Wicked Mercy

by Mae Doyle

  He was incredible.

  Protective.

  Strong. Kind. Loving.

  Kaleb filled a void for me that I didn’t know I had. He had more emotion in him than any man I’d ever met besides my dad and wasn’t afraid to show it, which was incredible to me. Out of all my rogues, he was the most passionate and the most compassionate.

  I wanted to give myself to him, but he’d asked a question. He wanted to know what I thought, but I knew that he wasn’t only referring to the view.

  Kaleb needed to know what I thought about him.

  About us.

  But he was the poet, not me. I wasn’t sure that I could give him the answer that he deserved, not when I knew that his heart and his soul felt things so much deeper than other people did, so I did the only thing that I knew would give him an idea of my feelings for him.

  I kissed him.

  Chapter 4

  “Rose, I never want to let you go.” Kaleb finally pulled back from our kiss, but, just like he wanted, he didn’t let me go. Not only did he still have his strong arms around me, but his gaze was locked on me. For once, though, I didn’t shiver under it.

  We’d connected. We were together, and we both knew that. “Do you think that things will be okay once we get back to Taylor Prep?” Even though I knew that he didn’t have the answer and couldn’t seen into the future, I had to ask him. I had to know what he thought so that I could plan ahead for what was to come.

  To my relief, he nodded. “We’re going to be okay, Rose – all of us. You, me, Jackie, Brett…we’re all going to be okay because we’re all on the same page now.” He leaned down and kissed me again, this time trailing his hand up my side. My body remembered what it was like to be with him at the beach and I wanted more, but now was not the time.

  When he pulled back, there was a regretful look on his face. “I better be getting you back to Brett, Rose, or he’ll come looking for me. We may all be happy sharing you and being with you, but he’ll never forgive me if I make him miss his time with you.”

  “Thank you.” My voice was soft, and there was a double meaning, but Kaleb smiled, knowing what I meant.

  I was thanking him, not just for the kisses, although they were delicious, but for being him. For loving me. For standing by me and making sure that I was going to be safe.

  “Thank you, Rose, for being you. Now, I bet you’re hungry, right?”

  I hadn’t thought about it, but as soon as he mentioned it, my stomach rumbled. “Yeah, I guess so.”

  “Good, then you’ll love your surprise from Brett. Let’s head back okay?” We made our way back down the trail, Kaleb turning to help me down from rocky outcroppings and making sure that I didn’t fall on my way back down. My sneakers were muddy and ruined, but I didn’t care. I was wiling to give them up for a memory of what he and I had just experienced.

  We had more work to do, but the foundation was there, and I wasn’t going to let anything tear us apart now.

  Brett and Jackie were talking when we walked into the parking lot, but Brett cut off their conversation in mid-sentence when he saw me, bent down to pick up a picnic basket, and closed the gap between us with long, purposeful strides.

  “My turn, Rose.” His voice was dark and deep, and even though he and I had spent all the car ride together, there was something about the way he looked at me that gave me pause. Things with Jackie and Kaleb were easier somehow, and even though Brett and I had come a long way, especially since we talked at the beach, there was still something between us.

  I just hoped that it wouldn’t always be there. I hoped that we could break down the wall that still stood between us. We’d come clean with each other, so why were things still difficult?

  It didn’t feel that difficult with Kaleb and Jackie, and all I could do was hope that that meant that the end reward was that much sweeter.

  “You hungry?” Brett watched Kaleb walked away from me and then reached out for my hand, turning me around to the last trailhead. It had a green marker, which I knew that it meant it would be the easiest. I couldn’t imagine Brett trying to carry a picnic basket on either of the other trails I’d been on this morning.

  “I am. Mom made breakfast, but all the fresh air makes me munchy. What do you have in there?” I tried to peek into the basket as we walked, but he swung his arm away so that I couldn’t see.

