The Enemy Series

by M. E. Clayton

  I could hear him taking a deep breath, trying to calm his temper. After a few seconds he said, “There’s another reason I want you to come out for Christmas break, Liam.”

  I let his bullshit slide. “Oh, yeah? And why’s that?”

  “Well…” The hairs on the back of my neck stood up at his hesitation and I considered just hanging up on him because I knew I wasn’t going to like whatever it is he was about to say. “…there’s an intern I would like you to meet,” he hedged.

  “For what?” Weren’t interns an H.R. headache?

  “Well, she’s very enthusiastic about the company and-”

  “She?”

  “Well, yeah,” he confirmed not hiding his irritation. “Brandy is a she, and-”

  “Brandy?” I knew I shouldn’t judge someone solely based on their name, but Brandy? Really?

  “She’s a lovely girl, Liam,” my father continued. “I think once you meet her you guys will make a great team.”

  “Team for what?” I asked hoping he wasn’t saying what I thought he was saying. “Even if I took over your company tomorrow, what the fuck would I do with an intern? And would she even still be an intern?”

  He cleared his throat. The one I wanted to punch. “I meant a personal team, Liam,” he said finally confirming my suspicions. “I think she’d make a very acceptable girlfriend an-”

  “Okay, let me stop you there, Dad,” I interrupted. “I don’t need your help getting pussy.”

  “Liam!”

  I ignored his fake outrage. I’ve heard him refer to women way worse than pussy. “And even if I didn’t already have a girlfriend, I sure as fuck wouldn’t date any female you picked out for me.”

  “What girlfriend?” he asked, ignoring the part where I’d never date a girl he picked for me. “Since when do you have a girlfriend, Liam?”

  “I’ve been dating her for a year,” I told him. Even if Roselyn hasn’t been dating me for this past year, I sure as fuck have been dating her.

  “Who are her parents?” he asked, because, of course, that’s what mattered in his world.

  “Her stepfather is Joseph Greene,” I answered because it didn’t matter if he knew who my girlfriend was. It’s not like he could do anything about it if he didn’t like the answer.

  He was quiet for a few seconds before saying, “She’s a stepchild? She’s not a born Greene?”

  I couldn’t stop my eyes from rolling dramatically. His snobbery was ridiculous. These people really believed their children were all class-acts because we had money. We were fucking horrible because we had money.

  “Yes,” I answered, “she’s not Joseph’s biological child, Dad. And who gives a fuck?”

  “Liam, I am not going to let you take up with trash,” he hissed. “You bet-”

  Him calling Roselyn trash while Deke and Ramsey’s words were still rattling around in my head about Roz possibly not thinking she was good enough for me had me dripping with fury. “I better nothing, Dad,” I snarled. “If you ever refer to my girlfriend as trash again, you won’t live to do it a second time. You best keep in mind who needs who more here, Elmer,” I reminded him. “You want to talk about work, you want to talk about college, you want to talk about all that, fine. But my girl is off motherfucking limits, Dad. Don’t mention her again.”

  “You can’t be serious, Liam?” he asked incredulously. “Of course, it’s my business what kind of girl you’re taking up with. If she’s going to represent-”

  “She’ll represent me, Dad,” I snapped. “Me. That’s all whom she’s obligated to represent.”

  “Liam-”

  “Fuck you. I’m done with this conversation,” I said right before hanging up on the bastard.

  I braced my elbows on my knees as I ran my hands through my hair. What a fucking prick. How could he really believe that a girl of his choosing would be suitable for me when he didn’t even fucking know me? I knew the asshole had nerve, but I didn’t think his ego had rendered him this stupid.

  I left my homework sitting on my desk and headed back downstairs to the gym. I was feeling all kinds of irritated and pissed off at, both, my dad and Roselyn, and I needed to work it off before I really did get in my car and drive over to Roselyn’s. Even if that fuckface stepbrother of hers was there, it’s not like he’d stop me from getting to her.

