Start a Fire: A Dark High School Bully Romance (The Savage Crew Book 1)

by Julia Wolf

  With a jerk, I freed my arm, stopping myself from rubbing the place where her nails had dug in. “Is that what this was really about? Pissing all over Nate so I wouldn’t get any ideas?”

  She lowered her long lashes halfway. “No, this was about two old friends having a chat. But I know how you feel about Nate, so I thought you might need a little reminder that he’s off-limits.”

  I gave her my own dark look, then one I’d perfected while wearing my cheerleading uniform and pushing anyone down who got in my way. “I don’t need a reminder to stay away from Nate. That night cured me of that.”

  Elena laughed, letting her head fall back. “Oh, Grace, don’t be so dramatic. You got what you wanted, you just couldn’t keep it.”

  There was that black heart I remembered. Right on time.

  “Goodbye, Elena.”

  She waved her beauty queen wave. “Byyyyye, Grace.”

  Chapter Five

  The rest of the week went pretty much the same. Gabe fucking with me, Sebastian killing me softly with his eyes, Bex saving me from going nuts at lunch, Elena and Nate being Elena and Nate during English. At least she didn’t sit next to me again. All pretenses had been dismantled between us.

  I had a shift at Wheelz after school. My first day had been all training with Preston and Carly, but tonight, they were throwing me to the wolves. I’d be working with the girl they called Hells Belles from after school to close.

  I wore my new checkered Vans, ripped jeans, and a rainbow tee that grazed the top of my waistband. When my mom saw me this morning, she’d said I looked like I’d stepped right out of the nineties wearing her clothes.

  There were several people checking out boards when I walked into Wheelz, so I went into the back room, stashed my backpack, and checked in with Preston.

  “What’s up, Swiss Miss?” He grinned at me while he folded a T-shirt. “Lookin’ sharp.”

  “Thanks. And Swiss Miss?” I asked.

  His wife, Carly, leaned against the counter. “He gives everyone who works here a nickname. Don’t fight it.”

  “I’m cool with a nickname, but calling a half-Indian girl Swiss Miss might be a stretch. I think I need to be a little blonder for that one,” I said.

  Preston bent at his waist, laughing. I’d learned on my first day here he found life pretty damn amusing and every other sentence from my mouth sent him rolling.

  “Nah, girl. ’Cause you lived in Switzerland. Not the chick on the hot chocolate.”

  My cheeks flamed, feeling incredibly dumb for not making the connection. “All right, I guess I’ll be Swiss Miss.”

  He went to help someone who wanted to see a skateboard, leaving me with Carly. She looked more like a Swiss Miss, except she had tattoos from her knuckles to the side of her face. She and Preston had met when they collided at a skate park when they were fifteen, and it had been true love ever since.

  “Are you ready for me and Preston to leave you?” she asked.

  “Yeah. I mean, I have the register stuff down. And I’m sure...Hells Belles?” Carly nodded. “I’m sure she’ll show me the ropes with everything else. I’m not too worried, as long as she’s cool.”

  “Oh, honey, Hells is cooler than cool. I don’t know your type, but she’s got this friend who’s always around...” Grinning, she shook her head. “Well…I think Vegas might be every straight chick’s type.”

  The door opened, and lucky me, I had a clear view of the people entering. First, Helen of the red lips pushed through, a skateboard tucked under her arm, and Preston called out, “What’s up, Hells?” These people went wild with the nicknames around here. Apparently, Helen was my co-worker, which might be cool.

  It was the guy following her who gave me the urge to make a run for it. He jerked his chin to Preston, then made his way to where Carly and I stood without noticing. The second his eyes lifted, landing on Carly before sliding to me, all the air was sucked from the room.

  No. No, no, no, no, no!

  “You’re Vegas?” I blurted.

  Sebastian Vega had spray painted that gorgeous mural on the side of the building—the one I’d looked at and both smiled and got wistful for my dad? How this asshole had created art like that, I didn’t understand.

  He paused at the counter, taking in every one of my details—where I stood by the register, my obvious friendliness with Carly, even my Vans. I saw it click, the details adding up to a single conclusion.

