by V. Darling
“What are you going to do, Peaches?”
I smile, despite the sadness in my heart. “I have no idea.”
He kisses my forehead and lets me go. “If this thing with Lev is just fooling round, break it off now before someone gets hurt.”
I bite my lip and dart my gaze to the rows of reptile terrariums lining the walls. When I was younger, I used to come in here and watch his pythons for hours. I loved the way they struck their pray, the corded muscles of their necks as they coiled, ready to strike, how cool and aloof they were. Untouchable. Resilient. Unbreakable. “And if it’s not just fooling around?”
“If it’s not, then everyone gets hurt.”
“So what you’re saying is that I’m screwed either way?”
“Well, at least we know you have a type.”
I laugh through my tears and playfully shove his shoulder. “Not that helpful, Saint.”
“That boy’s been obsessed with you since he was eight years old. Don’t break his heart, Peaches.”
I nod and walk toward the door. Nav’s going to hate me. He’s going to believe every second of the last year was a lie. “Nav will be okay, won’t he?”
“I wasn’t talking about Nav,” my brother says, levelling me with a look.
Surely he didn’t mean Lev? Up until recently, Lev hated me. I mean, yes, he’s totally hot for my body, but he’s a teenage boy. Aren’t all teenage boys obsessed with T and A?
“How did you find out?”
“Two and two makes four. It wasn’t hard to figure, since someone was in your room last night and Nav said he was avoiding you because of shark week.”
My eyes widen. “Does he know? Did he clue in?”
“No. Because I don’t think he’d expect either of you to betray him like this.”
I flinch, and Saint frowns.
“You need to fix this, Peaches. That’s his twin brother, and you’re his girl, or so he thinks.”
“I don’t know how. I don’t know how to fix any of this.”
“Do you love him?”
My responding smile is ruined by the tears sliding down my cheeks. “Have you ever known me to love anyone but myself?”
“Yeah, I have.”
I pout and shrug my shoulders. “Brotherly love doesn’t count.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “Make it right, Scout.”
“I don’t even know how to begin to make any of this right.” I flop down on his bed and bury my head in my hands.
The mattress dips as he sits beside me and wraps an arm around my shoulders. “Well, a good place to start is to decide what it is you want.”
I nod. “I wish there was a way to combine them both into one person. I love Nav because of his goodness, but—”
“But you’re in love with Lev.”
“I don’t know why. He’s an asshole, he’s immoral and corrupt, and he doesn’t care who he hurts to get what he wants.”
“I don’t think that’s true.”
I glance at him. Saint rolls his eyes and releases what I’m sure is an exasperated sigh. “Don’t you get it? He’s your equal. You love Nav because he’s sweet, he treats you right, and he can be an egotistical ass at times—but he’s safe. Lev is like his polar opposite. He’s not afraid to hurt your feelings. He’s not a people pleaser. He doesn’t give a fuck what people think. He’s never gonna run for senator—fuck, we’ll be lucky just to get him to show up if the team makes it to State. But more importantly, he’s your other half, Scout. He’s not afraid to show you that you need someone you can rule alongside of—not rule, period.”
“Did he say that? How do you know any of this?”
“No, he didn’t tell me this; he doesn’t need to. You’re my two favorite people in the entire world. I know you both better than anyone else, and honestly? You’re both fucking blind.”
“Thanks.” I laugh, but it doesn’t lighten my mood. “I think.”
“Look, only you can decide who’s right for you. If it’s Nav, then great. If it’s Lev then you’re definitely going to find yourselves in the middle of a shitstorm, but it’ll be your shitstorm. It’s your heart, Peaches. You’re the only one who can give it away. Just be sure he’s worthy of it, whomever you choose.”
“How did you become all knowing?”
He winks. “It’s in the name.”
I shake my head. “Okay, Mr. Sure of Himself. Are you planning to use your infinite wisdom and apply it to this thing you have with Nova?”
“I don’t have a thing with Nova.”
