by Colbie Kay
Copyright © 2019 by Colbie Kay
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover Design: T.E. Black Designs
Photographer: RLS Model Images Photography
Model: Cody Criswell
Formatting and editing: Maria Vickers
Created with Vellum
Contents
Author’s Note
Prologue
1. Tink
2. Jorga
3. Tink
4. Tink
5. Tink
6. Jorga
7. Dancer
8. Tink
9. Jorga
10. Tink
11. Jorga
12. Tink
13. Jorga
14. Tink
15. Jorga
16. Tink
17. Dancer
18. TInk
19. Jorga
20. Tink
21. Jorga
22. Tink
Epilogue
Play List
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Colbie Kay
Tink’s Salvation
Satan’s Sinners MC Book 9
Colbie Kay
If you have triggers of violence and non-concensual sexual acts, this book may not be for you. Nothing is glorified in this book, but it could potentially trigger you due to some scenes within this book.
To all of my readers! I love you!
Metallica’s Enter Sandman blares through the speakers of the eighties model blue pickup truck owned by my boyfriend’s best friend Lucas Melody–better known as Tink. I have yet to find out how he got the nickname nor do I call him that. To me, he’s Lucas. He has that heavy metal rocker look down from his black clothes, to his long wavy black hair, to his dark chocolate brown eyes that scream out his hate of the world.
Sitting between my boyfriend, Nathan, and Lucas, we are cruising around the back streets of the city before school. They’re both seniors while I’m only a sophomore, but I’ve been dating Nathan for the last eleven months. Well, we’ve been together on and off because we break-up whenever Lucas decides he wants to be an asshole. During those times, Nathan and I will fight, and by the end of it, one of us calls it quits. Normally, within a day or two, we’re back together as if nothing ever happened.
As a couple, we’re toxic. I know it. He knows it. Hell, even Lucas knows it. However, neither of us can let it go and move on; therefore, we are pulled together by some unseen force. I love him, but I know he’s not going to be around before long, so I’ve shut myself off from getting further attached. Long-distance relationships don’t work, and I know there would be no point in even trying with Nathan after he leaves Wichita.
Lucas passes me the joint we’ve been toking on. “Who you taking to prom, Lucas?” I ask before putting the burning paper to my lips and taking a hit. The smoke scorches the back of my throat causing me to choke while the guys laugh at my expense. I haven’t been smoking as long as they have. When they hit the joint, they act as if it doesn’t even affect them. I don’t know how because this shit stings. The burning slides down into my lungs as I continue coughing with tears pooling in my eyes from the bite.
“Shit, who the fuck knows. I may not even go. I can’t wait to get out of this shithole,” he grouses.
Lucas and Nathan have never been part of the in-crowd. In fact, they have problems with the popular guys, which makes me a “loser” by association. I’m okay with that though because Lucas is fun to hang out with, and Nathan’s my boyfriend. I’ll keep that loser title any day of the week over being a fake poser like most of the kids at school.
I pass the joint to Nathan. “When the time comes, and you don’t have a date, I’ll go with you.” Nathan won’t be taking me anyway. His dad’s a preacher and really strict–dancing is against their religion. That isn’t the only problem, though. Nathan and his dad fight a lot, and there are a lot of issues lingering between them. It got so bad once that his parents sent him to a boys’ home three hours from Wichita, which meant, I spent my summer vacation without him. Maybe it’s one of the reasons I can’t let him go; I have a thing for bad boys.
“I might take you up on that.” Lucas winks at me with a cheesy grin as we pull into the parking lot of our high school. I take my perfume out of my backpack and dab some on me to cover up the scent of the week while they do the same with their cologne. Squeezing drops of Visine into our eyes, we try to cover up the redness. I don’t know if it actually works, but no one has ever said anything.
Lucas gets out on his side, and Nathan and I get out on the passenger side. Before I can move, Nathan grabs me around my waist and pushes me back against the bed of the truck. “I love you, Jorga.” His lips slam against mine.
“I love you too,” I reply when he backs up a step. “I’ll see you at lunch?”
Taking my hand in his, he says, “Let’s get this shit over with.”
Together with Lucas, we make our way through the rows of cars. However, when we approach one particular car, Lucas holds one of his keys out, running it along the side of the brand-new black mustang.
“Lucas!” I grimace at the line gouged the side of the car from tip to end. “You know what’ll happen if they find out it was you!” It’s Travis’ new car. He is the main guy Nathan and Lucas have problems with, the unofficial leader of this school, and somebody you don’t want to mess with. He gets away with everything because his dad is a judge in this city.
“I don’t give a fuck anymore, Jorga. I’m nothing but white trash, and before long, I’ll be outta here and never come back.”
