Reckless Hate: A Bully High School Romance (enemies-friends-enemies-lovers-enemies) (Westbrook Blues Book 1)

by Thandiwe Mpofu

  “Why did you take my plane?” Because as I look at him, I know he took it, not my first suspect, George. I ignore the fact that Ace was in my room and focus instead on the fact that he took my plane.

  “Who gave it to you?” He questions.

  “That’s none of your business, Ace.” I tell him, tears still falling down.

  He presses a thumb down on my knee and I gasp out in pain. I definitely sprained it.

  “Ace! Stop it.”

  “You are going to have to be honest with me, Star.” He says with false tenderness lacing his voice.

  “Daddy bought it for me!” I tell him as he continues to rub the hurt roughly.

  “Why?”

  “Because I love planes!” I scream at him, but that doesn’t make him happy. In fact, the information looks like it annoys him for some reason.

  “You play with that thing too much.”

  “At least I have something from my Dad that I can play with! What do you have?” I scream, not caring at all that I’m doing what he told me not to do.

  He pauses, and this time, I can’t tell what he is feeling or what he is thinking. All he does is leans forward, and then he wipes away my tears from my right cheek.

  “We’ll see if you still play with anything.”

  And with that, a blistering pain blooms from my leg and I howl in pain. I hear my brother and his friends run back just as Ace stands up looking down at me.

  Ace just pressed down on my knee, and I think he just broke my leg.

  But the pain is so intense that I pass out, with the last person I see being Ace, standing over me with a hard look in his eyes.

  I WAKE UP WITH A START, my skin cold from the sheen of sweat that obviously came from the dream I just had.

  Fucking hell.

  But why am I up? I never wake up during the night, not when I take my pills right before I sleep. I glance over at the cloak that sits by my night stand. The blue light shows that it’s three in the morning, but as I look at my clock, I notice something else.

  I kick away my bed covers, literally fighting with them so I can get out of bed. I know for a fact that was not there before I went to sleep.

  My phone wasn’t there before I switched off the lights after the excruciating and emotionally draining day I just had.

  There is no way that this phone just grew legs and walked back here from wherever lair that Ace kept it. As I reach for it though, it happens.

  Goosebumps immediately appear on my arms and then the rest of my body. I can feel them prominently all over the skin of my bare legs, since I only wear my panties and a loose t-shirt that falls to my mid thigh to bed.

  A strong shiver makes its way down my spine and leaves me chilled to the bone. My heart rate spikes and my breathing is now labored. I swallow as I let my hand drop and halt my reach for the phone. There isn’t any light in here but the glow in the dark stars that cover my ceiling, provide a light glow.

  That, and the shine from the full moon coming through my open balcony doors.

  “How did you get in here?” I question, my voice shaky.

  I turn around slowly, and my gaze immediately connects with frosty blue eyes that have been watching me from where he stands by my shelf where a picture of George and I rests as well as the pendant that I always wear. It’s obvious that he touched everything on my desk and he looks unbothered by it all.

  The way he stands is also obvious that he has been here and watching me for a while—longer than I would like to know.

  “I did tell you that I have a long reach, didn’t I?” His voice is cool, raspy and deep. I have no idea how he got in here or how long he has been in my room, but fear starts coursing through my blood. Dread forms in my heart but I make sure to harden my gaze and my voice.

  “Get out before I scream bloody murder.” I threaten but he just cocks his head to the left, studying me.

  “Somehow, you and I both know what will happen if you do that.” He says in a bored tone.

  “I’m not on the same wavelength as your stupid self. Coming in here like you own the place.”

  “Don’t I?” He questions as he takes one step in my direction and I unconsciously step with him, taking one of my own back.

  “You don’t own this place.” I tell him, trying to look around the room to find something. I start shaking as he takes another step closer to me. I hate this, hate feeling like I’m trapped.

  Relax, Raea. You are completely safe.

  “Who owns this then? Your shithead of a father?” He taunts, taking another step closer but I have now run out of backing space. My bed is now behind me and I try to calculate how fast I can get over the bed and straight to the door without him catching me.

  “You know I can catch you without even trying.” He says as if knowing exactly what I’m thinking right now.

  And isn’t he right. The fastest guy I have ever known in my life is Ace. He might be big, tough, brawny but he is light on his feet. And by the way he stands now, he is ready for anything.

  “Why are you here?” I demand, forcing myself to be still. Why aren’t the damn pills working? Why are my emotions so all over the damn place right now.

  “You still dream about me.”

  I look at him sharply, my mouth dropping open. How did he. . .?

  “And you also still speak in your sleep.” He says.

  Oh, my fucking gosh. I still fucking talk in my sleep? How is that possible?

  “You don’t know what you are talking about.” I deny but he only looks at me and then in one move that I don’t see him making, he is suddenly in front of me.

  I gasp and make a move to get away from him but his thick, muscular arm goes around my waist so softly, so languid that I almost melt right then and there. But even as he holds me and our gazes clash, I can feel the tension within him. The tenseness of his shoulders, the hardness of his gaze and the frown lines around his eyes.

