I jerk away from him. “One: it’s none of your business. Two: don’t order me around like I’m your maid. Three: fuck you. Four: I can do what I want—”
He snarls, his blue-green eyes changing color as he towers over me. He doesn’t let go of my arm. “You know what my father would say?”
I flash a smile up at him, finding a way to look down on a guy who is like ten inches taller than me. It’s a gift. “That he wishes he never had you?”
Nate growls impatiently. He leans down, his lips brushing against my jaw. “He would say suicide is the pussy way out. And I would say he’s right.”
I inhale sharply. Anger fills my lungs and threatens to drown me.
I close my eyes so I don’t have to look up at his judgmental and demanding gaze and punch his nose. “You have no idea about my life, Nikolaev.”
“Everyone goes through shit, Arkast,” he whispers just as angry, throwing my last name at me.
“Are you kidding? No, everyone doesn’t go through shit. Because most either have someone who will lift them up from the shit and carry them across it, step on one once in a while, or pay their way out of avoiding it. Someone like me?” I let out a harsh laugh, still not opening my eyes. I fist my hands beside me.
“Yea, someone like you? What? You’re seventeen. You’re in high school. You have a few more months and you’re fucking free, flame. Some people never get free of their life…”
My chest heaves up and down, rage filling me. “Really? I’m free to go where? I’m dealt three shitty cards and that’s all. That’s fucking all.”
His hands tighten on my arm sharply, and I hear his words over my head. “They can never be shitty enough to take your life. Ever.”
I continue as if he hadn’t spoken.
“I am black. I have a vagina. I am an orphan.”
I can feel tears burning behind my eyelids and I will them to stay there. No fucking way was I letting him see. I give people one chance, one chance and they’re out. Nate had his one chance. And he had thrown it away at the party where he let his brother play me like a toy.
My eyes fly open. I growl at him. “You want to know what it’s like to be black?” I push him. “Huh?” He lets his hands fall. Anger washes over me again, watching his blank face. I push at his chest. “Huh? You want to know?”
I grab his sweater in my hands and get up on my tiptoes to get close. “All you have to do is fucking watch the news. And you want to know what it’s like to have a vagina? One that people deem is a slut’s? All you have to do is spend a day with me and be very silent. And you want to know what it’s like to be an orphan? Well stay over in my bedroom and leave the room unlocked when you go to sleep.”
I hold back a sob. I push him again, making him stumble back. His face is blank; nothing, no expression. Suddenly I realize I have him near the edge of the roof. I grip his sweater and look over his shoulder. One push and he would be gone.
I grit my teeth, “So fuck you. Fuck you and your shitty advice. Fuck you and your perfect life. Fuck you and your fucked-up morals. Fuck you.”
I shake him. I shake him so hard that my body shakes and it knocks the tears free from my eyes. “Say something! Say something or I’ll fucking push you off this building.”
I hear the cars below us.
I could do it.
Nate looks at me, his black, curly, soft hair a mess. His jaw sharp, like a knife. His body towering and huge, clad in a black sweater, gray joggers and sneakers that I know must have cost a fortune.
He looks at me with his blue-green eyes.
He looks at me.
And suddenly, with a sharp intensity, I realize: he saw me.
And I turn and run for my life.
***
Caterina
Mr. Mahor starts to say something but Valentin flashes him a deadly look and he closes his mouth.
So he isn’t’ friends with Mr. Mahor? He was threatening him?
“Valentin! Let. Me. Go!”
Without releasing his painful grip on my arm, he slams the door shut behind us. He pins me with a dark look and says, “Speak.”
I pretend to play dumb and flutter my eyelashes at him. “About what?”
“Caterina…”
I shake my head, chuckling. “You just revealed your hand, Valentin.”
He prowls toward me, his eyes hooded. “Which is what?”
I press back against the wall and say firmly, “That you have something for my family.” Something flashes across his face. Yes! I press harder. “And for some reason, you’re trying to get information out of me. Something you need—”
“Shut up.”
