by G N Wright
"Fine,” I snap not bothering to take the time to worry about whatever they have with Donovan, “But things are done my way regardless of what Zack tells you to do."
He just nods and I turn to leave but stop to add, "And if you insist on following me like a creepy fucking stalker you might as well just join me next time."
"Oh, I intend too," he smiles a cocky smile and I huff again.
God, why are boys so fucking irritating? Or maybe it isn’t boys maybe it’s just the fucking south side Rebels that piss me off. I spend a lot of time with Zack and Ash and they never get on my tits like the three fuckers here do.
I keep my head down and manage to avoid too much notice but that's only because Marcus and Jace are missing from my morning classes. I know my luck is going to run out at some point and as I make my way down the hall to my locker before lunch and see the small crowd across from it I know that point is now.
Marcus and the guys are standing by his locker with his usual fan club of girls and god does it make my jaw tick. Fucking stupid, insufferable, good looking bastard. I hate the way he makes me feel and that just being around him fucks with my head. I don’t have time for any distractions. I have enough on my plate to deal with without adding anything else.
Lincoln is the first of the trio I lock eyes with but that's only because he was already watching me, the little creeper hasn’t stopped doing that all morning. He offers me a slight nod hello which to anyone would look like he was just cracking his neck and I appreciate his subtlety at this moment. If only the other rebels were like that.
I don’t even get to my locker before Jace calls out to me.
“Enjoy yourself on Friday, princess?” I freeze momentarily completely caught off guard at the fact he is calling out to me and throw a look his way before I try to get to my locker. I just want to dump my books and get out of this hallway before some bullshit starts. If only I was that lucky.
“What the fuck happened to your face?” Marcus roars making the few people around him startle.
“It's not your business,” I snap back loudly and turn to open my locker but before I get a chance Marcus is on me and spinning me round and pushing me against it. Fuck, that shouldn’t excite me, but it does.
“I'm making it my business,” he says as he stares deep into my eyes like he is trying to figure out what is going on inside my head. I laugh internally. He used to be the one person who knew me better than anyone, now he wouldn’t be able to figure me out with coordinates, a map, and a fucking compass.
He continues before I can even muster a response, “Did Asher do this to you?” his voice is dark as he speaks the words through gritted teeth. His jaw is tense, and his eyes look murderous at the thought.
I laugh, “Why? Why do you even care?” I don’t hide the annoyance in my tone, and I can see Linc and Jace watching us closely along with the rest of the hallway.
“Because you deserve better than him!” he shouts, and it pisses me off to hear him demean Asher in any way. He is the best fucking guy I know and would hang the fucking moon for me if I asked. Marcus may be my best friend, but Asher is family, and no one insults my family. I don’t bother letting my anger out when I know how to cut him with words alone.
“He’s hot, rich and really good to me. What's better than that?” I let the words roll off my tongue and I notice Lincoln close his eyes in frustration but typical Jace seems more amused than ever by what is going down.
He growls at me and it sends shivers through my soul, “Don't push it, sweetheart.”
“Why?” I say firmly unable to get out more than that one word. I am distracted by his hot firm body against mine burning a fire inside me. I can see the jealousy about Ash, and I written all over his face and if I want to keep him safe and away from me, I need to use that.
“Because you don't wanna see my bad side, Ells,” he cups the side of my face that is injured and caresses his thumb across my cheek.
I laugh loudly trying to hide what his touch is doing to me, “Your bad side is all I ever fucking see,” I snap as I push his hand away from me.
He steps away slightly snapping back into his role as a Rebel and tries to start again “If Asher hurt --”
I slap him hard before he can even finish his sentence. His face swings to the side and it stings my hand, it turns so silent around us you could hear a fucking pin drop. He swings his head back at me and the rage I expect there is nowhere to be seen. The look in his eye is one I can’t decipher and at this moment, I have no desire too.
“Fuck you Marcus. Just seriously fuck you!” I’m loud but deathly calm.
We are locked in a stare off until some girl rushes to his side and it creates a chain reaction as a few people follow suit. Fucking pathetic, all of them. Although, I note his boys don’t move from their spots by his locker.
The girl who rushed forward throws herself at Marcus dramatically, but his gaze is so focused on me he doesn’t even flinch.
“What the hell is wrong with you? You can’t hit him. They're the Rebels, you stupid bitch,” she whines at me and if my eyes weren’t locked on Marcus’ I would roll them.
“And?” I ask in a bored tone.
“That means what they say goes. They're Kings here,” she says loudly and with confidence, but it soon falters when she sees the gleam in my eye.
I break Marcus' gaze for the first time and swing my eyes around to everyone else as I state loudly.
“Well, I guess it’s time to stage a coup. There's a new King in town!”
I throw that statement down like a fucking gauntlet and don’t wait for a response as I turn and walk the fuck away leaving Marcus to his precious fans. I am so over this high school bullshit.
I walk right out of school and head straight to my jeep. Fuck Marcus, fuck his followers and fuck this stupid fucking day. I climb in and gun it out of there before he or either of his fuck wit sidekicks can corner me. I don’t know where to go but I do know I need some carbs.
