Ruthless Heart

by Eve L Mitchell

  “Gray thinks like I do.” My brother was completely neutral and silent in this fight; I knew it and so did Ash. “Now, concentrate on more important things like taking this fucker down in practice.”

  Ash suddenly laughed as he slung his arm over my shoulder. “I do suddenly feel the need to hit something, hard.”

  “See, and you say I give you nothing.”

  As the week passed, I got more and more nervous. The rumours were becoming more ridiculous, but the fact remained that Jett was on the hunt, and the girl with the blonde hair was the topic of almost every conversation. I’d even heard that some girls had approached him and claimed to be the girl. Seriously, they needed their heads looked at. It was like a modern-day version of Cinderella, these girls offering themselves as the wearer of the infamous slipper. Only there was no slipper, and it was all just a bit more desperate and sadder.

  He haunted me. At night, I could feel him, and I lived through what felt like a complete rerun every night in my dreams. During the day, I ducked whenever I saw him, and twice I just hid. My only consolation was he really didn’t seem to know it was me, and having spoken to him numerous times at the beginning of the week, my brain felt that I should be able to relax, but my heart wasn’t listening.

  Ash and Gray were no better. Gray was almost growling at everyone, and I heard that in practice yesterday afternoon, Gray had punched out Jamie Woods the defensive lineman. One Devil gunning for you was bad…but the girl with the blonde hair had three.

  Not the girl with the blonde hair. Me. My pen tapped off my desk in a rapid rhythm as I waited nervously for the lecture to start. This class I was Santo free, but one of their female friends was in it, Elise something or other. She was classic high school bitchy, and I’d been fortunate enough to never be on her radar. High school was over, but for the reigning bitches, they never outgrew those years of honing their skills of scorn and vapidness.

  Jesus, I was turning into the bitch. For all I knew, Elise was really nice and volunteered at a cat sanctuary or something. As I watched her hold her group of friends captive with her storytelling, I decided she probably wore fur, and if she was at a cat sanctuary, it was more likely to skin them for a new coat.

  As I despaired internally at my cynical self, I turned my attention to my notepad and started to sketch out a new design for one of Wade’s new posters. The band had written a new song, and Wade wanted a poster with the song in the design. The song was called “Kiss Me in the Rain,” and I was debating how to get the song and the band’s name, Atticus Dawn, into the poster.

  “Hi, can I sit?”

  Looking up, I smiled in surprise at Shane. “Hi, I didn’t know you took this class?” I said as he sat beside me and I turned to talk to him.

  “Yeah, just for this semester.” Dirty blond hair, too long, but it suited him. Warm brown eyes, and today he had thick framed glasses on. His polo shirt and long shorts were topped off with bright white sneakers. He was as far removed from country rock as I was from the Queen of Sheba.

  “I don’t think I’d have recognised you,” I admitted as I looked him over. “You are completely different from the other night.”

  “I scrub up well, you mean?” he teased with an easy smile. “Which do you prefer? College me or Atticus Dawn me?”

  My laugh was light as I shook my head at his teasing. “You’re still you no matter what you wear.”

  “Oh, so it’s what’s inside that counts,” he joked as he smiled down at the top of his desk.

  “Bingo!” I gave a light clap of applause. “I was actually thinking of the new poster design,” I told him as I showed him my notepad.

  “You’re so talented,” he murmured as he studied it. “It makes no sense to me that you don’t study art and design.”

  “I’m not that good,” I protested slightly. “If I was, I would know how to make it rain…”

  “Go out with me?”

  I blinked as I looked up at him from my drawing. “Huh?”

  “A date, with me, go on one?” Shane squeezed his eyes shut. “Okay, in non-Yoda, that’s will you go on a date with me?”

  I hadn’t been expecting it. I mean, I knew—well, I thought I knew—that he liked me, but this was our second conversation? I wasn’t used to being asked out. I wasn’t sure of the etiquette. Did I just agree?

  “Ava?”

  “Um, yeah, sure.”

