by Jaye Cox
She doesn’t expect my sudden movement, so it makes it easier for me to grab the back of her head and to forcefully slam her face down onto the table and hold it there. Blood sprays, but it’s probably just a busted nose. She looks like a spoilt rich girl so Daddy will probably pay for a nose job anyway.
“Tell me where he is,” I demand, ignoring the girl squealing beneath my hand. I keep the pressure on her head as I stare down at Onyx. He just smiles. It’s a twisted kind of smile, like he’s loving the show.
“He went to the library.” He smirks.
“Thanks,” I say sweetly, and release the girl who spits profanities and blood at me. Surely that outburst will get me a detention. I don’t give a fuck.
On cue, Onyx slides a detention card across the table towards me. He knows I’m up and running with him on Saturday mornings, and that Sawyer and his kids in detention generally join us.
“Keep it. I’ll already be there, my whoring ways can’t keep me away.” A laugh slips from his lips and at that I walk away.
My pace quickens when the library comes in sight. Damn him for not being somewhere I can yell; it’s in my blood to be loud and theatrical, just ask my Nonna. She would say it’s my birth right.
Kalen is predictable; I know exactly where to look. I head straight to the spot where he saw me with Baxter, and low and behold he is there, talking – or should I say flirting – with a fourth year.
“Fuck off,” I snap, and she scowls at me. “I’m serious, piss off, because I’m on a roll today and I will take you down if need be.”
She leaves without a fuss, which surprises me, telling Kalen to find her later.
“Jealous?” Kalen says, refusing to make eye contact with me.
“Is that what you want?” He shrugs and packs up his things.
“You’re not leaving until you hear me out.” He looks up at me, his eyes wild. He moves closer to me, a predator approaching his prey. It’s so out of character for him that a thrill of excitement washes over me. He backs me up until I’m pressed hard against the exact bookcase where Baxter had me.
“What, do you want to tell me that nothing happened?” I nod. He spins me, forcing my head into the corner of a book sticking from the shelf. A hiss of pain leaves me, but he continues to press harder, and damn him, it turns me on.
“So, he didn’t have you pushed against the shelves?”
“He did,” I whisper reluctantly. It didn’t feel like this though. This feels damn good.
“And his hand wasn’t wrapped around your throat?” Kalen’s actions mimic his words.
“It was,” I pant, turned on by his proximity.
“He didn’t run his fingers up your thigh and lightly touch your skin, making you push your ass into his cock.”
“Not exactly,” I hedge, because although those were our actions, it didn’t go down how Kalen’s making it sound. I do push my ass into his cock though, silently teasing him to snap and give me more.
“Was his cock as big as mine Amelie?” I shake my head no; I doubt anyone is as big as him. Not even Baxter. I don’t even consider that Kalen might see that as an admission of guilt.
“Did you put up a fight?”
“I tried. I should have tried harder,” I pant as his finger teases the edge of my panties.
“Did his touch turn you on?”
“N-no,” I stammer and it’s the truth. Kalen’s touch turns me on. I grind my ass back into Kalen’s crotch again, as his hands move to my ass, his nails digging into the flesh hard enough to mark.
“Who told you I like it rough?” I gasp.
His resolve crumbles.
The loss of his touch burns, and I think he’s about to walk away. Like he’s proving some point he feels is needed. Until his zip slides down and he pushes my school skirt up.
“I don’t blame him for wanting you,” he whispers, lining himself up with me. He drags his cock back and forth over my soaked panties, tracing my opening, teasing. Torturing me.
My lace panties are pulled aside and he doesn’t prepare me, he thrusts hard inside me and my whimper echoes around us. He clamps his hand over my mouth.
“You don’t get to enjoy this!” he snaps and thrusts inside me even harder. Poor Kalen, he and Sawyer obviously didn’t compare notes. If they had, Kalen would know that the rougher he is with me, the more I will enjoy it. He can lie to himself all he wants; telling himself this is a hate fuck or some form of revenge, but I want it as much as he does.
