nuzzled his neck causing him to shift a bit under me and groan silently.

  Beau clapped Marcus on the back. “Thanks for doing this, Drez. That’s Charles and Luke is with Roxy. This is my sister Marie and our friend Jess.”

  “A pleasure to meet you. It’s not a problem. I’m glad I could help. You are aware that Bus is harassing her?” He took a seat beside a very flushed Marie.

  “Still?” Charles sighed and shook his head. “Luke, frère, you are going to have to kick his ass or something. This is getting absurd.”

  “He cornered her at her locker a few minutes ago and told her that he couldn’t wait to…. How did he put it? Oh yes pop her cherry and he might even let Luke watch.” Marcus, excuse me Drez, snatched a fry off Marie’s tray and continued. “She said that he was a little too late for that. That she’d been getting a piece of him for weeks and…” He smirked those grey eyes shimmered like mercury. “…Damn was he good.”

  “Well he is.” I muttered which caused Jess to cackle.

  Marie smacked Drez’s hand when he tried to snatch another fry. “Get your own.”

  His eyes widened in surprise before his expression turned suggestive as he stared into her eyes. “Would if I could, pet, but I’m a little short on funds today.”

  He grabbed another fry and just as he was about to pop it in his mouth. She grabbed it from him and got nose to nose with him. “Dat’s no’ my problem, Shug.” She leaned back and ate the fry leaving him in a state of shock.

  I looked over at Jess who sat there wide-eyed then back to Marie and Drez. Marie was pretending to ignore him. I could tell she was having a hard time doing so. Every time she reached for some of her fries or her drink, her hand would tremble a bit. He was talking to Beau but every now and then, his granite eyes would flitter over to Marie and just watch her.

  “Hey, why don’t we get him some food since he is helping us see each other?” I whispered to Luke who still held me on his lap, one of his hands rested on my knee.