  “I did some cooking. Just some stuff that I remember you liking from when we were kids, so I’m not sure that I can call it cooking, exactly, but you’ll see. I did my best.” He smiled at me, and in that moment, the wall between us began to crack.

  Trying to hide my excitement, I looked around at our surroundings. The other paths had been dirt, with roots jutting up, but this had gravel put down, making walking incredibly easy. We crunched along in silence until we came to an open field. Right in the middle of it was a huge patch of flowers, and that is where he led me.

  Before I could sit, he opened the basket and pulled out a blanket that he flipped out onto the ground. I perched on the edge and watched him. Brett pulled out sandwiches, brownies, apples, and even bottles of soda. My mouth began to water, especially since I knew that this was the last junk food I’d get until Christmas break.

  “What kind of sandwiches?” I asked, reaching over and picking one up. I opened the bag and took a huge whiff. It smelled sweet and sugary, but I couldn’t place it.

  “Fluffernutter.” Brett took a bite of his sandwich, watching me as he did. My eyes widened in surprise and I laughed, pulling it from the bag.

  “Are you serious? I used to love fluffernutters when I was a kid! Pretty sure I haven’t had one in years.” Closing my eyes, I took a bite, the cloying sweet of the marshmallow fluff and the peanut butter mingling together on my tongue. “Holy crap, Brett, that’s amazing.”

  When I opened my eyes, he was staring at me, a grin on his face. “You really like it?” Before I could answer, he pushed a bag of salt and vinegar chips over to me. “Pretty sure you used to like these, too, right?”

  I didn’t know what to say. Brett and I had history, that was for sure, but I never thought that our history was something that we would be able to build on. I always thought that it would be something that was between us, like a wall. Now I could see that it was more of a stepping stone.

  A stepping stone that we tripped over all last year, yes, but a stepping stone nevertheless. If this continued, and I was already planning to fight for it to make sure that it did, then we were going to be just fine.

  “So you made a lunch with all of my favorite foods? But you have to tell me the truth – did you make the brownies or did your mom?” They were dark and chocolatey, loaded with tons of frosting, and so sweet that they were almost cloying in the back of my throat.

  Even so, they were delicious, and I ate three of them and washed them all down with cream soda. Finally, I leaned back, resting on the blanket, and waited for his response.

  “Well, my mom made them,” he finally admitted, licking a bit of frosting from the tip of his finger, “but I frosted them.”

  “With the frosting she made?”

  “Of course. I don’t want to lie to you, Rose. You’re definitely the better cook, but I’m an appreciative eater.”

  “Is that so?” Turning, I propped myself up on one elbow so that I could look at him. “And what would you say to me if I told you that I don’t really like to cook? Or that I’m not any good at it?”

  “I’d laugh and call your bluff. You think that I don’t remember all of the cookouts that your family invited me over for? I know that you had a hand in making something, even if it was just the potato salad.”

  “I do make good potato salad,” I agreed, grabbing a handful of grass and throwing it at him. He dodged my toss so that the blades hit him in the chest rather than in the face and leaned over me, pinning my wrists to the blanket.

  The blanket was itchy against my skin, but I didn’t want to move. I could feel my heart start to race as Brett leaned over
me. “We go way back, Rose.” Slowly he leaned down, his face just centimeters from mine. “But I need to know – do you think that we can find a way forward? Can we have a future?”

  The answer was yes, and I knew that he could see it in my eyes. Now that I had Brett there was no way that I could imagine ever being without him. There was something addictive about being with him. Jackie was funny and could always make me laugh, Kaleb was emotional and we connected on a deeper level, but Brett?

  He was my constant. He was something that could ground me in a way that nobody else ever had, and in a way that I didn’t think anyone else ever could, and I loved him for that.

  “We can, Brett, and we will. You and me? We’re in this for the long haul. I know that things were rough last year, but that doesn’t mean that they have to stay that way. You saved me, Brett. You cared for me when people were afraid to, and you led me to the loves of my life.”