He pounds into me, over and over, one hand fisted in my hair, the other around my throat to keep me in place. It doesn’t matter. He’s racing towards his release, but doesn’t realise that I’m climbing towards mine too. The thought of getting caught pushes me closer to the edge of relief.
“Tell me now that you didn’t fuck him.” He pauses, holding back both our climaxes.
“I didn’t, I wouldn’t. He wanted you to think that, to punish me.” That’s all he needs to hear before he thrusts inside me again. I cry out as my walls clamp down around him, triggering his orgasm against his will.
“Fuck!” he barks. He pulls himself out and zips up his pants, not bothering to flatten down my skirt. I hasten to cover myself up, suddenly very aware of our surroundings and that we could get caught any moment. It’s one thing to be caught fucking, another to be the desperate slut baring herself to a guy in the library.
“Well, why didn’t you say that in the first place?” Kalen jokes, a glimmer of his usual self giving me hope. My mouth hangs open. Words fail me for the first time.
“So you forgive me?” I ask warily.
“Nope,” he says, popping the P. Grabbing his backpack, he turns to leave.
“Are you fucking serious?!” I whisper yell following behind him.
“I know what I saw, so stop trying to make an idiot out of me.”
“Maybe you are! You’re acting just like a damn idiot!” The librarian shushes us from somewhere in the background.
He abruptly stops, causing me to run into his back.
“You might want to visit the nurse; they have morning after pills. I’m sure you’re acquainted with that kind of thing.”
“Fuck you!” I yell, not caring who can hear. I push him as hard as I can in the back.
He turns to face me. “You just did that,” he snarls nastily. The look on his face is something I’m more used to seeing on Onyx’s. Even Slate’s. To see it on Kalen’s stings. I know that he’s lashing out and pushing me away to protect himself right now, but I have no shame in what we just did.
However, at his words and not his actions, anger burns through me at the way his face morphs into a smug smile. The sound of my hand hitting his skin bounces off the walls around us.
“Screw you, Kalen Knox, don’t talk to me again until you pull your head out of your ass! I’m friends with Baxter, and if you don’t like it, then that is your problem! He may be twisted, and have a warped way of doing things, but he has had my back since I stepped foot in this place. He’s an asshole, but you know what? So are you. At least I know where I stand with him. You just fuck with people’s emotions. Everyone said the twins were worse than you, but at least they didn’t treat me like shit and play with me!” I throw my hands in the air and storm around him. It’s like talking to a brick wall and what he just did made me feel like the cheap whore he claims I am.
My mood is no better when I arrive at the music building, steam still shooting from my ears. Slate is strumming away at his guitar when I walk in.
“Nice of you to join me.” I know he is joking around but I snap at him.
“I’m here, aren’t I? Let’s get this done.”
“Okay then, let’s run through the minimal dance steps. I want them to believe there's chemistry between us.”
Because God forbid a whore like me could have chemistry with someone. These Knox guys just keep digging the knife in deeper.
“Try to sing along as we go. But focus more on the dance,” he says, ignoring my mood.
<
br /> How Monty expects me to be on my best behaviour until Christmas is beyond me, especially when his son is being a damn jerk. Eight weeks until my family could be arriving and I’ve already smashed a girl's head into a table, got a detention, screwed Kalen in the library, and made a scene as I was leaving. I don’t believe in snitching, but you bet your ass I will sell my soul to the devil to get my family here. Knox boys be damned.
“Amelie!” Slate snaps. “Where is your damn head at? Concentrate, we only need to run through this once and you can leave.”
“Sorry. Let’s do this.” I shake the anger from my arms and Slate laughs.
“Better?”
“Much. Let’s run this from the top.” He starts the song on the stereo system, and we take our spots.
Slate has all the music recorded, he’s played all the instruments and arranged it all. He really is damn talented. He takes his position behind me as the music starts. I count out my steps until he spins me to face him. The choreography is very similar to the movie, except the part where Zendaya flies into the air, for that part I just run backwards and Slate turns to face me. I particularly like the part where we roll on the floor and I straddle him.
