by Bella King
He was clearly in shock, cradling his injured hand and breathing sporadically. I rolled my eyes and walked out of the bathroom, leaving him to get his shit together. He would be fine.
I tossed the bloody shard of glass into the trash bin out of the lunchroom and walked in, my stomach begging me for some square pizza and room temperature milk.
BREAK
I finished my lunch and went to report back to Jacob. He would be interested to know that one of his followers had betrayed him.
Jonathan. I should have asked for a last name. There could be dozens of Jonathans roaming about in Jacob’s gang. Then again, Jacob would probably know if Jonathan had been with him when he went to the stump before.
The contents of my stomach were dancing around, excited by everything that had happened that day. It was a sick mess of pizza and milk inside of my guts, and I didn’t feel so great. I needed to pop some antacid or something. Maybe Jacob would have what I needed. If he could get ahold of twenty thousand dollars, I doubted that nonprescription medication would be difficult.
I fixed my skirt was it was a bit more modest. I didn’t need to give Jacob a boner too. He didn’t deserve that kind of pleasure from me. I took a deep breath and started on my way down the hallway. I spotted a few of his friends before I saw him. He always had a posse surrounding him.
“Jacob,” I called, and his sea of bodyguards parted. Huh, apparently, I had elite status now.
Jacob kept walking as I jogged up beside him. “We need to talk,” I said.
He smirked. “Indeed, we do.”
“So, after school?” I asked. “We could go for a walk.” I felt like I was vying for his attention, like I had a crush on him and I was desperate to get him to go out with me. It was a bit humiliating when I realized how pathetic I sounded.
“After school we’ll go for a walk,” Jacob confirmed, not even glancing at me.
“Okay,” I said, dropping back and letting his crowd of guards close over him again. I wondered why he was acting so strange, but then again, I was dealing with Jacob. He wasn’t exactly known for behaving normally.
I turned around and went to class, not wanting to be late for my next lesson. Lakeshaw would send you to detention for that, and I didn’t want to end up there. I had been once before, and it was a nightmare. I’d rather spend the evening with Jacob.
Chapter 16
Jealousy doesn’t think. It feels, and it feels strongly.
Jacob and I ended up walking the same route we had before, dipping into the woods to stay off the beaten path. That was fine with me. I didn’t want any of his guys to overhear us talking. Especially not Jonathan, whoever that might be.
Jacob walked with stiff legs and a rigid spine. There was definitely something wrong with him, but I didn’t want to pry. It turned out, I didn’t have to, because the minute my shoes hit the wet leaves on the forest floor, he began venting.
“So, you like someone at Lakeshaw,” Jacob said, refusing to look at me.
I walked alongside him, confused. “No, I don’t really have any friends either.”
“Don’t play games with me. I have eyes in places you could only dream of. I know you were in the locker room with John. They told me you looked like you wanted to blow him right there in the hallway when you were talking to him.”
I groaned. “Are you jealous?”
Jacob’s jaw was closed so tight it looked like his teeth could shatter under the force. “No.”
“Jesus, you act like a fucking baby, Jacob. I’m not involved with John. I brought that fucker into the locker room trying to get information from him. I fucking stabbed the guy.”
Jacob’s eyes lit up, hope returning to his face. “You weren’t having sex with him?”
“That’s so gross. I don’t even know where to start with what you just said,” I replied, shaking my head in disgust. “I would never in a million years fuck someone like that. Who do you think I am?”
“A whore,” Jacob muttered.
“For Christ’s sake, Jacob! John is the one who took you money.”
Jacob’s head snapped to me, finally making eye contact with me. His eyes were like warm honey, glittering sweetly in the evening sun. He almost looked innocent. Almost. “You got it?” He asked excitedly.