  He didn’t say anything for a moment, but then he leaned down, his lips desperate and hot on mine. Arching my back, I kissed him, trying to get closer to him, but he kept my wrists pinned in place. When he pulled back, his breath was hot on my skin.

  “I want you, Rose.” There was a longing in his voice that I’d never heard before, and it made my core ache. I was practically throbbing for him, pinned down in the middle of the most gorgeous field, all alone with the guy who had tried to ruin my life.

  The same guy who ended up saving it.

  “I’m yours.” The words were out of my mouth before I’d had a chance to consider the implication, but as soon as Brett heard them, he knew that I was being honest. He kissed me again and let go of my wrists as his hands slid up my sides. I pulled away, gasping for air while I grabbed his hips and pulled him to me. “Brett,” I moaned, “I need you.”

  That was all I had to say. Brett sat up, his chest heaving. “Not here, Rose. I want you, and I am going to have you, but it’s not going to be in the middle of a field when I can’t take my time. I don’t want to feel rushed, Rose. I need you in a way that I’ve never needed anyone before, and when the time comes, I’m going take my time. I’m going to make you understand that everything that happened last year…it’s over. I’m sorry for it, Rose. I’m going to fight like hell for you. You’re worth it.”

  I was worth it.

  The words flooded through my body. I’d heard that from all three of my guys today and I was finally starting to believe it. “You’re worth it, too.” Sitting up, I scooted out from under Brett, even though my entire body was screaming for me to pull him down so that I could kiss him more. His lips on mine were fire and sent a rush through my core.

  “We’re going to make it, Brett.” I took his hand and squeezed it so that he would look at me. When he did, I felt myself relax. “I promise you. We’re going to make it through this.”

  Chapter 5

  I spent the limo ride stretched out between my rogues, my head on Jackie’s shoulder, half asleep. Hiking through the woods and then a delicious picnic made me so tired that I could barely keep my eyes open, so when the boys told me that they would be quiet so I could sleep, I took them up on it.

  Even though I’d never been one to sleep easily in the car when I was little, there was something about being snuggled tight with the boys I loved to make me feel safer than I had ever felt before. No matter what happened, I knew that they would keep me safe, so I fell asleep almost as soon as we pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road.

  We had just pulled inside the gates of Taylor Prep when I finally opened my eyes. “Are you sure we have to be here?” I asked the three of them. “Can’t we all just go live out there in the woods? That was so much better.”

  Jackie laughed and kissed my forehead. “I wish we could, Rosita. But we’re all on the same page now, right? You know that the three of us will do everything in our power to make sure that you’re as safe as possible, so you don’t need to worry about a thing now.”

  Even though I knew that was true, I couldn’t help but feel my stomach sink a little as the three of us headed across the quad. Seniors were housed in a completely different building than the other classes, so while I had gotten to know the building we were in last year, we had to find our new rooms and settle in without running into the harpies.

  If only we were that lucky.

  Porters handled the rogues’ luggage and the three of them carried mine so that they could be sure that nothing would happen to it. We were halfway across the quad when Amelia walked up, flanked by Kelly and Sara. She flicked her long hair over her shoulder and stopped in front of us, her eyes roaming over my body.

  “You know, Rose, you’re not nearly as smart as the admissions department here must have thought if you really think that coming back here is a good idea. Did you not get the hint last year that you’re just not wanted?” When I didn’t respond, she turned to her cousin. “You’re not seriously hanging out with this frigid bitch, are you?”

  Jackie stiffened. “Get over yourself, Amelia. You’re just jealous that not only is Rose a better singer than you, but she’s prettier, too.”

  “Prettier?” Amelia scoffed and turned her attention back to me. “Yeah, I guess that I can see that, if you like girls who look like sick cancer patients. Maybe that would be an improvement, Rose. If you were really sick you could make a wish and maybe your mommy wouldn’t be a whore any longer.” She clicked her tongue at me and her friends laughed.