  An hour later, I was still feeling agitated, but I didn’t know what else to do short of killing someone, so I showered, forced myself to finish my schoolwork, and came to the conclusion that Ramsey was right.

  I was going to have to talk to Roselyn.

  Chapter 15

  Roselyn~

  I knew things were different. I knew things had changed, but I wanted to make it as painless as possible for Emerson, Ramsey, and Deke. They didn’t deserve to be caught in the middle of whatever was going on between me and Liam even if they already kind of were.

  And, so, I walked up to the group like I always did in the morning before the bell rang for class. And, like always, Ramsey was sitting on the hood of his car with Emerson standing in front of him wrapped up in his arms. Liam and Deke were standing to the side and, by all accounts, it looked like a typical Wednesday morning at Windsor, except for the fact that the last time I saw Liam, he was threatening to kill me.

  “Hey,” I greeted, doing my best not to look like a nervous twit.

  Em smiled at me. “Hey, chic,” she greeted with a wink.

  I let my eyes scan the faces of my friends-well, at least, one friend for sure, before settling my gaze back on Emerson. “So, I talk to my mom yesterday,” I told her. “She’s said Joseph is flying me and Brandon out on Friday to go visit them.” I saw Ramsey’s eyes immediately seek out Liam, and I hated how there was this unspoken rule that I answered to Liam when I wasn’t even sure what was going on between us.

  Emerson’s brows furrowed. “Why?” she asked. “I mean, I get your mom wanting to see you, but since when does your stepdad care about quality time with Brandon?”

  I shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t think he does,” I admitted. “I think he’s just doing to please my mom. You know how she likes the family feel of things.”

  Before she could comment, Liam’s voice reached across to pick up from where he left off yesterday. “The fuck you’re flying to wherever with Brandon,” he said. “You’re not going, Roz.”

  I turned to him surprised, but not surprised at his audacity. “Excuse me?”

  He stepped towards me forcing Deke to side-step next to Ramsey and Emerson. “You fucking heard me,” he replied. “I said you’re not going.”

  I stood there seriously not knowing how to respond. Liam’s highhanded ways were rendering me speechless. I got the possessiveness where Todd was concerned, but Brandon?

  That made no sense.

  My head reared back, and my brows shot up as his nonsense. “Even if you could tell me what to do, Liam-”

  “I can.”

  “-you wouldn’t be able to keep me from seeing my mom,” I told him.

  Liam scowled down at me. “Then I’ll take you to go see her,” he volunteered. “I’ll take you every goddamn weekend if you want, Roz. But you are not traveling anywhere with Greene.”

  He couldn’t be serious.

  “Liam, are you out of your mind?” I asked because the question needed to be asked. “Not only is Brandon my stepbrother, but he hates me, Liam. You cannot tell me you’re jealous of him.”

  Liam arched a perfectly blonde brow and the arrogance on his face and in his stance was radiating all across the land. “The only reason I’d have to be jealous is if someone were capable of taking you from me, Roselyn,” he replied coolly. “And since I have no problem fucking up any asshole stupid enough to try, I think I’m pretty safe in that respect.”

  Seriously?

  “I’m going to see my mom, Liam,” I replied, slightly nonplussed by his nerve. “You can’t stop me.”

  Liam muscled his way past Deke, forcing Deke to have to step closer
towards Ramsey and Emerson, and stood in front of me. “Do you want to test that?” he challenged.

  The warning bell rang, but we ignored it. “Liam,” I breathed out, trying to calm my frayed-to-hell nerves, “Brandon is my-”

  “Brandon’s a motherfucking asshole, Roz,” he snapped. “And you aren’t going anywhere with him.”

  My eyes bugged out of my head at that. Brandon lived with me. Liam was okay with us in the same house together, but he had objections to traveling with the guy? What. The. Hell?

  “Listen, Liam,” I said through clenched teeth, “I don’t care what issues you have with Brandon. I don’t care that you’re delusional. I don’t care that you own this goddamn town. I am going to see my mother and you can’t stop me, regardless of what you think!”

