Rich Boys vs. Poor Boys (The Cruel Kings of Castle Hill Academy, Book 1) by Devon Hartford kd103

by Hartford, Devon

  “No,” I snort. “I don’t think he thought of it until I mentioned it.”

  Rob says, “Then he never paid for them.”

  It’s like a slap in the face.

  “Why?” I whimper, cringing near tears. “Why would he go to so much trouble to lie to me?”

  “That’s what he does,” Tucker grunts. “He’s a fucking liar. Every other word out of his mouth is a lie.”

  “But why?” I demand. “I don’t understand. I mean, why me? He can have any woman he wants. Why pick me?”

  Rob says, “Why wouldn’t he pick you?”

  I shake my head in disbelief, “I don’t understand. I’m a nobody. What could I possibly give him that a hundred other better looking women can’t?”

  “Love,” Rob says.

  “Wha-a-a-t?!” I stutter out a confused laughing cry because none of this makes one iota of sense.

  “Love,” Rob says, repeating that one word. “It’s the only thing Prince can’t buy.”

  Tucker growls, “But he’ll lie his fucking ass off to get it. Rich people always fucking lie to get what they want. Always.”

  Jonah and Skill nod agreement.

  I don’t know what to say. I’m not processing much of what they’re telling me because I’m fixated on Prince’s lies. I feel completely betrayed. It doesn’t matter we aren’t hooking up, doesn’t matter we’re not officially dating. We kissed. Multiple times. I live in his guest bedroom. He got me and Mimi dresses for the winter formal. I was going to let him sleep with me! Thank goodness I didn’t.

  Suddenly, the pieces fall into place.

  This is awful!

  I’m a fool for trusting him!

  If Prince would go to all this trouble just to fake a photo to make him look good, what else is he lying about? Everything? Can I trust a single word he says? Obviously not!

  Rob says softly, “Mary, will you put our cameras back in Prince’s suite?”

  Skill adds, “And the router?”

  “No-a!” I scowl angrily. “I’m never setting foot in his penthouse ever again! I don’t even want to go in there for my stuff! Ew! He is so effing creepy! Just, gross!” I suddenly remember my backpack with my journal and my parents’ rings. “I mean, I’ll go back, but only long enough to get my stuff, then I’m out. I’m going back to live in the Convent. Screw Prince.”

  “At least put the router back,” Skill says. “We need that more than the cameras.”

  “I broke it, remember? I gave it back to Mr. Hovarth.”

  “I rigged up another one,” Skill says and walks to a nearby shelf. “Got it right here. All you have to do is swap it out like before.” He offers it.

  Rob says, “Will you, Mary? For us?”

  I cringe, “Why do you want me to do this again? To take his family down or whatever?”

  “For starters,” Rob says.

  “What do you mean for starters?” I scowl.

  He turns to his friends, “Do we tell her?”

  “Do it,” Tucker says.

  “The whole truth,” Jonah says.

  “All of it,” Skill says.

  “What?” I ask with trepidation. Then it hits me. I smirk sarcastically, “What part did you guys leave out that you accidentally forgot to tell me until now?”

  They don’t answer right away and exchange guilty looks.

  “Spit it out,” I snarl and fold my arms across my chest. “And it better be effing good, or I’m walking out of here and never talking to any of you ever again.”

  Chapter 41

  Rob winces noticeably at my comment before saying, “Remember how I told you we want to take down the Fundies?”

  “Yeah?” I prompt warily.

  “Taking down was somewhat of a misleading term.”

  “Great,” I groan. “What did you mean? Kill them?” As soon as I say it, I’m frightened out of my mind. I know what these four guys are capable of. I saw it with my own two eyes! Rob was covered in black blood the night I met him! I mean, it was probably red, but it was dark, and it looked black, but you know what I mean! I smelled blood! There was no mistaking it! Rob and his friends are killers! They shot the two cannibals in the GTO when I was locked in the trunk, and Rob murdered somebody in the woods before he walked out!

  “No,” Rob chastens, “we’re going to rob them blind.”

  “Rob them?” I say, not believing it.

  “Yes,” Rob says.

  “The Fundies?”

