Ruthless (An Enemies To Lovers Novel Book 4)

by Michelle Horst

  As soon as the guy leaves, Marcus brings his free hand up to my jaw, and he tilts my face up, so I’m forced to look at him.

  “Is this a norm for you?”

  “What,” I breathe the word out, too intimidated by the intense look in his eyes to get out anything above a whisper.

  “Attracting shit,” he spits the words out as if he’s blaming me for what just happened.

  My look of shock quickly morphs into a full-blown scowl.

  How dare he?

  “You’re blaming me?” I grind the words out as anger courses through my veins.

  I don’t care how hot he is. I won’t take the blame for some guy thinking it’s okay to rub up against me.

  I let go of his sides, and placing my hands on his rock-hard chest, I shove at him, so he’ll let go of me.

  I’m surprised when he lets go, and without looking at him, I quickly walk away.

  When the fresh air from outside hits my face, I take a calming breath.

  Just as my blood stops boiling and my anger subsides, Marcus grabs hold of my hand and pulls me away from the house. When I try to free my hand, he links his fingers with mine, holding me in a death grip I won’t be getting out of anytime soon.

  He only stops once we’ve walked past a hammock and out of the light shining from the house.

  He turns to face me, and when I see that he’s upset, my anger returns like a tidal wave.

  “Let me get this straight. You’re pissed at me after I just saved your ass for a second time tonight?” he says in such a low tone, it sends shivers racing through my body.

  “I don’t have to explain myself to you,” I snap. “Why do guys always think it’s the girl’s fault when an asshole forces himself on her? You’re all a bunch of testosterone-filled assholes who think you can take whatever you want.” I suck in a breath of air and realize I’m not done giving him a piece of my mind. “Besides, I didn’t ask for your help. I’m not as helpless as I look.”

  He tilts his head and leans closer to me until I can feel his breath caressing my face.

  “I never said it’s your fault,” he whispers.

  There’s nothing intimate about this moment. Marcus is whispering because he’s about to lose his temper. I take a step back from him, in no hurry to find out what it’s like to be on the wrong side of him.

  “I just asked if you’re a magnet for trouble so I’d know for future reference.”

  I stare into his eyes, not sure if that was an apology or insult. I go with the latter because I don’t think Marcus is one to apologize for anything.

  “I must be a magnet for trouble seeing as you’re standing in front of me,” I say, trying to infuse as much attitude as possible into my voice. This guy is way too unnerving. The more I talk to him, and see him, the less I like him. But my hormones apparently didn’t get the memo.

  He takes a step towards me, eating away the distance I just put between us. I lift my chin defiantly, not wanting to let him know how affected I am by him.

  “Then you should run along.” He reaches up and takes a curl of hair between his fingers. “Unless it’s trouble you’re looking for. Do you want to drop to your knees and deep-throat my cock? Is that why you’re still standing here? Do you want me to pull your hair as I slam into your mouth?”

  I can only blink for a few seconds as his words burn a hot path down my body. My mouth opens and closes a few times as I try to ignore the fact that I’m turned-on instead of offended.

  Finally, some much-needed brain activity returns. I can’t let Marcus win this round. I’ll never live it down.

  It takes all my inner-strength to remain calm and keep my facial expression neutral as I place my hand on his chest. Feeling his muscles jump beneath my touch fills me with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. I lift myself up on my toes so I can reach his ear. He grips my hip with his right hand, and I feel him tug at the curl that’s now wrapped around his left pointer finger.

  I relish in the fact that he’s affected by me too.

  I let out a slow breath, and whisper, “You’re an ass man, right? I saw you checking out my ass and…”

  I brush my lips over the stubble forming on his cheek and will my hormones to calm down as they swoon from the delicious tingles flaring to life between my legs.

  As I reach the corner of his mouth, and he starts to turn his face so he can kiss me, I pull back. I forget about the curl of hair wrapped around his finger, and for a slight moment, it stings as I turn around and it’s ripped from his hand. I walk away, putting extra sway into my hips, and laugh at him.

