Bullies Love and Lies

by liberty freer

  Fucking Jones.

  With my mouth covered, I’m lifted off the ground. I think he must be playing around, but then I notice he’s walking me toward a white car, and the guy in the blue jacket is holding open the back door. I arch my back and kick my legs. Jones tells me to stop struggling, but he’s insane if he thinks I’m going to give up.

  As soon as I’m tossed into the back seat of the car, I scramble to the other side to go out the door, but Jones’s body lands on top of mine, pinning me in place. The engine roars to life. I squirm underneath him. “What the hell, Jones!” I yell, feeling the car get up to speed.

  “Chill out. I’m not going to hurt you.”

  That’s what he says, but I’m being pushed into the seat, my chest hurting from the crushing weight of his body.

  “Just gonna make Ryan sweat. Can you just work with me on this?”

  “I told you I didn’t want to be a part of this shit!” I scream, trying to move out from under him.

  “Chill out. I’ll let you up. Just don’t do anything stupid,” he growls.

  His body disappears from mine. With the pressure gone, I can breathe normally. I slowly rise, brushing my hair from the sweat that’s collected on my face. The scenery zips past as we speed down the highway.

  “Where are we going?”

  He juts his chin toward the driver. “To Noah’s house.”

  I want to punch him in the face. “How long are we going to be at Noah’s house?”

  “Not long.”

  “You know I won’t be able to stop Sully from kicking your ass this time, right? And if I’m missing, they could call the cops. You could go to jail for this. I’m not going to say I was hanging out with you willingly.”

  Jones holds up my phone. “I’ve got it under control, babe.”

  Chapter 32.5

  RYAN

  “I just talked to Sully. He’s been trying to get ahold of you. Where’s your phone?” Brent asks, dropping down on the couch next to me.

  I feel my front pockets. “Shit, I think I left it in the car.”

  Wrapped up in a blanket, Silex shuffles into the living room. “Sully keeps calling. He woke me up.” He drops down on the couch next to Max. “Why’re you guys here so early? I thought you were coming over after school?”

  “It is after school,” Max says, laughing.

  “Sully wants us to get Emma from school. He has a flat,” Brent says. “I told him we’d get her.”

  “I thought you didn’t like her,” Laura says in her annoying valley girl voice.

  “I didn’t say I did,” I mumble, rolling my eyes as she sprinkles way too much food into the fish tank. Silex is going to be pissed. He might be irresponsible, but he’s a nut over keeping the fish tank clean.

  “But you’re picking her up from school,” Laura says, sitting down on the couch next to Max.

  She slowly crosses her legs, flashing her bare pussy as she does. The smirk on her red lips tells me she did that on purpose.

  “I didn’t say I was picking her up,” I tell her. “And why do you care?”

  She rolls her eyes. “I don’t.”

  “Clearly,” I spit, grabbing my beer from the coffee table.

  “Why does Sully want you to pick her up from school?” Laura asks.

  “Him and Emma are together,” Brent says, grinning.

  She narrows her eyes, and I smile. She’s been trying to get with Sully for years, but he’d never get with her superficial ass.

  “I thought her and Jones were together,” Max says. “He posted pictures of them.”

  “That’s not Emma. You can’t see the chick’s face,” Brent says. “She’s not with Jones. He’s being a creep.”

  Max shrugs. “He told Sean and Liam Emma was his girl.”

  “They’re kinda perfect for each other,” Laura says. “They’re both whores.”

  I don’t know why I hang out with these two. They’re getting on my nerves. “Why are you here, Laura? We didn’t invite you.”

  “I came with Max,” she says. “We’re dating.”

  Max shrugs. They aren’t dating; they’re fucking.

  “Can you guys keep it down? Stop talking so fucking loud,” Silex groans from underneath his blanket.

  “Meet us at Ollie’s,” I tell Max. “I got some stuff to do first.”

  “Cool, see you guys there,” he says, getting up from the couch.

  Laura grabs her purse from the kitchen, and then they’re gone.

  “We should go get Emma,” Brent says, swiping at the screen on his phone.

  “She can get a ride with Robbie. Sully’s too overprotective.”

