Bad News

by Lilly James

  She gasps playfully. “I was not giving you that look.”

  “Come to bed eyes for sure.” I clarify for the group's sake.

  Louisa turns to the group. “I think you’ll find it was Hunter who approached me. I only gave in because he begged me to go on a date with him.”

  “Ooohhh. Burn, baby, burn.” Ashby goads. I get howls from the boys, but I ignore them because I can’t help but smile at the way Louisa can be this playful, one of the lad’s girl who makes my heart race, and this sexy as sin girl who makes my dick so hard it’s painful.

  “She loved it.” I grin, pulling Louisa into me for a kiss.

  We walk over to where the cars are all lined, and Jaxon jogs towards his beloved red porch. The clever fucker built the engine himself to make it even faster than it already was. He isn’t just standing next to his car, though, he’s speaking to Felicity, a girl who has been dying to ride his dick on top of his bonnet the moment she knew he was the best motherfucking car racer here.

  I glance over to Avery and can almost see the steam coming from her nostrils. Her jealousy is an issue her and Jaxon work on pretty much every day. She charges over. I roll my eyes and look at Ashby who shakes his head. Jaxon is undeniably in love with Avery. She is his one and only, and all that bullshit. And, I understand that girls can get protective and shit when their man is seen with a girl who is all over them like the fucking lurgies, but Avery is something else.

  “What the fuck is this?” Avery pushes between Jaxon and Felicity.

  I don’t want Jaxon to race on a mind where it’s not about winning but more about the argument he’s about to have with his girlfriend, so I push between them myself.

  “You were just fucking off, weren’t you Flis?”

  Felicity bits her lip at me, eyes me up and down and walks away. “Looking good, Hunt.” She calls over her shoulder. I’m expecting the same look from Louisa as Avery is giving Jaxon right now, but when I turn to her, she’s grinning.

  “Your looks hypnotize girls.” She scoffs.

  I rub my chin. “I can’t help having that effect. So Jax,” I turn to my buddy. “All ready to go?”

  Jaxon pats the hood of his car. “Ready and rearing.”

  The noise around us is all revving car engines, blaring music, and makeshift lights, and they are all the things Jaxon thrives on. I get this stupid proud as fuck feeling when he crosses the finish line first, each time. Jaxon gives Avery his three kisses on the lips–something he does every time–nods his head to us and climbs into his car.

  “Now we just stand here and wait for him to come back?” Louisa asks me, but Dexter answers for me.

  “Yep. Idiotic if you ask me.”

  Louisa laughs and faces him. “Then why are you here, Dex?”

  I watch Dexter shrug. “Support, I guess.”

  “Your accent by the way…” Louisa begins, and my ears prick up like a dog. “Is pretty incredible.”

  I roll my eyes. All the girls think Dexter’s accent is incredible. I am getting jealous that Louisa thinks it too, though? Hell, yeah. Dexter blushes because he hasn’t the first fucking clue how to deal with girl’s compliments.

  I childishly push my way in so I am standing between Dexter and Louisa, then I wrap my arm around her waist. “You excited?” I ask her.

  Her focus turns back to the cars. “Yes.”

  I smile because Louisa is adorable and sexy, and I watch her hair blow in her face as the cars speed past. I should be watching the show, egging on Jaxon but watching Louisa yelling in excitement, brushing her hair out of her face with her eyes sparkling in enjoyment is a much better show for me. She’s confident. Sexy and secure. She’s happy and has a positive outlook on everything. She’s fun to be around, loves the world, and is willing to get stuck into almost anything. She lives her life just as she wants to live it. And I find that more attractive and beautiful than any other girl who tries act like someone they’re not just to make me like them.

  “You’re looking at me again.” She says with a smile on her face.

  “I can’t help it.” I stand behind her and snake my arms around her waist.

  Jaxon nails it and speeds back to the finish line in record time. I take Louisa’s hand and run over to Jaxon’s car like everybody else to congratulate him.

  “Party time.” He yells.

  Chapter 28

  Louisa

  Hunter’s arm is firmly fixed across my waist as the crowd follow us down the stairs into an underground nightclub. The music blasts my ears, and I recognize it to be DMX–Party Up. I know it because my sister has played this song a million times in her car. The heat of the room hits me out of nowhere, and my body instantly feels like it’s been pushed into a 100-degree stove. I can feel my hair turning into a frizz ball already.

