Vicious Hate (Westbrook Blues Book 2)

by Thandiwe Mpofu

  There are even cabinets with drawers, files and medical equipment that I don’t know but hope to find out soon.

  “Someone is sick.” George breathes out.

  We stare at each other then back into the room, filled with shock and disbelief. My father was right, Syrus Easton is hiding something. Someone in his household is sick. Could it be him? I mean, I know Emmett wouldn’t mind if that abusive jerk dropped dead while drowned in his whiskey and bullshit.

  “Do you think it’s Em?” Noah questions, his voice sounding funny and strange. With what emotion though? I don’t want to identify it. I don’t want to call it fear.

  Fear has no place among the Blue Boys. We operate in ruthless power and untamed energy that no one but Star can control or manipulate.

  “I’m not sure but someone is definitely sick.” I breath out.

  “Who is sick?”

  We jump as soon as we hear a sweet, melodic, curious voice behind us.

  “God, baby blue. You can’t just sneak up on people like that.” Noah complains, clutching his heaving chest dramatically.

  But Astraea only looks towards the window, curiosity marring her features. She looks at me then, trying to find the answer she needs because she knows, we never lie to each other or keep secrets. Not between her and I.

  Not since we confessed to each other how much we hated each other.

  Not even after she held my hand and hugged me that night.

  Not since we met.

  But now as George also catches my attention from the corner of his eyes, I know that this will probably be the first time I’ll ever lie to her because I see George’s intention and I know I’m going to back my brother on this one.

  “Nobody is sick, twin turbo.” George steps forward, an easy, charming smile transforming his worried face as he steps closer to his twin.

  “That’s not what you said.” She narrows her eyes, eyeing her brother then looks past his shoulder at Noah who glances down to the ground like he suddenly finds it interesting.

  “Noah?” She calls his name and I know if she does it one more time, Noah is going to open his lying for shit mouth and talk. So I step forward, talking to her but not directly.

  “Come on guys, we have to get Em. No one is sick or anything. Maybe just your sister with that snot running down her nose.” I say to George. “Didn’t you say she had a cold?”

  I ignore the hurt look on her face as she wipes away the little trail of snot. I reach into my pocket and grab the handkerchief with my initials on it and pass it along to her, a shiver races through my pinky as it touches hers.

  But I can’t show them how she affects me. None of them should ever know.

  “Here, you can keep it, I don’t want to be sick like you.” I say, forcing my voice to be hard, seemingly unimpressed by her.

  She gasps, looks at me like I just kicked her puppy, stole her candy and made her angry, then she stomps her foot, turns and runs away.

  “Nice going, shithead.” George seethes as soon as she is gone. “You just made her cry.”

  I know where she ran off to. I’ll find her soon, if she decides to stay there the rest of the day that is, but I won’t explain myself or apologize to anyone. I know Star. I know that her imagination runs away with her and George was right earlier, she is a walking, talking, fiery bleeding heart. I won’t have her finding out that someone is sick in the Easton household because I know where her mind will run to. She will immediately think that it’s Emmett.

  The last thing I need is to watch from the shadows as he gets all her attention, her time and her affection. He already has way more of those and I’ll be damned. Besides, we need to go, we’ve got more than we needed.

  “Yeah, well, your sister is too curious for her own good and like I said, we can’t get caught out here.” I shrug, knowing that she is still around, listening.

  “Yeah, she is growing to hate you each day because you are a viciously hateful sonofabitch, King.” George accuses, his eyes watching me, measuring me, studying me and what I’m about.

  Yeah, tell me something I don’t know.

  I look towards the shadowy trees that are close by, raising an eyebrow, silently questioning how her brother knows that she hates me. Star would never admit to anyone her true feelings about anything unless it’s to me.

  Like the time her mother bought her this ugly dress and forced her to attend and participate in this beauty thing for young girls. She did it to please her mother and told the boys that she enjoyed it, her smile was convincing but the night before that fucking event, we met up at our little spot and with her head resting on my shoulder, a yawn taking over her entire small frame she whispered the truth.

