She slapped me hard across the face. Her ring caught me in the temple, and stars burst across my vision.
“I’m sorry,” I managed to say. “I didn’t do anything but get in their car.”
“They already hate you, and they hate us because of you. The whole town is talking. If you do that again, if I get one more report about you, you’re out on the street. I won’t feed you. I won’t house you. You’re a slut. And stupid. I’m not sure why I’ve let you stay this long, but please believe I’d rather face CPS than see you here again. This is your last warning. One more thing, and you’re done here.”
She stormed away, slamming the door on her way out. I stood there, not moving. Strong hands took me into a gentle embrace, and I jumped. I’d forgotten. In the moments that I’d taken the hit, I’d somehow not remembered Aaron was there to see it.
“I…” I didn’t finish that thought because what was there to say, really? He turned me in his arms, holding me against his chest. I tried to pull away, but he held on.
As if by their own volition, my hands went to his back. I fisted his cotton t-shirt, holding it tightly. My face was on fire, and I was more embarrassed than I’d ever been. Aaron’s heart raced beneath my ear, and his entire body trembled.
“Are you okay?” I asked, the words were garbled, but he understood me.
“Don’t ask me that,” he whispered, holding me even closer. “Not after that.”
I pulled back to see his face. His long hair was dotted with dust bunnies and fuzz, and when I glanced down his body, his t-shirt was stretched out and wrinkled. That was just from under my bed? “I really need to clean.” I tried to lighten the mood, but he was having none of it.
“It was too tight,” he said. “I couldn’t get out fast enough.” His dark eyes narrowed as he lifted a hand to cup my cheek. Expecting pain, I drew back before he could touch it. “Let me see,” he whispered.
Forcing myself to hold still, I let him touch my quickly swelling flesh. He sucked in a breath. “It’ll bruise. You could be concussed.”
Ice would have to suffice. It wasn’t the first time I’d taken care of myself when I should have gone to a doctor. Doctors asked questions and made reports, and I had a few more months left. That was it. I could make it that long. I could graduate. It was the one thing I had to do in order to get out of here.
Aaron dropped his hands and stepped away from me, his face set in tight, angry lines. It wasn’t a look that matched his personality. This was what I did to people. I made them look like this.
“You should go.” A sudden chill seemed to zip through my room, and I folded my arms in front of my chest. “I’m going to take a shower. Go to bed.”
I couldn’t look at his face any longer, so I stared at the floor. His strong brown hand took mine and pulled me toward the window before I knew what had happened. “You’re coming with me.”
“I can’t, Aaron.” I wrapped my hand around his wrist and dragged my heels. “She’s already so angry.”
He dropped my hand fast and went to my bed. Pillows, blankets, my old stuffed hippo, they all went beneath the covers before he whipped them back up to the pillow.
“You can’t be serious.” That little lump wouldn’t fool anyone.
“I could smell the alcohol like it was perfume,” Aaron said. “She’s more likely to pass out than figure out I’ve made a Lacey-shape in bed.”
“You underestimate Gran,” I said. “The woman has a liver of steel.”
“I’ll risk it.” He spoke through clenched teeth and tugged me again.
“I can’t.” Aaron didn’t understand. He couldn’t. I’d met his family. They were everything supportive and accepting. In worlds like his, family was safety. In mine, family was just another challenge to overcome.
He sighed. “Okay, then I’m staying here.”
“I think that’s an even worse idea. Can you imagine if she found you?”
He shook his head. “I was fast moving, and I will be again if I have to be. You’ve had a shit day, Lacey. Please excuse the language.” Despite everything happening, I giggled at his apology. Was he actually saying he was sorry for cursing? It was kind of adorable. “Between this, and people making up stories about monsters—that I want to hear more about, by the way—I just can’t leave you here alone. I wake up fast, and I’ll hide. It’ll be okay. You’ll see.”