  Brent sets his phone down next to him. “Sully’s gonna kick your ass if you don’t go and get his girl.”

  “Don’t call her that,” I snap.

  “You still don’t trust her?” Brent says.

  I shrug. “Do you?”

  “Sully trusts her.”

  “You know how he is when he sees something he wants. He wanted her from the beginning. He can’t think rationally right now.” I eye Brent. “And you didn’t say you trust her.”

  “I think she could be trustworthy. She’s been through a lot of shit.”

  “Exactly, that changes people.”

  “What are you guys talking about?” Silex asks, coming out from his blanket.

  His hair is sticking up in every direction, and his eyes are bloodshot. “Christ, Si, you look like shit. Did you even go to class today?”

  “No.” He yawns. “It’s a shit class.”

  “Do you trust Emma?” Brent asks Silex.

  He runs his hand over the top of his hair. “Yeah, she’s cool. Sully’s fucking lucky.” Smirking, he rolls his head to look at me. “Remember when she asked you how a threesome worked? Did you see how interested she was at the idea of us fucking her? She’s probably freaky as fuck.”

  “She’s inexperienced, and stop talking about her like that. I’m never going to want to fuck Emma.”

  Silex chuckles. “No? You’re never going to want to fuck the blonde with the fuckable lips and banging body?”

  “No, dude. The doe-eyed innocent sweetheart is not my type. And she’s way too skinny,” I say.

  “She’s not too skinny. You just like ’em thick,” Silex says. “She’s got some nice hips.”

  “She’s not your type, either,” I counter. “You like them down and dirty with a side of crazy.”

  “I think she’s—”

  “She’s Sully’s girl, end of story. He doesn’t share,” I say.

  Silex snorts. “If she were my girl, I’d give her what she wanted, and Emma wants to be shared.”

  “I think of her too much like a sister,” Brent says, pulling out a bag and some papers.

  “Don’t think about her like that,” I say. “She isn’t our sister.”

  “Then what is she?” Brent asks. “Mr. A took her in. He wants her to be part of our family.”

  I sigh. “She can be part of our family as Sully’s girl. She isn’t our sister.”

  “I blame you for ruining my chance. You had to go all big bad Ryan on her. Bet you feel like shit for everything you did to her,” Silex says, glaring at me.

  I glare right back. “Of course I do. What about you? You kissed her for that picture when she was crying.”

  “Emma just messaged. She says she’s got a ride,” Brent says, putting his phone down to finish rolling the joint. “Probably with Robbie or Lucy.”

  “Didn’t you fuck around with Lucy?” Silex asks, getting up to grab an energy drink from the fridge. He pauses near the fish tank, bending down to look through the glass. “Who the fuck put all this food in here? I just cleaned the tank.”

  I laugh. “Laura.”

  Silex drops back on the couch. “Again? I told her to stop feeding them. She doesn’t listen.” He grins. “She can suck cock like her life depends on it, though. I’ll let her suck my dick to apologize.” He turns to Brent. “Now, did you say Lucy? She�
��s the one with pink hair?”

  “I think it’s blue now,” Brent says.

  “She always brought the fun brownies. I liked little Lucy,” Silex says. “I need a drink. Anyone else? Vodka and Red Bull sound good.”

  “Nah, we’re headed to Ollie’s party. You coming? His parents are on vacation in Spain or some shit.”

  “Fuck,” Brent hisses. “Jones just posted a picture of Emma.”

  “He’s been posting those pictures for days,” I say, dismissing him.

  Brent holds up his phone. “This one is her. Look, she’s in the back seat of a car. You can see her face.”

  “That’s who she’s getting a ride with? What the fuck? Hold up.” I run out to my car and grab my phone. Sitting back on the couch, I pull up Emma’s number that Dad made me store.

  Me: Hey, it’s Ryan. You’re with Jones?

  Emma: Yeah

  Me: Why?

  Emma: Because he’s my friend. I said I was staying out of it.

  “She’s with him,” I say.

  “She wouldn’t hang out with him,” Brent says, still staring at the picture Jones posted.

  I scroll through the texts Sully sent me. “Sully’s going to lose his shit.”

  “Maybe you shouldn’t tell him,” Brent says.

