I place my hand on hers and give her a reassuring smile. “You should give him a chance.”
“Some people don’t deserve a chance,”
“Austin—”
“I don’t wanna talk about it,” she interrupts me. “Can we just get drunk?”
I chuckle, handing her back the bottle. “Drink up, birthday girl.” She tosses it back, and I look over in time to see Kellan walk by. He stops, then looks at me and jerks his head. “I’ll be right back,” I tell her.
She waves me off.
Exiting the kitchen, I walk down the hallway to a half bath. Kellan shuts the door behind us. “What do you want?” I ask; he and I aren’t friends. I put him in the same category as Cole. Fucking evil.
He takes the phone from my hand and begins to mess with the keys. “I want you to text me later after the party is over.”
I snort. “Why would I do that?”
He hands me back my phone to see he entered his number into it. “Because if you don’t.” He steps into me. “I’ll tell Deke what you’re really doing with him.”
My eyes narrow up at him. “I don’t know …”
“I’m not stupid, Becky. I see everything.” I swallow. “I know everything.”
“It’s not what you think.”
He gives me a slow smile, his brown eyes looking me up and down. He reaches up and pushes some hair behind my ear, and my heart hammers in my chest. “It’s exactly what I think. Now are you going to let me in, or am I going to go to Deke?”
This can’t be happening. He can’t go to Deke. Deke can’t find out what I’ve been doing. He’ll destroy me. He’ll make school a living hell for me. “What are you gonna do?”
“I just want her phone.”
“I’ll get it for you,” I offer.
“No.” He shakes his head. “I want to get it.”
“But why?”
“Because I wanna know if Austin is full of shit, or if she really does have insurance on that phone.”
“What was she talking about?” I ask. “What kind of trouble could she get you guys in?”
“The kind that will get all of us sharks thrown in jail.” He leans in, and whispers, “For life.”
I swallow nervously. “She wouldn’t. Cole …”
“She is pissed at Cole right now. Believe me when I say she’ll turn his ass in without a second thought after everything he’s done to her.”
“But …”
“Becky?” A hand pounds on the bathroom door, and I jump at Austin’s voice. “What are you doing in there?’
“I’ll … I’ll be right out.” I holler.
He quirks his brow at me, and I take in a deep breath and nod. He just wants her phone. I can handle that. Then I exit out of the bathroom, closing the door behind me. She holds her bottle of Fireball in one hand and her other sits on her hip. “Let’s get fucked.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
DEKE
“AFTER COLE KNOCKED out Kellan’s car window with a bat and found Austin’s phone the day after her birthday party, I called and asked him what the fuck he was doing. And how the hell he got into the house. He told me Becky helped him …”
“What the fuck, man?” I bark. She was supposed to be her best friend.
“Why would she help him?” Cole snaps.
“I don’t know.” Shane throws up his hands. “That’s all I know. He never went into detail, and I didn’t get the chance to ask. Just that he needed whatever insurance she had on her phone, and Becky was willing to help him. And he was pissed that you caught him.”
I remember what Shane told us just hours ago at the clubhouse. He stands and hands me two bundles of rope from the bag.
“Please,” she sobs. “I’m sorry.”
“Not yet.”
I walk over to her, and she begins to scream. She kicks her legs out and starts flinging her arms. I grip her ankle, yank her across the tile on her side and flip her on to her stomach. I fall to the floor and straddle her hips. I yank her hands behind her back and wrap the first bundle of rope around her wrists, tying them tightly together.
“Deke! Please … please don’t do this …”
“Someone shut her up,” I order.
Shane drops in front of her with the bag and pulls out a roll of duct tape. He yanks a washcloth off the side of the counter.
“Please …”
He shoves it in her mouth and then tears off a piece of tape and slaps it over her face. Once I’m happy with her wrists, I move off her and grab both her legs. I secure them with the second rope and then connect the remaining rope, hog-tying her in the middle of her bathroom floor.
I stand and turn to face Cole and Bennett. They are looking down at her phone that they got from her room. “Well?” I ask.
Moment of truth, Becky. Let’s see what’s in store for you tonight.
Cole holds up her phone, and sure enough, he’s found where she had two Facebook apps and one was signed in as Evan Scott. And she sent a message to Seth this morning. I read it out loud.
Evan Scott: I’ll give you one more chance. Either you fuck the bitch, or you’re fucked.
Shane laughs. “The problem with that, Becky, is that we have Seth’s phone. We took if after we were done having fun with him last night.”
“I didn’t think you had it in you, Becky. Good for you for proving me wrong.”
Shane pushes her over onto her side and slides a towel underneath her. She struggles in her restraints and sobs behind the tape over her mouth. Once he’s done and places her back on her stomach, I straddle her upper back, almost sitting on her shoulders so I don’t break her restrained arms. Taking a hand full of her blond hair, I grip it and yank her head back and place her phone in front of her face. “You want to be a shark, baby?” She sobs while her body shakes uncontrollably. I lean down, whispering in her ear, “Well, welcome to the group.”
I hold out my right hand, and Cole places the knife in it. I gather up all her hair in my fist and hold it out to Shane who still kneels in front of me at her head. “Hold it,” I order.
