by J Bree
Avery smiles the same way I imagine an executioner does as he sharpens his guillotine blade.
“I’ll do it.”
After I hang up I shower and dig out the file the Jackal sent me last year with Joey’s information in it. I’ve read it a hundred times but I keep going back to it like I’ll spot something that will get him out of our lives. The problem is I don’t know if Avery wants him relocated, locked up, or dead. She’s always so damn cagey when I bring it up and I haven’t pushed her on it.
My phone pings and I grab it, distracted by the images of Joey’s victims.
Mounty, I’m sending you something as a thank you for finding my shirt.
Sweet fucking lord. Avery has given him my number. My hands shake and a little nervous giggle bubbles in my chest. Is there a Wikihow on texting a hot, thankful rockstar who is also your semi-reformed bully and tutoring pupil? What the hell do I even say?
My phone pings again and I gulp before I look.
She shouldn’t be sneaking into other students rooms without backup. The shirt isn’t worth that much. Wait until we’re back, Mounty.
That one is from Harley and it dawns on me that it’s a group text. Avery’s added me to their group chat. My stomach drops when I see Ash is on it too and now he’ll be able to insult me at all hours of the day. I’m not sure why I’m so pissed off about him calling me a slut. I mean, he did it last year and I didn’t give a shit.
Don’t get Avery involved when Harlow finds out you were in there. She doesn’t need to be cleaning up your mess.
Hm. Not so bad, I can deal with grumpy Ash.
Welcome to the madhouse Mounty. Now your phone will blow up all day long and you’ll hate me for adding you when they start talking about who has the nicest tits or who fucked which girl first.
I cannot think of anything worse than seeing them talk about that. I choose sarcasm as my shield and climb into bed.
Can’t wait.
I’m just about asleep when the last text comes through from Blaise.
Seeing as we’re all banned from Annabelle and Harley’s apparently taken a vow of celibacy there will probably be more complaints of blue balls than anything else.
A box arrives on Friday morning addressed to The Mounty.
I don’t open it. Mostly because I’m dealing with a major crush and my hormones can’t handle knowing what he’s sent me. Also, Ash and Harley have taken up texting me all day guessing what the present will be. Avery messaged me privately to laugh at them because she thinks they’re being so obvious. I’m too tired from studying to ask her what the hell she means by that.
She arrives back to school Sunday night.
“Tell me I’m your favorite.” Avery says with an obnoxiously smug tone.
I roll my eyes at her without looking up from the assignments I have spread over my bed. I’m only five weeks ahead and I’m getting twitchy because of it. Damn Blaise and all of his tutoring. He’s a damn distraction of the hottest kind.
“Of course you’re my favorite. You’re my favorite human on the planet, it’s not fucking hard to figure out.”
She perches on my bed delicately so she doesn’t disturb my work, bless her. “Aw, you’re the best. I also rank you in my top four. It’s a constantly revolving list, you guys should really take more care to battle it out for my affection.”
I smirk at her. “I’m winning. When do those assholes ever make time to plan out the maiming and torture of fellow students with you? Hm? When was the last time they walked into a literal orgy to take photos for you? Do I need to remind you of that time I brought you a coffee after ballet because you were going to rip Annabelle’s slutty face off? I walked into a cesspit to recover your shoes.”
She tilts her head like she’s considering it. “Point taken. You’ve definitely spent longer in the top spot than the others this year. Anyway, you should check your bank balance.”
I frown and grab my phone. I hadn’t noticed she’d grabbed the bags of dirty cash from the closet. Sure enough, there’s an extra hundred grand now safely deposited into my offshore accounts. Yep, I’m that much of a badass criminal that I can’t even bank locally. Lucky fucking me.
“Thanks. Atticus didn’t want a cut?”
Avery shakes her head. “He had some questions. I told him it was dirty money and I was so worried about my father finding it. He practically fell over himself to launder it for me. He asked if I’m going to the High Society Charity Ball this year.”
