Tangled Up In You (A Savioe Family Novel)

by Atkinson, Ginny

  Jess looked at a very stunned Drez and laughed. “Don’t take anything she says to heart. They do this all the time.”

  *****

  Though I was released and allowed to go to school the next day Dr. Patel advised that I not drive for another week. So my dad suggested that Luke drive me to and from each day. I really did look like shit. My eyes were black and blue. My nose swollen and I had this white butterfly looking bandage on it. I had a three-inch gash on my chin, my lip was split and my right wrist was in a plaster cast. That’s just the damage that my clothes failed to cover. My chest and sides looked like someone just tossed ink on me they were so dark from bruising. Next to my belly button, I had another long gash that I kept covered with a bandage. My knees and shoulders were spotted with scrapes and bruises. It was enough to send me into a crying fit if I dwelled on it.

  I heard the telltale rumbling of the Harley and finished trying to cover the more gruesome sights. There was no need to remind him just how bad the attack was. I pulled on my flare leg jeans and green turtle neck grabbed my bag and headed out to the living room where my dad was talking to him. I will say that is one of the only good things that have come out of this. My father and he had a long heart to heart chat when I was still out of it and each came to terms with the other.

  Luke saw me enter the room and took my bag from me. “Whoa. I’ll get that. Dr. Patel said you had to take it easy and not lift anything heavier than ten pounds or you’ll pull the staples. And I know this thing weighs twenty or more.”

  My father shook his head at me and tossed something to Luke. “Take the R8. It’s a smoother ride than her Olds.”

  “Thanks, Daddy.” I gave him a slight hug before leaving the house.

  “You sure she’s ready for this?” I heard Luke ask.

  “I don’t think so but trying to get her to listen to reason is easier said than done.” My father sighed heavily. “You two be careful.”

  *****

  Luke

  Roxy gently lowered herself into the passenger seat of the car. A small grimace of pain etched her battered face. I thought I had lost her when my father came to get me at work last Wednesday. When he told me what had happened to her it took him, Beau, Charles and Marie to keep me from finding Bus in the hospital and permanently making sure he could never hurt another person. Then I saw her lying so still hooked up to all those IVs and machines. She looked so small and broken.

  I released a shuddered breath and ran a hand over my face. I placed my hand on hers and tenderly caressed the side of her hand before pulling out of her driveway. “Are you sure you are ready to go to school?”

  “Yes.” She rolled her eyes. “If I don’t get this over with I’ll be too afraid to do it.”

  We drove over a small speed bump and she placed her broken arm over her stomach. That’s another thing I’m trying to wrap my mind around. I had just gotten used to the idea of being a father only to find out she took a faulty test. When her parents told me that I wanted to scream and punch something. That hurt just as bad as seeing her on that bed all fucked up.

  I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and cleared it. “If you need any of us today for any reason….”

  “I know, Luke. I will be fine. I promise.” She patted my hand and looked up at the school looming in the distance.

  The school had implemented a new policy regarding staying on the property after hours in an attempt to wash their hands of what had happened. They originally intended to ignore everything and allow that bastard back on the property. That was when both of our fathers stepped in and used every bit of legal pull they had by calling in favors from everyone all over the state and threatened to own the school. So the school board reluctantly conceded.

  Jess told us that there was a school wide assembly on Friday. The principal and a few teachers droned on about safety measures and on how that was just an isolated incident. The football team, now down their star running back, announced that they would hold an impromptu tryout to try to fill the spot. Why they didn’t just pull someone from JV or use someone from second string no one knows.

  I pulled the R8 into the spot in between Beau’s truck and Drez’s Charger. Drez smacked my brother in the chest and nodded toward the car, his mouth was gaped open in pure car lust. Beau turned to look at us and nodded his head in approval. I parked the car, turned it off and rushed over to Roxy’s door to open it.

  She just shook her head and laughed at Drez and Beau’s expressions. She carefully got out of the car. “Don’t drool on the paint you two. My dad just had it detailed.”

  Beau flinched subtly when his eyes settled on her taking in the injuries. “Damn, ya should be home restin’.” He gently gave her a hug and held her out at arm’s length looking her over. His eyes narrowed and lips thinned out. “Dat damn cooyon gonna git wat’s comin’ ta him. Dat’s f’true.”

