Confess: A High School Bully Romance - Madison Falls High Book 3

by K. Walker

  I clicked the latch what felt like a hundred times. It wasn’t working. Panic set in as I observed the flames as they lapped at us through the glass. I couldn’t leave him. I maneuvered my body so I could pull him.

  “I need a knife!” I shouted. To anyone who could hear me. “His belt is stuck!”

  I heard no response. It was like everything was moving in slow motion. The flames were all the way in the car, and I could smell my flesh burning. Robby’s head was still hung forward. I had to get out, or we were both going to die.

  I made one more valiant attempt before I felt someone pulling me around the middle.

  “Get out!” Cody yelled.

  “No, I can’t leave him,” I shouted and tried to push back.

  I coughed as the smoke and gas fumes filled my lungs, and my eyes burned. There was a loud explosion, and the other car engulfed in flames. I kicked at the passenger door and crawled out backward, falling onto the ground and scrambling away, moments before the Dodge exploded, too.

  I sat in the dirt and watched as the car went up in flames. I was shaking, and my eyes burned from the smoke and the tears. I couldn’t save him. Fuck!

  “Chad,” I heard Chrissy say behind me. “Your arm.”

  I glanced down at my arm, which was pink, and bits of my skin hung loose and shriveled from the burning flames. I looked into Chrissy’s face. “You think I give a fuck about my arm!” I barked. “Robby’s dead!” I yelled and struggled to stand.

  I bobbed and weaved as I walked away, the only sounds I could hear were the crackling of the flames as they ate Robby.

  And then I saw Wes, looking on, an arrogant look on his face.

  “Hey, I didn’t do that,” he said and held his hands out. “He should have just let me keep the car, and none of this would have happened.”

  “You mean, him dying?” I growled as I lunged at him and he fell. I climbed on top of him and started to beat the shit out of him for what felt like a long time until someone finally pulled me off.

  He slowly stood up and spat blood onto the ground, moments before the sounds of sirens pierced the night, and several people scrambled to get away before the cops came.

  Chapter 14

  Sophia

  “Oh my, God!” I said when he was done telling the story. “I can’t believe I was ever with that guy.”

  “Don’t blame yourself,” he said and stroked my cheek. “He could have fooled anyone. He had us fooled for a long time, too.”

  “But Robby losing his life,” I sighed. “I know it’s been a while, but I’m so sorry you had to go through that Chad. I can’t imagine what that must have felt like – sitting there, not being able to do anything.”

  He had a spaced-out look on his face as he stared at the ceiling. And then he smiled. “Can we talk about something else?”

  “Yeah, yeah, sure,” I agreed readily. “But, just in case you didn’t know, what you did,” I said and kissed his chest, “was very brave.”

  “Yeah?” he asked as his green eyes took on a darker shade.

  “Yep,” I said and kissed his neck. “I’m very proud of you,” I said as my fingers traced the lines of his scar. “So proud, I feel like you deserve something nice.”

  “I like the sound of that,” he said as he cupped my face and started to kiss me.

  His tongue darted into my mouth with such urgency; it made my body come alive instantly. His leg slipped from under him and laid flat on the bed, and I shuffled to position myself directly onto him. I gripped his arms as our lips locked, and our breathing intensified.

  My head ballooned when his hand moved from my face and traveled down my back, sending shivers along my spine. I could feel my southernmost region warming to his touch, and slowly melting like butter in a hot skillet.

  “You’re so fucking hot,” he groaned in my ear before his lips grazed the soft skin on my neck.

  I rocked my head backward to give him better access, and he sucked on my skin, provoking everything that was still undisturbed. My body ached for him, and I began to throb, hard and fast, and my once-dry underwear was now a soaking, sticky mess.

  I ran my hand down his side and under me. I wanted to feel his manhood as it swelled in my hand before it got lost inside me. His body moved under me, like the rise and fall of the tide, and I got lost in the power that exuded from him.