  There are so many people coming up to Hunter and the boys to say hi, and every time they ask who I am, Hunter says. “My girl, so keep your fucking hands off.”

  Jaxon and Avery hit the dance floor almost immediately, and the way they start dancing makes me want to cover my eyes because they may as well just have sex on the dance floor. I smile and turn away, and I’m lead over to the bar. Hunter knows I won’t touch a drop of alcohol since the last time, so he gets me a water and a round of beers for himself and the gang.

  “I won’t get wasted, baby.” He promises me when he spots me frowning at how quick he just downed his third bottled beer, then ordered another.

  As the night progresses, I notice Hunter is starting to become drunk, and I hate that I can see him losing control. It’s one of the reasons why I want to avoid alcohol completely. Hunter takes my hand and pulls me to the bar with him. He hasn’t let my hand go, it’s almost like he’s making sure everyone at the club knows I am his girlfriend.

  “Hey, another beer over here.” He shouts the barman as he puts down his empty bottle of the bar. The barman ignores Hunter and serves someone else who was waiting in line first, and Hunter’s hand clenches the neck of his beer bottle. “I said over here.” He yells, and throws his bottle behind the bar letting it smash on the floor. The barman looks over so I pull on Hunter’s arm.

  “Hunter, I don’t think you really need another beer. Come on.”

  “Louisa,” Avery has seen what’s been going on so it seems to me like she’s coming to rescue me. Even though I would much rather stay and make sure Hunter doesn’t get into trouble.

  “You haven’t danced with me yet.” Avery pulls on my arm. “Come on, leave the boys to gape.” She winks.

  “No.” Hunter pulls me back, wraps his arms around my shoulders and kisses the side of my head. “She’s staying with me, Avery.”

  Avery rolls her eyes and takes my hand again. “Hunter, you haven’t left her side all night. She’s coming to dance.”

  Hunter pulls me back. “That’s because I’ve seen the way all those greedy fucking eyes are looking at her.”

  Avery pulls me to her again. “That’s because she’s beautiful.” She grits her teeth. “Now let her go.”

  Hunter exhales harshly, relents and lets me go. I give him a small wave as I follow Avery. The song is Candy Shop, and God I am nowhere near as good at this dancing sexy thing like Avery is. Avery leads me anyway, dancing behind me and moving my hips for me with her hands. I swear it’s like a girl on girl grinding, and when I glance back at Hunter, he has his mouth open, so does Jaxon, even Dexter does. I have no idea where Ashby went, the last time I saw him he was disappearing to the toilets with two girls. We dance until the song turns into another, and Hunter is at my side, dragging me away from Avery.

  “Hunter,” I gasp.

  “Do you know how fucking sexy you are?” Hunter’s hands are grabbing at my face, and he’s walking me to the wall until my back hits it. “You need to stop dancing. The boys in this fucking club keep watching what’s mine.” His lips cover mine, and his tongue reaches into my mouth and devours it. My breath is taken, my mouth controlled by Hunter’s. He’s grabbing at my breasts, grin
ding his pelvis into mine and I can feel exactly how hard he is because it hits just the right stop.

  I pull my mouth away. “Hunter, shall we leave?” I know Hunter is drunk, not in control and I know if I let him, he will undress me right here, right now.

  Hunter pulls back to look at me. “You want to leave, baby?” His eyes are everywhere, staring at me, but they are eyes of someone who has had too much to drink. He even stumbles back a little when he takes his hands from my chest.

  I nod, and Hunter takes my hand. “Then let’s leave.” Hunter bends to whisper in my ear. “I have such dirty fucking thoughts of you on my bed right now.”

  I swear I make a moaning noise because of the way everything between my legs contract to his words. I feel like they’re pulling towards the door and telling me to get the hell out of here and get underneath Hunter's body.

  Hunter is about to tell the guys we’re leaving, but Giles Boris–Nicki’s ex-boyfriend, and Bree’s now boyfriend–is walking towards us and it makes Hunter stand tall, waiting to hear what the hell he wants.

