Treacherous by Alex Grayson & Melissa Toppen

by Alex Grayson

  “I didn’t know her.”

  “And now you do? After what? Spending only a few hours with her?”

  I blow out a breath. “If you spent half the time getting to know her that you’ve spent trying to ruin her life, you’d know she’s a good person, Oliver. Just because your dad married her mom so soon after divorcing your mom doesn’t make her deceitful or your enemy.”

  “No, but it makes her a homewrecker,” he snarls, anger making his face turn red.

  “What the fuck are you talking about? Rylee had nothing to do with your parents divorcing.”

  He lets out a harsh laugh. “Her mother sure did. How am I supposed to get along with the daughter of the woman who had a hand in my parent’s marriage ending?” He turns away and rips his hands through his hair before he spins back around. “You know what? Just forget it. It doesn’t matter. You really want her, be my fucking guest, but don’t expect her and me to become best friends. Unlike you, I refuse to let her ruin a ten-year friendship.”

  He turns away, walking toward his car.

  “No more tricks, Oliver, and no more bullshit.” I take a couple of steps after him. “I get that for whatever reason you don’t like her. I love you like a brother, and I’d do damn near anything for you, but she’s off limits. That includes anything that Tiffany may come up with.” Oliver stops and turns back around, facing me.

  “I told you before, I didn’t give that video to Tiffany,” he says heatedly.

  “And I believe you. I’m just giving you fair warning.”

  His eyes narrow, but he delivers a tight nod before getting into his car. I stuff my hands into my pockets and watch as he speeds off.

  From the first moment Oliver and I became friends, we’ve been tight. We’ve had the typical fights all boys go through over the years, but nothing that lasted more than a day or two. A couple of weeks ago, I would have never believed that a girl would come between us, but a couple of weeks ago Rylee wasn’t a factor. I can’t get the girl out of my fucking mind, and I’m not really sure I want to try. I hate that there’s this now rift between us, but I’m sure he’ll get over his beef, eventually. Once he sees her for the person she is and not the person he thinks she is.

  Benny gives me a questioning look when I walk back into the garage, no doubt sensing the tension radiating off me. I give him a chin lift, silently letting him know everything’s fine, and go back to the Mustang I’m working on.

  RYLEE

  “WELL, I SEE YOU survived,” Savannah says the second I open the door to find her standing on my front porch.

  “V!” I waste no time wrapping my arms around her neck and pulling her into a tight hug, despite the multiple bags she’s currently weighed down with.

  I knew I missed my best friend, but I don’t think I realized just how much until now. Pulling back, I let my gaze settle on her—taking in her light blonde hair that’s now streaked with dark blonde highlights and appears to have been cut since the last time I saw her. It used to hang halfway down her back but now barely brushes her shoulders. It looks good on her—then again, I think Savannah could pull off a buzz cut and still look beautiful.

  She’s one of those naturally stunning girls. With her piercing green eyes and bright white smile, V is the kind of girl every other girl wishes she looked like. Unfortunately, she’s never seen it this way. Body image is something she’s struggled with since Junior High—despite the fact that she’s off the charts on the hot scale.

  “I see someone has missed me.” She smiles, holding up the bags. “Mind helping me out here.”

  “Oh yeah, sorry.” I laugh, immediately reaching for a couple of the bags before stepping to the side and gesturing for her to come in.

  “Wow,” she says, looking around the large foyer. “This place is massive.”

  “Not massive enough.” I blow out a breath, kicking the door shut behind us. “It would take an entire country to put the kind of distance between me and Oliver that I need.”

  “Still no better on the brother front, huh?” she asks, following me to the kitchen.

  “Stepbrother.” I correct her. “And no, unless you count a forced apology as better.”

  “Well, have no fear, because now I’m here,” she sings, laying the bags on the kitchen island.

  “Did you just rhyme on purpose?” I give her a funny look.

  “Shut up and help me.” She laughs, pulling items out of the plastic grocery bags.

  By the time we’re done, the island is covered with enough snacks to feed twenty people.

  “I think maybe you went a little overboard,” I tell her, gesturing to all the food.

  “I didn’t know what you were in the mood for, so I bought all your favorites.” She shrugs. “Plus, I have all the stuff for our facials and mani/pedis in my duffel. I raided my mom’s bathroom and brought the good stuff.”

  “You seriously are the best, you know that?” I smile. “But really, you didn’t have to do all this. We do have food here, ya know.”

  “Yeah, but if I know your mom, you don’t have any of this stuff.”

  She’s not wrong there. What is it with doctors and healthy food? I guess they see firsthand the effects of a bad diet. My entire life my mom has preached about how important it is to put the right foods into your body.

  “Okay, you got me there.”

  “Let’s stick the ice cream and stuff in the freezer and take the rest up to your room. I’m dying to see the rest of this place.”

  “Okay,” I agree, gathering up some of the cold items to put away.

  Once we finish in the kitchen, I give Savannah a brief tour that ends at my bedroom. I know Oliver is home, because his car is outside, and music is coming from his room, but other than pointing to his door to say that’s his room, I make no attempt to introduce the two. Why would I? He’ll probably be mean to her just because she’s my friend—and I’m not having any of that. He can mess with me but messing with V is a line I’m not willing to let him cross.

