Chapter 6
I stand over what’s left of my piano, a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. She’s a little psycho, but fuck, I’ve never been so hard in my life.
Blake approaches me. “What the fuck, man?”
Abigail’s features are pulled so tight they might snap. “You’re desperate for her attention.”
“Do you need help?” Bailey asks.
“Thank you, but no need.”
“Hello? I’m talking to you.” Abigail twists her fingers in front of my face.
“Dramatic much?”
She stomps away, followed by Bailey.
Blake shakes his head at me. “Why are you smiling, idiot?”
“She’s not immune.”
“She’s also with someone else.”
The reminder feels like boiling water raining down on my body; I can feel the blisters forming.
Yes, she is, and it tears me apart.
They are probably somewhere fucking, fucking with my head even worse.
I fist my hands at my sides, trying to purge that image from my brain that shreds my composure like nothing else. He squeezes my shoulder.
“She made her choice. Respect that.”
I should, but there are two parts of my body, my heart and my dick, that are not in sync with my head.
“We’re counting on you,” he reminds me.
We all want out, but since Blake started working with his father for more intel, he has been teetering on the edge.
“Patience, Blake.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Then tell me how to help you.”
“No one can.”
I know everything about my friends, but he’s hiding something. Even drunk, he never slips.
After I finish carrying the broken parts of my piano to the trash outside and with Celine away, I go to her room.
Her reaction pushes me to cross boundaries. Everything in me remembers her, wants her, and is desperate to have her, even though she belongs to someone else.
What am I going to do with you, my sky? Loving you is my doom. Hating you would be impossible, especially since it’s my fault. Death would be more merciful than this ongoing agony.
Her sweet scent lingers around me. It’s a mix of a spring flower bouquet with a hint of her sweet, natural scent that intoxicates my senses.
I go through the boxes in her closet when I see one tossed in the back corner. As I open the lid, I fall on my ass, my fingers trembling when I pick up the platinum necklace I gave her.
Still keeping it, huh?
I shove it in my pocket, satisfaction pumping through me. If she comes for the necklace, I will know she searched for it. It’s a loss for her and a win for me.
With a pep in my step, I return to my room. I drop onto the bed, shutting my eyes. But darkness thrives in my mind, keeping me awake.
We will ruin each other.
I guess this happens when you chase love away. I tried to save her. Now, all that’s left is showing her my bleak world.
Suddenly, I blink awake. The air is being cut from me.
Celine’s feverish eyes pin me, her hands wrapped around my neck.
Awake now, I roll us over, dragging in a lungful of air. A maniacal expression spreads across her face. “Tell me where it is, Kaden.”
She wiggles out of my hold and straddles me, attacking my neck again. I give in to madness. She wants to kill me. Let her. I am dead without her, anyway.
From anger to confusion, she goes slack with my lack of reaction. I want to kiss her, hug her, fuck her, and tell her everything.
“Defend yourself, damn it.”
Her eyes, like the midnight sky that stars in every one of my dreams, search mine.
“Why did you go into my room?”
“Take your pick.”
Eyes locked, a pregnant silence follows.
“I want the necklace back,” she says through gritted teeth.
“Why?”
“It’s mine.”
“I gave it to the girl who swore I was the only one for her.”
She drops her chin, head hanging. I hope she feels guilty.
“It’s not like you’ve kept yours.”
“You don’t know what I did or didn’t do.”
“Denying your betrayal? You’re with Abigail.”
“Jealous?”
“You wish.”
Her long hair cascades down her back, and memories of me braiding it infiltrate my mind. How do I compartmentalize and reconcile my love for her with the guilt over what my decision made her become?
As if staring at her makes her uncomfortable, she points a finger at me and hops out of bed.
“I’ll trash this room.”
“Haven’t you done enough damage already?”
She looks at the spot where the piano used to be and shrugs. “I told you to stop playing.”
She starts with my desk, yanking at the drawers and dumping my papers on the floor.
I tug at the necklace, letting it hang down my shirt. It glistens in the dim moonlight, catching her attention. She jumps on me and we land on the floor with a thud. She ends up on top of me. Holding her hands prisoner, I flip our position. The necklace now dangles in her face.