“Oh, you have a thing.”
“No. We don’t. Nova has a schoolgirl crush. She’ll get over it.”
I narrow my gaze. “Will you?”
“Don’t you have guests you need to get back to?”
I stand and fold my arms across my chest.
“Nova is all wrong for me.” He scratches at his stubble. “She’s too sweet for me.”
“Oh please, you’re not that much of a bad boy. It’s in the name, remember?”
“Scout, we may be close, but there’s a load of shit you don’t want to know about your big brother. Don’t sacrifice your friends at my altar; you have no idea what you’re getting them into.”
I’ve heard things about my brother’s predilection for kink. With the speed rumors fly at Scarsdale, it would be impossible not to, but I don’t see why that should stop him being with Nova.
“Okay, Captain Crypto, this conversation just took a turn into CW Teen Dramalandia. So, thanks for the pep talk, but I’m out.”
His answering laugh follows me across the room. “And the snarky harpy is back. I think that was a record, Peaches.”
“Shut your stupid face, Saint.” I pull back the door and slam it behind me, then I cross the hall to the guest bathroom and fix my makeup, because my stupid brother made me cry, and I can’t go back to my pussy posse looking like a complete wreck. Some of us have an image to uphold.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Scout
The following day, I text Lev and ask him to meet me at Saxon Woods Park. The wind is bitingly cool, especially for late fall, and it almost feels as if there’s snow in the air. A part of me wishes there was, but it’s just the typical Scarsdale sleet that falls at this time of year when our already chilly weather turns to a cold snap.
The park is all but abandoned today. I’ve passed the occasional hiker on the trail, but for the most part, I’m alone. And Lev is late.
I lean against the tree, my earbuds in, as I take a selfie and post it to Instagram. The first twenty likes pour in. I frown as I stare at the picture and wish I’d retouched my face before posting because this weather has my hair frizzing out completely. A twig snaps nearby. I glance up. Justin Hearst stands only a few feet away.
“Little Scout Taylor. I thought that was you.” There’s something predatory about the way he says my name, the way he looks at me. I shiver and glance down the track behind him.
I’m going to murder Lev Fucking Fox.
“I’m kind of hard to miss,” I say, keeping my tone light, my expression bored as I stare down at my phone and scroll my feed to avoid engaging.
“Kind of a shit day for a walk, isn’t it?”
I simply glare at him.
Justin shoves his hands in his pockets, the picture of cool, rich kid in his rumpled designer threads, but I have a sixth sense for desperation. I can smell it a mile off. And Justin Hearst is smothered in it. It oozes from his every pore, a stench so repugnant that just being in the same room as him affects one’s popularity.
He smiles wistfully. “I’m glad I finally caught you alone.”
Alone. Alone.
Alarm bells sound in my mind as I catalogue my surroundings: deserted walking trail, half a mile from civilization, and completely alone with Justin Hearst. No one would hear me scream. But then again, I’m a Royal. He wouldn’t be stupid enough to lay a finger on me.
I could run. I’m fit from years of cheerleading, lithe on my feet, but
so is he. He’s running back for the Scarsdale Bears. He has the best speed out of any guy on the team. Or he did, before he tore his knee ligament last week. But if that was true, how did he hike this far into the woods? Coach benched him for the rest of the season.
I swallow hard and stare at him. The devil stares back, beady-eyed and gloating. He knows that I’m aware of my predicament, and he couldn’t be more thrilled about it. I wish I’d paid more attention when Saint taught me, Blythe, Violet, and Nova basic self-defense.
I take a step back, around the tree, and Justin moves with me. My heart races, adrenalin surges through my veins as my eyes dart around the woods, mapping my escape.
“She’s not alone.”
Lev. Oh God, I could kiss him right now.
I straighten and skip past Justin to Lev’s side. My knight in shining armor is dressed head to toe in black. Jeans, T-shirt, beaten-up leather jacket, and motorcycle boots. His hair is perfectly tousled, like he just got out of bed and ran his big hands through it. A shiver runs the length of my spine, but it’s no longer fear coursing through me—it’s desire. And if I’m not careful, Justin is going to pick up on it. Assuming he hasn’t already.