Once we get to the last line, we look into each other’s eyes, his hand on my waist. This is the part where I walk away, yet Slate looks me in the eyes. I love that when we are in this room, he sees me, all pretences of who we are outside fall away, so much like the song. His lips press to mine, soft but sure.
There is no rush; it’s slow and sweet, but still passionate. It feels like it’s based on a connection.
“You smell like sex, Amelie,” he murmurs against my lips when he pulls away. He seems reluctant to break contact, his head pressed against mine, hands still on my waist. “That’s so damn hot.”
“Your brother just screwed me over, literally.”
“I wish you’d give me a shot,” he whispers against my lips, sounding almost wistful.
“Does me being with your brothers not bother you?” He shakes his head no.
“I will let you in on a little secret. We like to play games. Usually Sawyer picks a girl he thinks won’t sleep with any of us, and then the rest of us try to sleep with her. There’s always a prize for whoever succeeds first. And before you jump to conclusions, it’s never been like that with you.”
“Sharing a random stranger is not the same thing. I’m so confused. I feel this overwhelming chemistry with Sawyer. Kalen is just Kalen.” I laugh. “And you and Onyx send me these vibes that I want to explore. It’s not just fucking for me. But I guess the ‘whore’ painted on my door today isn’t too far from the mark.”
“Don’t let anyone, not even my idiot baby brother, make you feel less. Sexuality should make you feel powerful. Who cares if you screw one person or a hundred? Own it.”
“It’s not that easy.”
We sit on the floor and Slate pulls me into his arms, wrapping them around me. He leans against a wall, me on him.
“I have slept with at least thirty girls, that makes me a legend. How many guys have you willingly slept with?” I like the way he words it.
“Five.” It’s easy. One hand.
“Do you know all their names?”
I nod. “Smalls.” Just once, after what happened to me, I needed him to replace the memories of that night. “Jordan, Mase.” I shudder. They’re two I would rather forget. “And you know the other two.” He stills. He knew about Kalen but I’m not sure if he knew I actually did the deed with Sawyer.
“I can only name one. Lucy. She was my first. After that they were all nameless, and now faceless. Wouldn’t that make me the whore? Fuck what everyone thinks.”
“I don’t care what most people think, but I do care what Kalen thinks. It hurts that he would think I’m a whore and then treat me like one.”
“He doesn’t think that, he’s hurt. We have history with Branson. I’ll have a chat with him. See if I can get him to come around.”
We sit like this for a while and talk. It’s nice; Slate is a lot more gentle than I initially pegged him for.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Mr Bolden emailed back my assessment the next day and when I see the B+ grade on my paper, I do a little dance. He tells me to print it and take it to Headmaster Knox.
I get it printed and put both copies in Monty’s pigeon hole. Hopefully, we can get it sorted quickly. I don’t need an F on my transcripts.
I didn’t expect Monty to be in his office on a Sunday anyway. I make my way to the dining hall to grab some lunch, hoping Elsie will be done with her rehearsal. I found out she does drama. Another elective I didn’t know was available. This showcase seems to be a bigger deal than I originally thought.
Slate waves me over, placing a hand on Kalen’s shoulder when he tries to get up and move. Onyx throws me a glare.
“Look, it’s the scarlet harlot herself,” Kalen says, raising his voice slightly. “Anyone else want to fuck her? Girl is kinky.”
“Kinky isn’t the word I would use,” I say. “Shit got weird when you started shouting your mum's name.” A smile creeps over his face.
“No weirder than you asking me to call you sis while you came all over my dick.”
The entire room has eyes on us. Kalen loses it and pats his lap. Normally, I wouldn’t, but screw it. He pulls me in tight and we both laugh.
“I’m sorry for being a dick,” he says.
“So you should be,” I reply. “Friends again?” I ask.
