Unspoken: A High School Bully Romance: The Longlake Duet, Book 2

by Hattie Jude

  “I’m still your mother, you know.”

  “Yes, you are. We’ve always been a bit unconventional though, don’t you think?” I smirk as I grab a jacket and my backpack.

  “Are you going to hold it over my head forever that I got married without letting you know?”

  “You left me alone with Raf while there had been threats made toward me. You knew he treated me horribly. Yeah, I might be mad a little longer.”

  She comes up from behind and looks at me in the mirror. “I love what you’re doing with your makeup these days.”

  I glance at her, surprised that she’s complimenting me. She usually has at least one “constructive” criticism to make. “Thanks.”

  She smiles and jumps when Raf walks into the bathroom with us.

  “Time to go,” he says.

  She crosses her arms and glares at him and I roll my eyes. It’s going to take time for all of us. I guess none of us can expect instant peace.

  “Bye, Mom.”

  Her expression softens and she kisses my cheek. “Bye. Come over for dinner tonight?”

  I giggle. It is weird that we’re in two different houses, but I kind of like it. I’ll take it for as long as I can. “Sure, we’ll be there.”

  I grin at Raf and he grins back. He’s been a different person since I’ve been back. Real, honest, raw…and so sweet it makes my heart flutter.

  We walk outside and Ashton is leaning against the car.

  “Surprise,” he says.

  Luci lifts her head out of the other side of the car. “Hey! You guys ready?”

  “We’re going together?” I almost get choked up, my relief to be back thrumming through my veins. Things could’ve gone down so much worse, but I’m home and…my friends are here.

  “We have to stick together at Longlake,” Raf says. He puts his hand on Ashton’s shoulder and squeezes. “Now, hands off my girl.”

  Ashton laughs and gives me another huge hug just to piss Raf off. I laugh in his chest and we head to school.

  On the way there, I think about how much has passed since that first day that I ran into Raf’s car. It’s hard to not imagine how things could’ve been if we’d all handled everything differently, but I’ve never been about the what-ifs.

  I want to live the right now.

  It’s an alternate reality when I walk down the halls of Longlake with Raf holding my hand, Ashton on the other side of me, and Luci next to him. We walk as a unit, and everyone takes note. With no Heidi around to control the girls and the weight of losing Jen still fresh, the vibe is distinctively welcoming. People that have never looked me in the eye walk by smiling and saying things like “Hey, Gabi” and “Welcome back” and “Love your shoes.”

  It’s surreal.

  And awesome.

  I groan when I see the meal they’re serving for lunch. The same lasagna we had on my first day. I smirk when Raf sets his tray down next to me before he sits down. He leans over and kisses me and I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t resist. I wait until he’s sitting and looking at me all swoony, and I reach out and dump his lasagna down his clean white shirt.

  “What the fuck?” He looks down at his shirt and then lifts a huge chunk of cheesy, meaty pasta and tosses it in his mouth.

  I laugh until I cry. He starts laughing too and the next thing I know, my lasagna is in my lap and he’s trying to get bites of my pasta. I slap his hand away, laughing until I can’t breathe. “Hands off my food.”

  “Let me eat it, baby,” he whispers.

  And I lose it more.

  Ashton and Luci come over with their trays and look at us like we’ve lost our minds.

  “I’m not sure we should sit here,” Ashton says to Luci.

  “I’m not missing this,” she says, sitting down.

  Raf snorts and smears a saucy finger across my lips.

  “Gross,” I growl. “And I’m actually hungry here.”

  “Should we let everyone know that you’re mine?” he says before he kisses me hard.

  I’m pretty sure he gets sauce all in my hair too, but he makes the kiss so good, I don’t care.

  There’s a deep clearing of the throat and I pull away from Raf, mortified when the principal stands there staring at us with two police officers. How did they sneak up on us so fast? I bite my bottom lip and hurriedly wipe my hands and face with the tiny napkin they provide at school.