I shouldn’t risk it. It was probably safer for me to go with him, but then I might place his family in jeopardy. They could be accused of harboring me or something. I didn’t know the law very well, just as far as I understood there wasn’t a person in law enforcement who would ever help me. I wouldn’t place his sweet family in danger.
“Won’t your people worry about you?” That was what normal families did. They were concerned when someone didn’t come home.
He held up his phone. “I’ll text my brother. He’ll cover for me and get me if someone needs me. They won’t. My father’s traveling, and my mother would want me to stay here and see that you’re all right, see that nothing gets more out of hand here, if she knew what was happening.”
“I wish I’d had a mother like that.” I swallowed through the lump in my throat, stunned I’d uttered those words at all. That was downright sharing for me, and I never did that. “If you’re sure you want to stay, I wouldn’t mind the company.”
His smile was fast. “I’m sure.” He took off his shoes and scooted them under the bed. “If she comes in, she won’t see me or my discarded sneakers. I promise. I’m good at being sneaky when I have to be.”
I walked into the closet to change into my pajamas, and when I came out in my flannel pants and white tank top, he grinned at me. “I’ll stay dressed just in case, but cool pjs. I like the flannel. Keeps things warm.”
“Thanks.” I smiled and winced at the tightness above my eye. I had to take care of my face, so I snuck quietly down the hall to grab an ice pack and then back. This should have been humiliating, but somehow with Aaron, it wasn’t.
I shut off the light, and we climbed into the bed side-by-side. My bed had always been too big for the room. My incarcerated uncle had shoved it in here when I’d outgrown my crib, and I’d stayed put ever since. It was an old mattress, but I’d long gotten used to the strange lumps and ever-growing holes in it. The bed frame barely stayed together. All in all, it wasn’t an ideal sleeping situation.
But lying there with Aaron made me suddenly aware of just how awful the whole thing was. “Sorry it’s so uncomfortable.”
He shook his head. “I’m good. Don’t worry over me, Lacey. I sleep on the ground when we go…” He paused. “Camping.”
Why had he searched for that word? I shrugged it off. I certainly could forget what I wanted to say easy enough.
“Well, my bed sucks.” I laughed. This was such a strange conversation.
“Tell me about the monster your friends were talking about?”
I shrugged. “They were just lying. To make fun of me.”
“And they go to monsters?” Aaron shifted on the bed, and the entire thing groaned. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“They think I’m a lot dumber than I am, I guess.”
“No one who talks to you would think you’re dumb,” he replied. “I keep rolling toward the middle of the bed. Want to lie on my arm?”
It did dip. I usually woke in the middle, and now that I was thinking about it, I realized I was sort of clinging to one edge. But to lie next to him? In bed?
“We’re not going to get any sleep otherwise,” Aaron teased. “Come and snuggle, Lace.”
The teasing did it. I could lie next to him, and he wouldn’t try to cop a feel or dry hump me. I was certain of it. As I scooted toward him, I could make him out in the dark, arm lifted, waiting for me to get in place.
A sigh left me as I settled against him. He went back to playing with my hair the way he had earlier. Fingers threaded through the strands, lifting it away from my head before he let them fall back in place.
/>
“Helper coyotes?” I said suddenly, remembering he’d never told me what they were.
“They’re teenagers,” he said, picking right up where he left off. “The previous year’s litter who stay with their parents.”
“And raise their brothers and sisters?” I asked.
“Until they find their own mates or packs. Sometimes they go off on their own for a while, but coyotes are social, and don’t do well alone for long.” He put his arm around my shoulders and gave me a little shake. “Like humans.”
His words made me prickly. “I do pretty well on my own.”
“But it’s easier with a pack,” he replied.
Something about the dark and being warm and cuddled against Aaron made me more truthful than I wanted to be. “I don’t have a pack.”
“You just haven’t found it yet. Some people are born into it, and some people have to search.”
“And some people,” I sighed dramatically, “are lone wolves. Meant to roam the earth. Alone.”
Aaron tickled my side, but I managed to hold back my laughter. Still, I jackknifed in the bed to dislodge his fingers. When that didn’t work, I went on the offensive.