  Rob nods.

  Tucker says, “Every fucking cent.”

  I say, “You’re going to rob every one of them? That’s a ton of people.”

  Rob shakes his head, “Only the richest ones. We don’t have the resources to heist them all, and some of them aren’t worth the effort.”

  I say, “And, what, you wanted me to help?”

  Rob nods slowly.

  “Erm, I’ll say it again for totally different reasons. Why me? Why do you need my help? The only stealing I’ve ever done is shoplifting. And an old motorcycle, but that’s different.”

  Rob says, “No one has gotten close to Prince except you.”

  I think for a moment then smirk, “Oh, I get it, you want to use me. You’re no better than he is.” I slap my hands on my thighs. “Welp, I guess that’s it.” Furious, I stand up. “I’ll be leaving now. I’m out.”

  Tucker chuckles, “The only person who wants to use you is Skill.” He’s obviously referring to sex.

  “Me?!” Skill snorts. “I’m the only one who cut her in on any of our takes, in case you forgot! I haven’t seen any of you fucks handing her any cash since.”

  I laugh, “He’s right about that. When do I get paid for the spying I already did?” I hold out my hand expectantly.

  Rob says, “Once we crack the codes on Prince’s accounts.”

  “Don’t you guys have access to his emails and credit cards or whatever? Isn’t that enough?”

  “We don’t do credit cards. He can easily cancel those. We’re here for the big haul. We want access to his family’s bank accounts. Setting that up takes time. We’re working him and the other Fundy whales at the same time. We don’t make a move until everything is ready to go. Once we flip the switch, we’ll have hours to transfer as many billions as we can offshore before they’re onto us and shut us down.”

  “Billions?” I blurt.

  “As many as we can get,” Rob says.

  My jaw drops. “You’re going to steal billions with a B?”

  “Fuck yeah we are,” Tucker cackles.

  “Ha!” I laugh.

  They don’t. They just sit there staring at me.

  I frown, “You guys are serious.”

  They all nod.

  “And you want my help?”

  More nods.

  I remember seeing Skill kick the shit out of those two cannibals. That boy can fight. I’ve had more than my fair share of scuffles, but we’re talking grown men. I couldn’t kick the ass of a grown man, not without a knife. That kind of thing is way out of my wheelhouse.

  I suddenly shake my head and throw my hands in the air. “Why am I even talking about this?! All I have to do is keep my grades up, do my time at Castle Hill, and I’ll get full tuition at any university I want! Why the F would I want to blow that?! No. No way. I’m not doing it. Sorry, guys. I really am out.”

  I start toward the door.

  They move as one, prowling predators on the hunt.

  The hair goes up on the back of my neck and I stop in my tracks. “Erm, I promise I won’t tell?” I say it like a question because I’m now scared shitless. Here I am, in a serial killer bunker way out in the woods, with four hardened criminals surrounding me like rabid wolves. “Before you guys kill me and bury my body in a ditch, tell me one thing. Did you kill those guys in the GTO?”

  “Wanted to,” Tucker smirks.

  Jonah said, “They tried to shoot us.”

  “I knocked their shit out as payback,” Tucker adds.

  “You didn�
�t shoot them?”

  “No,” Jonah says with conviction.

  Skill says, “Don’t forget the two I hobbled.”

  I know the two he fought didn’t die from their broken knees and ankles or whatever. They were moaning and groaning, but I assume they survived those injuries. I say, “What about you, Rob? You were covered in blood when you came out of the shadows.”

  “I wouldn’t say covered,” he says guiltily.

  I roll my eyes. “Who’d you kill?”

  “I didn’t kill anybody.”

  “Was it your blood?” I demand, not caring that interrogating these four killers might get me killed if I push them too far. Then again, if they’re going to off me anyway, what do I have to lose? May as well ask for a few answers. “Was it yours?”

  “No,” Rob says uncomfortably. “I had a little bit of a knife fight before I saw you. He had a gun.”

  “Did you kill him?”

  “I defended myself when he tried to shoot me. Things got a little messy when I took away his gun. Had to use my knife. I didn’t cut anything vital, I know that. He lived.”