Oh God. Is he the creeper who’s been leaving notes in my locker? If that’s true, I can’t exactly bring it up right now, not without telling Lev first.
“Hey,” Lev says with a wink. “Miss me?”
What the hell is he doing? I glance at Justin. He studies both of us intently, the way my shoulder brushes Lev’s, the way his hand grazes the back of mine.
“You wish,” I say coolly. The way I usually would if anyone were around to witness an exchange between Lev and I.
Lev chuckles. “Oh, Cub. Always playing so hard to get.”
I roll my eyes. “That’s because I have standards, and no one even comes close to measuring up to Navrin.” I chew the inside of my cheek. It kills me to say those words to him, but I can soothe his bruised ego when Justin is gone. “And speaking of, where is my boyfriend?”
“Starbucks. He and the guys are just grabbing you an iced cloud macchiato, or whatever the fuck you drink, but they’ll be right over.”
I glance at Justin. His smile is smug, and I know he’s not buying this. “Justin, I forgot you were still here. So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about ... alone?”
His gaze darts between Lev and I, his lips turning down in the corners. “It’s not important.” He backs up a few steps and turns, calling over his shoulder, “I’ll catch you some other time.”
“God, I hate that weaselly little fucker,” Lev says, loud enough for Justin to hear.
Justin stops in his tracks, but he doesn’t turn around. He just stands there like a complete twatwaffle for a beat before continuing on down the trail. I turn to Lev, but his eyes aren’t on Justin—they’re searching my face.
“Thank God you came along when you did,” I say, watching Justin’s retreat. “Or we might have had the next Ted Bundy on our hands. He liked killing girls in wooded areas, right?”
“I think that was Robert Hansen. He used to fly girls out to remote woodlands in Alaska and hunt them down for sport.”
“It’s disturbing how much you know about serial killers.”
He bends to whisper in my ear. “And yet, I’m still not as creepy as that guy.” Lev points to Justin’s legs—all that we can see now of his retreating form through the trees. “What the hell was he doing here?”
“I don’t know.”
“You okay? He didn’t try anything, did he?”
“No, but I don’t ever want to be alone with him again.”
Lev wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me close, pressing a kiss to my hair. “Never gonna happen.”
“Lev, we need to talk.”
“Looks like.”
But we don’t talk. Once we’re sure Justin is gone, we move deeper into the woods and when he kisses me, deep and slow and bone-meltingly good, talking is the last thing on either of our minds.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Scout
At half time, we take shifts for bathroom breaks. We let the newer members of the squad go first and then Nova, Blythe, Charleigh, her two minions—Paige and Buffy—and I all put down our poms and head for the locker room.
We’re supposed to be in and out, but as I leave the stall, everyone glances up from their phones.
“What are you guys doing? We need to get back out there.” I grab my phone from my locker, but Blythe steps in front of me and tries to wrestle it from my hand.
“B, what the hell?”
“You don’t want to look at that,” Nova says, and her sea-glass eyes are wide with horror.
“What the hell are you talking about?” I finally wrench my hand free of Blythe and glance at the screen. The notification sends ice shooting through my veins.
I tap on it, and a video pops up. A video of me and Lev in the guidance counsellor’s office. His head is between my legs and my own is thrown back, my eyes closed, mouth open as I come. For a beat, I think it’s not as bad as it seems. No one but Nav would know this was not him but, in fact, his twin brother. I glance up from the screen. Everyone is watching their phones. A chorus of my orgasms fills the room, all the videos playing at different times.
“Holy shit, Cub,” Lev whispers from my screen and my eyes immediately slide back to his face. “Your cunt’s so fucking wet for me, so ready.”
Only The Royals know he calls me Cub. I can still save this. I can come back from this. If only it weren’t for the next words out of my mouth, “I want you inside me, Lev. Please, fuck me like you did in the park.”