  Shane smiled widely at me, and I shyly smiled back. The door being closed brought my attention back to the front of the class, and I was unsure whether I was grateful there was no further conversation or disappointed. After fifty minutes of purple prose, my head was weary and heavy. Which I belatedly realised was the point of the lecture, but still, I think I needed an Advil.

  Shane and I walked out of the class together, and at the walkway to my next lecture, he told me he was heading in the opposite direction.

  “You still have my number?” he asked me as he reached for his sunglasses.

  “Yeah, I do.” As he checked his phone to make sure that Mia had indeed given him my number, I noticed Jett and Ash walking towards the stadium. Jett looked amazing, there was no other word for it. His thick black hair was pushed back off his face, his shades hiding his eyes. His head was held high, his broad shoulders were straight, his T-shirt tight across them detailing his sculpted muscles. His sleeve of tattoos caught my eye, and I noted how even in today’s intense humidity, he still wore jeans. Ash was similarly attired, his usual drop armhole shirt displaying his muscles and ripped jeans. Both wore dark sneakers, and both looked good.

  “You heard the rumours?” Shane asked me with a curious look.

  Nodding, I turned my attention back to him. “Yeah, crazy, right?”

  “The life of the infamous,” he said, but I caught the bitter edge to his humour and wanted to probe more when his next words caught my question in my throat. “Hey, you’re blonde.”

  No no no no no no. People can hear. “As are many.” Was it suspicious if I suddenly turned up tomorrow with my hair coloured brown?

  “True,” Shane said as he grinned at me. “So…you’re not the thief?”

  “Err. No.”

  “But would you admit it if you were?” His smile was wide, and had he not been so horrifically close to unveiling me, I would have laughed also. “Didn’t Wade say you’re a football fan?”

  “I am. But not a Saints fan.”

  “Oh.” Shane looked momentarily confused. “I’m only joking.”

  “Yeah, no, it’s funny.” I pretended to look at my watch. “Well, I better scoot.”

  “Yeah, sorry.”

  As I turned from him, I walked straight into the brown-haired girl Elise. “Sorry,” I mumbled as I almost ran past her. When I was far enough away, I turned back to see her talking to Shane, who looked far too relaxed and casual with a girl after just asking me on a date. I didn’t miss her head turning and looking my way either before I rounded the corner out of sight.

  I had a very bad feeling about this, and the feeling lasted all day.

  Yet another night of restless sleep, and I woke up with a banging sore head and a temper to rival a bear who’s just found out some bastard ate his porridge.

  “How are you feeling?” Mia asked me as she sipped her coffee.

  “You’ve asked me five times,” I replied as I shoved my notebook into my book bag. “And for the fifth time, I’m fine.”

  “You don’t sound fine.”

  “How do I sound?” I asked as I picked up my own coffee cup and swallowed the contents in a few gulps.

  “Irritable.”

  With a snort, I kissed her cheek before I was out the door and heading to class.

  I would have loved some fresh air to clear my head, but it was September, I had zero chance of feeling fresh. I needed more coffee. Maybe an IV right into the vein this morning would do the trick. Checking my watch, I had time if the coffee shop was quiet. Putting more speed into my steps, I walked with single-minded purpose to get
more of my morning fix.

  The line was stupidly long, but I’d stayed in it, and my caramel latte was in my hands and tasted like heaven in a cup.

  With a deep gulp, I swirled the coffee goodness around my mouth before swallowing. Ugh, whoever said coffee was better than sex was obviously right. This was much more satisfying. I ignored my inner denial and the projected porn show in my head as I hurried to Leitch’s class.

  All the coffee in the world wouldn’t have been enough to get me through the fifty minutes of hell he unleashed on me. I wish I knew what his problem with me was. By the time class was finished, I was emotionally and physically drained. As I walked outside in a daze, my brain in danger of quitting for the day completely, I knew the only thing to get me to the next class was more coffee. Or watching Leitch drown...

  Coffee. I needed coffee.

  “Hey, can I have a caramel latte please?” I ordered, and as I stood back to wait, I looked around the coffee shop.