  “Ha!” I blurt. “He probably bled out in the dark all by himself! Your hands were covered with blood, Rob! I saw!”

  He scowls, “That’s what happens when you tie tourniquets around the wrists of the man who threatened to shoot you in the face from point blank range before you took his gun away with your knife.”

  I picture it and cringe. It sounds truly horrifying any way you look at it. Assuming it’s the truth.

  “That’s what happened,” Jonah says.

  Him I believe. That doesn’t change how I feel.

  “Sorry,” I sigh, “I don’t want any part of this, you guys. I won’t tell anyone what I know, but seriously, I’d rather go back to being an indentured servant at Castle Hill until I finish my four years and go to college like a normal person. You totally understand, right?”

  They don’t answer.

  “I mean, I swear on my life, I’ll never tell anyone about you guys. If you knew the shit I’ve seen, you’d know I can keep my mouth shut. Believe me,” I snort, “I know how to keep an effing secret.”

  Rob grunts, “Can we talk outside?”

  Tucker barks, “Say it in here. You got anything to say, we all wanna hear it.”

  Rob’s eyes darken like lightning and his hackles go up. He glares at Tucker with feral fury.

  As dangerous as Tucker is, he wilts. “Fuck! Fine! Talk outside! I don’t give a fuck!” He obviously does.

  Rob looks ready to bite something with his fangs, bite it by the neck and shake it until it breaks.

  Nearly scared out of my panties, I titter, “You’re not going to kill me, are you?”

  “No,” he grunts. “Let’s go.” He grabs my elbow and hauls me out to the garage, then outside into the woods.

  <(—)>

  It may be December, but the sky is clear and the sun is out. Though the tall pine trees shade the forest, it’s fairly bright compared to inside.

  Rob pushes me into the woods.

  “Where are we going?!” I demand, trying to hide my nervousness.

  “For a little walk.”

  We trudge through pine needles and a scattering of broken branches between trees. From the looks of it, nobody comes out here. We’re miles from town and the woods are whisper silent.

  “Do you think we’ll see any deer?” I ask casually.

  “Probably. If you’re quiet.”

  “Is that a hint?”

  “No, but you’re loud. You walk like a hippopotamus.”

  “Gee thanks,” I say sourly. I keep my mouth shut and quickly realize Rob’s footsteps are basically silent. Me? It’s like bombs going off. I try to be more careful with my steps.

  We continue for several more minutes.

  “Not bad,” he says.

  “What?”

  “Now you sound like a baby hippopotamus.”

  “Eff you,” I snicker.

  A little while later, we emerge from between trees to a sloping hillside in a hidden valley between steep peaks. Densely packed pines fill every square inch of the valley. All of a sudden, I feel like Rob and I are alone in the world.

  “It’s beautiful,” I sigh. “Like, literally breathtaking.”

  “Have a seat,” Rob points to a big boulder jutting out of the ground. It’s large enough for two.

  “You need romance lessons,” I snark and sit down with my boots propping me up so I don’t slide off the rock into the bed of pine needles, which are slippery. I wouldn’t want to go sliding down the slope if I slipped. It’s a long way to the bottom, and I’m sure I’d hit a tree or three along the way.

  Rob sits next to me. “I come out here whenever I need to think.”

  “Think about killing me?” I quip.

  “No, Mouth. I want you to join up with us. So do the other guys. We already talked about it. We want you to be a full-fledged member.”

  “Of what, your gang?”

  “More like a brotherhood.”

  “Erm, have you noticed I’m a girl?” I smile. “I know my hair is short, but it is growing out. Do you like what I’ve done with it?” I’m joking because I haven’t done anything with it and he’s making me nervous.

  He smirks, “I miss your mohawk. That was badass.”

  “Really?”

  He nods, grinning at his large hands, which are laced around his knees. “What do you think?”

  “You already asked me that. Back in your bunker. I mean, your Secret Fucking Hideout,” I giggle.

  He chuckles. Says nothing. Sighs. Looks at the view. “Yes or no?”

  “I don’t know, Rob. I mean, I could use a billion dollars.”

  He snorts.