There’s a blush on her cheeks and the nervous fluttering of her fingers tells me she’s not even close to getting over her crush on this guy. I should really look him up. We do not need another Rory in our lives, especially so soon after we got rid of the last one.
“A Charity Ball, how exciting!” I say with so much sarcasm that Avery groans and walks over to put the coffee machine on. She grabs me a cup without asking and fusses with my coffee until it’s perfect. Again, I adore this girl so fiercely I wish I were a lesbian and I could lock this shit down.
Alas, I like dick.
Well, I think I do. I like it enough to wish I could have it occasionally, but not enough to risk the Jackal. I wonder where exactly that puts me on the spectrum?
“You’re tempting me to go and drag you along! I told him I was too busy with school and he agreed to take me next year instead. He was… kinder this year. Hm, no, not kinder. Maybe… more interested in speaking to me.”
Uh oh. I get up and follow her into the kitchen. She hands me my cup and I try to figure out how the hell to talk to her about this kind of thing.
“So. You’re…into him…again?”
Avery snorts at me, the most unrefined thing I've ever seen her do. “You really are hopeless at girl talk. Yes, I’m once again thinking about him way too much. He's just so…perfect. I can't go to the Ball this year because if he doesn't kiss me at the end of the night I may climb into my bed and refuse to get out. He’s gorgeous. Absolutely stunning and such a gentleman, I’m a mess around him. Ugh, he said he’s going to come to my Ballet recital that’s coming up and I’m freaking out about it.”
I nod and sip. When the silence stretches out Avery huffs at me, “This is where you tell me to stop being so pathetic.”
I sigh at her. “I can't. I’m even more pathetic than you when it comes to guys and I try my best not to be a hypocrite.”
“I highly doubt it. Explain your boy troubles to me so we can compare.”
Hell fucking no. I try not to ever lie to Avery so instead I give her a half truth. “Oh, you know. The Jackal means I can't ever date or hook up without fearing for my life.”
She winces and scrunches her nose up. “At some point we need to tell the guys about that you know.”
Nope. No thank you. Why would they need to know? I shake my head and sit at the bench. Avery fusses with her cup and then ducks down to grab her bucket of cleaning supplies.
Uh oh.
“Is something wrong?”
She pulls on a pair of gloves and starts to scrub the stove top. It’s already clean from the last time she scrubbed it but I don’t argue with this brand of crazy.
“Shit, Ave’s. What’s happened?”
She huffs and scrubs harder. “Harlow’s parents were called about her little habit. They paid off one of the laundry staff to take the fall. All of the items have been returned and she’s still here. As you’re the only student that was here during the break, and the shoes and shirt were missing, it’ll be pretty obvious it was you. She’s already gone to Joey about it.”
I shrug. I’m not afraid of Harlow and Joey getting involved might work in our favor. I need to draw him away from his siblings so I can deal with him once and for all.
Avery clears her throat. “Are you going to tell me what Blaise sent you? Harley is also dying to know.”
The box is sitting on my bed. Avery can see it's unopened and she's baiting me. I arch an eyebrow at her.
“I don't accept bribes from rich playboys. Only favors.”
&n
bsp; She grins at me, savage and beautiful.
Chapter Ten
I’m woken by no less than thirty text messages.
My phone may crap out and die if this keeps up. I’m used to, like, three phone calls a year when I’m not the Wolf in Mounts Bay. Even then the most I get is one or two calls a week. When I complain at Avery she shakes her head at me in pity.
Breakfast at the dining hall. Stop avoiding us just because Ash is a dick.
Harley has taken to openly calling Ash out on my behalf. I’m pretty sure it’ll only make things worse but I have zero control over this shit. Plus I get this warm feeling in my chest when I read it. I get warm in other places too, places that are entirely inappropriate when I have Harley’s cousin sitting next to me eating a fruit salad and yoghurt.
Ash sits on Avery’s other side and staunchly pretends I don’t exist. Harley sits across from me and Blaise lounges next to him. When the freshman kid next to me bumps me and then offers to let me blow him as an apology Harley threatens to stab him with the butter knife. I’ve never seen a guy piss himself over breakfast cutlery so quickly.