“Oh my God!” Charleigh whispers. The three of them share conspiratorial looks.
“Turn it off!” Nova knocks the phone out of Charleigh’s hand.
“Uh ... excuse you,” Charleigh says. She doesn’t stoop to pick it up though; she might miss my fall from grace. And we can’t have that. You only get to dethrone the queen once. You better make sure you don’t blink and miss it. “Well, well. Aren’t we the little whore? Did you bang the brother’s together?”
“Fuck you, Charleigh.”
“Likewise ... oh wait, everyone has already fucked you, haven’t they?”
“You’re finished, bitch.” I lunge at her, but Nova and Blythe hold me back.
“No, Scout. That’s where you’re wrong. It’s you who’s finished.” Charleigh snaps her fingers and Buffy snatches her phone from the floor. She hands it back to the girl who promises to be the new reigning queen of Scarsdale High. “We already took a vote, minus these two losers, of course”—she gestures to Blythe and Nova— “and you’re out. The Scarsdale Bears no longer want you as cheer captain.”
“We no longer want you on the team, period,” Paige says coolly, glancing at her nails as if I bore her.
I invented that move.
Charleigh pushes a button and another blast goes out. I glance down at my screen. It’s a grainy video, and at first it’s hard to make out, but I soon recognize the concertina doors of Fox manor, and their kitchen beyond. A kitchen where Lev is fucking me on the counter, the night he took my virginity.
Tears sting my eyes, but I will not let them fall, and then it occurs to me. The park yesterday, the letters in my locker. Justin has been the one trying to blackmail me all along. I feel so stupid for not seeing it sooner. “Oh my God. You’re working with that cretin, Justin, aren’t you? You helped him send the letters!”
“We have a common goal—to get you beneath us, where you belong. Just in different ways.” She shrugs. “Poor Navrin. I wonder what he thinks about his girlfriend begging his twin brother to fuck her harder?” She smiles like a particularly proud house cat who caught the mouse. “I guess we won’t have to wait long to find out. Oops.”
They giggle like the children they are, and I turn and leave before they can see my tears fall.
“Bye, bitch,” Charleigh says.
A slap sounds from behind me and I turn. Nova is shaking o
ut her hand while Charleigh cups her cheek. I might have cheered for my best friend if it weren’t for my heart breaking in two.
The whistle blows, announcing the second half. My squad has never not been on that field to cheer on our guys, but I guess with Charleigh stepping into my shoes, they’re not my problem anymore.
I dart a glance toward the team. They’re already embroiled in the game, but not Lev. Lev sits on the bench, watching me. I glance away and head for the parking lot.
“Slut!” Someone shouts from the bleachers. I freeze and look up at the stands. The entire Scarsdale student body stares back. An eerie silence falls over the crowd and among them, a smiling Justin stands with his hands in his pockets. He tilts his head toward me. I scowl and stalk off.
I run toward the lot, desperate to escape the eyes that study me with condemnation, and the whispered taunts. It isn’t until I make it to the lot that I realize I came here with Nav. I know he hasn’t seen the video, because no way would Coach let the boys near their phones at half-time. He wants their heads in the game, but the whole school knows I’m fucking his twin. It won’t be long before he finds out too.
I walk through the lot and try to remember where he parked, but tears cloud my vision. Like any game night when the lights are on, the entire town is in attendance. There are cars everywhere, but no bodies. Heavy footfalls echo behind me, but I don’t bother turning around because I know it’s Lev, and I’ve had about all the drama I can take for one night.
“You know, I never pegged you as a girl who runs away.”
I still at the sound of his voice. My blood curdles, rioting in my veins. Justin Hearst. “Screw you!”
Justin laughs. “If only you had. If only you’d taken me up on my offer, I could have made you feel everything Lev did and more.” The flash of his white teeth in the half-light is predatory. “And none of this would have needed to happen.”
“I would never touch you in a million years.”