  Me: Is Jones dropping you home?

  Emma: Hanging out for a while. Stop texting. Busy.

  I narrow my eyes, confused as fuck. “She says she’s hanging out with him.” I send Sully a text, telling him that Emma got a ride. “Fucking Sully’s calling,” I mumble, ignoring the call only to get a text right after.

  Sully: With who?

  “He’s going to find out. He’ll be pissed off if you don’t tell him,” Silex says. “You know how he gets.”

  Me: With Jones.

  ***

  Thirty minutes later, Sully barges through the front door, looking like he’s ready to murder someone.

  “Hey, man,” Brent says. “You good?”

  “I’ve tried calling her, but she won’t answer. She wouldn’t get a ride with him.”

  “But she did, and she’s hanging out with him,” I say, swiping my keys off the kitchen bar. “We’re headed to Ollie’s. You should come. Grab a beer first.” He needs to chill the fuck out before he loses it.

  “I’m telling you, she wouldn’t fucking do this,” Sully growls.

  “What about the texts?” Brent says, getting up from the couch.

  “What if Jones has her phone?” Silex says. “He could be sending the texts. I’m with Sully. Our little Emma wouldn’t hang out with Jones.”

  Sully glares at Silex and then begins pacing the room. “I’m telling you she wouldn’t go with him.”

  “You think Jones would take her against her will?” Brent asks. “I don’t know, man. That seems crazy.”

  Me: Jeff’s here. What do you want me to do?

  Emma: Tell him I’m busy.

  I narrow my eyes, not knowing what to believe. A few weeks ago, I would have expected this from Emma. Things are different now. “I think something might be up,” I say. “I sent her a text saying Jeff was here, and she didn’t care.”

  “Fuck!” Sully shouts. “I swear if he fucking hurts her, he’s dead.”

  “Who’s Jeff?” Silex asks.

  “Where would he take her?” Brent asks. “Doesn’t he have an apartment?”

  “I don’t know,” I mumble, running my hands through my hair. If Jones legit took her, he’s desperate.

  “This is fucked up,” Brent says, gripping his beer so tight, I think he might break it.

  “Jones is bullshitting because of Miranda. Let’s call Miranda and see what she has to say,” Silex says.

  Chapter 33

  “Let me go!” I scream while straining against the rope around my wrists. My hands are tied together in front of me, and my legs are tied to the chair I’m sitting on in the small dining room. Jones is sitting next to Noah on a beat-up brown couch. Noah is zoned out on his phone, and Jones is watching a music video on the small flatscreen mounted to the wall. They’ve both been drinking and ignoring me since we got here.

  “If you let me go now, I won’t tell anyone about this.” The blinds in the living room are slightly raised. The sun went down a few hours ago, but I have no idea what time it is. There aren’t any clocks on the yellowing walls.

  Jones walks into the tiny kitchen and pulls open the fridge, only to quickly close it. “We’re out. Fuck. I’m going to bed,” he slurs.

  “When are you going to let me go?” I ask for the hundredth time.

  “It’s bedtime,” Jones says, stumbling toward me.

  This grabs Noah’s attention. “You didn’t say anything about staying the night. You’re not getting my bed.”

  “You fucking owe me,” Jones says over his shoulder as he works at the rope around my ankles. “It’s just one night. We’ll leave tomorrow.”

  Noah glares, but after a few seconds, he shakes his head and turns his attention back to his phone.

  “I bet they’ve called the cops,” I say as he picks at the knot.

  “They think we’re hanging out.” He laughs. “I wish I were there to see how they’re falling apart, tearing into each other.” Jones gets my legs free and then hauls me over his shoulder. I cling to him as he stumbles down the narrow hallway. He kicks a door open and drops me on a bed that’s barely big enough for two.

  The room is tiny, cluttered, and smells like BO and old food. There are two dressers against the wall, but all the clothes appear to be on the floor. The walls are dark blue with a few band posters tacked up. The side of a fluorescent mushroom poster is curling in on itself, covering half the design.

  “Gross,” I mumble, seeing the nightstand on the other side of the bed is filled with dirty dishes and fast-food wrappers.