  “I feel like a pig that was just bought from a dirty, local farmer’s fair then stuffed in a dress and make-up just to perform in a fancy evening event.” She complains, distress accompanying each word. “And all these laughing, cunning eyes will be on me and they are screaming with the truth of just how ugly and out of place I am.”

  I made a phone call that night after I took her back to her house, pretending to pass on a message to the organizer’s of the event from the great Denise King. The next day, her gleeful and breathtaking smile made ruining the event for fifty other spoiled brats worth it.

  But now the question is, how does George know that she hates me?

  I guess our little meeting will be a bit longer but who am I kidding, spending time with Star is almost like an addiction, much like my mother’s addiction is to red wine.

  Amanda drinks it all day, everyday now, since she sent me to that fucking hospital. Another thing I’m not ever allowed to tell my friends, but I’ll be damned if I told her about it.

  “Let’s not deviate from the plan. We still need to find out what’s going on in there or who is sick.” I speak up, staring at George, challenging him to say something. I don’t like the look he is giving me, as if he knows something about me that I don’t.

  In that moment, I’m reminded of his eerie resemblance to his sister. They think alike in so many ways but are worlds different at the same time.

  His sister is the only one who really sees me. She is the only one who is aware of the nightmares, the demons, the pain. She sees it all. Like she is watching now.

  “My mother.”

  A deep, hard voice speaks from behind me and I turn around quickly only to be faced by Emmett who stands there, breathing hard, his chest heaving in irregular patterns.

  “Since you are snooping around and by the way, you’re not good at it, it’s my mother.” He speaks, his voice still hard, eyes hard, his entire body language, tense.

  He doesn’t look any better. He looks like he has just survived a storm, his tousled hair blowing in the soft breeze, his wrinkled shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbow.

  “Em, we didn’t mean to snoop around.” George starts but Emmett cuts him off.

  “Yeah, I think you did.” He sighs then. “You never. . .knooow. . .when to miiiinddd. . .your own business.” He stutters.

  His stutter is getting better, almost untraceable but whenever it comes back, it means one thing, he is angry.

  I don’t have to look to know that my girl heard it too as I look over his shoulder, watching her approach softly, her eyes on me, telling me that she doesn’t care what I do or say to her, she is here for Emmett, and Emmett only.

  “Emmett.” She calls softly, watching me, challenging me.

  I notice that I’m not the only one who tenses as soon as she speaks. I’m not the only one whose breathe stutters or whose chest starts heaving faster when she is close by. I watch in growing anger and vindictiveness as Emmett shuts his eyes tightly, taking in a deep breath, as if to prepare himself for her, then he turns around to look at Star.

  My Star.

  My girl.

  Mine.

  She fucking smiles at him like he is her everything. My fists clench, my teeth grind against each other as if my jaw will snap i I let go. She glances at me briefl
y, as if she knows what she makes me feel.

  “Down boy.” George warns knowingly as he clamps a hand down on my shoulder, in a voice that is meant for my ears only.

  I grunt, shaking his hold off of me, watching Star as she steps closer to Emmett.

  “What’s wrong?” She questions him, stepping closer.

  “Damn, sis. I thought you were gone.” George says. We have since ditched the perfect, spy art of whispering, now speaking freely.

  “I was too curious and concerned.” She answers her brother with a small glance his way but then turns back to look at Emmett, her eyes filled with concern.

  “Em, what happened?” She questions softly.

  “Nothing. . .” He starts but she cuts him off.

  “Lies don’t sound good on your tongue, Emmett.” She says, her gaze taking in Emmett’s disheveled state, noticing everything.

  “Astraea. . .”

  “Where have you been?” She questions him again, stepping closer to him. Again.

  Fifteen inches.