He pushes her forehead to the tile, holding her head down for me at an odd angle to expose the back of her neck. Then he places her head between his knees, making escape impossible. I take the knife and carve a tally mark along the soft skin right below her hairline. About an inch long. She screams into the gag as her body shakes and her skin breaks. The blood runs down the side of her neck onto the towel beneath her.
Then I hold it out, and Cole takes it. He carves another tally mark next to mine. Shane goes, and then Bennett does his. One by one, we each make our mark on her. A reminder that we fucking own her. That no matter what she does, or who she fucks, she belongs to us.
I reach my left hand out, and Bennett places the can of hair spray in it. I take the end of the towel and wipe it across the back of her neck. She whimpers as I smear the blood to see the four cuts and then spray the hair spray over them to help with the bleeding. I don’t want her to bleed to death. Just experience the excruciating pain that she deserves. I toss the can to the side once satisfied.
Cole takes the lighter that Shane pulls out of the bag and runs the knife through the flame, heating it before passing it back to me. I lay it across the lines to cauterize them. And her body fights mine while her muffled screams fill the bathroom.
Then Shane hands me the powder, and I dump it on there to seal what the knife didn’t get.
Getting up off her, she immediately rolls onto her side. Her eyes are closed as snot, tears, and blood cover her face. She lies at our feet with nothing but a bra and thong on. Her chest heaves, and she sobs behind her gag.
I kneel beside her and rip it off before shoving my fingers in her mouth to remove the washcloth.
“I will murder you,” she sneers. “Fucking murder you for this! All of you sorry bastards. Austin and my sister ...”
I grip her chin. “No. You won’t. Because if you try anything, and I mean anything, I will hurt you.”
I smile at her. “You’re right. You’re not.” I can’t kill her. Too many questions will be left unanswered. “But I can make you mine, Becky. I can make you wish you were dead. Every second of every day. From the outside, everyone will think we are in love and happy. No one will know what I do to you behind closed doors. When we’re all alone.” I run my free hand down her bloody neck and feel her pulse race. “How I’ll fuck you. How I’ll beat you. Starve you. Don’t underestimate how fucking evil I can be. And how little you mean to me.” I stand.
“I … hate … you …” She sobs.
I nod to Shane, and he begins to untie her.
“Here.” Bennett hands me her cell. “Everything is gone. I changed all emails and passwords for anything related to Evan Scott and then deactivated his page.”
I drop her phone on the tile and step on it for good measure. Shane picks up the towel and wads it up before placing it in the duffle bag. It’s going with us. Once it dries out, we’ll burn it.
Cole starts dumping peroxide on the tile floor to clean up the blood.
She crawls over to the corner of her bathroom and pulls her legs up to her chest. Her blond hair wild and bloody. She looks so fucking broken. And I give no fucks that I did that to her. This bitch has fucked us over way too many times. She’s the reason Austin was hurt. I consider her my little sister. And she’s tried to hurt Demi, a woman who is quickly becoming my everything.
“Do you love her?” she asks as if she can read my mind.
“Does it matter?”
“Is that why you’re doing this?” she demands. “Because Demi got a little scared? Nothing ever fucking happened to her!” she shouts “She always managed to get away. Unharmed. Untouched.”
I just stare at her.
“Do? You? Love? Her?” She screams so loud, my ears ring.
I walk over to her, and she presses herself further into the wall as I lean over and push some blond strands off her slick face. “I love her more than I could ever love you,” I say truthfully. “Does that make you feel better?”
Her tear-filled eyes narrow up at me, and she sucks in a heavy breath.
“I mean it, Becky. Stay away. I won’t be so kind next time.” Then I give her my back and walk out.
I step out into the dark and cold night as Shane speaks. “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t know Kellan …”
Cole punches him in the face.
That was the first thing Shane has said to him since he informed us of the secret he knew.
“I’m sorry.” He stumbles backward, holding up his hands. “Hit me again. I deserve it.”
Cole doesn’t need to be told twice. He hits him so hard this time it throws Shane into the side of Bennett’s car. Blood pours from his nose and a busted lip.
“You knew all this time …” Cole growls and looks him up and down. “I should have beat you to death that night as well. And had Bennett drop your sorry ass to the bottom of the ocean to rot with him.” With that, Cole opens the passenger side door and falls into the car.
DEMI
It’s been a week since the GWS took care of Seth and then made a quick trip to Collins. Austin and I didn’t need to ask what they did there, but we knew. They were going down a list of people who needed to pay for hurting me or threatening them. No one was going to stop them from doing what they do best. I can’t say I feel sorry for any of them.
I lick my lips as I look in the bathroom mirror. My hair is down in big waves. Placing my hands in it, I bend over and fluff it, giving it some volume. Standing, I run my hands down the front of my holey jeans.
We’re having dinner tonight with my mother.
I asked her if I could have some friends over for dinner, and she looked at me like I was someone she’s never met. I know it’s not a good idea, but at this point, I don’t care. I want her to see that Seth is long gone. And that her lovely plan she had for my life is crumbling. ’Cause Deke sure as hell isn’t what she wants for my future.