  “Now you can watch my ass walking away from you.”

  Chapter 3

  MARCUS

  “That woman irritates the living shit out of me,” I growl as I sit down next to Jaxson.

  I’m fucking hard as steel, which only pisses me off more.

  “You sure you’re not upset because of your own fucking rule not to date?”

  I glare at him. “Whose side are you on?”

  “I’m not going to sit here and lie to you so you’ll feel better about your self-imposed ban to fucking date. Just admit it; you’re irritated because you actually like Willow.”

  Trust Jaxson to call me out on my bullshit.

  “Fuck,” I whisper, as frustration grates at me. I shove my hands in my hair. “You’re right.”

  “I’m always right,” he says with a cocky attitude which makes me give him the middle finger.

  “I don’t know what it is about her. It’s like I lose all common sense when she gets close to me.”

  “Maybe it’s time you let go of the fucked up perception that you’ll turn out to be anything like your father. You deserve to be happy, Marcus. We all deserve some happiness. It’s time we allow ourselves more than just a quick fuck.”

  “Fuck my life,” Rhett groans as he walks over to us.

  “What did you do now?” Jaxson asks.

  “Evie walked in while I was busy with some girl.”

  I start to laugh. I don’t mean to but fuck this night is a mess.

  “You’re one to fucking laugh,” Jaxson says. He looks at us and shakes his head. “Why do you guys do this to yourselves? Rhett, you should tell Evie how you feel about her. I don’t understand why you keep pushing her away.” Then he zeros in on me. “And you. I don’t even know where to begin with you. If this is what it’s like having kids, I’d rather have my balls cut off.”

  Rhett starts to laugh which makes me crack up again.

  “What?” Jaxson cries. “What’s so fucking funny?”

  “We can give him the nickname, Sackless,” Rhett says which only makes him drop to the floor as he clutches his stomach from laughing so hard.

  I struggle to get the word out. “Sackless.”

  Jaxson can’t hold it in anymore and as he says, “Fuck both of you,” he starts to laugh as well.

  “What am I missing?” Carter asks.

  “Shh…” I can’t say the word as tears stream down my face.

  “Sack…” Rhett squeezes half the word out while pointing at Jaxson, “… less.” It sounds like he’s wheezing which is enough to make Carter laugh.

  When we finally start to calm down, and I manage to take a deep breath, Logan walks up to us.

  “Why are you all standing here in the dark?”

  Rhett falls to his side on the grass and starts to wheeze again which makes me crack up all over again.

  “It’s something to do with Jaxson being sackless,” Carter says as soberly as he can.

  “Sackless?” Logan asks, looking confused.

  “Stop,” Rhett wheezes. “Please.”

  I grab hold of my stomach and try to keep my body from crashing to the ground as I drop to my knees.

  Logan starts to laugh because we’re all laughing, but asks again. “What’s so funny about the word sackless?”

  “Fu…” Rhett gasps, “… ck”

  Carter chuckles silently as he watches Rhett suffer.


  Finally, Jaxson calms enough to explain. “I told them I’d rather have my balls cut off than have kids.”

  “Ouch,” Logan groans. “That’s a bit extreme.”

  “You deal with their shit for one week, and we’ll see if you feel it’s still a bit extreme.”

  Logan looks down at Rhett and me and shakes his head. “Nope, I’m not that stupid.”

  “We’re not that bad,” I say as I wipe the tears from my face. I tap Rhett on the ass with my shoe. “Tell them.”

  He pushes himself up to his knees while taking deep breaths. “Sorry, Dude. They’re right.” He uses his hands to brace himself off of the grass as silent laughter shakes his shoulders. “We’re fucked.”

  The laughter quickly dries up as Rhett sits back and we see that it’s not silent laughter. He’s fucking crying.

  “We are so fucked,” he whispers, and the look on his face matches the one I hide from everyone – fear.

  “Logan,” Carter whispers. “Get rid of the people.”