  “You’re Swiss Miss, I’m guessing.” His voice was so level, so steady, it scared me.

  Carly tapped her fingers on the counter. “That’s right, you guys go to the same school. You know each other?”

  Helen leaned a curved hip against the glass case, a smile filled with mischief splitting her ruby lips. “Oh, they’ve met. We’re all in math together.”

  “Well, that’s lovely. Preston and I are going to go on a date while you two hold down the fort. Think you can handle it without burning the joint to the ground?” she asked.

  “We can handle it,” I said.

  Helen disappeared into the back while Carly and Preston finished up. And I...well, I tried to think of how I could quit on my second day working here. I liked it and needed the money, but there was no way I could work here if Sebastian was going to be hanging around all the time.

  He scared me in a school full of four thousand people. Practically alone in a small shop? My knees became weak at the thought.

  I didn’t speak up before Preston and Carly left for the night. I couldn’t. I’d promised to be here, and there was no way I would let them down. Besides, my fear was mostly irrational. Apart from the first day, Sebastian hadn’t touched me. He’d hardly spoken a word to me. It was the looks he kept giving me—the looks I couldn’t turn away from—that had me nervous.

  He tapped the glass, startling me. “Tell Hells I’m out. I’ll be back at close.” Then he left without another word.

  Helen peeked out of the back at the sound of the door opening and closing. “Did Bash leave?”

  “He’ll be back at close,” I replied.

  She came out to stand beside me at the counter, crossing her arms to assess me. It wasn’t exactly friendly, but I wasn’t scared she was about to smash my face into the glass either. “What are you doing here, rich girl? Slumming?”

  “Why do you think I’m rich?” I volleyed back.

  “You have the look. I know it.”

  I shrugged. “Even if I were rich, it isn’t my money. I don’t care whose parents are well-off and whose aren’t. I’ve never given it a thought when picking friends.”

  She reached out, flipping the ends of my hair. “Says the girl who’s never worried about money.” Her eyes narrowed. “Or at least hasn’t had to until recently.”

  “Maybe. But I’ve had plenty of other things to worry about.”

  Helen tossed her head back, her laugh husky. “Don’t we all? Anyway, I’m cool with you as long as you’re cool and pull your weight. This job isn’t too hard, and we normally have plenty of eye candy to occupy us.”

  “I don’t know if I’m cool. I’ll leave you to judge that. But I will definitely work my ass off.”

  She fake-punched my shoulder. “I think we’ll get along just fine.”

  Our shift went quickly. A few guys came in, looking for boards and gear, and Helen worked hard at flirting her ass off. She had game, I’d give her that. Boys ate out of the palm of her hand and tripped over themselves to talk to her. She had said Bash wasn’t her boyfriend, but I couldn’t help being curious at what their relationship was.

  At seven-thirty, I flipped the sign on the door over and locked it. Helen counted out the register while I went around straightening. She finished before I did, so she worked alongside me, refolding T-shirts and dusting shelves.

  “You have plans tonight?” she asked.

  I didn’t. My social life was next to nothing, and I was freaking thrilled about that. Tonight’s big plans consisted of lounging on the couch with my mom, eating pizz
a, and watching trash TV.

  “None. It’s been a long week. I’m going home to crash.”

  Lips curled into a grin, she rolled her eyes. “So boring.”

  “What are you doing that’s so exciting?”

  “Probably getting lit with my crew. We might do some skating or watch a movie. The night is young, Gracie.”

  She might have thought my night sounded lame, but I didn’t hear an invite in her plans. As much as I liked her, I was perfectly fine with that, especially if Sebastian and Gabe were part of her “crew.” My days of getting lit around boys I didn’t know well were over. They’d ended when I was fifteen—at Nate Bergen’s house party.

  Helen and I clocked out and exited through the back. I’d expected Sebastian to be there, and he was, but he wasn’t alone. Gabe sat on the hood of a car, a few girls around him. The other boys they hung out with were scattered throughout the mostly-empty parking lot on motor bikes and in a couple beater cars.