I hear the doorbell ring, and I run out of my bathroom and down the stairs, yelling, “I’ll get it.”
Opening the door, I smile up at the prettiest man I’ve ever seen. I hate how he makes me feel, yet I can’t push him away. I can’t deny that Deke has gotten under my skin in the worst way.
“Hey, princess.” He steps into the house and wraps his arms around me, picking my feet off the floor. His lips crash down on mine, and I wrap my arms around his neck, kissing him like I’m desperate for him. I just saw him last night for a couple of hours, but it doesn’t feel like enough.
I don’t know how my sister ever thought he wasn’t enough for her. He would have given her the world, but he’s going to destroy mine.
I’m just waiting for that other shoe to drop. For everything to come crashing down and kill whatever this is that we have.
“Oh, get a room,” I hear Cole grumble.
I pull away from Deke’s lips and giggle. That’s another thing I do lately. I used to be disgusted with the girls at school who went all happily stupid over boys. And now I’m there.
I see Austin enter the house, and she holds a dish in her hands. “You didn’t have to bring anything.”
“I figured I could at least bring dessert.” She shrugs, and Cole pulls her into his side, kissing her head. I don’t know what all happened last week, but whatever it was, it’s like they’re finally breathing fresh air. They both seem very happy. And I can’t be more thrilled for them.
“Thank you,” I say, taking it from her, and then ask, “Where’s Lilly?”
“She’s at home with Misty,” Cole answers.
“Deke?”
We all turn to see my mother standing in the foyer. She’s wearing a pair of black slacks with a red silk top. She has her blond hair up in a tight bun and her black rimmed glasses hanging from her neck.
“Becky isn’t here,” she tells him.
I swallow the anger at her words, and say, “Deke is here to have dinner with us tonight, Mom.”
She tilts her head to the side as if she doesn’t understand my meaning. So I reach out, grab his hand, and place it in mine. Looking up at him, I give him a big smile. “We’re dating,” I say in case my show of affection wasn’t enough. I’m not sure what the hell we are exactly, and I don’t care. I’m not one of those girls who has to put a label on things. I just wanna piss her off.
I hear Cole cover a small laugh with a cough. He fails.
“I see.” She grabs her pearls and then turns, giving us her back and walking toward the formal dining room.
“This’ll be fun,” Cole mumbles. “Like that one time I had dinner with your father,” he tells Austin, and she sighs.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
DEKE
“THIS LOOKS AMAZING,” Austin says, looking over the table covered with food.
Angelica had her chefs make a variety from escargot to a kale salad and blackened salmon. Just to name a few things. It’s like they couldn’t decide exactly what they were in the mood for.
“So.” Her mother starts before I can even get a piece of bread on my plate. “When did you two start dating? You were just here a few weeks ago to take out my other daughter.”
“Does it matter?” Demi challenges her mother.
She arches a brow. “I’m guessing this has to do with the reason your sister ran back to Collins.”
I’m not sure why in the hell Demi wanted us to come over here for dinner tonight, but when she asked me the other day, I wasn’t gonna tell her no. She had a smile on her face, which I seem to see a lot of lately, and was lying underneath me completely naked. I would have said yes to anything. And I’ve decided that’s a very dangerous thing. But one I’m not going to question.
“I’m not sure, why don’t you ask her?” Demi offers.
Her mother’s already sharp jaw tightens. She opens her mouth when Austin speaks. “I love the new color you chose for the formal dining room, Mrs. Lawrence.”
Cole smirks at her trying to divert the conversation in such a bad way. Austin ignores him.
Angelica looks over at her, and her eyes drop to the red ruby engagement ring. “How do your parents feel about you being engaged at such a young age, Austin?” she asks.
She wipes the corner of her mouth with her napkin, looking unaffected by Demi’s mother. “Well, I’m pretty sure my mother is dead.” Cole stiffens beside her, and Demi’s eyes shoot to mine. “And my father is in prison for life. So I don’t think they care.”
Silence falls over the table, and I take a sip of my water. She couldn’t be more correct. Her mother is dead all right. Cole and I killed her and her stepdad.
I lie in Becky’s bed at her father’s house watching a movie when my cell alerts me of a message.
“Who is it?” Becky asks.
“It’s from Cole.” I open it up.
Cole: You busy?
Me: I’m with Becky. What’s up?
Cole: I have something that needs to be taken care of.
Me: I can be ready whenever.
Cole: Give me five.
“I gotta go,” I say, getting out of her bed.
“What?” She jumps up. “You just got here.”
I grab my black leather jacket off the back of her chair. “Cole needs me.”
She comes over to me, and I refrain from sighing because I can tell she’s pissed. “Cole always needs you.”
“Don’t,” I warn, walking over to her door.
“Deke.” She grabs my hand. “What does he need?”
I don’t answer. “I’ll come back.”
“When?” she demands.
“When I’m done,” I say and exit her room. I walk down the stairs and out the front door. As I jump into my Range Rover, I see her sister pull up. She comes to an abrupt stop and jumps out. She all but runs to the front door and shoves it open before storming inside. Maybe I got out just in time.
DARE SERIES COLLECTION Page 85