Cruel

by Raven Kennedy

  “I love you,” I repeated shakily. “But you’re going to Stephanie’s house at night. You’re keeping secrets. You’re still holding me at arm’s length. So if you don’t love me too, then I need you to leave me alone. I need you to stop using my body against me, because you’re breaking me, Rogue. You’re breaking me, and I don’t know if I can keep picking myself back up,” I admitted, looking down at my feet as I crossed my arms over my chest. I suddenly felt so alone, so used. For the first time, I actually felt like the Trash Whore that everyone called me.

  With a growl, he took a step toward me and then his hands were gripping my cheeks, and he was looking me in my eyes. “You love me?” he asked.

  “I wish I didn’t.”

  “Don’t stop.”

  Then his lips were on mine, but it wasn’t the Rogue I was used to. This kiss was a caress. A plea. His tongue swept into my mouth and tangled with mine, and he seemed to want to drink in my soul.

  When we broke apart, he wiped my cheeks free of tears again. “I love you, Scarlett,” he said, so quietly I almost didn’t hear him.

  My heart froze in my chest. “Don’t lie to me, Rogue.”

  “I’m not, dammit,” he said, his hands going down to grip my waist. “I tried to stay away like you said, but I couldn’t even last one goddamn day,” he admitted, like he was angry at himself. “You deserve someone better, but I can’t give you up now. I’m done trying. You’re mine.”

  I swallowed. “But are you mine?”

  His thumbs drew circles over my waist. “We go to Stephanie’s house because Godfrey and I tricked her into thinking we like to hang out, when really, we can’t fucking stand her. While Godfrey keeps her…occupied, I go down to her basement where I’ve stashed the photographic evidence that we stole.”

  My eyes widened. “You hid the evidence at her house? Why?”

  The edge of his lips tilted up. “Her daddy is Judge Palmisano. If the evidence comes to light, they’ll find it at his house. Won’t look good for him.”

  “Stephanie has no idea?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “She thinks I get off on watching them,” Rogue explained. “Godfrey usually gets her loaded, or he has to fuck her while I do my thing.”

  My stomach churned with something uncomfortable. The fact that they were using Stephanie like that didn’t sit well with me, but I also felt badly for Godfrey. What was that doing to him if he didn’t even like her?

  “Why do you keep going back?”

  “I’ve been going through the photos. But it’s time consuming. There are…a lot, and most of them are fucking horrible. Plus, I can’t sneak off into the basement for too long, or Stephanie would get suspicious.”

  I run a hand through my hair as I digest all of this information. “This is so fucked up.”

  “Forget all that for now,” Rogue said, gripping my hand. “I’m not fucking anyone else. I don’t want anyone else, and like I said before, I can’t let you walk away.”

  I swallowed hard, almost too afraid to believe him. “Rogue…”

  “We’re doing this thing, Scarlett,” he said, cutting me off. “I fucking love you. So let me.”

  I studied him for a long time, watching as the dawn slowly began to lighten his features, softening him and making my heart constrict. Finally, I nodded. “Don’t make me regret this.”

  “I won’t.”

  Chapter Thirty

  I took a long, cold shower in the gym locker room. Letting the water wash over me, I tried to wipe the smile off my face, but failed. I stayed until my fingers were pruned and my body was numb from the chill, then got dressed and fixed my hair and makeup just in time for first bell to ring. I didn’t see any of the guys as I made my way down the halls, but I could still feel Rogue’s hands on me, like his touch branded me for everyone to see.

  Every time we came together, things felt more and more intense. I couldn’t believe Rogue had said he loved me. It felt like a dream. If it weren’t for the soreness between my legs, I might’ve believed I’d imagined the whole thing. But it did happen. He loved me—and I loved him. It finally felt like all of the fighting and tugging had actually gotten us to the right place.

  It was stupid to love him. I’d probably regret it. He’d probably ruin me and trample my heart in the process. But it was too late. Maybe it had always been too late. All I could do was trust that he meant what he said. I had to trust that he loved me enough not to break me completely.