  Roxy gave him a small smile and rolled her eyes. “He’s not worth it, Beau. Let’s just let your dad handle it in the courts. Okay?” She grimaced slightly holding her hand to her stomach. Her lips twisted up in an evil smirk. “Just enjoy the fact that he is a very pretty young boy in gen pop right now. I’m sure he will be able to add a whole new group of names to that book by the time things are said and done.”

  Drez let out a long whistle and started to chuckle. “That’s cold, little bit. So who does this beauty belong to?”

  “It’s my dad’s. Mom got it for him for his birthday.” She shrugged looking over her shoulder at the car.

  He walked around the car and looked inside. He reached out to touch the hood but changed his mind and shoved his hands in his pockets. “How does she handle?”

  I looked down at Roxy checking her out from head to toe and smirked. “Like a dream.”

  Roxy gasped in shock and smacked my arm. “Dude, really?”

  My mouth dropped open in feigned surprise. “I wasn’t talking about that, Roxy. Gawd girl git ya mind outta da gutter.”

  She narrowed those mossy eyes at me and poked my chest with her finger. “Sure you weren’t.” She grabbed the neck of my shirt and pulled me down for a brief kiss.

  The bell rang. Roxy took a deep breath and headed up the steps to the bus loading area. She quickly grabbed my hand and squeezed it. Her pulse pounded in a frantic beat at the base of her throat. She moved her hand up my arm and hugged it when we got next to the enclosure where Bus attacked her. Her bottom lip trembled and she shut her eyes tightly as we walked passed it. “Love, ya don’ have ta do dis.”

  She looked up at me, unshed tears trapped beneath her black lashes. “I have to if I want to get on with my life.” She swallowed hard when we reached the commons’ doors.

  I reached out to open it when Charles came rushing out. He stopped short when he saw us and hesitantly smiled at Roxy. “Morning, chèr. Glad you didn’t let this idiot talk you out of coming today.” He glanced over his shoulder and nodded to someone. “Come on. You don’t want to be late for class.”

  He grabbed her elbow and helped me usher her inside. Jess and Marie stood on the other side of the double doors smiling at her. The commons was decorated in balloons and a huge welcome back banner hung above the other set of doors heading into the main school. Dr. Sloan leaned back against the wall and nodded a greeting to us. The art teacher and a group of the drama freaks held a sign up with intricate lettering welcoming her back. A few of the cheerleaders ran over to her and gave her an oversized card and balloons.

  “Welcome back, Roxy.” Someone shouted from behind the sign that started a cacophony of well wishes and greetings.

  Roxy just stood there in shock during all of it. Her cheeks started to flush before she ducked her head pushing her hair behind her ear. She looked back up shrugged her shoulders slightly and bit her lip. “Thanks everyone.”

  The vice principal walked over to us trying to shoo everyone so they’d get to class on time. “Glad to see you are well, Ms. Saintshill. Now hurry up and get to class.” She smiled at us and
started issuing orders to clean up the commons.

  Roxy stared at the card in front of her. Her eyes quickly darted over the page. “Did you know about this?”

  “I had no clue, love.” I admitted pushing her chin up so I could look her in the eyes. “Does it upset you they did this?”

  She shook her head no. “I’m surprised. You know because of the whole RA thing. Half the people who signed this card wrote about their favorite memory of me. Most of those are the ones who haven’t said two words to me since sixth grade. If they could remember all that stuff then why did they ignore me?”

  The brunette who stood next to Jess heard her and frowned. “Roxy, oh my god we never ignored you. You just kind of intimidated us. We didn’t know how to take you. You always did whatever you wanted, you could talk to everyone and you were somewhat bossy at times. If you felt ignored I am truly sorry.”

  “Angie, you don’t have to apologize.” Roxy tightened her hold on my hand. I raised my eyebrow slightly at the ferocity of her grip. “I apparently just misinterpreted things. I better get going if I don’t want to be late.” She tugged me through the other doors and into the locker banks. “Stupid bitch thinks I’m going to fall for that bullshit. Ha! She obviously doesn’t remember the time I tried to talk to her and she looked at me then purposely said to her little sycophants ‘Did you hear something?’ The gall of her.” She ranted as she yanked her locker door open grabbing her science book, sketchpad and shoving her bag inside.

  “Whoa, love. Chill. You don’t want to pull any staples or anything.” I pulled her back against my chest and wrapped my arms around her. “Does it really matter now that she pays attention to you?”