After stopping to load up on two cheeseburgers and a large portion of onion rings I drive around aimlessly for a while to kill some time. I need my rage to cool so I drive to Hallows Prep knowing there is only one person who could calm my mood right now.
I pull my jeep up to the gate and then make my way over to Ash’s car and jump up onto the hood to wait. It isn’t long before the doors open, and students start filing out. A few people glance at me curiously but they aren’t stupid. Asher is a Donovan, yes, but his reputation precedes him in his own right. They wouldn’t dare to come over to me especially after it looked like he publicly claimed me on Friday night. Again, pathetic high school bullshit.
As soon as I see him stroll out looking like a knight amongst peasants, I slide off the hood to greet him. I mean every kid at this school is loaded but none have the money and power that matches being a Donovan. That and his natural aura, he just screams power.
He locks eyes with me almost instantly and gives me his signature little grin that he saves just for me and I feel immediately soothed. It’s amazing what our connection can do, just one little look and I am coming down from the ledge I was on.
“My little Hells Bells, I wasn’t expecting you,” he says loudly as he walks down the steps towards me.
“And aren’t I just the sweetest surprise?” I gleam at him but even I can hear the defeated tone in my voice.
He goes to pull me into a hug when he frowns instantly.
“What happened?” he asks in a serious tone.
“Oh nothing, I just had a run in with Marcus and I'm still stressing about it.”
I don't even get to finish my sentence before he roars and gets into his car and slams the door. It isn’t until he revs his engine loud enough to make a few people jump that I realize he meant what happened to my face. I thought he was asking why I was in such a shitty mood. Fuck!
He floors it out of the school parking lot, and I have never moved as fast as I do now. He thinks Marcus did this to my face, he thinks he is
the one who gave me this black eye. I dive into my jeep and drive as fast as I can after him. I can’t see his car, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out where he’s going. I’ve never been to where Marcus lives and neither has Ash but that doesn’t mean we don’t both know exactly where it is.
I need to catch up with him.
Fuck I need to get to him before he gets to Marcus.
Chapter 15
MARCUS
Ipound my fists into the bag again and again. I didn’t even bother to bandage my knuckles and they are split and bleeding, but I don’t care. The pain is a welcome relief compared to the tight feeling in my chest that I’ve had since I saw that awful shade of purple marking her perfect pale skin.
Going a few rounds on the bag usually clears my head but today it just isn’t working. I walked out of school today not long after Elle did and came straight here to vent my frustrations. My head is filled with so much fucked up information that I don't know where the truth starts and the lies end. My judgement is clouded as fuck when it comes to the young girl who stole my heart and then ripped it out of my chest.
I need to talk to her, ask her what happened and why she left but I can’t even think straight let alone get those thoughts into a fucking sentence. I miss my dad, I wish he was here so he could tell me what to do, but he isn’t, and I don’t have a clue whether that is Elle’s fault or not. I mean the guys are right, now that I think about it. Why would it be? She was a kid just like me, what would she gain from helping Elliot Donovan take out my old man.
And I don't just miss my dad, I miss Elle too. Miss being River and Ells the inseparable best friends who were destined to be everything.
The alarm from our security system blares through the loft telling me that someone has breached the perimeter. What the fuck? No one dares to come here uninvited so that means whoever the fuck is here is here to fight. Well bring it fucking on, with how I feel today I could do with spilling some blood.
I quickly make my way into the main living area to find Jace and Linc already armed and waiting, the nod at me as I enter, and I ready myself for our guest.
The door comes flying off its hinges and I have to admit I am impressed that someone could have the strength to do so but that quickly dies when I see who our uninvited guest is.
Asher Donovan surveys the room quickly until he lands his gaze on me and he smiles the most sadistic smile I have ever seen. What the fuck does this prick want?
“You’re a fucking dead man, Riviera,” he says almost too calmly. “Question is do you want your boys to die for you too? Make no mistake, I could take all three of you with my fucking eyes closed but only your blood is required as payment for what you did.”
I arch a brow at him, “As entertaining as that sounds, Donovan, I haven’t got a fucking clue what you’re talking about. However, if you would like to try and take me then bring it the fuck on.”
This fucker thinks he can come to my house and threaten me and my guys. Not fucking happening.
I look to my brothers, “Stand down, he’s mine.” They both look at one another before they nod and step aside.
Asher smiles a sinister smile, and I can see his eyes are dark and focused. He came here for blood so that’s what I’ll give him.
We launch at each other at the same time and just as I am about to throw a hit, I hear her.
“Stop!!” she sounds out of breath and distraught.
The distraction allows him to get a clean shot to my face in the exact spot Ells left her mark on me today. Guess they really do fucking everything together.
“Ash, no!”
He doesn’t even look at her as he readies himself to throw another punch and fuck me, he may be tall and lean without as much muscle as me, but he can certainly pack a powerful jab.
“He is going to pay for marking you, Ells. I am going to fucking gut him until his organs spill out and then choke him out with his own intestines.”
Erm Okay? What the fuck is going on in this psychotic little fucks head and what the hell does he mean marking her?