  “Sure.” I watch Logan walk away before I look back to Rhett.

  Carter sits down on the grass in front of Rhett and placing a hand on his shoulder, he says, “Talk to us. What’s going on?”

  Jaxson sits down as well, and I can feel his eyes on me, so I look away from Rhett to meet his stare.

  “You guys can’t go on like this. You fuck everything in sight except for the girls you really like.” Jaxson says. “Marcus, that list you made is getting out of control. It was a joke at first, but now? Fuck, it’s a problem.”

  I can’t reply to what he said. Earlier tonight, I saw it as a source of comfort.

  “Stop fucking around. Stop avoiding relationships. Yeah, things don’t always work out. But you both have to face the hard fact that if you keep going down this road, you’re going to end up alone and miserable. Be resilient and go after what you really want. You can both have an incredible life if you just take a chance,” Carter says.

  “That’s your pearl of wisdom?” I ask as I let out a bitter chuckle. “You’re telling us to grow a pair?”

  “Yeah, that’s another way of putting it.”

  “Dude, you’re one to fucking talk. Every single one of us is avoiding relationships. It’s not just Rhett and me. Look at the way you’re treating Della. She fucking apologized to you, but you still treat her like shit. You and Jaxson think every single woman will turn out like your mothers. Fuck knows why Logan is single.” I glance at Rhett. “What’s your reason?”

  He looks at me and just shakes his head. “The relationship part is easy, man. It’s when they die that it sucks. The one second they’re there and the next they’re just gone.”

  “And here I thought Marcus was the most fucked up out of us all,” Carter snaps. “That’s just bullshit, Rhett. Whether she lives a long life or dies tomorrow, you already fucking love her.”

  Rhett doesn’t say anything. This conversation is getting way too heavy for me.

  “Thanks, Rhett,” I mumble as I bump my shoulder against his.

  “For what?” he asks as he glances at me sideways.

  “For making me look a little normal.”

  He lets out a burst of laughter. “Normal is overrated.”

  “Mia wants to know if we’re coming through tomorrow,” Logan says as he comes out of the now empty house.

  Rhett rubs over his face and then gets up. “I think I’ll drive through now.”

  “You had too much to drink,” Carter snaps. “Logan can drive while you sleep it off in the backseat.”

  “That works for me,” Rhett jokes.

  “What about the two of you?” Carter looks at Jaxson and me.

  “I’m going to bed. Tell Mia I say hello,” Jaxson says.

  I point at Jaxson. “Same here. This night sucks balls. I’m going to go sleep it off.”

  “We’ll help clean up when we get back on Sunday.”

  “Right.” Jaxson lets out a skeptical chuckle. “I’ll believe that shit when I see it.”

  I watch the guys walk back into the house before I look back at Jaxson.

  “I agree with Carter,” Jaxson says.

  “Yeah?” I pick at the blades of grass at my feet.

  “You have to stop hiding behind this bullshit fear that you’ll go on a rampage one day and kill everyone you love. Truthfully, I don’t think that’s your problem.”

  “What’s my problem then?”

  “You’re fucking scared of losing another person you love. That’s why you don’t even let the guys in. You think if you keep everyone at a distance then nothing will be able to hurt you again.”

  “I let you in,” I argue.

  “That’s because I didn’t give you a fucking choice.”

  I nod as I think about what he just said. There are no words to describe the pain when you wake up and find out that your entire world has been wiped out. Everything you’ve loved has been erased as if it never existed.

  “I don’t even have a photo of them,” I whisper. “Your mom got rid of everything.”

  Jaxson stands up and holds his hand out to me. “Come on. I have something for you. I was waiting until you were ready.”

  I grab hold of his hand, and he pulls me up. I follow him back into the house. When we walk into his room, I go sit on the bed and watch him take a huge box out of the back of his closet.

  “I packed this for you when I was helping my mom. I can’t remember everything I put in there. I thought I’d keep it in a safe place until you talked about it.”