  “Nice win.” Boris nods to Jaxon. Jaxon stares hard, not even entertaining the comment. He then looks over to Dexter. “English, you after my girl, Nicki?”

  Dexter opens his mouth, about to say something, but Jaxon places his hand on Dexter’s shoulder. “Don’t explain yourself to him, brother.”

  Giles laughs. “You can have her. She’s a little too coo-coo for me.” Then his focus turns to Hunter. “Beautiful piece of ass you got there.” He nudges his head in my direction. I feel Hunter’s fist clench beside me, and I start to panic. I have a feeling in my gut that this is not going to end well if Giles continues his mission to piss someone off.

  “Get your fucking eyes off her,” Hunter warns, stepping forward.

  Giles takes one step back.

  “Just enjoying the view.” He looks over my body again in a lewd manner that makes me want to cover myself up with my hands even though the only flesh I am showing is a bit of ankle. “Bit of a downgrade to my sister, though, Hunt.”

  “What the fuck did you just say?” Without warning, Hunter’s arm comes out of nowhere. I dive out of the way because his fist connects with Giles’ jaw so powerfully it drops him to the floor taking the person that was standing behind him down too. A crowd suddenly forms around us, and I see Jaxon and Dexter shoot up from their chairs to hold Hunter back. It’s too late, though. Hunter lunges forwards when Giles gets back up and starts laying into him. Punch after punch is delivered. Kick after kick.

  “Hunter! Stop!” I’m screaming at him. I want to run in the middle of it all and pull him away. But I’m too afraid. Like I’ve always been afraid of the sight of violence. The sounds of Hunter’s punch to Giles’s gut is crippling, even over the music. The crashes of their bodies are sickening, and the yelling and screaming of onlookers are all too much for me. I feel nauseas because I have never seen Hunter so angry, so out of his mind with rage. I’m scared and worried for Giles’s life. Worried what Hunter may do if he’s not stopped.

  “Do something.” I plead to Jaxon, who is trying his best to pull Hunter away but gets punched himself. Jaxon holds his hands up in the air and gives up. It’s like he’s seen Hunter like this so many times it doesn’t faze him. Well, it's fazing me.

  “Lou, come on.” Avery tries to pull me away from the scene, but I can’t leave him.

  “Hunter, please stop.” I’m crying at this point, I feel useless. Helpless. I feel like I don’t matter enough to Hunter because he isn’t listening to me. It’s like my pleading isn’t enough for him to stop. Beside myself, Avery and the boys, no one else could care less. Phones are out recording the scene, encouragement coming from all angles. I have to do something. I run towards him, grip him by the shoulder and pull at his shirt. I watch as Hunter brings up his fist, pulling it back to give Giles another blow, but it’s so quick that it catches me in the jaw. I scream out with the pain, let go of Hunter’s shirt and stumble back.

  “Lou?” I hear his call, but I’m already running through the crowds, heading for the stairs. “Lou?” Now he’s yelling my name at the top of his lungs, screaming in rage, cursing in anger. I quickly turn my head as I run, and I see Giles on the floor where Hunter has left him, gathered by a crowd. Hunter is running towards me.

  My arm gets grabbed suddenly as I reach the top of the stairs, and I’m pulled back and into Hunter’s' chest. His hands work quickly to hold either side of my face while he examines me. His eyes widen when they hit my jaw, and I can only imagine it’s swollen from his blow. “Fuck,” his body recoils. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Lou, baby,” he takes my face into his hands again, but I can’t see him clearly from tears. Tears from the pain, tears because right now, I despise the man I have fallen in love with. Yes, I have fallen in deep, deep love with him.

  “It was an accident. If I knew you were behind me…” He looks on the verge of tears, like his whole life has come crashing down on him the longer he stares at me.

  I push away his hands and take a step back onto the sidewalk. “Leave me alone, okay.”

  “No,” Hunter pulls on my arm again, but I throw it out of his reach this time.

  “I told you to stop Hunter,” I sob. “You wouldn’t listen to me. You wouldn’t–”

  “I was angry Lou,” he growls. “That motherfucker was looking at what’s mine.”

  “What’s yours?” I scream.