  “Star, you are the only one on this wretched earth that calls me Ace, despite my more ‘saintly’ warnings to you.”

  “A murderous saint, maybe.” I say and with those words, all my fear and shaking disappears as an image of my brother comes back to mind. My brother in a damn box, six feet under.

  “I think you like testing my patience.” Is all he says.

  “You’ll be testing out hell by the time I’m done with you.” I grit out but he only pushes the back end of my t-shirt away as his cool, deft long fingers connect with the bare skin at my waist, right above where my panties begin.

  “We’ll be burning together then.” He says and I shiver. A shiver that he enjoys as his pupils start to dilate. As he softly caresses my skin, my traitorous body grows softer as the seconds tick by and he just watches me as if he knows exactly what’s happening to me. Need, sharp and strong, begins throbbing in me.

  And he knows that.

  “I hate being touched.” I tell him, my voice breathy. “Please let me go before I start panicking.” I inform him. By now I should be hyperventilating or about to have a heart attack but nothing happens. Not even a drop of sweat, as he keeps caressing my skin. Instead, I feel like climbing him like a tree. I want him to hold me. I want Ace to fucking kiss me.

  “Why?” He questions as his other hand comes up to my ass and he starts caressing my left butt cheek, in perfect sync with what he is doing at my waist. But as soon as I feel that, my eyes that I wasn’t aware where now closed—shoot open and I push him away. And he lets me push him away. I start shaking and I don’t care if he notices that I’m starting to panic.

  I’m breathing hard now and the dread that I knew would come is now spreading through my system, making breathing difficult. My heart is thundering so loud in my chest now.

  “Why did you kill him? He was my brother—the most important part of my being and you took him away!” I shout at him and he just watches me, now with a hard gleam in his eyes.

  “You murdered my brother over what? What did he do to you?” I scream now, because h
e is murderer. He has blood on his hands, he has my brother’s blood on his hands and that pains me more than anything.

  I completely and recklessly shatter right in front of him as I cry.

  “Why I do what I do, is none of your business.” He says in a cool, measured voice, watching me as I fall apart. And then he turns to walk towards my door and I know he is about to leave.

  “Everything you fucking do is my business!” I shout after him, feeling myself crumble before him.

  “You lost that right when you left. It doesn’t work like that anymore.” He says the words with a kind of coldness that makes my body shiver.

  “Oh, and you better answer when I call.” He instructs, looking at my phone that he placed on my bedside table.

  “I’m not ever going to talk to you!”

  “Not unless you want that friend of yours to stay breathing.” He threatens, with a smirk on his face.

  “I’m going to make you wish you were never born for what you did to George. And you of all people should know I have nothing to lose.”

  All he does is turn for the door, and doesn’t acknowledge my threat or my words. It’s as if he doesn’t take them seriously or as if he thinks I’m a joke and nothing can touch him. Well, he has another thing coming.

  “I hate you!” I scream after him as he is almost through the door but he turns around then and his sharp gaze looks down at me.

  “Answer the damn call each time.” He says and with that, he is gone.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  ASTRAEA

  AFTER ACE LEFT, I WASN’T able to fall back asleep despite all of my furious and serious attempts to erase his presence in my room at such an odd hour of the night. But—I've always known—I can never erase Ace. Not in any part of my past or my present.

  I just hope I do something about the future, but glancing again at the phone that I haven’t touched, it almost seems like Ace has already planted the seeds of my future. And that worries me to no end.

  Everything about Ace is unpredictable. Everything about this ridiculously extravagant place is unpredictable. You never know what’s lurking in the shadows, you never know the secrets of your own life until you force them out of people.

  And as I watch the numbers on the digital watch change to show that it’s ten am, I still haven’t left my place on the floor, right where Ace left me. I haven’t moved an inch, my body too fragile and feeling like Jell-O to actually make a move.

  I’m sick of this.

  A knock comes through my door but before I can tell whoever it is to go the fuck away, the door pushes open and my mother ceremoniously walks in like she owns the space.

  I groan.

  I need to lock that door. But the thought of being in a locked space brings chills to my skin.

  “Astraea, I wanted to. . .What are you doing down there?” She questions after her eyes scan from my bed to where I’m laying on the floor with my bare legs and a sleep shirt on, gazing up at the ceiling.

  “Cardio.” Is all I say. I don’t owe my mother an explanation.

  “That is so un-lady like. You do know we have an indoor gym right?” My mother says as she brings a perfectly manicured hand to her hip as if she is offended by what I do in my personal time in what is supposed to be my personal space.

  “How can I help you, mother.” I sigh as I sit up straight.

  “Well, I just wanted to tell you that I’m going out and when I’m back you must be ready to go out for lunch with your father and I. He arrives from Italy in a few hours.” She explains.

  Arrives from Italy? I wasn’t aware that he was gone because I last saw the man the very day my brother was buried and ever since then, not a single peep from him.

  “I’m not interested in lunch with him or you.” I say and I get up and make my way to the walk-in closet. I don’t even know why I’m going in there, all I know is, I just want to be away from her.

  “Astraea, there is no need for you to be so difficult. Your father and I just want to share a meal together.”