  “Little princess! What are you doing here, baby?” Gabe slow-jogged across the parking lot, hugging me like we were old friends. Then he slung his arm over my shoulder, facing me toward his friends. “Look who it is! My girl, Grace!”

  Helen walked right up to him and flicked his nose. “Go away, Gabriel.”

  He lifted his hands, backing up with a cocky smirk. “I know when I’m not wanted. Bitches always be breakin’ my heart.”

  She snorted. “You’d need a heart to break for that to happen.”

  Avoiding the eyes that had been burning into me since I stepped outside, I said a quick good night to Helen and turned to leave as fast as I could. Before I even got two steps, she screeched my name.

  “Where’s your ride, girlie?” she called.

  “I’m walking. It’s fine.” I hitched my backpack higher on my shoulders, desperate to leave before any more attention fell on me.

  “Bash! Gracie needs a ride.” Helen draped herself on Sebastian’s shoulder, blinking up at him. “Give her a ride.”

  I could no longer avoid looking at Sebastian, and that was a shame. His hands were braced on the handlebars of his bike, feet flat on the ground. The frown pinching his brow transformed him into a beautiful demon, no doubt with evil intent—and right now, his intentions were squarely on me.

  His head cocked. “You need a ride?”

  “I really don’t. Home isn’t far. I’ll walk.”

  It was only a mile. Probably not advisable to walk alone at this time of night, but here I was, making terrible choices.

  “Come on, rich girl. I want to get out of here tonight.”

  Being called rich girl twice in the same night when I was anything but had me opening my mouth when I knew damn well I shouldn’t.

  “Rich girl?” The little bubble of anger in my chest gave me the nerve to keep going. “I’m disappointed. It’s so cliche. Boy from the wrong side of the tracks resents girl for being born with a silver spoon. I’ve heard this story before. I thought you were more interesting than that.”

  His nostrils flared, but that was the only indication anything I’d said had affected him. Sebastian was an impenetrable stone wall. Flat and hard, nothing was getting through unless he wanted it to.

  I knew nothing about this boy. And it was pretty damn obvious he knew nothing about me. Oh, he thought he did, but he was wrong.

  Lifting my chin, I said, “If we’re done here, I need to get going. I also have somewhere to be tonight.” I started across the parking lot, long strides carrying me away from the “crew.”

  The low purr of a sports motorcycle started up behind me, and seconds later, Sebastian pulled up next to me. “You can’t walk alone. Get on.”

  “No, thank you. I’m fine.” I crossed my arms over my chest and continued to the sidewalk.

  The purring of the motorcycle cut out, and I found the lack of noise more alarming. Even more alarming were the footsteps fast approaching. Before I could react, my elbow was in Sebastian’s firm grip and he was hauling me backward.

  “I’ll take you home. Doesn’t mean anything,” he rumbled.

  “It means you don’t want me to be murdered. At least not by anyone else.”

  His hand slid around my waist and beneath my shirt, touching my bare skin. I struggled in his grip, but only half-heartedly. He wasn’t out to hurt me, at least not right now, and I was too tired to argue anymore.

  We stopped by his bike, and he faced me, pushed my hair behind my ears, then shoved his helmet onto my head. Climbing onto the narrow seat, he patted the back.

  “Get on, Grace.”

  I slung my leg over, unsure how to situate my limbs. “I’ve never done this before.”

  “Hold on, lean with me. I won’t go fast.”

  My fingers curled at his sides, fisting his T-shirt. I felt him sigh through his back, then he pulled my hands forward, resting them on his tight abdomen without saying a word.

  “Tell me where you live,” he gritted out.

  “The Towers.”

  His muscles stiffened. “The Towers? What the fuck? Why would you live there?”

  Frustrated we weren’t moving and with this line of questioning, I started to slide off the bike, but he caught me, gripping my thigh so I couldn’t escape. “Don’t move, Grace. I’ll take you.”

  He took off, charging through the night. Warm wind whipped at my face as our town blurred by. If this wasn’t fast, then I never wanted to be on the back of his bike when he did let loose. My arms automatically tightened around him, but I wasn’t as afraid as I thought I’d be. I almost let myself enjoy it. If the ride had been longer, or if I’d been with someone who didn’t seem to despise me, I might have.

