“Huh?” I say.
“Did you fuck Drew yet? We've got a bet going, and I wanted to see if I was right.”
My brows come together, not liking where this is headed. “A bet?”
“Why do you think you’re here?” His eyes widen and he snorts. “Oh, you thought they wanted you here? Trust me, you’re just a bet. Something to pass the time. We bet on who you’d fuck first and how long it would take. Drew bet on himself and forty-eight hours.” He smirks. “I told him at least seventy-two.”
I feel my face getting warm. A bet would make sense. Why else would Drew and Chris want me to stay here so badly? I can't believe I was so stupid. I don’t care that I’m just a bet; I only wish I wouldn’t have fallen for it.
Chris walks into the kitchen as I'm backing up. “Hey, Lena. I forgot that Drew wanted me to tell…” He narrows his eyes. “What’s the matter?”
“A bet?” I scoff. “What was your guess?”
Chris’s forehead wrinkles in confusion. Oh, he's a good actor. He genuinely looks confused. He moves his questioning gaze to Kelsoe who's sitting down at the table to eat.
“I told her,” Kelsoe says with a shrug.
I give them both one last look before storming out of the room. Ramsey's in the yard getting ready to leave on a yellow bike.
He sees me and smiles. “Hey, Lena. You need a ride?”
I ignore him, continuing towards the road at a quick pace, and then I’m running. My dad was right. Never trust anyone. They’re all out to get you. There are a handful of people I do trust in this world. One is dead, one left me, and the other is Alex.
I'm halfway down the gravel road when I hear the roar of a bike engine. A few seconds later, Ramsey's stopping the bike in front of me with Drew on the back. Drew leaps off bare-chested wearing sweats and sneakers. All his muscles were hidden under his preppy shirts. His hair's wet and messy. His minty scent is strong as he blocks my path.
“Move,” I say, trying to sidestep him, but he moves with me.
“What bet? Chris said—"
“Kelsoe told me, so stop playing dumb,” I say.
Drew sighs. “What did Kelsoe tell you? I should have known he'd fuck with you.”
“He told me about the bet and who could fuck me first. How original,” I say. “But it doesn’t matter. I got a few good meals out of it.”
He holds his hands up in front of him. “I swear there's no bet. Kelsoe made that shit up to get you to leave. I wouldn't do that to you, to anyone."
I keep my eyes locked with his before looking past him to Ramsey.
“There's no bet,” Ramsey says with a shake of his head.
Chris runs up panting, and says, “Fuck. You're fast. I didn't think we'd get to you in time.” He turns to Drew. “You told her, right?”
Drew nods. “I told her Kelsoe was full of shit.”
I rub my forehead. “I think I should take off. Staying here is…too much drama. I wasn't planning to stay long anyway.”
Drew grabs his phone from his pocket. “Wait. I'll prove he's full of shit.” He taps at the screen.
The phone rings once before Kelsoe answers, and I can’t believe I’m not heading down the road already. Drew holds it out in front of him so that we can all hear it.
“What the fuck, Kelsoe? She's gone. What did you do?” Drew says into the phone sounding furious, but his eyes are locked with mine and he looks…determined.
I hear Kelsoe’s laugh come through the speaker. “If she can't handle a joke…” He trails off and then says, “I did everyone a favor. Let it go.”
Drew taps the phone and then slips it back into his pocket. “See, I told you.”
I bite my lip, unsure of what to do. Even if Kelsoe did make it up, I don't want to stay at his house if he's going to constantly fuck with me.
“Stay,” Chris says.
“Ignore Kelsoe and come back,” Ramsey says. “Don't let him get you, Lena.”
I roll my eyes. “Fine but only because I don't want Kelsoe to have the satisfaction that he was the reason I left.” I look at each one of them. “If I go back and Kelsoe doesn't back down, I can't promise I won't knee him in the junk.”
“I'm sure he'll deserve it,” Drew says with an amused smirk.
I rub my hands down my face and groan. “Let’s get this over with.”
We say goodbye to Ramsey as he gets back on the bike to head to work. Kelsoe’s face invades my thoughts as Chris, Drew, and I walk down the gravel road. I’m used to people not liking me, but Kelsoe hated me straightaway. “I’m surprised Kelsoe isn’t fucking with you two. He’s your boy, and you’re going against him,” I say, eyeing Drew and Chris curiously.