  He is fifteen inches close to her and it’s driving me crazy. I must have made a sound or something because suddenly, all eyes are on me. The guys have questions in their eyes but Star, ever the most perceptive out of all the people I know, as if she knows that I‘m about to go on a rampage, takes two steps back, away from Emmett, but the guys want an answer so I speak.

  “It’s obvious that something happened here two weeks ago, something that made someone be hospitalized.” I’m spit balling but I think I just hit the nail on the head when Emmett let’s out this sound.

  It’s not crying. It’s not even screaming or breaking but it’s a sound unlike anything I’ve ever heard before.

  I identify it as the sound of a god that has just been destroyed, broken down, and defeated but not just in the physical. It rings of raw, unfiltered, real and almost tangible pain that tightens my chest. Everyone holds their breath as we watch Emmett in horror, realizing that something happened within these walls.

  Could it be what happened to me?

  Everything stops in that moment. My stupid, unreasonable jealousy towards my best friend goes away, fading into thin air like it has no place when faced with these demons that we are witnessing.

  Noah steps forward, just as George and I quickly step closer to Emmett, gathering him by his shoulders, holding him up so he doesn’t fall down to the ground

  “That sonofabitch beat heeeeer. . . up so bad.” He starts, his voice hardening with each word, his stammer, getting stronger with that one word.

  Her.

  “There was so much blood. A lot of blood everywhere. He almost murdered heeeer right in front of me. . .” He grits out, his voice hard, filled with a kind of animalistic pain that I have never heard from him before. I can identify it though, having personal experience myself.

  Her. His mother.

  “He beat heeer up.” He repeats, in shock, in horror, in disgust, in pain and in remembered agony. “And it’s all my fault.”

  I tighten my hold on his shoulder and arm. Noah steps forward to complete the circle, slapping Em’s back in a supportive, brotherly gesture that I know is a way to calm him down as much as it is to show Emmett support. We’ll do whatever the fuck we have to do to hold our brother up in this moment and forever.

  Star steps closer to me, we brush our fingers briefly as she looks at me, tears glittering in her eyes, pain marring her features, but I can see determination shining through those stars.

  In that moment, we understand each other.

  In that moment, we see what we need to do.

  And that’s to stand with Emmett.

  “What happened?” I question him, watching as Star stands in front of Em, looking up at him. She is the only one he sees right now, my personal feelings aside, I know he will open up if she is present.

  “Sheeee wanted to leave him two weeks ago. He found out about it, came back home in a blind rage like the devil. . .” His voice breaks off. Star finishes.

  “He beat her up, until she became unconscious.” Her voice is shaky, her tears streaming down her cheeks but Emmett only stares at her, unblinking.

  “And he did it in front of you.” She continues.

  He doesn’t deny it, doesn’t confirm it. He just watches her.

  “He said it was your fault again, didn’t he?” Star’s voice now has this edge to it, a fiery anger that she tries to compress but I know it’s there. I’ve seen glimpses of it here and there. What she doesn’t know is, I need that fire. I need her to be strong. For me. For her. For this life that is being orchestrated for us. Because there will come a time where we will have to fight.

  I hope she wishes for me.

  She’s the star that I wish upon. And in this moment, I doubt I’m the only one who finds peace in her.

  “Yes.” Emmett groans.

  Immediately, Star wraps her short arms around a tall Emmett, hugging him so tight that a wave of jealousy hits me again but I shake it away.

  Emmett needs comfort but I also know one thing, with each hug, each smile, each touch from her, Emmett is slowly falling in love with her. Or rather, he is still in love with her.

  Pain is a strange thing. When someone close to you feels it, you can’t help but feel it too. But this kind of pain, I think it was created and curated as my personal brand, just to be administered to me and me alone.

  But then Star opens her eyes, and they immediately fall on me, as if she knows what I’m feeling right now. As if she knows what’s going through my head.

  We stare at each other with her head resting on Emmett’s shoulder, and in that moment, I feel our connection getting stronger. A strong wave of relief washes over me when I see that look in her eyes.

