Stone is quiet when he walks over to us. He stands behind my left shoulder, holding two shot glasses in his hands. He hands one to me. "Help for what?" I ask when he doesn't elaborate. I stare down at the brown liquid, watching as it sloshes against the wall of the glass. The smell is strong, and makes my mouth water in anticipation of the burn. The only time I ever drank was when I accidentally took a sip from dad's flask when I was eleven. Behind me, Stone tilts his head back and downs the alcohol. He hisses, eyes squeezing shut, and he walks over to the stereo. Haeden pokes a little at my eye, the swelling having gotten worse. "There doesn't happen to be any ice in the chest, is there?" He shakes his head. He lays his hands on my thighs, his touch burning my skin despite the layer between them. Behind me, the artist Jelly Roll begins to play. "I’m a fucked up person, Ella." He shakes his head, a sigh escaping him. He lifts a hand from my thigh and runs it through his hair. "Y
No, I shake my head and narrow my eyes. I won't let myself back down. I have to do this."Okay, Ariella." I puff out my cheeks as the air is exhaled from my lungs. "Starting from now, this is a new you!" The words lack the conviction I wish I had.Just as I'm about to give up once again and change back into what I wore before, grandma calls me from downstairs."Coming!" I shout. I take one last look in the mirror and shrug, it's the best I can do. I grab my backpack and head downstairs."- down soon. Can I get you anything to drink?" Grandma's voice reaches me when I'm halfway down. Standing on the other side, away from me in the living room is a woman with her blonde hair pulled back into a sophisticated bun. A few loose strands lay against her neck, grazing the gray blazer she wears. Under her grey slacks are a pair of black leather shoes with a skinny heel."I'm fine. Thank you," she answers back. Grandma gestures for her to sit, and after a small hesitation, she does."Grams?" I
When I step outside of the house, there's no sign of Detective Shae ever being here. My eyes are drawn to Stone's house, and I find him in his car, eyes locked on me. He raises his hand, beckoning me to him. Biting my lip, I make my way over. "Are you waiting for me?" I ask.Stone smirks, "Maybe." Then he frowns. "Who was that lady? She looked all formal and shit." "Well, if you haven't heard yet, then you will soon," I mutter as I glance down at the gravel path way. "She's a detective working my dad's case." "Detective?" Stone asks, eyes narrowing."Yeah, apparently he wasn't working alone," I mumble. Shuffling my feet, my eyes stay glued to the rocks as I get lost in my thoughts again. I just don't understand. All the victims died the same way, with their throats cut open. And besides the murder victims, my dad, and me, there was no one there. They must have left before I arrived then.Or they were hiding. Watching.The thought sends shivers down my spine. What if they kill ag
HAEDENI have to hate her. I need to hate her. Any feelings I had for her before can't exist. I won't allow it. It doesn't matter if I wonder whether or not her brown hair is as soft as it looks. Doesn't matter if I hate the numbed look on her face. I should want to see her suffer.That's why I say it. She has to be ours, has to be mine, in order for me to get over this crushing hatred, and go back to the guy obsessed with a church girl.I'll take every bit of my anger out on her until there's none left. And if she lets me hold her after, then I'll take that too.What I don't expect is for her to deny our protection. Ariella Mackensie doesn't desire us to protect her against her bullies, she wants help getting back at them. What she asks for is the sweet taste of revenge. Good, little, church girls don't want pay back. They let karma deal with it. But then, Ariella isn't a good little church girl anymore. She's the daughter of a psycho killer. I bite the inside of my cheek to suppr
ARIELLAIt happened, yet my head still can't fully wrap around the idea of it. I belong to them now. How did Haeden put it, ‘to do with as they please’? My face burns, and I press a hand to my cheek to cool it down. Then I take a deep breath, slowly letting it out. I can do this. What could they possibly want anyway?I think back to the party, remember Haeden's kiss, and the way both Stone and Kingston stared at me when I danced with Ivy. They could want a lot. Images of me kissing Kingston and Stone come to mind. I shake my head. Nah, they wouldn't want that. Besides, I shouldn't be thinking about that. If I'm being realistic, they'll probably make me do their homework. I asked them to help me with my revenge instead of the protection they originally offered. Why the fuck did I do that? What kind of crazy person gets revenge. It's just bullying, it'll stop eventually.Will it though?The thought lingers. It hasn't stopped yet, and its been two months. It's gotten worse if anyth
I shuffle on my feet, hands tight around my backpack straps. Standing in front of me, like a formidable wall are Stone, Haeden, and Kingston. Standing in the middle, Stone has his arms crossed over his chest, face unreadable as his dark eyes stare down at me. His sleeves are rolled up, with it being after school hours he's free to show his tattoos now. On his left, Haeden has his hands stuffed in his hoodie pockets. His red eyes indicating he's high on something. He's stuck on me though, and it feels like he hates me at this moment. But then I can't remember doing anything to make him mad. On Stone's right, Kingston is typing away on his phone. "My cousin got arrested," he snickers. He looks up at the other two. "He got caught fucking the vice principle at his school." Haeden chuckles. "Cole is my fucking god."I stand there, my face red because who the hell fucks a teenager? It seems pedophelia is in season. I'm suddenly reminded of Mr. Williams, and I shudder. "Where's Ivy?" Ston
I also thought she wouldn't abandon me. "She told everyone that you always forced her to watch horror movies, and then locked her in the bathroom all night. She said you killed your pet dog when you were ten," Haeden starts to list off all her wrong doings, his hot breath brushing my skin. I shudder, resisting the urge to lean into him. That's when I feel Stone's fingers brushing the underside of my boob. I shift, feeling the cock beneath me pulse as I grind against it."Stay still," he grunts from beneath me. Haeden pulls my attention back to him, distracting me from the way Stone’s hand squeezes my boob."She told Kensey it was you who found him." This is what convinces me. The detail about me finding the murder scene was supposed to be confidential, but in my unstable state, I told her. Desperate to talk to someone, I needed my best friend. I always wondered how everyone ended up knowing. I just figured they ended up announcing it on the news. "Can someone get me a pen, pleas
I'm staring. It's rude, I know that, but anyone in my position wouldn't stare. Stone stands at the foot of my bed, shirt halfway up his chest.He's taking his clothes off. Stone is in my room, and he's taking his clothes off!I take in the visible V line of his hips, followed by a lean muscle that flexes with every move. His pecs are well-defined, and the tattoos on his skin call for me to trace them. Maybe if I wake up early enough in the morning, I can take the time to admire them.Am I letting him stay the night? If it were back then, if Dad didn't do what he did, would he even be here right now?No. We lived in different worlds, he and I.My fingers tighten around the clothes in my hand, suddenly very aware that I'm about to change into short shorts and a tank top."You just gonna stand there and stare at me?" Stone asks. His lips turn upwards when my eyes widen.First off, seriously Stone made a joke. Not only is he staying the night but he’s joking with me."I think the world i