  “Miss Sinclair, if you could follow us to the office, please.” Principal Saunders gives me a murderous look and I glare back at him. He’s still not on my good side yet.

  “Sure. I’d like Raf to join us, please.” I stand up and put my hand on Raf’s shoulder.

  Principal Saunders opens his mouth, about to say no from the look of it, but one of the officers nods.

  “That will be fine,” he says.

  We walk to the office, trailing the three men as Raf squeezes my hand. “It’s going to be fine,” he whispers. “I’m sure they’re just following up on a few questions.”

  I nod, but my heart is pounding violently and I’m terrified this is bad news. What if Luke or my father have escaped jail? What if Heidi doesn’t have to answer for her part in it at all?

  When we step inside the office, Toby is sitting there, along with Stefen. They smile at us, and I instantly feel calmer.

  The cop who spoke earlier holds out his hand and introduces himself. “I’m Officer Duplant and this is Officer Stanley. We’ve worked with Toby and Stefen for almost two years now, trying to get a handle on all the drugs coming into the schools. We just wanted to personally thank you for coming to Principal Saunders about Heidi when you did, Gabi. He came straight to us and it’s actually how we connected her to Luke—her preoccupation with you led us to look into her history and when we found out they were related, everything started falling into place. They both have a mile-high stack of charges against them. Heidi will obviously do less time because she’s a minor and doesn’t have quite the list Luke does, but we will hopefully see justice for Jen’s family.”

  My eyes well with tears and I try to smile instead of sobbing. “I’m really glad I don’t have to hate you, Mr. Saunders.”

  Everyone laughs, Principal Saunders the loudest. “So am I. You drive a hard bargain.” He chuckles and shakes his head. “If you can just keep the food fights nonexistent, we’ll really be good.”

  We laugh again and I nod. “I think I can handle that. Thank you for this,” I say to the officers and then look at Toby and Stefen. “And thank you for saving me. I don’t know if I’ve thanked you enough for the nightmare you got me out of.”

  “You have,” they both say.

  I grin and Mr. Saunders fills out two slips. “In case you need these for your next class. I think the bell’s about to ring.”

  We take them and walk out of the office. I feel a thousand times lighter.

  “Skip with me and let’s go take a nap? You kept me up all night,” Raf whispers into my ear.

  I shiver but shake my head. “Not happening. I’m not missing another day of school. Columbia, baby.”

  He grins and kisses me quickly before we reach the lockers. “Did I tell you I’ve always wanted to go to Columbia?”

  My eyes widen. “You’re kidding.”

  He opens his locker and hanging on the back is a Columbia poster. The edges are crinkled like it’s been there a while. So I know he’s not just making it up for my sake.

  “Meant to be,” he says, kissing my cheek.

  I smile up at him and know I’m probably looking ridiculously cheesy with how hard I am beaming right now, but I can’t contain it.

  “I didn’t think you could possibly be any more appealing to me than you already are, but I want you so bad right now I could almost skip.” My words are reverent, but he presses his lips together to keep from laughing.

  “Oh no. We’re not skipping a single day. Get to class, Sinclair.” He tosses the words over his shoulder and leaves me standing there with my mouth hanging open.

/>   Typical.

  Epilogue

  Fall at Columbia University

  I fall on the couch, unloading the contents of my backpack onto the coffee table in front of me.

  “I have so much homework.”

  “Livin’ the life,” Raf teases. “I think we get as much done as we can tonight so we can play hard once Ashton gets here.”

  Ashton is already making news with his football career at the University of Alabama. We’re supposed to fly there next month to see one of his games, but he’s coming in late tonight after a game in Virginia. We haven’t seen each other since we started school, but we FaceTime frequently.

  I still haven’t told Raf Ashton’s secret because it’s not mine to tell, even though Raf has grilled me on that kiss that happened between Ashton and me many times. It feels like such a long time ago, but it still makes me laugh when I think about it. Ashton was trying to make Raf jealous, but our kiss was so good it surprised both of us. He knows I love Raf though and knew it then too. What Raf doesn’t know is that Ashton also loved him.