  I directed him to my building, and he pulled up to the curb in front. My legs were shaky when I climbed off. Sebastian eyed me, wariness weighing down his brow. I shoved his helmet at him.

  “Thanks for the ride.” My thumbs hooked on my backpack. “Let’s never do that again.”

  He nodded at my building. “Which one’s yours?”

  “Why?”

  He lowered his chin, capturing me with his unforgiving eyes. “Tell me.”

  Needing this encounter to end, I gestured over my shoulder. My bedroom window faced the parking lot, and it was dark as night. Bash nodded, his nostrils flaring as he breathed in through his nose.

  “Go in. Turn the light on. Show me.”

  “Why would I do that?”

  “Because if you don’t, I’ll have to come in and make sure you get home safe.” He managed to make that sound menacing.

  Our eyes locked. His were crow-black and unwavering. There was no humor in his expression. Sebastian actually believed he had some say in what I did.

  Huffing with indignation, I swiveled on the balls of my feet and went inside my building. I had no intention of showing this man where I slept. No good could come of that.

  My mom was on the couch in her pajamas when I tossed my backpack down by the door. She wagged her finger at me.

  “Nope. Take that to your room. We don’t have the space to be sloppy anymore.” She blew me a kiss. “Love you, sweet girl.”

  With a groan, I picked up my heavy bag and tromped by her, blowing a kiss on my way. Without turning the lights on in my room, I threw my bag on my bed, slipped on a pair of cheer shorts and a tank, then went into the kitchen to scrounge up something for a late dinner.

  “I’m starving,” I whined. “Feed me, Mother.”

  “There’s curry chicken salad in the fridge, kiddo,” Mom called back.

  Just as I took the bowl of salad out and set it on the counter, there was a light knock at the front door.

  “I’ll get it.” My mom zipped by me to grab the door while I dug out a loaf of bread from the cabinet. A moment later, I heard a recently-familiar voice that sent ice through my veins. My mother popped her head in the kitchen, wide eyed.

  “Um, did you forget to tell me about the gorgeous kid who gave you a ride?” she whispered.

  “He’s here?”<
br />
  She nodded. “He said he forgot to ask you something for math class when he was bringing you home tonight.” Her mouth dropped open, and she waved her hands beside her head. “I’ll go hide in my room while you chat. About school.”

  I sucked in a breath as she ran off. Sometimes I wished she wasn’t the cool mom. Couldn’t she be a super strict ass-kicker who sent bad boys on their way without a second thought?

  Bash leaned his shoulder against the jamb, his foot kicked out to keep the door open.

  “This building’s security is shit. And your mom really shouldn’t allow strangers to have access to her daughter.” He pointed to the ground in front of him. “Come here, Grace.”

  I stayed planted two feet from him, just out of reach. “I’m good here. Why are you in my home?”

  “Did you forget to turn the light on?” He crossed his arms over his chest, corded muscles twitching.

  “No.”

  His head canted to the side. “No? How was I supposed to know you were safe and sound? Did you want me to come inside to check on you?”

  The accusation was so preposterous, I would have laughed if he hadn’t seemed so deadly serious. “No. I guess I forgot.” Reaching out, I put my hand on the corner of the door, ready to close it in his face. “You can see I’m fine. You can go home now.”

  Sebastian took a slow tour of my body with his eyes, and I forced myself not to react. Though, if someone tossed me a hoodie right about now, I wouldn’t pass it up.

  “You start working at Wheelz because I hang out there?”

  I reared back, shocked by his accusation. “What are you talking about? I didn’t know you existed until five days ago. How would I know where you hang out?”

  Something about him changed. His stony hardness became spiky iron. Danger seeped from him, and I became more aware than ever at how utterly alone we were at that moment.

  “You didn’t know I existed?” He caught my chin with his iron fingers, tipping my head back so I was forced to meet his gaze. “You are a little fucking monster dressed up as a fancy-ass rich girl. Exactly what I thought.”