His strength put him at a disadvantage. He was being careful, holding back when he could have pinned me. I wasn’t worried about that. There was no way I could pin him. The only thing I had to worry about was not kneeing him in the balls. And even then, all bets were off when his strong fingers found my weak spot behind my knees.
“Shh!” He tried not to laugh. “Someone will hear you.”
“Then surrender!” I whispered.
We rolled, and I ended up on top of him, knees propped on either side of his hips. He stared up at me, dark hair fanned out on the pillow. I caught my breath. This was the most forward I’d ever been with a guy. Not even kissing Thorn had been like this. I was on top of Aaron.
He moved his hands to my thighs.
I still hadn’t moved, as if I was frozen to the spot. “Did I make things weird?”
He grinned at me. “No. I think things have been a little weird between us since moment one.” He had the sweetest smile. “But tonight isn’t the time for that. Not yet, anyway. Tonight, I’m just here for you. But I can promise you that we will have other weird moments.”
I nodded. “Fair enough.”
I quickly rolled off of him, and we readjusted until I was back curled up next to him in the bed. He smelled really good. I wasn’t sure what I scented. Something earthy, maybe an incense of some kind. I breathed him in. Was something really going to happen between us, or was this just a moment we’d both remember?
I didn’t have a lot of reasons to trust that anything could ever work out.
He rubbed his hand up my back. “I’ll hide if she comes back, but she’s not putting her hands on you again.”
I almost argued. I just had to endure a little bit more, and then I could legally tell the world to fuck off. Only I didn’t, because I liked the fantasy. Someone who would see to it that I wouldn’t be hurt again. Imagine that.
I closed my eyes. Could I sleep with someone else in the bed?
It turned out I could. Morning came fast. Daylight streamed through the window, and I shifted. I was stiff. I usually flopped around in my bed, but last night I’d stayed still. I lifted my head to look at Aaron. His eyes were closed, and he quietly breathed. He also hadn’t moved, and given that my whole weight was on him, I bet he hurt more than I did.
The clock said six-thirty. I was almost always awake at exactly the same time every day, even Saturday and Sunday. I hardly ever slept past this moment, like my internal alarm wouldn’t take a moment off. That was great Monday through Friday, but pretty sucky on the weekends. I touched the side of his face, stroking my fingers down it, and his lids fluttered open.
He smiled. “Hey. Is it morning? Feels really early.”
“It’s six-thirty. I’ve got to get ready for school, so I have to kick you out.”
He moaned. “This sucks. I don’t have to be up for two hours. How do you do this? It’s totally uncivilized.”
I leaned on my elbow. “I wake up like this on weekends, too. I’m not a sleeper.”
Aaron sat all the way up, rubbing his face in a long motion. “One of these days, I’ll get you to sleep over at my house. I have blackout curtains and a sweet bed. You won’t wake up until noon.”
I shook my head. “I’m not allowed to go on sleepovers.”
His smile disappeared as he studied me. “How’s your face?”
I brought my hand to my cheek and then up to my temple. It was a little tender, but the ice had done its job. “Does it look bad?”
“No,” he said. He frowned. “I have some cream at home that will help with the soreness.”
“I have arnica gel,” I said.
Aaron nodded. “Leopard’s bane. That’s what my mom calls it. That will work. I don’t want to ask why you happen to have arnica gel.”
I stood and stretched my hands over my head, twisting as I did. “You probably shouldn’t.”
Aaron yawned. “Want a ride to school?”
“Nah.” I had a date with my can. “Shit!”
“What?” he asked.
“I forgot my can at school.”
Eyebrows drawn together, he asked, “Can’t you pick any can? Not to be rude, but it’s not like people seem real concerned with littering around here.”
“Yeah,” I replied. It was just… I had a system. I used them until they were literally shredded. It was just the thing I did. And Uncle Jay had given me this one before he went to jail. Of course, when I said, “gave me,” I meant it flew out of the back of his truck as he sped out of the driveway.