  She relaxed against me. “Well, no actually it doesn’t.”

  *****

  Sometime during Calculus and my walk to Science, I had decided to broach the subject no one had mentioned. The pregnancy. Only problem I didn’t know how to bring it up. What do you say? Oh by the way you’re not really knocked up. It was just a cheap test that said you were. I took a deep breath and walked in the classroom.

  Roxy was sitting at our usual table surrounded by some of our classmates talking. My jaw clenched at the sight of some guy leaning against the table a little too close to her. He smiled at her and whispered something that made her laugh. I narrowed my eyes and made my way to the table. When I got there, I sat down and grabbed her chin giving her a deep possessive kiss. The kid tapped on the table with his knuckles murmured a goodbye and took his seat.

  She pulled back sighing placing her hand on my chest and whispered breathlessly causing my heart rate to speed up more than it already was. “Lucien, you know I love you right?” I slowly nodded my head. “So you know I’m not going anywhere.” Again, I nodded my head. “Good. Then don’t go all Neanderthal on me when I talk to someone.”

  “I didn’t.” I halfheartedly protested.

  Her teeth scraped across her bottom lip as she tried to hold back her smile. “You basically just marked your territory. What are you going to do next time pee in a circle around me to let them know I’m yours?”

  I sheepishly ducked my head and scratched my neck. “You are mine, huh?”

  “Now and forever, Luke. My heart is tangled up in you.”

  *****

  Epilogue

  Roxy

  During the following weeks, Bus took a plea deal and only had to spend a year in jail with four years probation following his time served and was given a hefty fine. Like that really matters. He should have been given more time but how can you argue with the legal system. Nate was pretty pissed at the light sentence as well and planned on finding a way to keep him away from the area. My parents worked out their differences and were now back to their lovey dovey selves. Which I love, I was starting to get worried about them.

  Beau surprised us all and rejoined the football team taking them all the way to state. He still refuses to hang out with the team or speak of the book, which from what Jess says has not had an entry in it since before my attack. Jess, well, she got over her crush on Beau and has now been in a steady monogamous relationship with one of the drama kids. That surprised the hell out of me.

  Charles is still Charles. He still picks on his siblings every chance he gets and is counting down the days until he turns sixteen. Marie. She’s been very withdrawn from everyone. She barely speaks to her brothers and Jess and I have caught her on occasion crying. We think it might have something to do with her newfound hate of Drez and the way that they are always fighting when they are around each other. It’s like they go out of their way to be nasty to one another. Now Drez has started hanging with us more and more. I haven’t quite figured him out yet. He always shows up looking like he just rolled out of bed and hadn’t had anything to eat in weeks. Jess swears that she saw him sleeping in his car behind the garage he works part time at last week. Which I’ve talked to Eva about it and we are trying to get him to eat every time we see him. She has also offered him a bed to sleep on when he needs it. Eva loved the painting I did for her. She gushed over it and had Luke hang it over their fireplace.

  Luke and I are still going strong. After that pregnancy scare, we decided to try to slow things down in that area. Now that’s not saying we don’t get carried away. My inner tramp still wants to jump his bones any time I see him shirtless or when he gives me that smile. God, I love that dimple. We are just doing what we should have been in the first place, going on dates, hanging out and talking on the phone like crazy.

  We are planning our future too. He flat out told me he wants to get married after we graduate. Which is cool and all, but I want to go to college and pursue a career in graphic design. So we compromised. If I get into LSU, we will live with his grandmother and get married when we turn twenty-ish. Don’t get me wrong I want to spend my life with him. I really do. I just don’t want us to hate each other like so many of my father’s clients who married young do. Though mom tells me most of that is due to their lack of communication with each other and their inability to put the extra effort in the relationship. Speaking of marriage, my grandmother surprised us with the news that she and her sugar daddy had decided to tie the knot. She said it was about time for her to become an honest woman. Whatever that means.

  The RA is no more, which has been both a blessing and a curse. I’ve been getting invited to more parties, people come up to me in the halls to talk and yes, a few guys have been brave enough to try to ask me out. That has Luke foaming at the mouth depending on who is doing the asking. Mom tells me it’s because he is afraid that I’ll find someone else and forget all about him, that the best thing for me to do is reassure him of my feelings not with words but with actions. So I took her advice, cooked his favorite foods and spent the rest of the evening showing him just what I meant by now and forever.