  “SO LET ME MAKE sure I’ve got all this straight. Zayden was in on the bullying in the beginning. And despite your better judgement, you were still crushing on him pretty hard. And now he’s acting as your protector, and you’re crushing on him even harder.” Savannah blows on her fingernails to speed up the drying process, recapping my relationship with Zayden in a nutshell.

  We started with facials and are now finishing up our nails. While we kept the conversation light at first—with V filling me in on everything happening at Bristol, it didn’t take long for the conversation to turn back to me and the shit show that is now my life.

  “I don’t know if he was so much bullying me as he was just playing along with Oliver, but yes, I guess you could say he’s protecting me now. Though in a weird way he kind of always has.”

  “Ry, I love you, but from what you’ve told me, bullying you was exactly what he was doing—regardless of why he was doing it.”

  “I guess. I just… I don’t know. He’s not who I thought he was. He’s surprisingly really gentle. For a guy the whole school is afraid of, and rightfully so, he’s got this really soft side to him. You should have seen the way he shielded me yesterday at school. He’s protective but in a very Zayden, bad ass, type of way. I don’t know, he’s just really… sweet.”

  “Sweet?” Savannah smiles—not fully convinced. “A guy who does illegal underground fighting and helps your stepbrother make your life miserable?”

  “I know how it probably sounds, but I’m telling you, V, there’s something about him. A side to him I don’t think many people know is there. Sure, he’s a little rough around the edges and he’s pretty damn intimidating, too. But when it’s just me and him—I don’t know? He’s different. He’s not the asshole he portrays to everyone else. He’s caring and attentive. He even helps his dad take care of his sick little sister. How many teenage guys can say they do that? And he’s smart. Like super smart. And my, can that boy kiss.” I can’
t stop the smile that spreads across my face.

  “He sounds awesome, Ry, but….” She nibbles on her bottom lip.

  “But what?”

  “I just want you to be careful, okay? I know you, and I can see you’re already so smitten with him that you can’t see past your own nose. And I don’t want to see you get hurt because you let your guard down too quickly.”

  “Oh, trust me, my guard is way up.” I shake my head. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not enjoying what’s happening between us. I just want to see where this goes, ya know? Good or bad.”

  “I get that. And I hope it turns out the way you want. But sweetie, he is Oliver’s best friend.”

  “I know that. But I’m confused, I thought you were Team Zayden. Weren’t you the one saying just the other day on the phone that you’ve known this whole time he was into me?”

  “I did say that. And I meant it. But after we got off the phone I got to thinking.”

  “About?” I prompt when she doesn’t continue.

  “Think about us. If I had a problem with someone, is there anything you wouldn’t do to help me settle the score if I asked you to?”

  “I think I’d draw the line at physically harming someone, but no, I guess not.”

  “Exactly my point. I’m just asking that you don’t forget that he and Oliver have been friends for a long time. Based on what you’ve told me, the only conclusion I can come up with is that he actually cares about you. But, that doesn’t mean his intentions are completely honorable. Just be careful.”

  An uneasy feeling settles in my stomach, but I do my best to push past it. It’s not like Savannah isn’t saying exactly what I’ve been thinking since the first time Zayden kissed me—but somehow hearing it from her makes it harder to swallow.

  I don’t know what I’d do if this all turned out to be a ruse. But what if it isn’t? Am I really willing to pass something up that could be incredible because I’m scared that it’s not real?

  I already know the answer to that question.

  I’m not ready to give up Zayden just yet. Even if it means that it could all blow up in my face—I have to see this through. I owe it to myself to find out if there’s really something there.

  I’m not one of those girls who goes gaga over a guy, so when feelings this strong come on, I have to explore them.

  “I will be,” I promise.

  Savannah claps her hands together. “Now that that’s out of the way, what do you say we crack open the ice cream and eat ourselves into a food coma?”

  “I think that sounds amazing.” I nod, watching Savannah climb to her feet.

  “Why don’t you get Netflix fired up, and I’ll go down and get the goodies?” She offers.

  “Okay.”

  With that, I watch my friend spin around and quickly exit my room, leaving me with a lot more questions than what I started with.

  Savannah has always been my biggest supporter—my cheerleader—the person who pushes me to try new things and not be afraid to take chances. The fact that she felt the need to voice her concerns about Zayden makes me nervous for some reason.

  It’s not like she knows Zayden. The only things she knows are what I’ve told her. And while she seemed thrilled the other day, something between then and now has shifted. Maybe because she’s had some time to think on it, like she said—or maybe I said something that raised a red flag and put her on alert.

  Pushing to my feet, I cross the room and fire up the television mounted on the far wall. As I’m logging into my Netflix account, I catch sight of Oliver exiting his room. At first, I ignore him, thinking nothing of it. But after a couple minutes have passed and Savannah hasn’t returned, I start to get a little nervous.

  I wouldn’t put it past Oliver to start shit with my best friend. The thought has me exiting my room and heading downstairs.