  How I missed seeing Jett when I came in was a feat in itself. His head was bent together with his brother and the girl who was sometimes with them. I didn’t know her name, I just wished I had her legs. She was beautiful and always looked out of place when I saw her, like she shouldn’t be carrying books with her in college but, instead, be on a runway somewhere or have her face on the cover of magazines.

  Jett must have felt me looking as his head raised, and angry eyes met mine. Quickly, I looked away but not before I saw him hit Gray’s arm to get his attention. Hastily, I picked my order up, and with a glance over at them, I saw all three of them glaring at me now.

  What the actual hell? My feet were not slow in getting me out of there.

  I didn’t even know he was following me until I felt the hand on my arm before he jerked me to a stop.

  “Dude, not cool!” I squirmed trying to get out of his grip. Jett ignored me as he began to walk us across the grass. “Hey.” I tried to get his attention. “Hey!” My voice was louder, and I saw several people look our way.

  “Shut up before I shut you up.”

  “Who the fuck do you think you are?” I wrenched my arm again, and still his hand held me in a punishing grip.

  “I know exactly who I am, tell me”—he looked down at me as we walked—“who the fuck are you?”

  “Wh-what?” Digging my heels in, I made it so he had to drag me, and I really think he would have if he hadn’t heard the same sniggers I did from passing students.

  Roughly he turned me to look at him, his hand still tight on my arm. “Where were you Friday night?”

  No! My horror froze me for a moment. “Where were you?” I countered glibly.

  Sky blue eyes now looked like a heavy storm was coming in. He was not happy. In fact, he looked kinda scary. This was not where I wanted to be. “Cut the bullshit.”

  “I agree, you should.” I finally jerked out of his arm. “And I’ll bruise, thanks for that.”

  “Where were you on Friday night?”

  “Is it your business?” I snapped at him. Why did he want to know now? Had he figured it out?

  “You’re her?” he asked me as he looked me over one more time. I didn’t like the fact he was looking at me with barely concealed contempt. Maybe it wasn’t contempt, maybe it was astonishment? Either way, it was non-complimentary.

  “I’m who?” I hoped that I sounded confused, curious even. I didn’t feel curious, I felt like I was three short seconds from a complete panic attack, throwing my coffee at him, and running very, very fast away.

  “Fuck, it really is you.”

  “If you’re so sure, then why are you asking?” I tore my eyes away from his stupid perfect face and looked out over the quad, desperate for an intervention and praying that I appeared indifferent, searching faces of the other students in the hopes of seeing someone I recognised, someone who would save me from this embarrassment. Please, God, make him leave me alone.

  “I can’t believe it would be you.” His hand dragging slowly over his face emphasised his growing horror at the realisation, and I forgot that I was supposed to be appearing cool and casual if not slightly irate. Instead, I felt nothing but mounting anger that he was being such a complete jerk.

  Asshole.

  “Wow.” I looked him over as coldly as he had looked at me. “You really do know how to make a girl feel special.”

  “How the fuck did it even happen?” His eyes were narrowed in anger, and I knew that the longer I stood in front of him, the more questions he was going to ask.

  Personally, any other time, I loved questions but only when it was the right time, right place and the right person.

  Right here? Right now? This was not it.

  I didn’t have enough answers to make me look good coming out of this.

  Biting back the rapidly building hysteria inside me, I sent a quick silent prayer to the angels above to forgive me for the sin I was about to commit against caffeine, and then I actually did it.

  I threw my coffee at the star quarterback of my college’s football team.

  Catching him by surprise, I took the opening, and turning, I sprinted across the campus grounds like the devil was nipping at my heels. Because he was, and he was gaining on me...fast.

  Ignoring the catcalls and the shouts of encouragement as he chased me across the campus green, I savagely cursed myself for being a couch potato and not a fitness freak as I felt my lungs scream in protest at the sudden unwelcome exercise. Strong hands grabbed me, and I was half carried, half dragged into a building and thrust into the first room he came across. Thankfully, it was empty, so no one would see my humiliation.