  “Yes, mine. Don’t ever forget it.” He yells back. I glare at him, my tears disappear, and anger overtakes. Mentally and physically, I am done at this point.

  Hunter doesn’t see it that way, though.

  “Come here, baby.” He’s pulling me, and I know he’s drunk and upset and only wants to hold me, but he’s being heavy handed.

  “Hunter let go.” I plead with him as he pulls me into his arms and doesn’t relent. “Hunter,” I say again until he’s squeezing me so hard it hurts.

  “You’re coming home with me, Lou.” He’s pulling me down the street by my arm. I’m trying to yank it free but failing.

  “Ouch, Hunter stop. Hunter, you’re scaring me.” He releases me and stumbles back. The look on his face is like I’ve just slapped him with a thousand insults. He knocks back what looks like tears forming in his eyes, and my heart rips for him. Shredding into a thousand pieces.

  “I’m scaring you?” He whispers.

  I nod, tears streaming down my face because I know it’s the last thing he wants to hear.

  “No. No. No.” He yells clutching at his hair. I cry as he walks away from me, yelling and sobbing at the top of his lungs. I know I’ve hurt him. I’ve cut his heart apart and broken him all from telling him I’m afraid, but he was scaring me, and I can’t help the way I feel. Even though I know he would never hurt me - at this moment, I’m scared.

  “Lou, I need to get you home. Right now,” Avery finally catches up to me and takes my hand. She guides my shaking body close to hers. I look over her shoulder and see Hunter booting trash cans as he walks away.

  “He’s breaking down Avery.” I cry, having the urge to go to him.

  Avery pushes me at arm’s length, her fingers on my shoulders. “Yeah, because he’s a fucking mess when he’s drunk Lou. I love him to bits, but he’s bad news for a girl like you.”

  “He’s not.” I weep. “He’s hurting inside, and he needs me to mend him.”

  Avery scowls. “Take it from me, honey, no one can mend Hunter. He’s beyond repair. Jaxon says ever since his mom died, Hunter gives no fucks no more.”

  I am too quick to defend him. “You don’t get it. His mother was afraid of his dad, and he told me it would kill him if he ever made me afraid of him.”

  Avery sighs. “Everyone is afraid of Hunter, Lou, he’s a loose cannon.”

  I place my hand on my chest. “But I shouldn’t be. They shouldn’t be.”

  Avery takes my hand and continues to walk. “Let’s just get you back to campus.”

  Chapter 29

  Hunter />
  Ashby’s cheery voice is the first one I hear when I walk into the kitchen the next morning.

  “Good morning sunshine.” He sings.

  I groan because I’m not in the mood for chit fucking chat. “Fuck you and your morning.”

  “What about the sunshine?” He goads.

  I rest my elbows on the kitchen table and rub at my temples. “Fuck that too.”

  “Woah,” Ashby sits on the chair opposite me. “Now calm down, Rocky.” He jokes.

  Fuck this guy don’t give up. Before I launch the milk carton at his head, Jaxon shuts him down by clipping him around his ear.

  “Ash, leave him, alone dude.”

  I have a different relationship with all my friends. Ashby and I have the best banter. Jax and I are more of an emotional tell-all relationship and Dexter is just one I feel protective of. Just like my little brother I guess. This morning though I wish I didn’t have friends because I don’t need them trying to figure out what’s wrong with me.

  I down a glass of milk that I’ve been staring at for the last half hour. It’s then I see the dried-up blood and bruising to my knuckles. I tilt my head back and stare up at the ceiling. I am a fucking idiot.

  “Want to shoot some hoops later?” Jaxon suggests. I look over at him, and he has a slight bruise on his jaw. I rub my hand over my face.

  “I did that?” I can’t remember hitting Jaxon, but I guess I did. Regrettably, it’s not the first time I’ve hit him when under the influence. I deserve to be run over by him. Ten times.

  Jaxon shrugs. “Got caught in the crossfire, that’s all. You can’t drink any more, man.”

  I close my eyes rub at my temples again. The headache from hell is putting is too politely. “Tell me about it. Lou won’t answer my calls. Fallon told me she’s heading to her family holiday home for the weekend or some shit to get away from me.”

  “You got into a fight.” Ashby shrugs. “Big deal. You do it all the time.”