  I sigh, “But it’s a huge risk. If we get caught… you know exactly what happens.”

  “We won’t.”

  “I’ve heard that before,” I laugh. “I’ve known a lot of criminals in my time. They always get caught.”

  “The dumb ones,” he says with certainty. “We are planning this thing out to the very last detail. We won’t get caught.”

  “Do you really need Prince’s money too? I’m sure the other Fundy families have plenty. You don’t really need me at all. I don’t need your money either.”

  His mahogany eyes lock on mine. “Do you have any idea how much of his shit I’ve put up with since getting to Castle Hill?”

  “A lot?” I grin. “How long have you been there?”

  “The hideout or Castle Hill?”

  “Either? Both?”

  He nods, “We poured the foundation on the hideout two years ago. Finished construction and powered up the generators about six months later.”

  “Wait. You guys made that bunker?”

  “Yeah. I landed myself in the can right after we finished construction and made my way to Castle Hill. So, I’ve been there a year and half. The boys started trickling in shortly after.”

  “Trickling?”

  “Spaced out a few months apart. I didn’t want us showing up at the same time. It’d look suspicious.”

  “You make it sound like you guys went to Castle Hill on purpose.”

  “We did.”

  “You never said why you went to jail. I remember Eliza-bitch insisting that you, um, you know…” I trail off. My first day at Castle Hill, she and the Silicones insisted that Rob was a rapist.

  His mahogany eyes blacken with cancerous hate.

  Oh no. I shouldn’t have mentioned it! No, it’s better I know the truth.

  He growls low, “That lying cunt will say anything that comes to mind, no matter how hurtful it is. Anything to put herself above everyone else. She doesn’t give a shit about anyone. Not one fucking person except herself.”

  “Erm, does that mean she was lying? About you and the…” I’m practically whispering it, I’m so afraid to speak.

  “YES IT MEANS SHE’S FUCKING LYING!” Rob roars. “I WOULD NEVER—! FUCK HER! SHE HAS NO FUCKING IDEA WHA
T SHE DOES WHEN SHE SAYS THE LYING SHIT SHE SAYS! I WAS THE ONE FUCKING RAPED, OKAY?! WHEN I WAS A LITTLE FUCKING KID! FUUUUCK!!!!”

  Rob jumps off the boulder, bends down, picks up a nearby rock the size of a basketball, and hurls it one-armed against the nearest tree. It impacts with a huge boom, cracking off a thick branch and shaking the entire massive tree trunk from top to bottom. A bunch of birds flap squeaking angrily out of the pine-covered branches, wheeling away to safety.

  “FUCK!” Rob storms forward, grabs the broken branch off the ground, and charges the sitting boulder where I’m looking at him over my shoulder in shocked surprise.

  Frightened for my life, I slide off the rock thinking he’s going to bash my head in from behind.

  He doesn’t. He starts beating the branch against the big sitting boulder.

  Feet on the ground, I slip on the pine needles and land on my ass. There’s a tense moment where I think I’ll go sliding down the slope but I don’t. I dust myself off and stand at a distance to watch Rob warily.

  Splinters fly everywhere as he hammers away with his makeshift club.

  The sitting boulder just takes it.

  For ten or fifteen minutes, he shouts at it unintelligibly, bashing away with the branch, clearly intent on murdering it.

  I cringe every time the branch crashes against the rock, one hand over my eyes to protect me from flying splinters. I don’t know what to do, honestly. I want to hug him but I don’t want to get hit by the battered branch, and I’m guessing hugging is not what he needs right now. I don’t know what else to do except give him his space and wait for him to exhaust himself.

  I feel awful.

  Why’d I have to go opening that old wound?

  <(—)>

  When Rob runs out of gas, he stands there, heaving for air, red faced and sweat beading his brow, glaring and growling at the sitting boulder. Disgusted with himself, he throws the remaining stump of his battered branch into the pine needles.

  He turns to me and hits me with a dark look.

  I don’t say an effing thing.

  “Sorry,” he grumbles. “You didn’t need to see that.”

  “Do you want to talk about it or—” I stop myself. Of course he doesn’t want to talk! He wants to kill! I am such an idiot.