Even though I know it’s inevitable, it does make me sad that both Lucas and Nathan are ready to run away from this city after graduation. They’re leaving me behind; I’m stuck here for another two years.
“I’ll see you guys tonight,” Lucas states as he runs off to his first class.
I turn toward Nathan.” Why do you let him do shit like that?”
He shrugs. “They deserve it.” His lips lift in a smirk. “Besides I’m not his keeper.”
Rolling my eyes, I begin to stomp away. “I’ll see you at lunch.”
“Jorga!” He shouts after me, but I keep moving.
Friday night football games and Saturday night parties, it’s what all the high students do on their weekends free from school. Lucas, Nathan and I are no different even though we don’t re
ally watch the football games. In truth, Nathan and I mostly just make-out under the bleachers while Lucas sits nearby.
After driving around in the middle of nowhere for I don’t know how long, we finally begin to see the long line of cars and the glow from the bonfire. Lucas parks his truck, and we pile out. The closer we get to the party, I hear the laughing and hollering from the others.
Rolling my eyes, I grumble, “Why do we come to these?” It makes no sense. We’re the outcasts, and yet, Lucas and Nathan insists on attending. It’s like they actually wish to fit in with everyone else. They may say they don’t care what anyone thinks, I don’t believe it’s true, though. I think they do care deep down, but they feel like they have to maintain this “I don’t give a damn” persona.
Lucas raises his arms in the air and spins in a circle. “To experience every high school moment until we’re outta this fucking shithole.”
I shake my head and Nathan laughs.
The keg sits on ice in a small swimming pool at the entrance of the party. We each grab a red solo and fill our cups with the yellow bitter liquid. As I take sip after sip, I glance around at all the people. Cheerleaders are dancing seductively with the football and basketball jocks. Band geeks are talking with the math nerds, and other groups have gathered together around the tall burning fire.
“Lucas, you never told me why everyone calls you Tink.” I am trying to make conversation instead of awkwardly standing here, staring at other people.
He bumps my shoulder with his as he pulls a joint out of his cigarette pack. “And I’m not going to now.”
“Aww come on. Tell her.” Nathan grins, biting his bottom lip. He’s trying to hold back his laughter for some reason.
Lucas groans, “Fine, when I was a baby, my mom called me Stink. As I got older and realized I’m never gonna get a chick with the nickname Stink, I took off the ‘s’.”
I tuck my lips in to keep from giggling. “And how is that working out for you?”
“Fuck you, Jorga.” Nathan and I burst into a fit of laughter while Lucas points his finger at us. “One of these days, I’m gonna have a woman who loves all this.” He runs his hand up and down his chest causing me to laugh even harder. Propping the joint between his lips, he lights it.
Suddenly, our laughter dies as a group of at least ten guys surrounds Lucas. They’re pushing me and Nathan farther and farther away so they can form a circle, breaking off an escape route for Lucas.
Travis stands at the forefront. He snatches the joint from between Lucas’s fingers and flicks it at Lucas’s chest. He’s such a dick! “You thought you’d get away with keying my car?” When he pushes Lucas, my eyes widen and heart races from fear. What are they going to do to him?
“I didn’t key your car,” Lucas lies.
Lucas is pushed back into the middle by another student. “I know it was you, fucking faggot!” Travis pushes him harder, and Lucas stumbles toward the crowd, each one taking turns to push him.
Tears blur my vision at the sight of my friend being bullied and outnumbered. “Nathan, do something!” I shriek.
He simply stands there watching. “I’m not doing shit, Jorga. He knew this would happen.” Say what? Nathan is supposed to be his best friend! How can he stand by and let these assholes do this to him?
My eyes widen even further, probably making me look crazy, and mouth flops open, flabbergasted. I ask, “So, you’re just going to let them do this to him?”
The yelling and pushing continue. I see it in Lucas’s eyes, the way they’re making him feel like nothing, like he’s less than a person. He’s at his breaking point. His eyes are glistening with unshed tears, and his hands are fisted at his sides. This whole shit show makes my stomach roll with unease. He’s trying to hold back his emotions while they shove him into another person only for that person to repeat the action.
The smirk on Travis’s face, the sneers the others are wearing, and the laughing from witnesses, grates on my last nerve. “Some friend you are!” Stepping away from Nathan, I break through the crowd and stand in the middle with Lucas. My whole five-foot self, pushes Travis, not giving one fuck about the repercussions. “You think this is funny? Outnumbering someone and doing this shit to them? Leave him alone!”
“He deserves it!” Travis roars at me.