Ash leans forward in his chair to add in, “You don’t win the sweep for getting your dick sucked anyway, Javier. You’d have to be able to get it up and slip it in, and we all know you have problems with that.”
The kid leaves the table to the sounds of Avery’s tinkling laughter and the guys all sniggering like five year olds over fart jokes. I try to focus on my breakfast.
Blaise, who’s been watching Harley like a hawk all morning, pours me another glass of juice. “Did you like your present, Mounty?”
Avery grins down at her phone. “She hasn’t even opened it, Morrison.”
The smirk falls off of his face. “Why not?”
I sigh and push my plate away. “I don’t want to have things bought for me.”
Blaise frowns and hurt flashes in his eyes. “It was a thank you, Mounty. Jesus, I wasn’t bribing you.”
I shrug and take a bite of my apple. “Most people say thank you with words. I don’t want your money.”
Blaise’s eyes grow even more intense on my face. Avery flicks a grape at him to get his attention. “She threw a tantrum at me last week for buying new sheets for her bed because I hated the color of the other ones. She’s as weird about money as Harley is.”
Her cousin doesn’t look up at any of us. He’s texting under the table as he eats his toast, his tattoo flexing over his jaw looking lickable.
Wow. Mind out of the gutter, Anderson.
I turn back towards Avery to snark at her but my eyes catch on the bruise peeking out of her shirt. I stare at it for long enough that she notices and then I meet her knowing eyes. Her face has shut down. The smile gone and in its place the shield of ice and cruelty.
I won’t be deterred.
“Junior or Senior?” I murmur. Harley looks up and scowls at us.
Avery looks over to where her brother is holding court with his little flunkies. Harlow is stroking his leg under the table with fuck-me eyes. Well, I hope it’s his leg. Gross.
“Senior.”
I grit my teeth. The bruises are fingerprints circling the base of her throat like a necklace. Seems Joey got his infatuation with choking from his father. Avery must have been terrified. After the near miss from Joey this would have been fucking terrifying.
Ash stands abruptly and tugs Avery to her feet. “I’ll walk you to class.”
I rub my eyes and plan. I have always worked best under pressure.
Avery and Ash can never go home to that man again.
I’m calling in a favor.
My hand shakes even as I hit send. I’ve hesitated over this for weeks and, now Avery’s been attacked by her father, I need to stop being Lips and remember who I really am.
I wondered if you’d ever call.
I read the words and my mind even conjures up his voice to take my terror up a notch. Great. Wonderful. What this situation needs is more fear for sure.
Meet me tonight at Hannaford Prep. I’ll give you the details.
I hear the door swing open and a gaggle of girls walk into the toilets talking about what an asshole Mr Trevelen is and where Joey’s next party is being held. Fuck I wish sometimes that my problems were that small.
I’m well known at Hannaford. Meet me at the park in Haven. Green bench by the swings. Midnight.
Fucking hell, really?! That’s going to be near impossible to make happen but what choice do I have?
See you there.
I stand and tuck my phone away, flushing the toilet so the other girls don’t question me. My mind works overtime as I walk to history and slip into my seat. Harley is already there, reading notes, and he frowns at the look on my face.
“What now?”
I unpack my bag on autopilot, grabbing the assignment that’s due and handing it to the teacher as he walks past. I chew on my nails and think. Harley gets so agitated he’s practically vibrating in his seat. When the teacher finally turns his back on the class and starts droning on about 18th century France Harley leans down to whisper in my ear, “Tell me what the fuck is wrong with you. Now.”
I roll my eyes at his bossy, entitled words but I answer him anyway, “I need to be in Haven at midnight. I need to figure out how to get there and I don’t want to tell Avery about it before I go. She’ll either insist on coming with me or she’ll try to talk me out of it.”
He frowns and shifts his focus back to the teacher, dismissing me the same way he always has. My chest tightens. I wasn’t expecting his help but I thought he’d take a little more interest than that.
