Wicked Truth

by Mae Doyle

  “We need to talk.” Brett hadn’t taken a bite yet. His eyes were locked on my face. I swallowed and reached up to stroke his cheek, my fingers lingering for a moment. His skin was so warm and I knew what it was like to kiss him…but something was wrong, and I needed to listen to what it was.

  “Talk to me.” Shifting my position, I turned so I could better see him, but I made sure to stay under his arm.

  “What Amelia said…” Brett blew out his breath in a sigh. “She’s not lying, Rose. I am the one who contacted the council to get you out. I just…I didn’t think that you could be here – that you should be here – after everything that happened between the two of us.”

  He fell silent and I waited for a moment before responding. “I know, Brett.”

  “I’m sorry. I wish that I could take it all back. I wish that we could have found each other without having to worry about you getting hurt in the process. I’m the one who made the call, and because of that, this is how your life is now.” He gestured at my head and I reached up, my fingers trailing lightly across my bald scalp. “I did this to you, Rose.” His voice was squeezed and tight, and I reached out to take his hand in mine.

  “It’s okay. I’m not mad at you.”

  “You should be. I trusted someone a long time ago and I’ve been doing what they told me to do for my entire life, Rose, and this is how it ends up. With you hurt and me wishing that I had done anything – anything – but put you at risk. I don’t know how you can forgive me, but please, I hope you can.” He paused again, rubbing his thumb across the back of my hand while he thought. His touch was so needy that I forgot about the food in front of me.

  I forgot about my friends and the other rogues.

  Brett was the only thing that I could focus on right then. Nothing could tear me away from him.

  Not anymore.

  “Please forgive me, Rose.” His voice was quiet, and he’d dropped his head down so that he didn’t have to look at me.

  I didn’t even have to think about what to do. Reaching out, I cupped his chin and tilted his head up so that he was looking at me. His eyes were bright and there were tears glistening on his lashes, but that’s not what I was focused on.

  Leaning forward, I slipped my hand around the back of his neck and up into his hair, twisting my fingers into it and pulling him to me. He moved to me, his mouth finding mine, and we kissed.

  When I’d kissed Brett before, it had been a fiery kiss that burned and threatened to consume me, but this was softer. He ran his hand down my arm and looped it around my waist to pull me closer. My whole body longed to be with him and to feel his hands on me.

  I moaned, my mouth open for him, but when he pulled back for air, I remembered where we were. Blushing hard, I looked up to see that the other rogues and my friends were grinning at us.

  “I am just so glad that you two have finally made up, Rosita.” Jackie dipped some bread in his soup and took a bite. “It was getting really old wondering if you guys were going to be okay or not.”

  “We didn’t want to have to choose.” Kaleb’s face was lit up with a grin. “We’re all rogues, but you, Rose…you are special. And we all know that.”

  I didn’t know what to say, so I turned to Brett to see what he thought.

  “You’re the most special, Rose, and you’re worth everything that may be coming to us. I’m going to try to fix this, I promise you, but if I can’t, you have to know that we’ll try to protect you the best we can.”

  Try to protect me. I shivered.

  “Then cheers to us.” It was the only thing that I thought I could say without crying, and I lifted my glass into the air. Everyone, including Harper and Maggie, followed suit.

  “To Rose.” Harper’s voice was tight like she’d been crying, but when I looked at her, she smiled.

  “To Rose,” agreed Maggie.

  And, just like that, I was home again.

  I had no idea what the future was going to bring or how I was going to handle it, but with these five people on my side, I was pretty sure that I could handle anything that was thrown at me. At least, that’s what I hoped.

  If I couldn’t make it with my rogues and my friends, then I didn’t think that I’d be able to make it at all.

  Chapter 22

  The next few weeks were a blur. Thanks to Harper and Maggie being on my side again, I never went anywhere without someone near me, which meant that the harpies and everyone else in the class had to get that much more creative when they wanted to try to hurt me.

  But they did.