I shake my head. “He doesn’t deserve this. No one does. It’s not like you won’t get your car fixed. Instead of wasting your time on Lucas, go drink another beer or five. You aren’t even man enough to deal with it on your own. You had to be a little pussy boy and bring all your friends to gang up on him.”
Travis looks around the group of people who are now laughing. “He’s the pussy. He’s gotta have a girl fight for him,” Travis barks, guffawing. “I knew he was a faggot.”
Lucas jumps forward, but I take his hand in mine. “He’s not even worth it.” I pull him through the crowd, and he doesn’t try to fight me to stay. “Where we going, Jorga?”
“We’re leaving,” I hissed through my clenched teeth.
“Jorga?” Nathan calls after me.
I stop in my tracks and spin to face my boyfriend. “Have fun, Nathan. We’re over!”
“You’re breaking up with me?” Sarcasm, disbelief, and laughter lace his tone, which pisses me off more.
I shake my head and stare at my now ex-boyfriend. “Yeah, I am. I can’t be with someone who allows people to treat their friends like that.”
Lucas’s hand tightens in mine. We run to his truck and jump inside. We drive around for a while, neither of us saying a word until Lucas breaks the silence, “Where you wanna go, Jorga?”
Glancing at the clock on his stereo, I reply, “I don’t know. I don’t have to be home for a few more hours.”
He makes a sharp left turn like he’s solved our problem and knows exactly where to go now. He keeps driving until we pull into a trailer park in a horrible part of Wichita. The headlights shine on a small silver trailer, but it appears more like an old-time camper.
“This is where you live?” I gasp, looking at him.
“Yep.” One side of his lips lift. “Now you know why everyone calls me trailer trash. I guess it’s true.” He laughs without mirth. “I live in this one-room tin dump with my mother.”
I sigh heavily, my heart sinks into my stomach for how he’s had to live. It makes a little more sense why he tries to fit in, and yet, knows he’ll never succeed with people like Travis with their fancy cars and two-story mini mansion houses. Maybe the reason he acts out and does stupid stuff is out of jealousy? I don’t think it’s to be spiteful. “You aren’t trailer trash, Tink.” I grin and waggle my brows. “You’re the boy from the wrong side of the tracks.”
He chuckles. “Does that make it any better?” His dark gaze meets mine, both of our smiles vanish as the air in the truck thickens. “You called me by my nickname.”
I shrug. “I figure after sticking up for you and all, ya’ know, we’re on like best friend level or something.” His dark chocolate brown eyes stare into my amber ones. “Girls like bad boys.” I swallow hard and whisper, “One day you’re gonna find that girl.”
Something is happening in this truck, and I don’t know how to explain or pull away. Luckily, I don’t have to, Lucas does it for me. He sits up straighter and grips the steering wheel. “You didn’t need to stick up for me. I could have handled it.” Something in his tone changes, hardens. “I can’t pick you up Monday for school.”
I cast my eyes down and rub my sweaty palms on my denim shorts. “I know.”
He sighs heavily. “This is bad enough. Nate’s gonna be pissed, and I can’t lose his friendship.”
Shaking my head while continuing to keep my eyes on my lap, I reply, “You don’t have to explain.”
“Yes, I do.” His head turns toward mine, and I lift my gaze to meet his. It’s like there’s this imaginary pull I can’t break. I don’t know what’s happening to me. My palms are sweating, my heart is racing, and it feels like butterflies are
dancing in my stomach. Maybe this is because it’s the first time we’ve ever been alone without Nathan. Would I have had these feelings that are coursing through my body before if Nate hadn’t been there? “God damn it, Jorga. He’s my best friend, but you’re…” He releases a deep breath of air. “You’re the only reason I would stay in this fucked up city. I don’t want to leave you here and—”
My eyes widen, and my pulse pounds harder, and I cut him off from saying anything else, “Lucas—”
His fist hits the empty seat between us, and he whips his body around to face me completely. His hand reaches up and takes hold of the back of my neck. His eyes searching mine. “You deserve so much better than him.”
“And you don’t?” My words come out as nothing more than a whisper.
His hand fists my hair tighter. “Maybe, but he’s all I got. If only I would have gotten to you first.”
My lips part. I try to speak, but I can’t articulate any words. What can I say?
He shakes his head and releases me before turning back to the steering wheel. “I need to take you home. Nate’s probably already waiting on your porch. You guys will get back together then we can still be friends.”
I shake my head furiously. “I’m tired of the fighting and breaking up, Lucas. And tonight, that was the last straw. I can’t be with him anymore. We’re toxic together, and we all know it. Besides, you two won’t be here for much longer anyway so I should part ways from you two anyway.” It feels like I just got sucker-punched in the gut and throat for uttering those words.