  I was lost in thought as I took my seat in Calculus, barely paying attention when Godfrey took the seat beside me. People were stealing looks at him, noticing his bruised face, and there were already wild rumors going around about how he’d taken on five other guys at a rival school and had beaten the shit out of them. That was no doubt Bonham’s crafty storytelling at play.

  There were other stories, too, each one more outlandish than the last, and all of them painting Godfrey as some hero or badass. I was glad for him that no one knew the truth. And I knew that he would hate me if I looked at him with pity, which is why I didn’t. He preferred the adoring and flirtatious looks that he got from the other girls, and there were plenty of those.

  He flung his arm over the back of my chair, startling me out my thoughts. “Good workout?” he teased.

  I elbowed him in the stomach, making him flinch forward with an “oomph” before cracking a smile. I shook my head. “God, you guys are worse than the Heir Chasers. What do you do? Gossip around your morning coffee?” I asked peevishly.

  “Group text, usually,” he deadpanned.

  I felt my cheeks heat with embarrassment, and my mouth opened in indignation. Of course he bragged to the guys that we fucked in the gym. I actually shouldn’t be surprised about it. “That son of a bitch,” I bit out, ready to launch into a tirade.

  Godfrey cut me off. “Easy, tiger. I was just kidding. Rogue doesn’t say shit when it comes to you. But I knew you were at the gym early, and I knew he followed you. I put two and two together myself, and you just confirmed it,” he said with a smirk.

  I blew out a frustrated but relieved breath and faced forward just as the teacher, Mr. Shang, came in and told everyone to quiet down.

  “Mr. Taylor, that’s not your assigned seat,” the teacher pointed out.

  Godfrey looked around like he was only just now realizing where he’d planted his ass. “Huh. How about that.”

  “Mr. Taylor, if you’d be so kind as to move to your designated spot, I’d like to get today’s lesson started,” Mr. Shang said with an edge of derision. The teachers secretly hated how much power the guys had, even though they’d never openly say so.

  “I’m good here, actually,” Godfrey tossed back.

  I watched Mr. Shang inwardly debate with himself what to do, but in the end, he just turned away and started his lesson. Godfrey sat back again with a cocky look on his face.

  “You’re such a dick,” I said under my breath.

  “What was that? You want to suck my dick?” he said, way too loudly.

  Snickers erupted as several people in class turned around to look at us, and I practically slunk into my chair before kicking him under the seat. He just chuckled and toyed with my hair. Asshole.

  I did my best to ignore him for the rest of the period, taking notes and doing the assignment as best I could with my mind still back at the gym. I was pretty sure it was something I’d remember for a very long time. And not that I’d ever tell Rogue, but I couldn’t wait to do it again. He was arrogant enough already without me boosting his ego even more. But all of those people who said that hate sex or makeup sex was amazing? Yeah, they were right.

  It was five minutes to the end of class, and I was just finishing up the last of the assignment when Godfrey’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and lazily started to scroll, but when I saw him stiffen out of the corner of my eye, I instantly dropped my pencil and scooted closer. “What is it?”

  He cursed under his breath, and his fingers started flying ov
er the screen as he typed in a message.

  “Godfrey.”

  He answered without looking up. His blue eyes hard and his jaw tight. “My father.”

  My own body tensed beside him, and I placed a comforting hand on his thigh. “What does he want?” I whispered.

  “There’s another clean up job.”

  The bell rang, and I latched onto his arm. “Godfrey, no. Don’t go.”

  He shrugged me off. “Don’t have a choice. You think this is bad?” he asked, turning his cheek so I had a better look at the bruises. “This is nothing compared to what he’ll do if I say no. And it wouldn’t just be to me.”

  My mouth dropped open. “Your mama?” Mrs. Taylor didn’t seem like a woman that experienced abuse. She was always chipper, gossiping about her soap operas and bragging about her oldest daughter. But that was the thing about abuse, it rarely reared its ugly head for the world to see. Most punches were thrown behind closed doors. There was nothing a well placed smile and makeup couldn’t cover.