  Even though I’d hoped that people may lay off when they saw that the six of us were a united front, that didn’t happen. Harper’s door disappeared for a day, but she called her mom, who raised so much hell that it was back on its hinges before dinner.

  That’s when the harpies figured out that Maggie was a better target. Like Harper, she had money, but unlike her, her parents weren’t quite as involved. So when her books all when missing, nobody batted an eye. And when they dumped red juice on her in the cafeteria, staining her jacket and skirt, there wasn’t anyone for her to call.

  It was the last week of school and the week of the junior beach trip when she walked into homeroom, dripping red cranberry juice. She stomped to her desk and sat down with a squish, knowing full well that she wouldn’t have time to get changed before class.

  Amelia raised one eyebrow and investigated her nails before speaking. “You have a bladder infection, Maggie? Why else would you need so much cranberry juice?” When Maggie didn’t answer, Amelia continued. “Although, I’m not sure who around here would be willing to fuck you, so who knows how you got it.”

  There was a titter of laughter in the room that quickly stopped when Mr. Staton walked into the room. He glared around, as if daring people to keep making noise that he was there, but when his gaze fell on Maggie, he tilted his head and frowned.

  “Miss MacKenzie, is there a problem? Or a reason why you decided to wear your juice this morning instead of drinking it? That’s marks against you. Go change, but wait until the announcements are over.”

  Just then, the intercom clicked on and Mr. Taylor’s familiar voice filled the room. “Hello, juniors of Taylor Prep. As you know, this weekend is the upcoming beach trip. Now, I know that some of you think that this means you’ll be able to go wild, but I assure you that that is not the case. You are still expected to act in a way that reflects highly on your school. If you do not, then you will be removed immediately and punished.”

  He paused and the class shifted uncomfortably, probably wondering if he were done, but before anyone could ask or Maggie could get up to change, he continued speaking in his dry voice. “I expect full compliance on the trip. Remember that this is a privilege, not a right, and you can be removed and brought back to campus for any small infraction.”

  Jackie turned around to grin at me and whispered in a low voice, “I know what infraction I want to commit, Rosita.” He winked and I blushed hard as he turned back around.

  “That being said, I do hope that you have fun. As you know, the trip your senior year is a case study on the environmental impacts of humans on the wetlands in our area, so you will not be allowed to enjoy yourselves as much as you can on this trip.”

  The intercom clicked off and Maggie got up, practically running out of the room to change. Mr. Staton eyed us wearily before going and sitting behind his desk. He steepled his fingers and then spoke. “No fucking around, guys. No stupid pranks, nothing that would get you sent back. Remember that the council is aware of everything you do, and they will be notified if you step out of line.”

  My ears perked up at that. The council would be notified, huh? Well, I couldn’t wait for them to get a load of what I had planned for the trip.

  ◆◆◆

  “I know that you’re not planning anything stupid, right?” Kaleb was carrying my bag to the room that I was sharing with Harper and Maggie. I pretended not to hear what he had said, and he turned around,
blocking the boardwalk so that I couldn’t scoot past him.

  “Me? Do something stupid that might enrage the harpies or the council? You’re crazy.” I grinned at him, trying to put him at ease, but he just shook his head.

  “Seriously, Rose, we mean it. Be careful. Keep your head down. We’ll make sure that you’re safe and get you back to school in one piece.” I shrugged at him and he rolled his eyes. “Can you make sure to carve out some time for me?”

  “For you?” Reaching out, I took his hand and laced our fingers together. “What do you mean?”

  He paused and then leaned down to kiss me, his lips lingering on mine. They burned when he stood back up and I had to stop myself from trying to kiss him again. Whatever it was that he wanted to say, I needed to listen, not be mooning all over him.

  When he spoke again, his voice was husky. “I want you, Rose.”

  My core throbbed and I had to focus on him or I knew that I’d end up trying to kiss him again, right here. “I want you. Can I come to your room tonight?”