“What is that you need, Valentin? Why did you harass me from the first day of school?”
“Caterina, stop talking.” The voice isn’t Valentin’s. I look over his shoulder and see his brother walking toward us.
Nate runs a hand through his hair, looking frustrated about something. “And, Val, let’s just go.”
I look between them, knowing something is up. I step up toward Valentin. “What is it? Why do you hate me so much…?” Something sinks in. “Why do you hate my family so much?”
His hand wraps around my throat. “Shut the fuck up.” His eyes are glowing with anger. “Just shut the fuck up.”
I claw at his hands as air leaves my lungs. His grip is so tight that it feels like a vice.
Nate starts running. “Valentin!”
But I don’t wait for him to rescue me. Knowing how useless my hands are, I give my legs the opportunity to escape. Pulling my right knee back I smash it between his legs.
His hand drops instantly and he doubles over. “What the fuck?”
I smirk, brushing my hands on my pants. My eyes flash dangerously between his and Nate’s. “Don’t ever put your hands on me.” I turn to Nate, completely ignoring Valentin and his cursing. “And I would feel bad for you for having this as a brother, but you’re a cheap version of him.”
Nate grips Valentin’s shoulders and straightens him up. He shakes his head at me. “No wonder you and her are friends. Fuck.”
Who was he talking about?
I don’t have a lot of friends at this school.
My mood gets even darker. And I had kicked out the only one that ignored all the quirky stupid parts of me.
***
At lunch, Mell sits alone.
I don’t see her in our regular seat. Instead, she’s at the back corner, her feet up on the table. She’s scrolling through her phone with a smirk on her face.
I take a deep breath and walk toward her with my tray.
I suck at apologies.
She doesn’t look up, even when I’m right in front of her.
“Mell?”
She glances up, bored. She pops her gum and goes back to her phone. “Yea?”
“I’m sorry—”
She sounds uninterested. “Don’t be.”
I bite the inside of my cheeks. God, she is even angrier at me than I thought. “Let me explain—”
She yawns, brushing her bangs from her eyes. “There’s no need to, Caterina.”
Darn it. Darn it. I shuffle on my feet. “Come on, are you not even going to let me explain?”
She glances up at me and cocks her head. “I honestly couldn’t care less. So, shoo. Go find some other people to hang out with. I hear Cassandra wants to make amends with you.”
My eyebrows pull in but before I can say anymore, Mell swings her legs down and jumps to her feet. And without so much as a goodbye, she walks off.
I frown and sit on the seat. One stupid comment and it seems like I have lost a friend. I hadn’t realized how much I hurt Mell. I thought she was just going to brush it off, but it seems like she really took it to heart.
And Mell was…different than other people. She gave one chance to everyone she met, and if they broke it, she was done. That was what she had told me.
When you were friends with her, it was everything. It was laughing and jokes and sexual innuendos and support
. But when she gave you the cold shoulder…
I feel sick.
I’m going to have to do something to make it up to her. I can’t stand this any longer.
She is too good of a person in my life and in this school to lose.
Suddenly people sit at the table around me. Girls.
Giggling girls.
Cassandra’s sharp blue eyes stare at me from across the table. Her lips twist up in a smile that seems, surprisingly, genuine. “Hey, Kitty.”
I raise an eyebrow and close my lunch bag. “Hi…”
Since when did she start calling me Kitty?
“You don’t mind us sitting here, do you?”
“I guess not…”
She giggles and flips her hair. “Yeah, I just saw you sitting alone and thought we would come join you.”
I stay silent, trying to find a way to escape this situation. I have no idea in what parallel universe this is happening, but I need to get out. Fast.
Mell.
Gosh, she would be perfect to have right now.
I smile nervously, looking around at the group of people staring at me. Most are girls, but there are a couple of guys with football jerseys. One of them has an arm around Cassandra’s shoulder.