  Godfrey’s lips thinned, and he gave me a terse nod. I was about to say more, but Rogue, Bonham, and Luis filed in the room, just as everyone else was walking out for their next class. Despite everything, I was proud of them. I liked how hopelessly devoted they were to one another. No questions. No refusal. They stepped up to the plate and went down swinging, the consequences be damned. They stuck together, and were loyal to a fault.

  Rogue’s eyes swept over me before landing on Godfrey. “Ready?”

  Godfrey grabbed his books and shoved them in his backpack before getting up. “Yeah.” I noticed that all four of them already had their masks on—their expressionless faces, their hard tones, their tense bodies. They were ready to do this cleanup job, and they’d switched to their impenetrable personas.

  “I’m going with you,” I said, standing up and flinging my backpack over my shoulder.

  “Absolutely not,” Rogue snapped.

  “I am,” I countered, pushing past Godfrey to land a finger against Rogue’s chest. “We’re in this together now. All five of us. Either I go with you now, or I’ll just follow you later alone. Your choice.”

  Rogue cursed and tugged at his brown hair with frustration. “Dammit, Scarlett, you can’t come! It’s dangerous,” he hissed, grabbing onto my arm and tugging me out of the classroom as the guys followed behind us.

  “Yeah, it’s dangerous. You four shouldn’t be going either. Mr. Taylor shouldn’t make you do this in the first place,” I said, yanking out of his grip to whirl around and face all of them. “But you’re all going, so I’m going too. End of story.”

  Godfrey and Luis exchanged a look, and then Bonham stepped forward. “Rogue, maybe—”

  “No!” Rogue yelled, making people in the hallways turn to look at us. “I said no,” he gritted out, his brown eyes landing back on me. “I don’t want you involved.”

  “I’m already involved.” I countered. “Let me come. Please,” I asked, letting some of the desperation that I felt creep into my tone. Rogue needed to feel in control because so much of his life was controlled for him. “I’ll listen to whatever you say, but don’t leave me behind again,” I said, my voice softer. “I’ll go crazy.”

  He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “If you fucking get hurt…”

  “I won’t,” I quickly interjected.

  He shook his head with anger. “You don’t know that.”

  “We’re gonna be late if we keep standing here,” Godfrey said.

  Rogue shot me one more withering glare. “You don’t fucking leave my side. Got it?”

  I swallowed the bittersweet pill of victory and nodded. “Got it.”

  It didn’t take long for us to get there, but it was a strange drive over. None of them spoke much, even Luis wasn’t his usual humorous self. We all rode with Rogue, who took us to his estate, where we then switched out of our uniforms. To my surprise, Rogue pulled out some of my old clothes from his closet. It was a pair of jeans and a long sleeved gray shirt that I must’ve forgotten about during one of my many times in the jacuzzi or sleeping over.

  The guys were all tensely quiet as they got dressed. Not one of them look over at me as I stripped out of my skirt and stockings. After pulling on the jeans and shirt, I pulled my shoes back on and followed the guys downstairs. Rogue slipped into the basement, and when he came back, I watched him tuck a handgun into the back of his jeans.

  He led us outside and around to the back, where the estate had a separate garage area. It was massive, housing at least ten different cars. Rogue keyed in a code for the one at the end, and the garage door slid open without a noise, revealing a large black SUV inside with tinted windows and a car dealership plate on the back instead of a license plate.

  “Unmarked car?” I asked.

  “Makes it easier. We don’t want to be followed.”

  I got into the back with Luis and Bonham, while Godfrey rode shotgun. I watched with sick fascination as the guys worked together effortlessly, like they’d done this a hundred times, which, I guess they had. The fact that Rogue, Bonham, and Luis willingly joined Godfrey for these jobs to help him showed what kind of character they had when it came to each other. They were united, always. It was them against the world. It never even occurred to them to let Godfrey do this alone. I loved that about them.