“That was your gift to me. Don’t be petty.”
“What would you do to get it back?”
She squints at me, and it kills me. She trusted me with her life, and she should have. I would have died to keep her safe, but now her trust in me is nonexistent. Of all the things that have happened between us, that affects me the most.
I get up and she says, “I keep it as a reminder.”
Of me loving you like no fucking human on this earth?
My body vibrates with bottled feelings; anger and frustration wreak havoc through me.
She juts her chin out. “To never forget that I am alone and that I should trust no one. And that my love for you was the most idiotic thing I did in my life.”
I snap my head to hers. “Your love for me was idiotic?”
Her feet are firmly planted on the floor while her upper body heaves. We both seem to be scraping at the door of sanity and composure.
“I’m keeping it.”
“Why?”
“Break up with him, and I’ll tell you.”
Her eyes bulge. Fuck, she loves him. Another round of me wrestling with pain pounds me to a bloody pulp.
“He wouldn’t care if I slept with you, you know. He and I have a very… open relationship.”
“You settled for a fuckboy. How disappointing.”
“He’s worth it.”
“Get the fuck out of my room.”
She leaves with a grin on her face. Fucking brilliant. I hope she’s ready to unleash the madness in me.
I guess I will sleep with one open eye from now on.
***
When my alarm rings in the morning, I am sleep-deprived and cranky as fuck. Slamming my palm on my phone, I cut the sound and head to the bathroom.
After I shower, I search for my phone, but it’s not where I left it on my nightstand.
“Celine.” I roar her name and change quickly into jeans and a button-down shirt. Tying up my shoes, I hop down the stairs two at a time. I don’t keep anything incriminating on my phone, but still.
“She left,” Bailey says when I dash out of the kitchen.
“No breakfast?”
“Thank you. I’m good.”
She has remained a good person among our rot, sustaining my fragile hope for humanity. Abigail’s heels click a staccato down the stairs before she appears at the kitchen entrance.
I stride past her toward the front door when Abi asks, “What did she do now?”
“She stole my phone.”
Abi tries to suppress a smile. “Hmm, she’s changed indeed.”
Bailey says, “Celine’s hurt. You promised to love her. Instead of making her even more justified in hating us, do your best to show her we won’t abide by Grandmother’s tyrannical rule.”
“Love is stupid,” Abigail adds with a sigh.
An idea hits me. “Give me your phone.”
She hands it to me and I leave. Giddiness spreads through me.
You want to play, Celine? Let’s play.
I shut the door to my shiny black BMW, slipping into the leather seat. The beast of the engine roars under me. I fucking love this car. I drive the short distance to the college parking lot. When I arrive, Celine is propped up on the hood of her car.
I shoot a text to my phone, pretending I am Abi.
I still have your taste in my mouth.
Celine reads it. I wait, knowing the new her will seethe in anger before responding. It’s as if we can’t help ourselves.
Meanwhile, my dick is hard as hell, remembering Celine’s taste and the feel of her squeezing my head between her thighs. My personal heaven.
I’ve had better pussy. Stop being so desperate, Abigail.
I burst into laughter, my head falling back on the headrest. This woman will be my undoing.
I text back. I should have known it was you who stole his phone.
She’s surrounded by Mia and Hunter while my friends gesture for me to come to them. A line digs between her brows as she types furiously. She gives me a high I would ride until the end of time.
For your info. I don’t want his dick. I have one already, and let me tell you, it’s even better.
Anger swirls in my head, obliterating all reason.
I type without thinking.
You had his all yet you settled for less. Must run in the family.
Our eyes lock. Her father was never welcomed in the Family. Not enough pedigree and all.
I march over to her, and she shoves the phone into my chest. Hunter drags her to him, and my control snaps. Pulling my elbow back, I slam my fist into his face.
He spits blood and comes at me.
Punches fly, shrieks erupt, but we’re too engrossed in taking each other down. I release all my pent-up energy on him, the guy who replaced me in Celine’s heart and her body.
Abigail digs her nails into my arms, struggling to peel me away.
“Kaden, if she finds out…,” she whispers.