When the class ends and we pack away our supplies he grabs a set of keys out of his bag and drops them into mine. “Blaise’s car is in the staff parking. Same one we picked you up at the docks. The gate will automatically open when you drive up because Avery got him a sensor. I’ll square it with him, just don’t fucking scratch it.”
My jaw drops and I snap my mouth shut before he notices how much of an idiot I look like. I can’t find words until we get to our next class and sit together.
“Thanks. I’d tell you why but it’s better if you don’t know.”
He shrugs at me, his face nonchalant but his hands are curled into fists. “I know it’s for Ash and Avery. I saw your face when you saw the bruises. I’m guessing you’re using your connections to try and help them. Ash’s bruises are worse, by the way. I don’t know how he’s still walking.”
I curse under my breath and push my luck with his charitable mood. “Can you distract Avery for me? Keep her in your room all night?”
He nods and we fall quiet, focussing on the class and taking notes.
When classes are over for the day and I get to our room, Avery texts to say Harley caught Blaise talking to Annabelle again and she has to go tear him apart. She asks to borrow my knife to hammer home the message and I start to wonder what Harley told him to get him to risk the fury of Avery to distract her for me.
I eat a sandwich for dinner and try to focus for long enough to do some work on my pile of assignments. At 10pm Avery texts to say she’s sleeping in the boys room and I slip into the shower to get ready.
I’m preparing myself, putting Lips away and letting out the Wolf.
I almost forget to grab the diamond payment. I slip it into the pocket of my jeans, I picked the tightest pair I own so I can feel the hard stone pressing into my thigh at all times. I’m paranoid as hell about losing it.
Slipping out of my room, I walk on silent feet out of the building. I make it, unseen, all the way to the staff parking lot only to find Ash leaning against the Maserati.
Fuck.
Of all the fucking students in this school.
Fuck.
I freeze and stare at him. I’m still clutching the keys in my frozen fingers like they’ll save me from the pissy fit Ash is about to throw. How did he know I was here? I mean, there’s only one way but surely-
“Harley sent me.”
&nbs
p; Fuck. What the hell?!
I could fucking scream I’m that angry. “You can’t stop me, I have to go. I’ll explain later.”
I’m not telling him a goddamn thing but I need him out of my way right now. He pulls another set of keys out of his pocket and unlocks the car.
“I’ll drive.”
What the actual fuck? No glare, no questions, no argument. I’m going to have to break the news to Avery that aliens have taken over her beloved brother’s body.
With that lovely image in my mind I get in and slam the door shut. Ash slides in, casual and fucking calm, and starts the car. He doesn’t look at me as he drives and I direct him to the meeting place. I settle into the seat and breathe until I can speak civilly to him again.
“You have to stay in the car. I’m just going to talk to someone about a job. You can’t be seen with me.”
He ignores me until he parks the car. Haven looks even more picturesque at night. The fairy lights strung up in the trees twinkling in the slight breeze like glow bugs dancing. I do a quick scan of the area and find the street is empty except for a black Escalade.
He’s beaten me here.
I unbuckle my seatbelt and when I reach for the door handle Ash stops me with a firm hand wrapped around my wrist. “You can’t have my father or my brother killed. Harley seems to think that’s what’s about to happen. You can’t.”
I stare him down and take in every shard of ice his eyes are throwing at me. Why they both protect Joey is just beyond me. I’m looking forward to the day I know every last one of Avery’s secrets and I can plan without worrying about hurting her or pissing her off.
“I’m not ordering a hit.”
I wrench my arm out of his hold and get out of the car. I wait a second to make sure he’s staying put and then I walk up the small incline to the green bench. It takes serious effort, but I manage to control the tremble that’s threatening to take over my whole body.
He’s already sitting there, his back to the car and Ash, and I sit down next to him.
I don’t look at him. It’s like every cop show, where the informant and the cop stare ahead and pretend they’re not there to pass along information. I don’t want to look at him because he scares the crap out of me and I’m not sure my shields are still up thanks to Ash hijacking the trip over here. Asshole.