  He places the box at my feet. It has my name scribbled on the top in Jaxson’s handwriting.

  “You packed me a box of stuff?” I ask as emotions swell in my chest.

  “Keep in mind that I was ten. I think I even threw your dirty underwear in there.”

  I let out a burst of laughter as I reach for the box. I open it carefully. The first thing I see is Summer’s wings. The sparkle in the electric light as I pick them up. The little bands that used to go around her shoulders are worn through, and half the glitter has been rubbed off. She wore them every day. Mom used to complain about the glitter messing all over the house.

  A sound bubbles up my throat, and it gets hard to breathe. It feels like my heart is drowning in all the pain.

  I let out a burst of laughter that’s strangled by a sob as I pick up the motorbike Jaxson and I built. The sticker falls off, drifting back into the box as I stare at it.

  The first photo I see is of Summer’s first day of school. Dad’s not in it because he was behind the camera.

  My hand shakes as I take hold of the frame and I can’t keep the tears back anymore.

  “Jax,” I groan as pain overwhelms me. Seeing her bright smile, her rosy cheeks, and the wild curls framing her innocent face, is too much.

  Jax sits down next to me and places his arm around my shoulders.

  “I’m here,” he whispers.

  “Fuck, it hurts,” I growl as my tears start to blur the image of her little face.

  I wipe the tears away and look at Mom’s face. I don’t remember her being so young. Now that I’m twenty-two, thirty-four doesn’t seem so old anymore.

  “It’s wrong. It’s so fucking wrong.”

  Jaxson looks at the photo as he nods in agreement. He never wastes time saying unnecessary things. He’s always just there, holding me up when the ground opens beneath my feet.

  When I’m done looking through the box, I carefully place everything back inside, except for the photo of Summer’s first day of school.

  “Can you put the box back in your closet? I’ll keep this.”

  “Sure,” he says as he quickly places it right in the back where it will be safe.

  “Thank you,” I whisper when he turns back to me.

  “No problem. It’s not like I use the space, anyway.” He shrugs my thanks away.

  “Not about that.” I stand up and try my best to smile at him. “Thank you for this,” I say as I look down at the photo. “I really neede
d to see them again.”

  “You’re welcome. Let’s go grab a beer.”

  I place the photo next to my bed before I go to find Jaxson downstairs.

  When I sit down and look at the mess around us, Jaxson hands me a beer.

  “I’m not cleaning up this shit,” I say before I take a sip.

  “Fuck no. It can stay like this until the others are back so they can help clean,” Jaxson agrees.

  We stare at the mess for a minute longer before we both put down our beers and we start to pick up all the trash.

  “So…” Jaxson says as he grabs another trash bag, “Willow.”

  I throw a few empty solo cups in the bag he’s holding open.

  “There’s just something about her.”

  “Like?”

  “Fuck… everything. She’s beautiful. She’s full of fire.”

  Jaxson takes the trash I’ve picked up from me. “Give her a chance.”

  “It’s not that simple.”

  “Sure it is. You like her. You can tell she likes you. You have to at least try.”

  “What if I fuck it up?”

  “Then you fuck it up. At least there won’t be any what if’s or should’ve’s.”

  We keep cleaning as a war starts to brew in my chest.

  My emotions are all over the place. I’ve never felt so out of control before. I got used to the anger and pain, they’re ingrained in my soul. But the emotions I’m overcome with when I’m around Willow? They’re new and foreign. It scares the shit out of me.

  I have no idea how I’m going to handle this problem.

  Chapter 4

  WILLOW

  Once we’re in the car and I’m pulling away from the house, I glance at Evie.

  “You want to talk about it?”

  When we went to get our bags from Rhett’s room, we walked in on him and a girl. I need to bleach my eyes after seeing her breasts bouncing all over the place.

  Evie stares out the window, and I can see that she’s fighting back the tears that are threatening to fall.

  “Do you want to talk about what happened between you and Marcus?” she counters me with her own question. “I saw you talking outside.”