“We aren’t going to stand by him when we don’t agree with him. He’s not our ruler. It’s a democracy, and we’ve all voted. Kelsoe loses,” Drew says.
“How laissez-faire of you,” I say.
Chris grins. “Exactly.”
“Ignore Kelsoe. Trust me. He'll come around. He wants you here too,” Drew says.
“It’s balance,” I mumble.
“What’d you say?” Drew asks.
“Balance: when something good happens, there will be something bad. There’s no such thing as perfect. At least it’s been true for me,” I say.
“How so?” Chris asks.
I shrug. “Roof over my head: abusive stepfather. Ready to move on with my life: no documents. Basketball: Ethan. A decent place to stay: Kelsoe.”
“I don’t get it.” Drew says.
“I think I might,” Chris says. “It’s like that saying, ‘you can’t have cake and eat it too.’ He taps his chin. “I don’t get the Ethan and basketball part. Or the documents.”
“Exactly like that. Moldy cake,” I say. “And I can’t find my birth certificate and social security card. If I had those, I’d be a lot better off.”
Drew pulls his ringing phone from his pocket, his eyes widen, and then he looks up at me and frowns. “You going to be okay getting inside by yourself?”
I look over to the blue house that’s several yards away. “I don’t know. I might get lost,” I say sarcastically.
Drew doesn’t look up at me as he mumbles, “See you later.”
I watch him hurry towards his house with the phone to his ear. Chris pulls his phone from his pocket, and then he’s quickly headed in the same direction as Drew.
I don’t have the energy to guess what that’s about. I force myself to stay upright as I walk to my room. The scent of pizza has my stomach rumbling, but I ignore it as I walk past the kitchen and down the hall. The bed looks utterly inviting with so many fluffy pillows. A hand on the other side of the bedroom door prevents my attempt at closing it. Kelsoe pushes it wide-open, taking a step forward as I back up, crossing my arms.
“What do you want?” I ask.
“You need to leave,” he says for like the hundredth time.
“And I will be soon, so back off,” I say, staring him head-on.
The last bit of my energy leaves my body as Kelsoe walks away. I close and lock the door. My eyes are heavy and not wanting to stay open as I take off my clothes and slip beneath the blanket.
≈≈≈
Hunger pains wake me from sleep. I grab a bowl of cereal and head outside to watch the sunrise. I sit with my feet dangling off the edge of the property. This is the perfect viewpoint; on the other side of the river, the landscape is wide-open. The birds chirp a peaceful melody while the sky changes from dark blue to orange to yellow to light blue.
After finishing breakfast, I use the rope ladder to climb down to the riverbank. Kicking off my flip-flops, I rest on the rocky edge, dipping my toes into the lukewarm water. The only thing that would make this more perfect would be if I had some weed. I spend the morning and afternoon skipping rocks and exploring this stretch of the river.
The sun’s high in the sky as I make my way back to the ladder. I narrow my eyes in confusion because the ladder isn’t where it was only a few hours ago. Thinking
I might be looking in the wrong spot, I walk down a little farther. I squeeze my eyes closed in frustration. It’s fucking gone, and this screams Kelsoe.
Eyeing the nearly vertical cliff, I see roots I could grab onto near the top if I can get up to them. I claw at the dirt, trying to get some leverage to pull myself up. The harder I try and fail, the angrier I get. Having electricity is not worth being tormented by Kelsoe.
I hear someone call my name. It sounded like Chris, but they’re too far away to be sure. I back away from the cliff, brushing the dirt from my shorts and shirt. A few minutes later, Chris comes into view. He tosses the ladder down wordlessly, and when I make it to the top, he helps me to pull myself over the edge.
“Your friend is an asshole,” I mumble.
“He can be. He’s at work. He won't bother you anymore today.”
Kelsoe pulled the rope up and then left for work. He really hates you, my mind whispers. “I'm going to shower,” I say.
“Wait, Lena. Drew wanted me to tell you about the party.” He rubs the back of his neck. “I was going to tell you yesterday, but the bullshit with Kelsoe…” He shrugs.