She must see me looking because she smiles. “This is Grant. He’s my boyfriend.”
I nod. “Uh, that’s, that’s great Cassandra.”
“Yea, I’m way over Valentin. And call me Cassie.”
I grip my backpack and start to get up. Some freaky horror shenanigans are going on and I’m not about to be a part of it.
I turn around to leave when suddenly there are “Fight! Fight! Fight!” chants coming from across the cafeteria. I hurry off away from the scene, not wanting to be caught in the gathering crowd of students.
Suddenly, a hand wraps around my arm. I swing around, ready to hit whoever has touched me, when I come face to face with Valentin.
I groan. “God, again?”
He smirks. “Again, I’m not God.”
“Shut up.”
His face loses amusement. “I just wanted to say that I’m—”
The chanting grows louder. He looks away, his eyes narrowing. Something must have sunk in because he starts walking toward the crowd, pulling me along.
“Where are you taking me? Let me go! What is it with you and—”
Suddenly we are standing right in the inner circle of the fight. My heart starts beating fast.
If a teacher comes…
My eyes fly up to the people fighting. It’s Nate and another kid who looks like he’s trying to fight. He’s not landing anything. Nate’s face, one of pure rage, is like one I’ve seen on his brother oh so many times.
I wonder what ticked him off.
The kid tries to swing but Nate catches his arm and twists it. He pummels him in the stomach. He picks the kid off the ground when he crumbles and pulls him up. His voice low and angry, he says, “Don’t ever touch her again. Do you fucking understand?”
I look around the crowd and catch the warm hazel eyes of my friend, watching the fight with an impassive face.
Chapter 34
Caterina
Mell looks shocked and she is frozen. Her body is still as can be. Then finally she blows out a breath, adjusts her bangs out of her eyes and stalks into the middle of the fight. Worried, I push past people to get to her. Nate is dangerous right now. He could hurt her.
Valentin grips my arm and pulls me back into the crowd of the students. People had moved away, making space for him. I glare at him. “That’s my friend, you douche. Your brother is acting like an animal!”
Valentin shakes his head, watching the fight. His voice is low, like he is far away. “Don’t worry about your friend. He is not going to hurt her.”
“Really? He’s not? Are you even seeing this?” I jerk a hand at the fight. “He’s pummeling that kid! He’s going to kill him. Oh, my God. He might actually kill him.” I hear the crunch of bones from all the way over here.
I can’t see the look on Mell’s face. What is she doing? Why is she going toward a problem?
I twist around, but Valentin pulls me into his arms. I bang on his arm. Mell is right behind Nate now. If she reaches out, she could touch him. The students have gone silent.
I look around frantically. Where are the teachers?
Valentin’s voice rumbles across my spine as he whispers, “Trust me, Kitten.”
How can I? How can he think I could trust him? My acting can’t be that good right?
He can’t be that stupid.
“The last person who would ever hurt her is my brother.”
I almost laugh at that. The last time Nate came into contact with Mell, he got her drunk and let Valentin make her a pawn in his game.
My heart clenches and self-hatred washes over me. The way I have treated her today…
God, no wonder she doesn’t want to talk to me.
I’ve made her feel clingy and needy. And Mell hates to need someone.
She is the best lone wolf I have ever met, other than myself. That’s why we click. Except she’s better at shielding her emotions. And not giving a fuck about people.
Mell taps Nate on the shoulder, her face devoid of anything but an angry smirk. “Hey, fuck face.”
I have to contain a smile at that, at the same time, fearing for her safety. She is bad.
I am filled with an immense pride that’s reserved for one’s child.
Nate winds his arm back for another punch, but his movements instantly still at her voice. I flinch when he turns toward her, his fist still raised.
Mell raises an eyebrow and Nate quickly drops his arm, like he’s been caught doing something he isn’t supposed to.
Valentin’s grip on my waist tightens to make sure I don’t sprint toward them. He seems to want to let the confrontation take its course. He whispers again to me, “He’s not going to hurt her, Kitten.”