“No, but I know who does have it. Your friend Jonathan hired John to steal it for him. You need to do a better job of vetting your crew, because shit like that could really get you into-”
I wasn’t given a chance to finish my sentence. Jacob swung around and planted a kiss directly on my lips as I spoke. I had not seen that coming at all, but I suppose I should have if he was paranoid about me seeing someone else.
Jacob pulled away from my lips, gazing into my eyes. His were swirling, pulling me in like heaven itself. I had to force myself to look away. “Why did you do that?”
“You’re useful,” Jacob said, backing away. “And I like you.”
God, no. This wasn’t what I needed now. Jacob was the enemy. He hated me and I hated him. Why then, had he kissed me?
My stomach was juggling my lunch inside of it pretty damn hard now, trying to get me to be sick. I held it, trying to get ahold of myself. I couldn’t show Jacob that his kiss had any effect on me. “Don’t do that again,” I said firmly.
Jacob looked offended. “Was it not good? You looked like you enjoyed it.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re dense. I gave you the information that you wanted, now leave me alone.”
“You know I can’t do that,” Jacob said, stepping toward me.
“You fucking promised,” I said, desperation creeping into my voice. I was trembling and felt weird about Jacob. There was something more going on here than a normal rivalry and I didn’t want him to know how I felt.
“I promised to leave you alone once I got my money, but all I got was a tip which might not even be true,” Jacob said.
He had a point. I sighed. “So, what now?”
“I need to go break Jonathan’s neck. You want to join?” Jacob asked, looking hopeful.
“I’d rather not,” I answered, still holding my stomach. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Food poisoning,” Jacob stated.
“How would you know?” I asked, keening over as a wave of nausea hit me.
“Happens at least once a month at the food court. I never eat there. I bring my own food,” Jacob said in a matter-of-fact tone.
My eyes watered, my saliva glands went crazy, and my lunch flowed onto the ground. Jacob leaped back as the contents of my stomach splashed over the leaves, decorating them with chunks of pizza and milk. It was a sight to behold.
“Damn,” Jacob said, coming up beside me and rubbing my back.
I tried and failed to swat his hand away, another wave of vomit pouring from my mouth.
Jacob continued to rub my back as I finished getting rid of my food. “Hey,” he said afterward, “Do you want to get some food before I go kill Jonathan? You’ll feel better.”
I nodded, spitting into the leaves before standing up straight. “I want a milkshake.”
Jacob smiled at me, looking as handsome as ever in the setting sun. This was going to get very complicated.
Chapter 17
War wears many masks.
“You have a car?” I exclaimed as we came upon a small parking lot tucked on the side of the road.
“Yeah, I have a lot of things,” Jacob said proudly.
“Isn’t that against the rules? They don’t let us do anything at Lakeshaw,” I said.
“I don’t give a fuck about the rules. Just keep your mouth shut about it,” Jacob said, clicking a key in his hand and unlocking the doors to a large black truck. It looked expensive.
I climbed up into the passenger’s seat, smelling fresh leather and Jacob’s cologne. It was pleasant and clean inside the cabin, putting me at ease for the first time around Jacob since I had met him.
Jacob came up beside me, letting out a breath as he sunk down in
to his seat. He slammed his door shut and stuck the key into the ignition. With a quick turn, the truck roared to life, rumbling in the parking lot before Jacob put it in drive.
He was quiet, seeming calm since our odd encounter in the woods. I had to admit that his kiss had broken the tension between the two of us. I wondered if he felt as strange about it as I did, or if this was just another day in his crazy life.
“Where do you want to get food at?” Jacob asked as he pulled out onto the road.
“Burger Hut,” I replied immediately.
He chuckled. “Sounds like you know what you’re about. I like that.”
He liked a lot of things, it seemed, but that didn’t change that we were miles apart in our thinking. Me? I was a stable woman with the occasional thievery streak. Jacob? He was a violent lunatic that led a gang of delinquents and dealt with large sums of money that probably came from his black market dealings. We weren’t compatible.
“I just want a milkshake and fries,” I said.