  I felt my face getting hot, but before I could say anything, Brett stepped in front of me. “Oh, fuck off, Amelia. Can’t you see that everyone here is sick of listening to your nagging voice? My question is: who in the hell did you sleep with to get admitted to Taylor Prep? Probably the same person you slept with to get on the voice team, right? Because you sound like a fucking cat in heat.”

  The color drained from her face and I had to stifle a laugh. She didn’t say anything, and Brett turned around to me. “You ready, Rose?”

  I nodded and followed him as the four of us walked past Amelia and her friends. Even though I knew that she would want retaliation, the look on her face had been so, so sweet.

  “You know that she’s going to get back at you for that, right?” I caught up with Brett before we entered the dorm. Girls were on the bottom first and guys were on the second, and Taylor Prep was very strict about making sure that we didn’t spend time in each other’s rooms. “Amelia is not going to let that fly.”

  He turned to me and both Jackie and Kaleb walked up to stand next to me. We were blocking the door for all of the other students, but I didn’t care. I was surrounded by my rogues, which was exactly where I wanted to be.

  “I don’t give a shit about Amelia, no offense, Jackie.” Jackie shook his head in agreement, and Brett continued. “She thinks that she runs this school, but we’re all tired of it, just like everyone else is, too. So, don’t worry, Rose. We’re not going to let her attack you any longer, okay?”

  “Okay. Sounds good.” The boys left my luggage on the floor of the hall and headed upstairs to find their rooms and make sure their porters had dropped everything off. Just before they made it to the stairs, though, I called out. “I’ll meet you guys in a bit for dinner, right? Does that sound okay?”

  I sounded needy, but they all turned and smiled at me. Kaleb was the closest, and he walked over, planting a kiss on my lips. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world, Rose,” he whispered before walking away.

  Even though I was well aware that everyone was staring at me, I didn’t care. Picking up my backpack, I turned to see how I was going to manage my trunk when Harper and Maggie came running down the hall to me.

  “Rose!” Their voices filled the hall and they grabbed me, spinning me around in a hug. “We missed you so much, Rose,” Harper said, squeezing my hand.

  “Can you believe our new dorm?” Maggie’s eyes were shining as she looked at me. “You are never going to believe what the rooms look like!”

  The three of us managed to drag my trunk down to
my room. I was across the hall from Harper and two doors down from Maggie, so I was feeling really happy about where I would be living, but that was before Amelia and her harpies came marching down the hall.

  They had tight lips and none of them spoke to me, but my heart sank when Amelia went into one room next to me and Kelly went into the one on the other side.

  “Are you serious? I’m surrounded by the two bitches of Taylor Prep.” My voice was quiet, but both of my friends heard me and linked their arms through mine to pull me back into my room.

  “We can worry about them later, Rose, but right now just check out your room!” Harper’s voice was a squeal and I ripped my eyes away from my door to pay attention to my space. We’d brought my trunk in here, but I hadn’t really looked around. Now, though, I wondered how in the world I had managed to tear my eyes away from my room in the first place.

  Most importantly was that it had a door not only to the bathroom, but also to the hall. I grinned at my friends and shut and locked it behind me. Knowing that the harpies couldn’t enter my room whenever they wanted to made me feel much safer. Besides that, though, the room was huge. It had a vaulted ceiling and floor to ceiling windows that looked out on the woods. Soft curtains hung by the window, and I immediately walked over to open it to get a breeze.

  I ran my hand along the edge of the window looking for a latch but couldn’t find one. Confused, I turned back to my friends. “It doesn’t open?”

  Maggie laughed. “Not a chance. You think that they want to risk us sneaking out in the middle of the night? They’re just huge panes of glass and you can’t get out.”

  Huge panes of glass or not, they afforded me an incredible view of the quad and I knew that I’d be leaving my curtains open as much as possible.