  At first, I was afraid that he wouldn’t answer, but he nodded, then leaned down to kiss me again. “Yes. I can’t wait, Rose.”

  I couldn’t either. I followed him to my room and watched as he dropped off my things. As soon as I was moved in, I left my room to find Harper and Maggie. They were on the balcony in Harper’s room, arguing over when we should change to go swimming, but they both perked up as soon as I walked in.

  “Rose, what’s up?” Harper twisted around in her seat to hand me a soda. I took a sip, enjoying the way the bubbles played on my tongue. It was the first soda I’d had in months since being back at school, and it felt like a religious experience.

  “Just got moved in. Kaleb helped me out.” They shot each other knowing glances and started to giggle. “What? What’s funny about that?”

  “Nothing!” Harper was grinning so hard she could hardly speak. “We just want to know what we have to do to get our own harem!”

  “I don’t have a harem!” Dipping my fingers in my soda, I flicked some drops at her. She squealed and ducked, but Maggie took up the fight for her.

  “Yes, you do! A harem with three gorgeous guys who are willing to do anything you want, and the two of us are just a little envious, okay? So, tell us your secrets!”

  I laughed and popped a chip into my mouth. “There aren’t any secrets. Just…it’s me and the boys. They’re all special to me, and I don’t want to choose, and I don’t have to.” I shrugged like it was that simple because, to me, it was.

  “Sounds amazing.” Harper leaned back in her chair. “You really don’t have a favorite, though?”

  I didn’t even have to think about my answer. “Not a chance,” I told them, shaking my head. “Brett and I have this…passion and history that I’ve never had with anyone before. Jackie makes me laugh and is thoughtful and sweet, and Kaleb is quieter but draws something out of me. He thinks about things and sees the world in a different way. I don’t know how to describe it, but they all have something different and special that I need.”

  My friends sighed. “It sounds great,” Maggie said. “Especially since they’re all so damn hot.”

  “Hey!” I smacked her with a pillow. “That’s my harem you’re talking about! Get your own!”

  We dissolved into giggles. Before long, we’d finished our soda and our chips. “You girls ready to change and meet on the beach?” Harper stretched. She’d already put on her bikini and was itching to get in the water. We all agreed that we’d get ready and meet at the end of the boardwalk in ten minutes.

  On my way down to the sand, I stopped and looked around. All of my classmates were playing in the surf or stretched out, getting some sun, and, for just a moment, everything looked normal. Like if I tried hard enough, I could convince myself that the students here weren’t all psycho.

  “I knew that you’d look killer in a bikini.” Jackie’s voice ripped me from my reverie and I turned around, suddenly feeling self-conscious in my tiny bathing suit. “I just didn’t know how damn amazing you would look.”

  “You like?” I twirled in a circle, letting him get a full view. When I looked back at his face, I saw that his eyes were locked on mine. “Wanna stay here with me while I wait for Harper and Maggie?”

  “Oh, Rosita, I’d do anything that you asked right now.” He closed the gap between us, and I stepped back, the wooden handrail of the boardwalk pressing into my back. Jackie was just a few inches from me, and he leaned forward, pinning me in place. “You sure you don’t want to go back up to the hotel? Maybe stop by my room?”

  Oh, I wanted that. Right now I wanted that more than anything. I stood up on my tiptoes and kissed him, trailing a line of kisses from his mouth along his jaw. He placed his hands on my hips and stepped forward, grinding into me.

  Ho-ly cow. I wished that we were the only people left on the planet right then, because there wouldn’t be anything that could stop me from taking him back to his room and taking him up on his offer. His whole body was tight against mine and I could feel the energy drawing the two of us together.

  Bending his head, he kissed my cheek then ran his tongue along the curve of my ear. I shivered and leaned into him, feeling his heart pounding. “You taste amazing, Rosita. You sure I can’t interest you in some time alone?”

  Before I could answer, he kissed me again, his mouth forcing mine to open so that he could sweep his tongue across mine. I kissed him back, lacing my hands around the back of his neck and melting into him. It was a good thing that he was so strong and supportive, because I felt like my knees were going to give out at any time.