  Godfrey passed out burner phones to the four of them. Rogue had reminded all of us to leave our personal cell phones at his house before we left. Once the burner phones were turned on, Godfrey got a message from an unknown number that had coordinates. He keyed it into the GPS on the car, and I watched as Rogue drove like we weren’t about to go do something illegal. The only thing that betrayed his anxiety was how tightly he gripped the steering wheel and the slight tension around his brown eyes.

  We drove to a gated storage unit facility on Bourne Avenue. Godfrey got another message that had the code for the gate, and after Rogue entered it in, he pulled inside. I watched out the window, the cool fall air blowing barren branches around haphazardly as I tried to catch my breath. Everything seemed so normal and yet ominous all the same.

  There was no one else around, just rows and rows of uniformed, metal storage units. The lack of people made it all seem creepier.

  “What’s the number?” Rogue asked.

  Godfrey rattled off the unit number, and I found myself pressing closer between Luis and Bonham. They must’ve sensed my nervousness, because Luis threw his arm over my shoulders and pressed a kiss to my temple, while Bonham nudged me with his elbow and gave me a steadying look. “You can stay in the car,” he offered quietly.

  I shook my head. “I’m coming with you.”

  Bonham nodded like he expected that, and then Rogue pulled the SUV to a stop. He looked at me through the rearview mirror. “We never know what we’re getting rid of, but it’s usually documents. Sometimes we’re given computers to wipe, but that’s mostly Bonham’s expertise.”

  I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans. “Why here?”

  “It’s always a storage unit, just different places,” Godfrey explained. “My father has a guy who takes shit from the scene of the crime and dumps it here, and then we deal with it after my father goes through it. Luis's family owns most storage facilities in Savannah, so it comes in handy when people start asking questions.”

  What a well groomed ecosystem. Had Mr. Taylor come up with this, or had they?

  My eyebrows rose. “So your daddy looks at the evidence first?”

  “Of course,” Godfrey said bitterly. “He doesn’t just get criminals off with his stellar lawyering skills. He also collects information in case he needs to use anything later for trade deals and backstreet bribes, or even some good old-fashioned blackmail.”

  “Has it always been this way?” I asked. “Using the Salvador storage units and all these…protocols? It’s all so organized.”

  “We had to be. Our first job together was scary as fuck. We thought it was a one-off, something to get Mr. Taylor off G
odfrey’s back,” Bonham explained.

  My heart clenched again as the image of Mr. Taylor punching Godfrey seared through my vision. I kept seeing the pain on Godfrey’s face, and the force of his father’s hits. “But it wasn’t enough, was it?”

  “No,” Godfrey answered, his tone curt. “It’s never enough. And now he has enough blackmail on us to make sure this cushy little side hustle happens for as long as he wants it to. He’s implicated all four of us. We’re not minors anymore. We’re adults, which means we’re fucking stuck. We could do some seriously hard time for the shit we’ve done.”

  “But he forced you,” I argued.

  “Come on, Scar,” Luis said, looking over at me with his dark eyes. “The courts would never believe that.”

  My lips thinned in anger on their behalf. Mr. Taylor was a son of a bitch.

  “Alright, Bonham, grab the shredder,” Rogue interrupted, before opening the car door.

  We all piled out, and as we stood in the cool fall weather, I pictured stacks of boxes piled high in the medium-sized storage unit. I imagined incriminating evidence, teeth in ziplock bags, and blood-stained clothes. Even though they had assured me that most of it was bank statements, it still made my imagination go wild. The people Mr. Taylor got off were no joke. Some had been charged with some pretty hefty crimes. As much as the guys wanted to brush off the intensity of these jobs, something told me that it went much deeper than that. Hell, Rogue killed a man without a second’s pause. You didn’t get to that point by simply shredding papers. Exactly what else had they been forced to do?

  Despite my wild imagination, when Godfrey and Rogue stood in front of the garage door and unlocked it, I never expected to see a single manilla file folder lying flat on the cracked, concrete ground. I looked at the guys in confusion, trying to figure out if this was normal. With how much organization it seemed to take, I was thinking we'd have more than a single file folder to work with. Was all of this really necessary?