“We were always more than friends, we’re family, sis.”
“Will you two stop?” Onyx barks.
“Looks like someone is a little jealous. O, it’s not our fault the stick up your ass is wedged too tight.” Onyx huffs at Kalen.
We sit and eat, Elsie joins us, and all of the Knox boys refrain from calling her a vagitarian, which is a start. Onyx gets increasingly agitated, but no one else seems to notice.
“Want to go for an early run?” I ask, and he nods, looking relieved.
“Onyx and I are going for a run. See you all here for dinner.”
Kalen pulls me in tighter for a hug. “I just got you back, I don’t want to share you with my brother just yet.”
“You’ll live,” I say, standing and telling them all goodbye. I notice Onyx is already in his running gear.
“Can we stop at my dorm so I can change?” He nods and we walk in silence.
Onyx follows me up to my room.
“Interesting artwork,” he snorts when he sees the sign on my door.
“Yeah, your baby brother is quite the artist,” I deadpan, letting us in.
Onyx makes himself at home snooping round, looking at all my stuff. I grab some workout gear and slip into the bathroom to change. When I come out, Onyx has made himself comfortable on my bed. He’s stretched out with his arms behind his head. His workout T-shirt has ridden up to expose his ripped abdomen. My mouth waters, and I lose my train of thought.
“Comfortable?” I raise an eyebrow.
“There’s room for two.”
“Erm, I know that. It’s my bed, remember?”
“Am I the only Knox not to have been in your bed yet?”
“Well I can’t speak for what your father got up to before I arrived…” I quip.
“Ha, ha. Be serious, Amelie.”
“I haven’t had Slate in my bed,” I confess.
“Sawyer? In here?” He gasps. Shit. I don’t think I should have said that. I ignore his question.
“You and Slate. Have you slept together?”
“That’s none of your business, but no.”
“Good.”
“Why is that good?” I snap, thinking he’s about to warn me away from them.
“It’s been driving me crazy, thinking I’m the only one not to.”
“Gee thanks, Onyx, you know how to make a girl feel special,” I mutter sarcastically.
“I’m saying I like you. What’s the problem?” He frowns.
“You don’t like
me, Onyx. You just want to play with the toy the others are sharing.”
“I can share my toys.”
“You don’t even like this toy.” I sigh.
“I do.”
“How can you? There’s nothing there. No connection.”
“And you have that with my brothers?” He scoffs.
“Actually, yes, I do. Kalen and I have a strong bond. There are real feelings there. There’s a connection between me and Sawyer. My friendship with Slate is growing. What do we have? We run together. So what? I run with all the kids in detention. It doesn’t mean I’m sleeping with them.”
“But do you want to?”
“What? Sleep with the detention kids? I’m not a whore! When will you idiot Knox brothers get that through your incredibly beautiful but thick skulls!” I’m yelling with exasperated frustration now.
“You think I’m beautiful?”
“Ugh!” I throw my hands up in the air, and Onyx dives off the bed to grab me.
“I think you’re beautiful too, Amelie. I have since the moment I saw you. It...it drives me crazy that you can like all of my brothers but not me!”
“I-I do like you,” I stammer. “Are you jealous?”
“Insanely.”
“Onyx…” I begin reproachfully. “You blow hot and cold. I never know where I stand with you. One moment I think you’re being genuine, the next you act like you hate me.”
“I’m sorry—” he begins, but I hold up a hand to cut him off. To my surprise, he listens to me.
“I like you, Onyx. But I’m not about to rush into having sex with you—”
I’m cut off by Onyx planting his lips on mine. While I wasn’t expecting him to kiss me, I always thought that when he did, it would be a bruising, punishing, angry kind of kiss. He takes me by surprise in more ways than one. His kiss is the most tender, the most hesitant. Like he’s waiting for me to pull away and hit him. Which I don’t.
“What was that for?” I ask, eyes wide.
“Ninety percent jealousy, ten percent to shut you up.” He grins.