  “What is your problem?” I demanded as I turned and realised it could be that he was wearing my caramel latte on his white T-shirt.

  “You bitch.” Jett stepped towards me, and on instinct, I backed away as he advanced. “No, you don’t fucking run.”

  The door opened, and I turned in hopes that someone had come to save me from whatever the hell was going on, but instead, Gray came in. Closing the door behind him, he leaned against it, folding his arms, his unfriendly glare telling me there was no help coming from him.

  “What’s going on?” I asked them as I tried to keep my voice calm.

  “Why did you do it?” Jett demanded.

  Seeing no compassion from Gray, I turned back to look at Jett. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  His fist came flying past my head and met loudly with the wall behind me. I flinched. He didn’t. His body was mere inches from mine, and I daren’t look up at him.

  “Tell me why and who gave it to you.” His voice was low and sinister.

  I was either going to throw up or faint. I think he’d seen enough of me throwing up, and I wasn’t sure he would take kindly to me passing out either. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you mean.” My voice cracked as I stared at the tattoos on the arm that caged me in.

  “Ava?” he asked. “That’s your name?”

  “Yes,” I croaked. Great, he only learned my name today? I felt cheap.

  “Tell me what I want to know, and I won’t make this worse.” His voice was cold in my ear.

  “It gets worse?” I tried to joke. I heard Gray’s sharp inhale, I felt Jett press closer, and for the gazillionth time in my life, I wondered what possessed me to speak before I thought.

  “Why?” He drew back slightly so he could look down at me. “Who gave it to you? What did you have to gain?”

  I knew I looked confused because I felt confused. “Why what? Gain what? Why did we…have sex?” My face flamed, but this was too intense, and I needed to leave. Now. “I dunno. Why do most people have sex? It felt like a good idea at the time?” I suggested wildly. “Why do you normally sleep with girls?”

  A hand wrapped around my throat as he tilted my head backward to look at him. Furious eyes met mine, and I should probably have been grateful he was holding me up, even if it was by my neck.

  “You’re hurting me.”

  Jett leaned closer
, and I forgot to breathe as I felt his hate envelop me. “Hurt you? I’m going to destroy you.”

  He shoved me away from him, causing my head to bang off the wall as he stormed past me and left. Silently Gray met my stare. With a quick glance over me, he followed his brother out of the room. My knees gave out as soon as the door closed behind him, and sliding down the wall, I brought my knees up to my chest. Tears ran down my face as I dropped my head down onto them.

  I don’t know what he thought had happened, but I knew I was in deep shit, and I had no way of knowing how to get out of it. What did he even think I had taken? Wiping my eyes, I got shakily to my feet. There was only one thing I could do, and that was find out. Even if it meant I had to talk to him again. Not knowing if I would survive another encounter with him, I left the classroom behind me. One thing I was sure of, it wouldn’t be today. I wasn’t that reckless.

  I’d been walking out of my morning class when my phone beeped with a text, and I had almost not read it when I saw who it was from.

  Elise: Hey baby, I found your thief

  Me: Who?

  Elise: What will you give me for my knowledge?

  Me: Tell me what I want to know

  Elise: So demanding when I have the cards

  Me: Cards? Don’t piss me off, who is she?

  Elise: Come over later tonight and I’ll tell you

  Me: You want sex?

  Elise: So blunt

  Me: Name? Now

  Elise: Always so dominant…I love it when you’re angry

  Elise: She’s no one btw

  Me: Name

  Elise: Ava Bryant. Trust me, she isn’t anyone, what time will you come over?

  I’d shown Gray the texts and been surprised when he had started laughing.

  “Why is this funny?”

  Gray shook his head as he looked at the name and then at me, the humour gone. “Because you know her.”

  “I don’t,” I corrected him. “Apart from Friday, I don’t know her. And even then, it doesn’t count until I actually remember.”

  “Yeah?” Gray saw Quinn approaching and gave her his usual dip of his head. “Ben bounced a ball off her head earlier this week at your request.”