“Vegetarian?” Jacob asked.
“No, I just don’t like hamburgers that much,” I replied. I wouldn’t have told him even if I was. He might try to use it against me in some way. I couldn’t show weakness in the face of such a dangerous man.
“I was asking because I am,” Jacob added.
I was surprised. “Really?” I asked, pulling my head back. “I wouldn’t expect you to be.”
“Why not?” Jacob asked, acting like there was no foundation to my assumption.
“You’re not a very nice person,” I replied honestly.
Jacob shrugged. “I don’t have to be. People are worthless, but I can’t say the same for animals. I have a cat and he’s pretty cool.”
It wasn’t unusual for people at Lakeshaw to have a low opinion of humanity in general. Most of us had come from broken families and humble beginnings. Life was a cruel bitch, and I knew it as well as Jacob that people could be shitty. I was just glad that Jacob was nice to animals. That made him a bit more redeemable to me.
“What kind of cat do you have?” I asked, trying to keep the conversation going on such an innocent topic. It was refreshing to get something other than threats and anger out of him.
“A black one,” Jacob replied.
“Are you a wizard?” I joked.
Jacob chuckled. “No, goth girl, I’m not. Are you a witch?” He asked, tilting his head back and flashing his honey-colored eyes at me. The twinkled playfully.
“I might be. Don’t test me,” I said, holding up a finger. “I could put a spell on you.”
“I think you already have,” Jacob said.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked, fearing that he was talking about some kind of sexual attraction. It was wrong for me to get involved with a man like him. He would use me and dump me on the curb the minute he got tired of me. I knew it.
Jacob gripped the steering wheel tightly as he spoke. “If anyone else had pulled the shit that you have on me, I would have had them ruined. But you,” he said quietly, looked over at me, “You’re different.”
“How so?” I asked, growing curious.
“It’s not every day that a woman stands up to me. I have to admit, I kind of like the challenge. It’s been too easy for me to win lately.”
He was cocky, but I was beginning to admire his strength. To come from a place of pain and make an empire out of it couldn’t have been easy. This man had something inside him that enjoyed the struggle. He liked to win.
Being on Jacob’s good side would benefit me. I wouldn’t let him win me over, but I could be a bit nicer if it meant seeing this side of him more often. It was a hell of a lot more enjoyable than having heavy objects chucked through my windows.
Jacob pulled up to the drive-through and made the order, speaking in his usual authoritative way. People jumped into action at his voice, and I swear are food came faster than when I ordered. He had that effect on people.
We sat in his truck eating fries and drinking milkshakes in the parking lot. I was too busy shoving hot salty fries in my mouth and slurping down ice cold vanilla milkshake to speak. It was the best meal I had eaten since coming to Lakeshaw. I wanted to savor it, but I couldn’t stop myself from scarfing it down.
“You know, I could get this for you more often,” Jacob said, watching as I dumped the loose salt from the carton of fries into my mouth.
I looked at him. “For what?” I asked, suspicious of his intentions. I knew that he was only nice when he stood to gain something from it.
Jacob shrugged. “There’s a school dance coming up. Maybe you want to go with me.”
I nearly choked on my milkshake. “Fat fucking chance,” I said, snorting up the milk that started to run out of my nose.
Jacob frowned. “Why not?”
“Don’t you have someone else to take? I’m not some cheap slut, Jacob.”
“I never said you were,” Jacob said. “And yes, I do have other women who would suck my cock just to be in this truck with me now, but I’m not asking them. I’m asking you.”
“No,” I answered bluntly. I didn’t have time to play along with his nonsense. Whatever he was trying to do to me, it wasn’t going to work. He may have actually been attracted to me, and I may have found him attractive as well, but that didn’t mean I would fall for him like he wanted me to. I was better than that.
I could see the anger beginning to rise in Jacob’s face. He struggled to keep it down, but his cheeks were getting pink and I could see a large vein in his neck throbbing. He couldn’t handle someone saying no to him.