But I don’t trust him. Just moments ago, Nate was drilling the kid like a punching bag. I have always thought Nate was the calmer of the two, the peace to Valentin’s rage, but it seems that I was incredibly wrong.
Nate is just as dangerous.
Looking at the kid makes that immensely clear. His nose gushes blood in a way that it might definitely be broken. His face looks like death and I’m pretty sure his front teeth have been chipped.
Kind of like how Chase looked after Valentin…
Another wave of anger and mistrust rises in me. But before I can make a move to escape Valentin’s hold, Mell leans into Nate’s face. Her lips are twisted up in disgust.
“You…fucking…piece…of shit.”
There are gasps from all around us. My heart stops beating.
I want to tell her to stop. To stop talking. If Valentin is willing to hurt me, even when he needs something from me, I can’t imagine what Nate will do to someone that has no importance to him.
But she continues as if defying the universe. “I told you to stay the fuck away from me. I don’t need anyone fighting my battles.” She smiles, like he is a child, and leans in seeming concerned. “Do you understand?” She nods with a false, sympathetic face.
Nate doesn’t seem at all angry or affected. He smiles for God’s sake and his dimples appear slightly. He brushes back his dark blonde hair and crosses his arms. “Are you assuming that this is about you, babe?”
This, I can see, stumps her. But instead of stuttering like I would have, she simply scowls at him. She looks down at the kid on the floor, then back up at Nate. “What? Did he grope you too?”
He groped her?
Suddenly my sympathy for the kid goes out like a dying flame.
I mutter under my breath, “There’s other people he should beat up then.”
There is a chuckle at my ear. “I assume you’re talking about me.”
I don’t deny it. I don’t turn to face him. “The fact that you instantly came to that conclusion should tell you what’s wrong with your actions.”
A couple of feet from us, Nate shrugs, all his attention absolutely on Mell. “What do you want me to say, babe? I needed to get some anger out.”
Mell raises an eyebrow. “That’s your brother. You’re usually like a hype man who flashes sweet smiles and offers moral support.”
Nate seems delighted at this. “Am I, though?” He slowly takes his eyes off her and looks down on the kid scrambling to get off the floor. Nate brings his leg up and slowly presses it on the kid’s wrist. He howls in pain, “Please man, I’m sorry. I didn’t—I didn’t mean to do that to your girl. Please—”
Mell swirls around, rage clouding her face. The kid whimpers in fear. Oh, my Lord. “I am not his fucking anything, you little shit.”
Nate laughs, then closes his mouth quickly when Mell’s eyes snap to his. “See, this is exactly what I’m talking about. This is the type of shit that gets spread around this school.”
She slowly turns to face someone. Her eyes catch mine and she scoffs. “Exactly like your brother and his toy.”
My heart clenches and my face falls. I flush with embarrassment as people turn to look at me. Valentin’s grip on my waist tightens. “She’s just hurt, Kitten.”
No. What she is was right.
But I had my reasons. I wouldn’t put myself in such a horrible position without any reason.
Nate cocks his head to the side, watching her intently. “I’m not my brother.”
Mell chokes out a laugh. “You and your brother, your family, your whole group of friends are exactly the same. Rich. Stuck up. And thinking everyone owes you everything.” She turns around to the crowd, and then back to Nate, looking at him, disgusted. “You guys make the whole school terrified of you.” She lifts her head, her jaw taut. “I already had a taste of your group.” Her face turns dark. “I fucking hate it. So next time…” She steps forward and keeps him frozen in her gaze. She is even shorter than me, so it’s incredible how she seems to rise taller than everyone. “Don’t try fighting my fights or do your twisted version of trying to be a knight in—”
My eyes bulge open as Nate leans in and cups her face. He presses his lips against hers, shocking her to silence. Almost like he can’t help it. Like everything in his body just gravitates toward her lips.
Dynasty Page 73