  I was getting heady as our bodies started to slip and slide over each other, and he flipped me onto my back, his hand groping, caressing, and kneading the parts of me that screamed for his attention.

  When he parted my legs and entered me, I was enraptured. I clung to him like I had to, as my chest heaved and his body danced undermine.

  Afterward, we laid sprawled over each other, and his fingers moved across my back like my skin was his personal canvas.

  “What’re you thinking about?” I asked him. I could tell he was – his breathing had become shallow, and he had grown tense.

  “Just that thing with Brody,” he said and sighed.

  “I thought you didn’t want to talk about that,” I said and rolled over onto my side so I could see his face.

  “Not about the accident, but this thing is…it’s coming,” he replied softly. “No escaping that.”

  “I know.” I could feel the weight of it on him.

  “I watch a lot of cop shows…seen a lot of setups, and I know they’re movies, but man.”

  “I know what your thinking,” I said, not wanting to agree fully with him and send him spiraling into the dark pit of depression.

  “I mean, rarely do they ever go according to plan. And guess who always gets screwed?”

  “Come on; you can’t think like that. And please don’t talk like that in front of Brody.”

  “No, I wouldn’t do that,” he said and sighed again. “I just…I can’t watch another one of my friends die. Or go to jail.”

  “Nothing will happen to Brody, and you couldn’t save Robby either. You have to let that go?”

  “The same way you let go of Rachel?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “You still wear her on your skin – on that tat on the back of your neck. And I carry Robby on my arm.”

  In a sense, he was right. For over a year, I couldn’t even go back in the water after Rachel died. I had blamed myself for so long. If only I hadn’t gone so far ahead. If only I had heard her sooner. If only I had gotten to her faster – a whole lot of ‘if’s’ that did nothing to change the fact that she had died.

  If no one else, I could relate to how badly Chad felt, and hurt. It was a very crippling feeling, and he was thrusting himself into another situation that could have a serious blowback.

  “You’re right. I have no right to tell you how to deal with this.”

  He rubbed my back. “You don’t have to apologize either. I was out of line. The truth is, we all need someone to pull us out of the darkness, or it will swallow us.”

  “Yep. You were that person for me. You got me back into the water.”

  He eased forward and kissed my forehead and stroked my arm. “Maybe you’ll be that person for me when this is done. Hell, you’ve already changed me.”

  “Is that so?” I grinned and craned my neck so I could see his face. It was then that I saw the alarm clock on his nightstand. 9:38. “Shit,” I said and scrambled upright. “I need to get home. Mom’s probably been calling me.”

  He looked over too. “Damn! Time does fly when you’re having fun,” he grinned.

  “Not funny.”

  “Okay,” he said and slid off the bed, the sheet dragging to the floor after him. “Let’s get you home.”

  “I drove, remember?”

  “And you think I’m going to let you go alone?” he asked and raised his brows.

  “This isn’t the eighteenth century,” I reminded him.

  “No, it’s not. Back then, all I would have to worry about is the horse losing his shoe or the carriage losing a wheel on the way back. Today, I have to worry about drug dealers and guns and crooked co
ps and burglars…”

  “Ok,” I said and pressed my index finger to his lips. “I get it. You can come.”

  “Wait, was that permission?”

  “Yes. You have my permission to accompany me home, Mr. Minor.”

  “Why do you say that like I need it?” he asked as he walked up to me and circled my waist with his arms.

  “If we don’t go now, I’m going to have to stay here…forever!”

  His eyes widened. “Really? Shit! I’m getting back into bed.”

  I laughed. “Come on, silly. You know I need to go.”

  “Fine,” he relented. “But I hate seeing you go,” he said in a sexy baritone that started to turn me on again.

  “Don’t look,” I said and stuck out my tongue.

  By the time we got out of the house, it was ten, and mom was sitting in the living room, sipping coffee and staring blankly at the TV screen.

  “Mom, I’m so sorry…I didn’t realize what time it was. I was at Chad’s with the guys and…” She didn’t seem to be hearing anything I was saying. “Mom?”