  It’s us. It will always be us. My Blue Star and her Dark Ace of Death.

  “It’s going to be alright.” She whispers in his ear as she steps back but I think he mumbles something under his breath that I didn’t catch.

  I place a hand on Emmett’s shoulder, Noah does so on his back and George at his other shoulder and we stand there in silence. But I also knew that one thought ran through our minds.

  Emmett was also beaten up by his asshole of a father.

  Emmett’s mother almost died in front of his eyes.

  Emmett will probably never get over what happened here. This will shape his entire life forever.

  And I also know one thing.

  Emmett didn’t tell us the entire truth about the hospital bed because the bed that we just saw in there, that’s a children’s kind of hospital bed. Not suitable for an adult.

  There are moments in our lives that we can never turn back from, or re-do again. Friday night had a lot of those one shot moments. For me, that was my Friday the thirteenth.

  But one moment in particular, had fear gripping me by the throat, then dragged me by the roots of my hair towards the large crowd that just stood there, bearing witness to the destroying of a lifetime of trust and brotherhood.

  Watching Emmett and Ace growl at each other, punching the living hell out of each other, almost made me hurl again. I’ve since learnt that at times, heartbreak comes in varying degrees of intensity.

  And so does devastation.

  I can’t get the looks of pure murder that was displayed in their eyes out of my mind. Nor can I stop thinking about the way their bare, tattooed chests were dripping with blood, it’s a wonder that someone didn’t lose a tooth, but they probably broke each other’s nose.

  I’m not sure but all I saw was the crimson stains of blood as people cheered in a mix of horror, and awe, fascinated by a rare spectacle of the Blue Boys at each other’s necks with such viciousness about them that it felt like the end of them. Even if their noses are not broken, as Noah and I looked over at each other that night, we knew the truth.

  Ace and Emmett had lost something much deeper than that.

  It wasn’t just the need to flex their muscles nor was it a petty argument about who is the best at something small
and benign like they used to do when we were younger.

  This gruesome, bloody and violent fight stemmed from something else.

  The tension and anger radiating from each of them made it seem like that damn fist fight meant something deeper, like it had been brewing just underneath the surface for a long time.

  Just how long? I don’t think I want to know.

  What they were fighting over or about? I most definitely don’t want to know.

  As the sound of the estates’ security, as well as the cops sounded in the air, people started to scatter, running around like headless chickens, trying to flee from the trouble that was coming. Most of these party goers were going to end up in jail, and most of them don’t need that kind of record on their spotless, aspiring political career resumes and all that bullshit. I didn’t give a damn about any of them. They could all rot in jail for all I care.

  “Are you okay” I grab Emmett’s wrist, stopping him from walking further away from me.

  He turns around and looks down at me through a hooded gaze, his nose bloody, a black eye forming, the bruise there looking really bad, puffy and darkening by the second. His entire face is bruised up, Ace is definitely not any better.

  It’s like they were really going to kill each other tonight and not think anything of it. How could they do something like that? Why?

  Emmett looks down at me like he wasn’t expecting me to be standing before him or asking how he is doing.

  “I’m fine. Better go check on your boyfriend.” He grits out harshly, shaking my hold off of him and he stalks away from me, blending in the shadows, going towards the dark, gloomy mansion that is his house.

  “Emmett!” I call after him but he ignores me.

  What the hell is happening? I can feel my heart break as dread settles firmly in the pit of my stomach.

  I watch in confusion and shock as another girl grabs his arm from out of nowhere, stopping his heated advance towards his house. I wait for him to shake her away like he did me, but he doesn’t.

  What the hell?

  He lets her plaster herself to his arm and I’m not sure if I’m seeing things but I swear his entire body just relaxed, all the tension from a few seconds ago when he was with me dissipating with that one touch from this mysterious girl. And then the way he is looking at her, it’s almost as if she is everything.