  I think it’s safe to say that he’s completely moved on now.

  “I can’t wait for him to get here.” I grin at Raf and when his lips part and his eyes darken with lust, I lift up a hand. “Nuh-uh. Wipe that thought from your mind.”

  “I can be quick,” he says, stalking toward me like I’m his prey.

  I want to argue about how much work I have to do, but he goes straight for my weak spot. Two orgasms later and I’m feeling much calmer.

  “See? Now we can get to work,” he says, laughing at my sated grin.

  We do manage to get a lot done and when Ashton is due in a few minutes, I’m bouncing near the door, checking the time every few seconds. Our little apartment is just big enough for the two of us, so it’s going to be awfully cozy with Ashton and—

  The doorbell rings and I clap my hands together. “They’re here!” I yelp.

  “They’re?” Raf asks, holding the door open. He grins and then shoots a look of surprise my way when he sees a tall, hot guy standing next to Ashton. Ashton grabs the guy’s hand and grins, his eyes a little nervous on Raf.

  “This is my boyfriend, Gus,” he says shyly.

  I hug Gus and then Raf does too, before we even get to Ashton. When I reach Ashton, he whispers, “Well, here goes.”

  “I’ve missed you so much.” I put my hands on his face and grin until my cheeks hurt.

  “I’ve missed you more.”

  “You gonna hug me or hog my girl?” Raf asks. They hug each other hard and Raf looks at Gus again, his eyebrows lifting. “So how about we start from the beginning,” he says.

  We all laugh and head into our tiny living room. I knew Ashton was bringing Gus and have been counting down the days until they got here. The secret has been eating me up inside. I’m thrilled that I don’t have to keep it any longer.

  “Well, you know since we couldn’t both have Gabi…and I actually like men too…I thought it was time you knew the truth about me,” Ashton says.

  I look at Gus, worried he would get the wrong idea about me, but he hangs on Ashton’s words and smiles sweetly at me. My shoulders relax and I can’t stop smiling the rest of the night. Ashton and Gus are so cute together and it feels like I finally have everything I’ve ever wanted.

  True love with a man I’m crazy about.

  I’m at the school of my dreams.

  I have a best friend who is happy.

  Oh yeah, and my dad will be in prison until he’s ancient. Luke too. Turns out the sex trafficking ring was far bigger than we knew and they were neck-deep in it. I was saved from a lifetime of heartache by escaping the two of them.

  My mom and Stefen are still annoyed that Raf and I are living together, but we’ll go home for the holidays just long enough to appease them.

  I’m not living my life by anyone else’s rules any longer. And it’s working out pretty great so far.

  “Life is full of surprises,” Raf says. “I’m just happy you’re so happy. You deserve a love like Gabi and I have.”

  He passes around a few beers for them and opens a bottle of sparkling cider for the two of us. I’ve told him he’s free to drink whatever he wants—I honestly don’t crave it anymore—but he insists he doesn’t miss alcohol and if I can give it up, so can he. It makes me love him all the more. I’ve never had anyone put me first, ever.

  Our glasses and their bottles clank together and I see a vision of our future with many joyful times like this. My adult life is shaping up to be so much better than my childhood. And all the things I left unsaid for so long, all the time Raf and I wasted trying to stay away from each other, I’ve learned to leave nothing unspoken.

  “You guys changed my life,” I say to Raf and Ashton. “I love you so much. And Gus, I’ve loved you since Ashton told me how the two of you met. Locker room lust, sign me up.”

  They laugh and I’m complete.

  I’m ready to embrace the hell out of this life.

  Acknowledgments

  A huge thank you to all of you who are reading my books and to anyone who has left a review—thank you so much! Thank you, Christine Estevez, for your sharp eye with editing. Thank you, Jena Brignola, for the amazing covers! And thank you to my family for your love and for your tolerance of my characters taking over sometimes.

  About the Author

  When Hattie Jude is not reading, she's writing...and when she's not doing either of those things, she wishes she was.

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