I quirk a brow. “Party?”
“There’s a party tonight. We all kinda go as a group.”
“Okay. Have fun then,” I say, moving towards the house.
“All of us, Lena. You’re included.”
I walk faster. “Tell Drew I said no thanks,” I call over my shoulder. I’m not entirely sure I’ll even be here much longer. This shit with Kelsoe is getting old.
The blue house comes into view, and my steps falter. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I say under my breath. Kelsoe’s standing near the door, his smug expression aimed at me. I take in a deep breath as I blow past him heading towards my room. Any thoughts of leaving today are gone. I’m going to show that prick that he can’t get to me. I’ll be leaving soon but not today and not because of something he did.
I’m almost to my room when I spot Drew knocking on my bedroom door. He’s wearing dark wash jeans, white Converse, and a baby-blue polo. His golden-blond hair is styled to the side, and he’s got a fancy watch on his left arm.
I clear my throat. “What’s up, Drew.”
He turns around. His blue eyes light up and then narrow. His gaze runs over my dirt-covered clothes, and he visibly grimaces. I stop myself from rolling my eyes. He wouldn’t last two days in my world.
I point over my shoulder. “I just got back from the river. Going to wash up.” I push the door open. “Oh, hey, you wouldn’t happen to have any weed, would you?”
“I don’t smoke, but Kelsoe always has some,” he replies. “And I was just coming to tell you that dinner’s at six.” He wags his brows. “I’m making my famous chicken alfredo.”
“K. See you then,” I say, grabbing my bag from the bed.
≈≈≈
At dinner, Drew tries to make small talk, but with Zack focused on his phone, and Kelsoe and I diligently throwing each other annoyed glares, there isn’t much talking going on.
“You can’t deny it’s the best alfredo you’ve ever had, right?” Drew asks me.
“It’s the only alfredo I’ve ever had,” I say around my last bite of savory goodness.
“I never had it till I came here either,” Zack says, scooting back his chair. “I’m going to watch TV. You guys are giving me anxiety.”
“Sorry, bud. I’ll join you in a minute. I just need to go over a few things with Drew and his friend,” Kelsoe says in a gentle tone that doesn’t fit what I know of him at all. He waits for Zack to leave the room. “Since Drew wants to bring his plaything to the party, let me lay down the rules,” Kelsoe says, and I narrow my eyes.
I know he’s trying to get a reaction out of me. It takes everything I have to not give him one.
“There are four rules that apply always. One: no getting sloppy drunk. Two: no drugs other than weed. Three: no fighting. Four: don’t bring outsider back to the compound. You got all that, Red?”
“I heard you,” I reply.
“We’ll all be there tonight, so don’t do stupid shit,” Kelsoe says.
“Thanks for that last piece of unwanted advice.” I eye him up and down, taking in his black boots, jeans, and black tee. His “don’t fuck with me” vibes are at an all-time high. I can feel his wild energy tangling with mine. His eyes that are normally a dark green have a hint of dark blue on the inner part of the iris. My eyes dart down to his lips that are moving. It takes me a second to register that’s he’s talking. I have no idea what he’s just said since I was spaced out, so I say, “I wouldn’t have thought you the partying type.”
He doesn’t acknowledge that I’ve spoken as he gets up from the table and walks off.
Drew chuckles. “Adam and I enjoy the amenities at the local parties. Kel—”
I arch a brow. “The amenities?”
He smirks. “The ladies.” He chuckles as I roll my eyes. “We all go together once a month. Kelsoe and Ramsey do it for appearances. Lets the outsiders know that we’re a group and fucking with one of us or the compound has dire consequences. Adam and I frequent the parties more than the others.”
I laugh. “Because of the ladies.”
He shrugs. “That and the football team likes to party.”
So, they show up to show off. They want the townies to see them as badasses. One look at Ramsey or Kelsoe would prove that point. Those boys look lethal. I don’t see how I fit in. “Why do I have to go?”
“We all go. A united front.” His eyes move to the ground. “Plus, Bob is pushing us to take you,” he mumbles.
At least he’s being truthful. They probably don’t want me to go. Hell, I don’t want to, but I need some weed. I’m sure Alex will be at the party. His life goal is to be at all of them. I can score some weed and then bounce.