She. The old hag. Grandmother.
I turn to everyone who has witnessed this scene. “If I catch even one glimpse of this on the internet, I will fucking make you rue the day you thought this college would bring you closer to your dreams.”
Celine drags Hunter back. “Are you insane?”
I breathe hard and fast. Don’t dish out what you can’t take.
“You’re our leader,” Blake admonishes. “Behave like one. We accepted your position because of your strength, but Grandmother was right to doubt you. Celine is a weakness rotting you from the inside.” With that, Blake pushes me back and walks away, mumbling.
I lost it, with witnesses, because I can’t fathom the idea of Celine with someone else. Jealousy blinded me.
I seek Bailey’s eyes, and she whispers, “I’ll take care of it.”
If one video gets online, I am fucked.
Inside the college hall, I stride into the first bathroom, analyzing my face in the mirror. The prick got in some good punches. My left side is swollen, and reddish spots have started to form. There’s no fucking way they will fade by Friday.
My head drops. There is so much on the line. I grip the sink’s edge.
Pull yourself together.
The door creaks open, and without looking, I say, “Leave.”
It closes behind me with a click, trapping us inside. I could recognize her by her breathing. Soft steps pad to me and her hand rests on my back.
“Not now, Celine.”
“I won’t tell Grandmother about this,” she assures me.
“Of course not. You’d have something to lose as well.”
This is why she came. How fucking charming.
“Leave.”
She slips under my side, forcing me to make space for her, and cups my face, her eyes searching for injuries.
“Don’t provoke him. Hunter is a great fighter.”
“Really? Did you come to see the damage your boyfriend did? Well, let me fucking tell you, he doesn’t want to mess with me either.”
She sighs, stroking across the afflicted skin. “You started it, Kaden.”
“I’m fine. Go kiss his boo-boos.”
She shrugs. “You got him good too. And I am not in the mood for injured egos.”
“Do not fucking talk about him with me. When you’re in my fucking arms, when you’re touching me, everything in me burns for you.”
I turn my back to her, a heavy breath rocking my chest.
“Stay away from me, Celine.”
“Or what?”
I say over my shoulder, “Keep it up, and you’ll find out.”
With that, I storm away.
Students gawk at me. I must look unhinged. Combing my hair with my fingers to get my looks back to presentable, while on the inside, I am a mess, impossible to tidy up. A storm swirls inside of me, scattering my rationality while I chase after all the fragmented pieces.
Walking to my marketing class, I drop in my seat while Professor Michaelson talks about the life cycle of a product.
As a major in business and marketing, my head should be focused on classes. But when the day ends, my tension does not wane. It’s impossible when Celine’s always glued to Hunter, sandwiched between him and his twin, Mia.
The sun has set by the time I head out to the parking lot at the end of the day. My eyes collide with his, and I smirk. I got him worse.
Celine rolls her eyes at me, but he shows her something on the phone. For a second, her eyebrows knit together.
What’s going on? They’re in deep discussion, and he pushes himself off the hood.
When I get in my car, I call Bailey. “Celine is up to something. Hack her phone. I want everything I can get—updates on all calls, texts, and her location at all times. I’m going to follow her now.”
But first, I drive to the warehouse in the city where I keep my bike. We all have a rebellious streak we hide from the Family. My bike is mine.
Bailey sends me a live tracking feed. I love it when I am right.
Hopping on my bike, I trail after Celine.
She drives to the Family compound but makes a sharp right for the forest and parks. I stop and turn everything off before she notices I’m following her.
Dressed in black, she wears a mask, blending perfectly with the night. What the fuck is happening right now?
She pats her ear while she talks. She must be wearing a wireless communication device. Climbing the fence, she then squats to avoid the cameras, waiting until they stop blinking.
I shake myself off my momentary paralysis and follow her.
She looked so effortless doing it.
What did you learn in that school? I am sure that was not part of the regular curriculum.
She runs straight to my house and ducks when guards come around. She can’t get in without a key. Then it hits me. Celine stole it while I thought she was worried about me.
I breathe through the onslaught of emotions and take off after her.
You want to play cat and mouse? Let’s play.