  “Hmm?” she asked and turned hollow eyes to me.

  I walked slowly over to her. “I was just saying I was at Chad’s with the guys and lost track of time. Are you okay?”

  She sighed and sipped more of her coffee like it was whiskey. “I guess, just a lot going on at work.”

  “Work? You mean the Humpry’s, or the actual job?

  “What’s the difference? I care for Travis, but my whole employment is based on everything that’s going on over there. If Travis didn’t have such a short time left, I would pack up and leave.”

  “Aww,” I said and sat next to her. “It’s that bad?”

  “It’s like walking into a lion’s den every day and hoping the lion isn’t hungry enough to eat you.”

  “Wow. That’s intense.”

  “I know,” she said and replaced her cup. “But don’t worry about me. This contract won’t exist after Travis so…guess I can hold on a little longer.”

  “And what about that thing that Ja—Dad is working on?” I asked, hoping she would tell me a little more. Actually, that she’d tell me anything at all. Callie might be acting weird, but there was no reason for me to believe she wouldn’t be her usual bitchy self the next day.

  “It’s coming along,” she said and got up.

  “That’s all I get?” I queried and stood up to follow her into the kitchen. “I know you’re building a case…not sure against whom…certainly can’t be Callie, so it must be…is it her mom? Her dad? Did Mr. Minor find something on the Humpry’s.”

  Mom cocked her head to the side. “You’ve always been a sleuth, but I’m afraid I can’t say anything – it could hurt the case.”

  “Ugh! Okay,” I said and threw my hands in the air. “It’s really bad, isn’t it?”

  Mom started humming as she tried to drown out my questions. But I couldn’t help myself. I also couldn’t help wondering how Callie would come out on the other side of this – not that I should care. If she hadn’t threatened Chad’s father, then none of this would have happened—whatever this is.

  “I think you should be going to bed, young lady. It’s way past your bedtime,” she said as she wandered to the fridge. “I’m just getting some juice before I head upstairs.”

  “Yeah, I’m kinda beat, too,” I replied through a stifled yawn. “Oops.”

  Mom chuckled. “Makes two of us.”

  “Okay, good night, mom,” I said and walked over to give her a kiss.

  “Night, baby.”

  I couldn’t say I could blame her for keeping a secret – I was keeping what could possibly be a much worse one.

  I started stripping the moment I walked through my door. A quick shower later and I was snuggling in bed. I had seen a couple of messages when I was heading home with Chad, messages I hadn’t bothered to read.

  I fished out the phone and began to scroll through several texts:

  Chad: Hope you’re relaxing in bed, like me. I wish you were here.

  I warmed to that, and of course, it was the first one I had seen and read.

  Amanda: Hope all of you aren’t having too much fun without me. Was Chad serious about that other guy?

  I laughed after reading that message – Amanda wasn’t such a hard shell, after all. We would hook her up really good soon.

  Liz: Save some for another day, skank lol!

  I giggled and blushed.

  Sophia: Save what, Liz? I’ve got a lot to spare. Pretty sure I’m still trailing you.

  I hit send and searched through the other messages. There were a bunch of them from unknown numbers like I was in a group I wasn’t aware of. Others came from the school’s public messaging system, and another, in the middle of the rest, that I almost missed it.

  I stared at the name for a long time, wondering if I should even read it. Maybe I owed Dad the courtesy, after the way he was helping Chad. So, I opened it.

  Jake: Hi, sweetheart. I really miss talking to you. I wish you wouldn’t cut me off like this. You’re my baby girl, and I…Can I see you again? We could go out for lunch…or dinner, or just smoothies. Whatever you like. Just, please. Call me. Let’s set something up, okay?

  I wasn’t sure I had ever seen or read or heard my dad groveling as much as he had in that text. We didn’t have a real conversation after the divorce, but I hoped he would have enough sense to dump that money-grabbing ho he hooked up with before she sucked the life out of him.