  “Because God knows we haven’t done that in forever, let alone share dinner in our own home.” I mumble but she heard me.

  “For as long as you are under my roof, young lady, you will do as you are told. I’m not your Aunt that you can sass back to anyhow you want.” She says with steel in her voice but I just roll my eyes, as I take out some leggings, a sports bra and some underwear.

  I turn back to look at her, standing at the doorway. My mother, so beautiful, so gracious and so damn greedy for anything to do with power and wealth.

  “Of course, you are nothing like your own sister.” I say but that must have been the wrong thing to say because the next thing I know, a blow is heard as it echoes and bounces off the walls and the beautiful cupboards of the walk-in closet. My head turns with the force of the blow.

  My mother just slapped me. For the second time in my life.

  As I drop my clothes, I cradle the throbbing sting in my palm and turn back to look at my mother in shock. It’s now a habit then I guess.

  This is the second time she has done this and it shocks me more than anything because I’m starting to see the evil in her eyes. Starting to see that the first time wasn’t an accident just like in this moment. My mother might be many things but she is not a violent person or rather, the last time I checked, she wasn’t one.

  Once upon a time, I would have said with absolute conviction that Amanda Fields has never, not once, raised her hand at me. But now, now I see her for who she has become.

  “Astraea, I. . .” She stammers, trying to say something that will erase what she has just done but nothing will atone. She knows it and I know it too but I watch with fascination as the beginnings of tears and frustration start in her eyes.

  She can’t believe what she just did. I can’t believe she has the nerve to pretend like she doesn’t know what came over her, when in actual fact, it’s her true personality.

  “Please go.” I say, my voice cracking at the end. “Just go.”

  “Honey, I didn’t mean to. . .” My mother tries to step closer to me but I only retreat back, my body starts to shake and tremble with each retreating step. It’s almost as if every move and effort that I have made in the past four years is about to flushed down the drain.

  I’ve come a long way from that girl who just couldn’t stand to be near people. I’ve come a long way from that girl that couldn’t make eye contact with anyone. I’ve come a long way from that dark, vicious road that had wanting to slice my own wrists just so I could relieve the pressure in my chest, just like the other girls I saw.

  But I defeated that urge.

  I’ve come a long ass way and now, it takes just one slap and I’m spiraling out of control.

  “Astraea.” My mother tries again but I just can’t take it anymore.

  “I’ll come to your lunch. Please go away, I don’t want to be near you from now on.” My voice is numb, devoid of any emotion as I pick up the clothes that had fallen all over the floor and then proceed to make my way out of the closet straight to the attached bathroom and then shut the door.

  I HAVE NO IDEA HOW long I stay under the hard pelting of the hot shower. My skin is probably papery and I know I have red spots all over but I don’t really feel anything.

  Westbrook Blues isn’t a place for me. It might be what my parents want—the money, the extravagant lifestyle, the connections, the fame that comes with it but as for me, I don’t. Not anymore.

  Once before, I didn’t mind it. Everything was great and I thought that this life was not so bad. My brother and I were happy. Brittney was my best friend in the entire world and I avoided Ace unless he made it his mission to find me—but if I must admit, I would get physically sick if I went anywhere close to seventy-two hours without seeing him. It drove me almost insane not knowing where he was or when he would come for me. Because he always did—he always came for me.

  Even if it was to sit under the stars with me in silence, our hands joine
d together. A heavy sadness cloaked over me because of the bruises on his face.

  Fuck.

  I didn’t understand it and even when I was in London, that first year was. . . I can’t describe the pain.

  I can’t articulate just how messed up everything was for me and now, being back here, it’s starting to mess with my head again. I need to get out of here and in order to do that, I need answers. And I know just where to start.

  With a sense of newfound purpose and eagerness, I hop out of the shower and quickly dry up. Plugging in the hair dryer, I get to work on my long as fuck hair. This shit needs a trim, more like a cut really but whatever. It takes me a while, but I soon get it under control. I apply some fancy lotion that is in my bathroom and then quickly dress up in the clothes that I brought into the bathroom with me.

  Getting back into my room, silence greets me and I know my mother probably left which is why I need to hurry up. I dash for my closet again and search around for my socks—I still don’t know where a lot of things are—this thing is huge.

  Locating a pair of ankle socks in a drawer filled with them in various colors, I quickly put them on, then a new pair if Nike trainers. Sliding open one of the cupboards, I grab a light wind breaker and I’m all set.

  As I walk back into my room, I realize two things. One, I need to make a decision about the party tonight and then let Kim know. Two, Ace brought back my phone—which means no matter what I do with it, he will always know where I am or what I do with it.

  But fuck it, I want him to find me. So, I grab the phone and the piece of paper with both Dereck and Kim’s numbers on it and then make my way out of my room, straight to my first stop.

  To find my brother’s room.

  I’m not going to ask any of the servants and I’m going to do my best to go unseen.

  In the long hallway, I make sure to stop at every door that I see and the peep in for a bit. The first door I come across—and it’s all the way down the hall from my room—is definitely not it because there is all types of antique shit in there, perfectly organized and polished of course. Really, who is into antique furniture here?