  When I near the kitchen, I hear Savannah, but what I hear isn’t the normal sweet voice she usually has. I know instantly what that means. I quicken my strides, but then stop dead in my tracks when I hear Savannah’s next words.

  “Do you really think you can walk in here and flirt with me like I’m some stupid bimbo? That I’ll get all giggly over you and forget the hell you’ve put my best friend through?”

  He’s flirting with her….

  Not that I blame him. She’s gorgeous. But that’s the last thing I expected him to be doing.

  Pressing my back to the wall, I decide to listen for a moment.

  “Oh, relax, I was just having a little fun with my dear sister,” Oliver says, humor in his voice.

  Anger seethes through me. Of course he would think it’s funny. Everything is a game to him. I bet he hasn’t stopped for one second to consider what his actions have done to me. The embarrassment and humiliation he’s caused.

  “Fun? Are you kidding me? How would you feel if someone did that to you?”

  “It’s not like I meant for that video to be shown.”

  “Whether you meant for it or not, the fact still remains that it was. And from what I can tell, you’ve taken no ownership and haven’t even apologized for it.”

  “I did apologize—not that it’s any of your fucking business.” Gone is his flirtatious playfulness, replaced by a tone I’m all too familiar with.

  “Apologizing because daddy made you isn’t apologizing.”

  “Pretty sure you don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”

  “Pretty sure I know more than you think,” she fires back. “Since you won’t tell Rylee what she did to make you hate her so much, perhaps you’d like to enlighten me.”

  “And why would I do that?”

  “I don’t know—maybe it would help if you got it off your chest.” Her voice softens, but I can still hear the anger lacing her words.

  “Doubtful.” He snorts. “And if I was going to talk to someone about this, it certainly wouldn’t be you.”

  “Why? Because you’re afraid I’ll see what a cowardice piece of shit you are? Newsflash—that ship has long since sailed.”

  “Who the fuck do you think you are coming into my house and speaking to me like this?”

  “I’m Savannah fucking Reynolds, that’s who.” I cover my mouth with my hand to contain the laughter threatening to spill from my throat. I’ve always known V could handle her own, but I never imagined she’d be so ballsy to go toe to toe with Oliver like this. “And in case you’ve forgotten, but I’m guessing you haven’t, this is my best friend’s house, too,” she quickly concludes.

  “Like hell it is.”

  “She lives here, doesn’t she?” Her voice has turned sickly sweet, and I know her well enough to know that at this point she’s purposely egging him on.

  “She wouldn’t if I had any say in the matter.”

  “She wouldn’t or her mother wouldn’t? Why don’t you say the real reason you’re so butt hurt? It’s because your daddy remarried and you’re worried it might cut into your inheritance, isn’t it?”

  “I won’t deny that his new wife is a money hungry slut. Facts are facts.”

  At this point, I’m not sure if I’m still standing stock still because I’m in shock, or if it’s because I know if I move I’ll end up doing something I will likely regret.

  “Evelyn is not money hungry. Or do I need to remind you that she’s a freaking neurosurgeon. You think she doesn’t have more than enough money on her own? And she’s the furthest thing from a slut. Say that again and you’ll find my tolerance of you short lived.”

  I’m not surprised to hear Savannah stick up for my mom. She’s been like a second daughter to her for most of her life.

  “Not a slut, huh?” Oliver sneers. “What do you call her fucking my dad behind my mom’s back then?”

  His words send my heart crashing against my rib cage.

  “She would never,” Savannah argues.

  “She would and she did. They’ve been fucking each other for well over a year.
Did you really think they got married after only dating a few short months? This shit has been going on a lot longer than they’ve been willing to admit to anyone.”

  “You’re lying. You’re grasping at straws, trying to say something that will justify what you’re doing to Rylee.”

  “Am I? Why don’t you ask your precious Evelyn? I was home the night my mom confronted him and he didn’t deny it. Hell, he all but celebrated the fact that she finally knew. And then you know what he did? He threw my mother out and left her with no choice but to go stay with her sister in Utah. But I’m guessing mommy dearest failed to tell her perfect little daughter this fact.”

  As much as I don’t want to believe what he’s saying, a part of me has always wondered.

  “And yet, here you are. If you’re so angry with your father, why not go live with your mom?”

  “You think I don’t want to?” His voice echoes through the kitchen. “It’s not like either of them gave me a choice in the matter.”

  “Let’s say what you’re saying is true—why Rylee? She’s an innocent in all of this. Same as you. What could you possibly hope to accomplish by hurting her the way you have?” The two are silent for a long moment before Savannah answers her own question. “You think if you make her miserable enough, you’ll drive a wedge between Evelyn and your dad.”

  “I never said that. You’re assuming things. Perhaps you should stick to what you’re good at.” I step around the corner and see him gesture to the ice cream Savannah is holding.

  “Are you calling me fat?” She draws back like she’s been physically assaulted.

  “Your words.” He shrugs indifferently, a slow smile tugging at the corners of his mouth when he eyes me coming into the kitchen.

  At this point, I’m ready to explode. It’s one thing to throw out false accusations about my mother, it’s quite another to personally attack my best friend who hasn’t been fat a day in her life.