  Liam’s hands were wrapped around my arms and my back was slammed up against Ramsey’s Range Rover before I knew it. And just like before, Ramsey, Deke, and Emerson fanned out behind him to provide privacy for him.

  Liam bore down on me. “I get this is my fault for letting you get away with a lot of shit, but, make no mistake, Roselyn, you’re not going any-fucking-where with Brandon Greene,” he seethed.

  There was something there.

  There was something in the tone of his voice and the conviction in that tone. Liam didn’t just dislike Brandon, he really, really hated him. My eyes glanced behind Liam where Ramsey and Deke stood, and while Deke had that ever-present stoic look on his face that gave nothing way, Ramsey looked…cruel.

  The second warning bell for class rung, but this time instead of ignoring it, Deke said, “Come on. Let’s get to class. We can figure this shit out later.”

  We?

  I didn’t like being left in the dark. I didn’t like that they knew something, and I didn’t.

  I stared up at Liam. “Why?”

  His baby blues searched my eyes, my face, and then settled back on my eyes. “Let’s get to class,” was all he said, and it hurt worse than I thought it would.

  I pulled away from him and shouldered my way past him until I was standing next to Emerson. I looked at my best friend and asked, “Do you know what’s going on?”

  She shook her head. “Nope,” she replied. “I never know what’s going on.” Her face was all compassion when she added, “But, then, I don’t care to, Roselyn. I have enough mental and emotional issues of my own without shouldering their nonsense.”

  I felt Liam’s hand slide in mine, and I looked up at him as he intertwined our fingers. “Come on, Roz. Let’s get to class.” I wanted to yank my hand out of his, but I wasn’t up to the fight. This thing with Liam was taking its toll on my emotions and I was just tired.

  I looked over as Ramsey walked up to Emerson and wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. He kissed her forehead and took her hand in his, leading her towards the school building. I glanced over at Deke as he passed us, his face still impassive, but he threw a quick wink my way.

  Liam started walking, and I followed like a submissive wife. I hated every step, not because he was an egotistical jerk, but because he was hiding something from me. And nothing made a person feel lonelier than when they’re being kept in the dark; when they’re being excluded.

  We got to class and, still following Liam like a dutiful wife, I sat down in the back of the classroom next to him. The quieter he was, the angrier I became. I knew I’d never be…one of them. I knew I’d always be on the outside looking in.

  I knew it.

  I knew it, but that didn’t mean I had to like it.

  “Roz-”

  “Just forget it, Liam,” I snapped under my breath. Everyone had already been staring at us as it was, I didn’t need to give them more entertainment. They were probably gawking at the fact that I was still alive after Liam’s locking punching demonstration yesterday.

  “Look at me, Roz,” he instructed, and when I continued to ignore him, he reached over, took my chin in his fingers, and forced me to look his way. “I’ll tell you whatever you want to know,” he said, surprising me. “It…it just has to wait until lunchtime, and…and Deke should be there.”

  I stared into his perfect face and wondered what was so bad that Deke had to be there too. “Liam,” I whispered, “I…can’t do this.” His face turned hard, so I hurried to continue. “I’m not like Emerson,” I stated. “I’m not okay being kept in the dark. I’m not okay with not knowing what’s going on. I can’t…it makes me feel…like an outsider.”

  His head tilted to the left and his eyes looked troubled. I could tell my words bothered him. “Roselyn, baby,” he whispered back, “you are not an outsider. You can’t be. You can’t be an outsider when you’re my everything, Roz.” I bit my lip so hard that I tasted blood. “I’m sorry if we’ve-I’ve ever made you feel that way.”

  I just gave him a quick nod because I did not want to start crying in class. I was going to have to just trust him for now until he and Deke could tell me what was going on. I jerked my chin from his hold and faced the classroom.

  “Roselyn?” I turned back to face Liam again. “Do you need me to say it?”

  My head started to shake back and forth.

  Absolutely not.

  I had no idea what was in store for me at lunchtime and I didn’t want to have our first exchange of those words blow up in my face.

  But I feared it probably would, anyway.