I rinse my plate and fork in the sink. “I’m going to my room. Let me know when it’s time to go.”
≈≈≈
I sit on the edge of the bed with my elbows on my knees. I’m mostly hiding out until it’s time to go. I frown as a thought hits me. The Lost Boys go to these parties to get noticed. If I’m with them, people will talk.
I don’t need my name coming from the lips of strangers. I’ll find Alex, get what I need, and then slip out. I’ll need to dress to blend. I pull on gray skinny jeans that are ripped from wear but look like the trendy shit I see the girls around town wearing. Picking a baggy, black tee, I gather the bottom of the shirt to tie at my side. It’s loose enough so my boobs don’t stand out while the tie makes the shirt look somewhat fashionable.
Once dressed, I lie in bed waiting on the clock. My mom must be wrong about my luck because this bed is so freaking comfortable. I definitely got lucky with this. Let’s just hope some of that luck sticks with me tonight.
Chapter 8
A gigantic boom—similar to the sound of a bomb detonating—has me shooting up from bed, moving so fast that I fall to the floor, the blankets tangling around my legs. My heart pounding against my chest feels like it’s going to burst out.
My eyes fly to the bedroom door that’s literally hanging off the hinges. Kelsoe and Drew stand on the other side. The panic on their faces causes my heart to speed up even more.
“What’s going on?” Drew asks, his eyes trained on me while Kelsoe’s are darting around the room.
I untangle myself from the blanket as Kelsoe rushes towards the closet, throwing the door open with enough force that the doorknob leaves a hole in the wall.
Kelsoe’s wild eyes find mine. “Where'd they go?”
My hair is drenched in sweat and sticking to my face. I push it out of the way. “Who?”
Drew crosses the room in three large steps. He shoves the curtains away from the window, revealing darkness. He straightens, his eyes running over my body as I push off the floor to move to the bed. “We heard you screaming.”
I gulp as a memory of the dream hits me. It’s not uncommon for some of my memories to make an appear
ance when I’m sleeping, forcing me to relive some fucked-up shit. “I guess I fell asleep. I don’t know why I was screaming,” I lie.
This particular memory hasn't crept into my nightmares in months. There was a party, and one of David’s friends broke the lock to my room where I was sleeping. If David hadn’t stopped his bastard friend, well, I don’t like to think about it. I got away with a black eye and a couple scratches. I now wonder why David stopped his friend. I guess even bad guys have limits and letting an adult assault a fifteen-year-old must be one.
I can feel Kelsoe’s gaze on me. He’s standing in the closet, his eyes full of concern. Am I seeing that right? I study him more carefully. His face quickly morphs, showing no emotion now.
“I guess you were dreaming. We thought someone broke in,” Drew says, and I get it now.
Kelsoe was worried that someone violated him by stepping foot onto his precious property.
Drew plops down next to me. “What were you dreaming about?”
I shrug. “Have no idea.” I smile. “Maybe centipedes. I hate centipedes.”
Kelsoe moves out from the closet. “My dad’s on his way home. We can leave when he gets here.” He bolts from the room.
I turn to look at Drew. “Why do we have to wait for Bob?”
“’Cause Zack.”
I wait for him to say more, but he doesn’t. “What about Zack, Preppy?” I laugh. “You act like his name is explanation enough.”
“He can’t be alone.”
I give him the side-eye. “I think he’s old enough to be—”
“No, he can’t be left alone.” Drew rubs his jaw. “He’ll freak out. We all have some abandonment issues, but Zack’s are really bad right now.”
“I didn’t know. Why? What happened to him?” Curiosity wins even though it shouldn't. Personal information for more than the purpose of getting to know your enemy leads to meaningful relationships. I’m supposed to be indifferent to these guys. That’s getting harder to do.
“Zack’s brother Ethan joined the military planning to use his sign-on bonus to hire a lawyer and get custody of Zack.” Drew sighs. “It didn’t happen like that. Ethan got deployed not long after boot camp. I think he was talking to a lawyer but was advised to wait on legal action until he got back stateside.” Drew lowers his head. His shoulders slump. “He didn’t make it back. Ethan was killed overseas.”
Found by the Rivers Page 6