  “Whore.”

  The word ripped me from my dreamy state in Jackie’s arms and caused him to turn around. Amelia pranced by us on the boardwalk, her bikini laughably small. There was no way she was going to get into the water in that thing, but she wasn’t afraid to strut around in it.

  “What did you say?” Jackie’s voice was low and held a warning, but it was one that Amelia ignored. She tossed her hair and scoffed at us, letting her eyes roam over my body before coming to rest on my bald head.

  “I called your little girlfriend a whore. That’s what we call girls who are with more than one guy, right? Whores? A bald one, too. I’m disappointed in you, cousin. You could do better, even if you decided to go for a junkie street walker.”

  “Amelia.” Jackie spun away from me, but I reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him back. There wasn’t any way that I could actually stop him if he wanted to get to her, but he stepped back to me. “Leave her alone.”

  “Leave her alone!” Amelia mocked him, her voice high and nasally. “Please, Jackie. Get over yourself and look at her. She looks like shit, sings like shit, and is probably shit in bed. You let me know when you want a real girl and I’ll find one for you.” With that, she walked away, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

  “Rosita – ” Jackie turned back to me, but I interrupted him.

  “It’s nothing, really. Just let it go. Look, there’s Harper and Maggie, so let’s go have some fun.”

  We met up with my friends and the rest of the rogues and spent the afternoon playing in the surf in a secluded part of the beach. About an hour after we got there, two guys walked up to us. Everett and Woods came to talk to my friends, and by the time they had hashed everything out, we were all good again.

  My friend group was building, and they weren’t going to let anything happen to me.

  Chapter 23

  Dinner was delicious – a clam bake on the beach, but by the time we were done eating, I was feeling antsy. I’d felt Kaleb’s eyes on me the entire time, and I finally stood, the crackling fire throwing my shadow far down the sand.

  “I’m going to tuck in,” I told the group, although I was staring at Kaleb. He nodded and stood before anyone else could.

  “I’ll take you up.”

  We said our goodbyes, and weren’t ten feet from the fire when he laced his fingers through mine. “You have a
ny idea what it’s like watching you all day and knowing that I had to wait to be with you? You’re intoxicating, Rose, and you have absolutely no idea.”

  I didn’t know what to say to that. It was exactly how he made me feel, but it was crazy to me that we’d feel the same about each other. That someone like Kaleb could feel that way about me.

  “Take me to your room.” The words were barely out of my mouth before he leaned down and scooped me up into his arms.

  We laughed all the way to his room, then he carried me in and put me down on the bed. “Now, about this bikini,” he began, but I stopped him, pulling him up to me for a kiss.

  “Kiss me first, Kaleb.” All day I’d though about having his lips on me. I wanted to know what it was like for him to explore my body. “I’ve never…”

  He understood and cut me off. “I’ll be slow, Rose, and I’ll be careful, I promise.” Then he kissed me, gently at first, then harder as I couldn’t control myself. I wanted him in a way that I’d never wanted anyone, the fire burning between us kept us hot.

  We were tied together, and no matter what we did, I knew that we couldn’t break apart.

  Finally, he slowly untied my bikini, letting the scraps of fabric fall off of me. Sucking in a breath, he stared at me. “You are so gorgeous, Rose. I love you.”

  “I love you.” The words came easily from my mouth and I knew that they were true. I loved Kaleb, and I wanted this with him. He kissed me again, settling himself between me as he rolled on a condom.

  “You ready?” When I nodded, he centered himself and then pushed, entering me and forcing me to gasp. I reached up for him, pulling him to me so that I could kiss him. He moved in me, filling me in a way that I’d never experienced before.

  “Rose, you are incredible,” he gasped out, gently kissing me. His hand trailed down to my hip and he dug in his fingers, holding me in place while he thrust.

  “Don’t stop, Kaleb,” I warned, my voice tight. “Just…don’t…”