Wicked Scandal (Misfits #2)

Chapter 17

WILDER

For two days, mine and Cat’s chat log has been silent—aside from me messaging her about a dozen times. Each time, she doesn't respond. I can't shake this growing unease inside me. I find myself circling in front of her classroom door, waiting for her to show up. I even got here right when the doors to the school unlocked.

I drove by her house twice yesterday and wanted to stop, but the thought of getting her in any trouble with her husband paralyzes me.

The hall is fairly empty, aside from a few students lingering. I put my back to the wall beside the door and kick my foot up as I glance at my phone in my hand. She should be here by now.

Mr. Hargrove, the principal, comes down the hall and I immediately push myself off the wall. “Hey, Mr. Hargrove.” I wave as I make my way toward him.

“Good morning, Wilder. You’re here early.”

I walk by his side down the hall as he sorts through some keys in his hand. “Yeah. I was hoping to get some help from Mrs. Jenkins on something. Have you seen her yet this morning?”

“Actually, I have. I’m headed to unlock her classroom now for the substitute. Mrs. Jenkins is out sick today.”

He stops at her door and sticks the key in the hole while I try to rationalize what he just said.

“What kind of sickness?” I ask, speaking manically. “A cold? A stomach bug? The flu? What is it?”

He turns the handle and pushes the door open an inch, only to close it again before putting the keys in his pocket. “I’m not the one who spoke with her. There’s no reason to worry, though. I’m sure she’ll be back tomorrow.” With that said, he walks back the way he came.

My whole world stops, time standing still as I try to think of why she would be out today, but nothing makes sense.

Something’s wrong.

I can feel it in my gut. Cat is in trouble.

Without a second thought, I jog down the hall. As soon as I reach the front doors, I shove them open and I take off running to my car.

I should have hurried and helped her clean up the guesthouse. She was so scared her husband was coming home and my immature ass just pouted because I wanted more time with her. I should have done so much more to help her.

Students are beginning to arrive and the parking lot is filling fast so I waste no time getting in my car and driving straight to Cat’s house.

Repercussions be damned, I pull right up to her front door. With the engine still running, I get out hurriedly, leaving the driver’s side door open.

Walking briskly to the front door, I immediately begin knocking on it. “Cat,” I holler. “Are you here? I need to know you’re okay.”

I pound a few more times, the intensity of each one growing louder and louder. “Mrs. Jenkins!” I shout. “Please answer the door.”

Taking a step back, I look up at the camera pointed at me, noticing the steady greenlight. “Where is she?” I raise my voice even louder. “I know you did something to her!”

“You have some nerve coming here again, young man.” His voice cuts through the speaker, making me grit my teeth. Of course he won’t face me like a man. I knew he was watching. He’s always watching.

My jaw tics in fury as I scream with balled fists at my sides. “I’m not leaving until I see her with my own eyes!”

The greenlight stays on, but he doesn’t say anything else, so I resume beating on the door, hoping she’s well enough to get up and answer.

A few minutes later, I lean over with my hands to my knees, unsure what to do next. I could break in, but that’ll just get me arrested. Then again, it might be worth it just to know Cat is safe.

Or I could find her beaten to a pulp on the floor and then what? Just give Troy the opportunity to blame me, or worse, hurt her more.

Fuck! There’s no right answer here.

The sound of an engine roaring down the driveway at full speed has me shooting up. I see Troy’s truck—a black Toyota Tundra.

Fuck.

He pulls up right behind me and the next thing I know, he’s rounding the front of the truck, shaking a stern finger at me with his keys clenched in his fist. “Get the hell off my property before I call the cops and have your ass arrested!”

Taking a safe approach, I keep my tone low. “I just need to know she’s okay. She was helping me with an assignment and she’s been ghosting me. If you think no one pays attention to her then you’re wrong. I’m not the only one who’s concerned,” I bluff, hoping it will at least get him to let me see her.

The space between us is closed in two seconds flat and he’s in my face. “I could kill you right now for trespassing and get away with it, you know that, right?” He is furious, like a man I have never seen before. How did he become the mayor with a temper like this?

“Is that what you did to her? Did you kill her, Troy?” I put emphasis on his name because I’ve never called him anything but Mayor, or Mr. Jenkins.

He scoffs, shaking his head as if I were just some child. “Have you lost your damn mind, kid? I love my wife more than anything in this world. Why the hell would I ever do anything to hurt her?”

I shrug condescendingly. “Because I don’t believe anything that comes out of your sleazy mouth.”

“You’re going to regret this, Wilder.” He snarls. “Mark my words. Your reputation is about to go up in flames if you don’t get the hell away from my house right this damn minute.”

I throw my hands up, then let them fall to my sides. I have to refrain from laughing because he could do nothing to my reputation. He might be the mayor but my father has more money and reach than he could ever hope to achieve. I’m not untouchable by any means, but I hold power here and he knows it. “Just let me see her and I’ll leave. It’s that simple.”

Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out his phone, speaking with a smug grin as he taps his index finger to the screen like an old man who just got his first phone. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Wait,” I blurt out. “I don’t want any trouble,” I assure him. As much as I want to stay until I see Cat, there are other ways. This will kill my dad if he finds out I came to the mayor’s house and raised hell.

He slowly lowers his phone. “Leave,” he grits out the word grimly.

With a heavy sigh and no choice in the matter, I walk to my car. He might have defeated me this time, but I won’t rest until I know Cat is safe.

I get in, close the door, and pull down the wraparound driveway slowly. Every few seconds, I glance in the rearview mirror and see him standing there with his head down as he taps into his phone.

When I reach the end of the driveway, I look again and see that he’s gone, but his truck is unmoved.

I take a sharp turn into the guesthouse driveway and pull all the way to the front so my car is blocked by the trees between the two lots.

Then I get out and take the trail cautiously back to the Jenkinses’ main house.

Creeping quietly and carefully, I make my way to the backyard, looking through each window I pass by only to find no sign of Cat or Troy.

It isn’t until I’m on the back porch looking through the glass sliding door into the kitchen that I see movement. A shadow flickers past the far room that I take to be the living room.

When it passes by again, I see that it’s Troy. The sound of his angered voice pierces my ears and I realize a window is open close by.

I pull out my phone and start recording because I need proof of his abuse—Cat needs proof. Maybe then she’ll find the strength and courage to finally leave him.

“Tell me the truth, you fucking bitch!” I hear him shout, and my heart nearly stops.

My entire body shakes with rage when I see Cat come into view. She’s curled over as she limps slowly into the kitchen. “I am telling you the truth. I swear to you, Troy…” Her timid voice unnerves me because I know he’s beaten her into submission.

Suddenly, Troy appears again and like a movie playing in slow motion, I watch as he clenches his teeth and raises his hand in the air.

He hits her in the back of the head without warning and she drops to her knees.

My heart sinks into my stomach and without hesitation, I grab the handle of the glass door and slide it open with force. I burst into the room, my heart racing with adrenaline just as Troy fists her hair and pulls her head back.

With my phone still recording in my hand, I immediately look at Cat who is doubled over in agony. Her eyes meet mine with a look of shock and fear. My first instinct is to go to her, but when I hear Troy’s voice, I’m reminded there is something I need to do first.

“I thought I told you to leave!” Troy growls with a malicious tone. “You won’t get away this time. Now, I am calling the cops, and your dad.” His threat hangs heavy in the air, but I leave it there because it means nothing to me. He’s not calling anybody.

I walk over to him, feeling the rage inside me grow tenfold. My mind isn’t even my own when I cock my fist back and lunge at his face. Except Troy throws his hand in the air, catching my strike.

He squeezes my hand, jaw ticking in fury as he lowers it to my side. “You best leave and pretend you were never here, Cromwell.”

With my hand free from him, I shove him hard in the chest, forcing him to stumble back a few steps. “You lay another hand on her and I’ll be the one calling the cops.”

He chuckles deviously as he regains his footing. “You’re delusional. I’d never hurt my wife.”

“Oh, give up the act, old man. You’re nothing but a wife beater and before long, the whole world will know it.” I wave my phone in the air and he seems to just now realize what I was doing with it. He pales, giving me a grim sort of satisfaction.

“Wilder!” Cat shouts from the floor. “Just go. Please.” My eyes shoot to hers and I see the look of panic in them as she pleads with me.

I join her side while Troy follows behind me like the possessive son of a bitch he is. “Get away from her!”

Ignoring him, I crouch down on the floor beside Cat, taking in all her injuries. There’s a bruised handprint around her throat, and she’s got a busted lip that has fresh blood on it. She looks frail and exhausted, nothing like the woman I kissed goodbye just two days ago. “I’m not leaving you like this,” I tell her as I attempt to sweep some hair away from her bloody lip.

She swats my hand away, taking me by surprise. “I don’t want you here,” she whispers, but I see the truth in her eyes. “You have to go, Wilder. You’re making everything so much worse.”

Those last words are like a dagger straight to the heart. “Okay,” I whisper, “I’ll go.” The last thing I want is to make things worse for her. I’ve seen her husband's angry side now and I don’t want to be the reason he strikes her again. But I’ve got something to ensure he can’t make it any worse.

I stand up, narrow my eyes on Troy, and say, “You lay a finger on her again and I’ll make damn sure everyone knows about it.”

He steps up to me, nose to nose. “You speak a word of this, and I’ll make damn sure every dream you have is a distant memory. As for your dad, I’ll bury his ass right along with yours.” I chuckle, this time giving him a taste of his own medicine.

“You have no power when it comes to me, Troy. I can see that infuriates you. So let me make one thing clear. Your threats to me are useless, and if anything happens to her, I will bury you.”

With that, I glance back down at the woman I am falling for. I told her she didn’t have to do this alone, and I meant it. I might have to leave right now, but I will be coming back and next time, I’ll make damn sure she leaves with me.