  And I knew I said I didn’t care before, but of course, I did. I do. He was my father, and although he and Mom would probably never get back together again, it didn’t mean we didn’t have to.

  I smiled when I remembered Chad’s words that I had changed him. I guess it had gone both ways, I thought when I started to text him back.

  I didn’t have to ask who was texting when the chimes came one after another five minutes after I had sent the message, but I’d had a long day and I would read them in the morning.

  Chapter 15

  Sophia

  “Zoe! Lift your leg!” Callie’s voice sounded irritated across the field from where we were. “Come on! Tania, did you even go on a diet! Your arms look flabby. You can’t go on top of the pyramid this time.”

  I grimaced as I stretched and observed the annoyed faces of the other cheer girls. “Must suck to have her as head cheer coach.”

  “You have no idea,” Amanda said and clicked her tongue.

  “Octavia! Twirl! Not pirouette. This isn’t ballet. Did any of you practice? I may as well do a solo act.”

  I was on the grass, with one leg tucked under me and the other stretched out as I reached for my toes.

  “Even the damned volleyball chick is doing a better job!” Callie screamed at the girls. “You know what? Laps? You all need to run some laps. Maybe when you get back, your attitudes will change and you’ll be more serious about this.”

  There was a sea of groans as the girls lumbered to the track and started jogging. Meanwhile, Callie remained on the field, drinking water from her custom-made sports bottle.

  I pulled back and started twisting my body as I tried working out my arms. “Is it just me, or is Callie extra bitchy today?”

  Amanda looked up from her squats. “It’s you.”

  Liz giggled. “Pretty much. Any day Callie is nice is a day Callie isn’t here.”

  I had to agree. Yesterday was the best, even though it had me worried about today.

  “Okay, that’s enough stretching. Who wants to go jogging?”

  I raised my hand. “My legs could use it.”

  “Yeah, count me in.”

  The entire team piled onto the track as we started jogging, and quickly came upon the cheer girls who were grumbling about Callie’s abuse.

  “Come on, girls. Go faster. Cheer harder!” Liz teased and started running backward so she could give them the finger.

  “Screw you, bitch!” Paris hissed.

  “Bitch? Me?” Liz la
ughed and waved them off.

  “Liz, leave them alone,” I snickered. “They’ve had enough.”

  “Oh, they can take it,” Liz countered. “They knew what they signed up for. I hope,” she replied and turned around again.

  “Faster! That’s not getting you any cardio points!” Callie clapped and shouted when they were passing her side of the field again.

  “I really hate that bitch, sometimes,” Octavia grumbled, even as she smiled at Callie’s miserable face.

  “Let’s just get this over with,” Christine said imploringly. “If we do what she wants, she’ll ease up on us.”

  “Sure,” Alexi drawled. “When has she ever?”

  The squad was down in the dumps for the remainder of the evening, but their spirits quickly lifted when the football team entered the field.

  “Now that’s something I can look at every day,” I grinned and waved at Chad.

  “Us and them,” Liz said and indicated the cheer team that was already doing handstands and flirting as soon as they got the attention of the boys. “They’re so easy.”

  “But let’s focus on our game strategy,” Amanda chimed in. “Let’s move back to the gym. The field is getting crowded.”

  “Yeah, I guess,” I nodded and grabbed my bottle. I was just about to walk off when I saw Callie stalking over to Chad. “Uh, hold on a minute, guys.”

  She was clearly upset, and she folded her arms across her chest when she got to him. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Chad started pointing at her, and she yelled back at him.

  “What’s going on over there?”

  “I’m about to find out,” I said and started walking towards them.

  Callie wasn’t shouting anymore, and neither was Chad. The blood rushed to my head, drowning out every other sound around me.

  “Hey, what’s up?” I asked, and Callie looked away and wiped her face. Was she crying? “Chad?”

  “Nothing,” he said and looked back at Callie, who walked off without looking at me. “She just wanted to get some things off her chest.”