Aaron walked over to the window and pulled the screen off. “I’ll see you later?”
I made finger guns. “Not if I see you first.” What was wrong with me? I was going to blame it on his ridiculously cute smile and the way his eyes were still heavy-lidded and sleepy.
“Come over after school,” he said. “I’ll be looking for you.”
As long as I didn’t get detention, I could make that promise. “You got it.”
He shook his head, a half-smile on his lips. “Have a good day, Lace.”
That was impossible, but I’d do my best. I waved just before he hopped out the window. Then I watched him cross the street as I replaced the screen. Yeah. Good days didn’t happen in my world.
Seven
No one was awake when I left. Gran was snoring so loudly I could hear her over my shower, and the door to Christopher’s room was shut. Maura’s car was in the driveway, so I assumed they were together.
I hoped she never ever said anything about what she did in the car the other day. With my luck, he’d accuse me of putting the moves on his girl.
Maura did deserve better than Christopher, though. Maybe she was coming to her senses.
My walk to school was extra boring, but I was okay with that. Boring meant I wasn’t in trouble. Boring meant I was ignored.
I liked boring.
Even my first class went smoothly. I sat in my usual seat and there were no surprise guests. Mr. Roberts didn’t call me out, and he didn’t even glare.
Could things be going my way? Was that even possible? I didn’t trust it, and that voice inside me said I shouldn’t.
I made it through my worthless study hall. On the way to gym, things finally went the way I expected—totally to hell.
I’d stepped out of the locker room door and froze.
The janitor had been hanging crepe paper in preparation for the Spring Fling. One side hung from his fingers, white with pink dots. I had the strangest thought—those aren’t our school colors. Then I realized, the pink? It was blood. And the man’s throat had been torn open. It gaped wide, almost mimicking his mouth that was open in a silent scream.
The poor man had collapsed over his stepladder, but there was something odd and unnatural about it. He was draped over it, but on his back so his unseeing eyes
stared upward. One hand held the paper to his chest, and the other arm crossed it, keeping it in place. He hadn’t even made it to the ground. Blood was splashed all over the dingy cinder block walls, and without my permission, my gaze followed the spray to the ceiling.
My body shook, and I wondered if I’d be able to stay on my feet. I shuddered and covered my mouth to keep from puking.
The janitor. I didn’t know his name. I should have. Why hadn’t I bothered to learn it? He’d always been kind. Nodding at me when I passed. He’d chased off a bully bothering me one day. I’d run away. I was rude and ungrateful. Maybe I’d called out a thank you. Had I? Why couldn’t I remember?
Someone screamed. The sound was picked up like an echo, bouncing from one corner of the gym to the other. Girls cried, and I was jostled from one side to the other as people began the desperate rush to get away.
Things happened quickly after that.
We were all ushered from the gym as fast as they could manage and placed back in our homerooms. I was in my gym clothes, sitting in my red shorts and white t-shirt. I still shook from the scene I’d witnessed. That poor man. I looked out the window. Trying not to think about it.
“The following students need to report to the office right now. Abel Darga. Taryn Bridges. Darren Cambre. Lacey Madison.”
I blinked. Me? Why on earth would anyone want to talk to me? I did a quick tally. Those kids weren’t in my gym class, so it couldn’t have been that. I got up, my body numb, and walked toward the office. The pieces of shit in my homeroom oohed as I exited before erupting into laughter.
I stopped by the door. “A man is dead. Show some respect.”
The teacher didn’t look up from her magazine.
I walked down the hallway, the image of the janitor flashing like scenes from a movie through my head. His throat—it was like an animal had torn it open. Had something gotten into the school? A bear. A lion. A wolf. A coyote.
I shook my head. I was an expert on nothing. For all I knew, some human had done that with a knife. That was possible. Certainly more likely the way he had been positioned like a statue, like an offering.
Eyes in the Darkness (The Coveted) Page 5