She grabs his arm before he can throw his next hit and my eyes lock in on her hand on his arm. It’s only his arm but I still fucking hate it. Hate it and crave it.
“Ash, it wasn’t him. I swear,” she says firmly.
“Don’t fucking protect him Hells Bells! He’s not worth it,” he seethes.
“Ash, on my life I promise you it wasn’t him, okay? I swear to you on us! Always?”
The way she says us cuts through me like a fucking knife and what the fuck is always? It clearly means something because I see him relax instantly and it pisses me off more than the fucking fist he just gave me. I don’t miss the little nickname he called her either, I thought it was enough hearing him call her Ells or worse fucking baby girl but the fact he has his own name for her makes me want to rip out his tongue
He doesn’t stay calm for long as he swings his gaze to her.
“Then who the fuck was it, baby girl? Tell me so I can cut off their fucking cock and hand it to you on a platter.”
Okay this guy seriously has fucking issues and I know I ain’t the only one who thinks so when I see Jace grab his junk protectively. I have heard he has turned a bit psycho in the last few years but now I genuinely think he needs to see a fucking therapist. He was a quiet kid, never said a bad word to anybody. What the fuck happened to him between then and now.
“Already taken care of,” she says flatly.
“Who was it?” he demands.
She huffs and I can tell she doesn’t want to be having this conversation especially with an audience.
“Nate Maxwell,” and I tense just as much as Asher does and we speak at the same time.
“The Octopus? The fucking Octopus! What the fuck were you doing near the Octopus baby girl?”
“Why would Nate Maxwell give you a black eye?”
I see her look at me quickly before she looks back to him. She is debating what to say and I know that is purely for my benefit not his. It’s me she doesn’t trust; she probably shares fucking everything with him. He must sense her hesitation because he speaks again a little lower, but I can still hear him.
“Why the hell did you go after him alone? You know I would have come with you.”
“I wasn’t alone, I had back up,” she says quickly then cringes slightly as if she said too much. She looks to me again and Asher follows her gaze before he tenses up even more.
What the fuck is going on here. Nate Maxwell is one of Elliot Donovan's low life drug pieces who runs his product all over town. Why the fuck would she be getting into it with that scumbag and why is Asher acting like it was premeditated. I am missing so many details I can’t even keep up.
“We should go so we can talk about this in private,” Asher's voice cuts through my thoughts.
“Ells, can we talk?” I say quickly before she can answer him.
He responds before she can, “She has got nothing to fucking say to you, Riviera!”
Him answering for her fucking infuriates me. Like she isn’t her own person. Her own strong independent sexy as fuck person. Fuck I need to sort my head out. There are so many things I want to know, questions that I need answers for, and she is the only one who knows the answers.
“Look, Ells, I’m sorry about today but--”
She interrupts me, “I have nothing to say to you, Marcus.” I fucking hate the way my name sounds coming off her tongue, I was always River before and now I am Marcus. How the mighty have fallen.
“I don’t care, there is clearly something going on here.”
She laughs a humorless laugh “Yeah, no shit, sherlock.”
“Elle talk to me. Where the fuck have you been? Why did you leave? What happened with my dad?”
Each question I ask she tenses further, and Asher is deathly silent next to her his stare zoned in on her completely. She squeezes his hand subtly, but I don't miss it or the fact that he relaxes a little when she does it. I fucking despise how
in tune they are with each other. It’s like they are two sides of the same person and it makes me sick to my stomach.
“Why do you even care?” It's the same question she asked me earlier in the hallway.
“Because it’s you Ells, because despite every fucked-up thing that has happened the last few years you're still my friend.” The word friend tastes like poison on my tongue.
Asher swings his gaze to me now and I can see him assessing what I just said and when I look over to him, he sees my expression and fucking smirks. He can hear the lies my tongue speaks. Elle and I have never been friends, not really, it was always more and now everything we once had is his now.
“The answers to those questions are irrelevant,” she responds in an exasperated tone.
“I know but you don’t understand,” I try again.
“No, Marcus, you don’t understand.” I can see she isn’t going to let me in, so I try another route.
“You weren't there for me, Ells. At the darkest lowest point of my life when I needed you more than ever, you turned your fucking back on me. I don’t know how to forgive that, but I want to.”
“No, you chose to believe the devil himself over your best friend. You believed what he said rather than hear my side of things. How can I forgive that?”
“Ells,”
“No! Just no, Marcus, we aren’t friends anymore. I don’t need you now. I don’t care that you’re sorry or that your King of the fucking south side. I am not one of your stupid soldiers who is just going to fall in line because you say so. In case you have forgotten I am a King; I don’t take orders from anyone. Not now. Not ever.”
Fuck, she is so beautiful and strong, and I’ve fucked it all up and lost her to a fucking Donovan. I look to Asher expecting to see his smug smile, but he just looks solemn.
“Come on, Ash lets go, we are done here.” She looks me directly in the eye as she speaks and then tugs on his hand. I feel that tug in my chest and I know no other words will make her stay. Asher gives me one last look and then they both turn and walk out, leaving the destroyed door behind with my unanswered questions.