  “It’s temporary, babe,” Jones mumbles as he locks the door, flips the light off, and slips into bed. “Noah’s in the other room, and he barely sleeps so I wouldn’t bother trying to escape. Not that you’d get far with your hands tied.” Pulling the cover over himself he rolls over.

  He’s too fucking close to me even though he’s on his side and facing the opposite direction.

  I lie back, knowing I won’t be sleeping tonight.

  ***

  With the feeling of being watched, I jolt upright, alone in bed. Noah’s standing in the open doorway. I glare at him. “What?” I feel like shit. Every time Jones bumped into me, I woke up. Plus, it was hard to sleep with my hands tied together. “Where’s Jones?”

  Noah smirks. “Jones stepped out.”

  My gut churns with uncertainty, and then Noah comes further into the room and shuts the door. My eyes widen and my throat dries up.

  “Jones had so many fun ideas about what to do with you, but he always changes his mind when he gets near you. I’m surprised he took you from school. At least he followed through with that.” He licks his lips. “We talked about getting you drunk so you’d let us have that pussy.” He frowns. “Too bad Jones changed his mind. That could have been fun.”

  My breathing increases as he steps next to the bed. He stares at me a moment and then says, “Lie back.”

  “What are you doing?” I demand as he crawls onto the bed, forcing his way between my legs. I raise my tied hands and bring them down hard in an attempt to strike him in the face, but he catches my wrists easily. With my hands tied, I’m helpless as he brings his chest down to mine, forcing me onto my back. His hot breath fans across my cheek as his body pins mine. My hands are smashed between us. I panic as he fumbles with the button on his jeans.

  “Please, don’t do this,” I sob.

  “What the fuck!”

  Noah’s hauled off me. He lands on the floor at Jones’s feet but is only down for a second before he’s up and lunging at Jones. It’s a blur of swinging arms, grunts, and shuffling feet. Their bodies slam into the wall, bringing down a metal beer sign and ripping a blacklight poster in half.

  “Stop
it!” I scream. Wait, why do I care that they’re fighting? I dart toward the open door, but their barbaric dance of dominance blocks the way. With a guttural war cry, Noah drops Jones to the floor, pinning him beneath his body.

  I hate the sound of fighting. With every blow they land, I want to puke. Jones manages to switch positions so that now he’s on top. His fist connects with the side of Noah’s face, and it’s lights out.

  Breathing heavy, Jones groans in pain as he gets to his feet. There’s a bloody gash on his cheek, the area around his left eye is swollen, and his shirt collar is stretched to the middle of his chest.

  Jones opens his mouth to say something to me, but I leap over Noah and bolt from the room.

  I swing the front door open. My eyes widen. “No,” I gasp, and then I leap off the small cement porch and run toward the road.

  Strong arms haul me up, and then I’m crushed against a solid chest. I inhale his scent. I could breathe him in forever.

  “You’re here,” I murmur.

  “Fuck, baby. I was so damn worried,” Sully says, burrowing into my neck.

  “You motherfucker,” someone shouts, and Sully tenses but doesn’t let me go.

  From the corner of my eye, I see Ryan and Silex running toward the house I just escaped.

  I slide down Sully’s body, and he pulls away, eyes narrowing at my tied hands. “He fucking tied you up?” Sully pulls at the knot. “Did he hurt you? Did he fucking touch you?”

  “I’m fine. Jones didn’t hurt me,” I say, my gaze bouncing over to Brent, who’s standing next to Silex’s SUV with a girl. She has long dark hair and fair skin. She’s gripping Brent’s arm, her green eyes wide.

  Still working at the rope, Sully looks past me, his jaw clenched tightly. “I promised his sister I wouldn’t hurt him,” Sully growls. “She got the address from Jones, and we followed her here.”

  “His sister?” I ask, looking back at the dark-haired girl as the rope falls to the ground. I follow her movements as she and Brent rush forward, getting between Jones, Ryan, and Silex.

  “That’s Miranda,” Sully says.

  I watch as she shoves Jones in the chest. I don’t expect him to stumble back like he does. Miranda is tiny. The black hoodie and gray sweats she’s wearing hides her figure, but she can’t be more than a hundred pounds.