“Why won’t you go with me?” Jacob asked.
“Because you’re a bully,” I replied. “You’re a vile person and you step on others if it benefits you.”
“You don’t know anything about me,” Jacob said defensively. There was an edge of darkness to his voice now, but I also detected sorrow.
I didn’t let his attitude get to me. “And I don’t want to know anything about you,” I said, standing my ground.
Jacob reached a muscular arm down and shifted his truck out of park, slamming down on the gas milliseconds later. The car squealed out of the parking space, and he violently jerked the wheel to keep us from flying into the Burger Hub.
I was thrown to the side, toward Jacob. I caught myself with my left hand, clutching his powerful thigh to push myself back upright. Jacob grinned when he felt my hand on him, flickering his eyes downward at me.
I held onto the edge of my seat to keep from flying back toward him as he ripped out of the parking lot and slid onto the main road.
“Slow down!” I yelled, but Jacob’s demons had overcome him again. He was no longer the man that had kissed me and offered to buy me food. He was Jacob, the unhinged lunatic, out to deal out damage once again.
Jacob raced down the road, running straight through a red light. The wheels of the car left the road for a moment as we flew over a bump, and the truck bounced back onto the pavement with great force. He didn’t slow down.
I reached out a hand and grabbed Jacob’s shoulder, digging my nails into his t-shirt as he barreled down the road at insane speeds. It would only take one cop and we were done for. Both of us would be sent to prison.
“We’re going to get caught,” I shouted into his ear over the sound of his engine.
Jacob didn’t care. His eyes were fixated on the road as obstacles zoomed past us. He took a sharp turn down another road, throwing me away from him.
My shoulder slammed against the door, the handle digging into my muscle painfully. I held my arm and looked ahead of us. We were heading back to the housing complex.
Jacob slammed on the brakes as we approached the complex, skidding to a stop outside the entrance. I could smell the heat from the tires even from outside the vehicle, and smoke rose from the truck hood.
“Get out,” Jacob commanded.
I was happy to comply with his request. I reached for the door handle, pushing the door open. I attempted to step out norm
ally, put a hand planted itself between my shoulder blades and propelled me out of the truck onto the pavement. I landed on my palms but rolled so that I didn’t break anything. I had enough experience being throw to the ground to know how to land properly.
Jacob’s truck flew backward in reverse, the passenger’s door still open. He hit the brakes again, spinning the car around and shutting the door with the centrifugal force of his spin. I looked up as Jacob sped away from the housing complex, leaving me on the ground, scraped up and shocked by his behavior.
Yep, I wasn’t going to the dance with him now, or ever. Jacob could go fuck himself.
Chapter 18
Think twice, measure once.
That was the end of things between me and Jacob. It had been short and brutal, but it wouldn’t last any longer after he had pushed me out of his truck for not agreeing to go to the school dance with him. Why we even had a school dance at this shithole of a school, I didn’t know, but I did know that I wouldn’t be going with him.
I considered choosing someone else just to make the point clear, but I didn’t know anyone else as well as I knew Jacob, which was fucked up. I should have been spending my time seeking out good people to befriend, and guys that would treat me right, but instead, I had spent so much time battling Jacob that he was the only person who I felt close to.
It shouldn’t be that way, but I couldn’t change the mistakes that I had made in the past that brought me to this point. I doubted that Jacob would let me go so easily, because he still hadn’t gotten his money back, but he wouldn’t be so nice to me after what had happened.
Jacob had spilled some of his true self in that encounter. I learned things about him that surprised me and made me more interested in who he really was underneath all that aggression and pain. I suspected that was all it was. Pain.
We mask our hurt by building walls and readying our defenses every time someone steps toward our castle. The more damaged we are, the more we attack at the slightest hint of danger. It’s in our blood to behave this way, but that doesn’t mean it’s healthy.