  Chapter 16

  Liam~

  This was going to fucking suck.

  I never wanted to have this discussion with Roselyn. I never wanted her to know the monster she lived with. But what choice did I have?

  When she said she was flying out with him this weekend, something inside me snapped. It was one thing for her to live with him because we were all close by. Emerson, Deke, Ramsey, and I were all just one phone call away. Roselyn knew this, but more importantly, Brandon knew this.

  But traveling to God-knows-where?

  He could do anything to her and none of us would be around to help her. She’d be on her own with a guy who approved of raping girls. A guy who believed hate and resentment warranted the orchestrated rape of his hate’s target.

  Fuck that shit.

  “This is going to fucking suck, Lee,” Deke muttered, leaning up against the lockers.

  We were standing in front of my locker waiting for Roselyn. “I know,” I agreed.

  “She walked out of fourth period with Emerson and didn’t even look my way,” he stated.

  I looked over at him. “That’s because she knows this isn’t going to be pretty,” I replied. “She’s probably working on her emotional walls right now.”

  He nodded and then jerked his head for me to turn around. My head turned back, and I saw Roselyn walking towards us. When she stopped, she smiled at us, but it was tentative. “Hey, guys,” she mumbled.

  Deke didn’t beat around the bush. “There’s an empty classroom I was able to clear out for us,” he told her and turned for us to follow.

  I knew Roselyn was nervous, but I also took what she told me in class to heart. She wasn’t like Emerson. Emerson didn’t care to know what evil Ramsey was up to because it didn’t matter. Ramsey could kill The Pope in broad daylight on camera and it wouldn’t change how Emerson felt about him. She didn’t care to know what we did and were up to because there was no value in it for her. As long as we were safe and Ramsey came home to her every night, Emerson, legit, didn’t care.

  But, then, feeling like an outsider is something Emerson’s never experienced. Not because she’s been cool, hip, and happenin’ since birth-no. She’s never felt like an outsider because she didn’t care what people thought about her. Take not giving a fuck what people thought of you and having the power of Ramsey Reed in your back pocket, mix it for five minutes, and you got a girl who would never be on the outside of anything.

  Deke entered the classroom first, then Roz, and I followed last, locking the door behind me. Roselyn took a seat in one of the front row desks while Deke leaned up
against the teacher’s desk and I joined to stand next to him.

  Roselyn looked back and forth between us both. “Okay,” she said, “what’s going on?”

  Deke remained silent, letting me take the lead. “Do you remember that first night we were together?”

  Her face colored a pretty rose, and her eyes glanced over at Deke. I looked at him and he threw her a saucy little wink that made her blush more. I almost laughed at how she could be embarrassed now that Deke was a thing of the past.

  “Of course,” she muttered, her face hot.

  “Roselyn, the reason we went up there was because…” I had to take a deep breath. Even if she didn’t get along with Greene, this wouldn’t be easy to hear. “Well, we were worried about you and wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  Her face was a perfect picture of confusion. “Why would you guys be worried about me?”

  From the corner of my eye I could see Deke cracking his neck from side to side and I knew he was itching to unleash his dark side on Brandon. “Roselyn…”

  “Just spit it out, Liam,” she snapped.

  Fuck.

  “We went up there because we overhead Brandon telling his friends they could go up to your room and…do whatever they wanted to you,” I finally threw out.

  Her beautiful face paled. Her colored hair swung back and forth behind her as she shook her head in denial. Roselyn’s head swiveled back and forth between me and Deke. “You’re lying,” she accused. “You’re…he wouldn’t do that. No one would do that.”

  “We’re not lying,” Deke said, finally joining in.

  Roselyn looked up over at him. “Why would he-”

  “Because he’s a sick fuck,” Deke barked. “Because he’s a fucking dirtbag, Linnie.”

  “It’s true,” I confirmed. “We overheard him talking to his friends, and he even told them to lock the door in case you resisted.”

  “We lied to you when we said we were looking for Brandon and got lost,” Deke continued. “We went up there to make sure none of them made it up there with Brandon’s green light.”