Chapter 28
TWENTY-EIGHT
I arrived at my last tutoring session in the library early and set up the table.
I’ve written pages and pages of notes for Blaise’s final math test, and if he nails this one, he’s got the B-plus.
He’s still being a dick at every opportunity, but I’m letting everything just bounce.
He can believe whatever he wants; I know who I am.
Plus, I’m doing all of this so I can have a new Vanth album to listen to after he records it next summer.
I want to know what he’s going to write now that I’ve actually met him.
Not that I think I’m going to affect his writing at all, I’m nothing to him, but the rock star Blaise and the Hannaford Blaise still don’t completely gel together in my mind yet.
When neither of the guys arrive on time, I’m pissed.
When they’re both twenty minutes late, I’m starting to get worried.
Ash always comes to our tutoring sessions, and he’s always on time.
There’s a chance they were held up in their last class, they both have biology, but there’s also a chance Joey has escalated.
I’m about to pack up and leave when Ash walks in, without his bag, and sits down across the table from me.
Something is wrong.
The softness I’d once seen in Ash’s eyes is gone. He’s looking at me the same way he did back when I first started tutoring him and he wanted to get rid of me. I don’t know what’s happened. I feel like we were close to being… friends? Or friendly, at least.
“You know, the very first week we got to Hannaford, I set up a camera to watch Joey’s door. We all try to keep tabs on his movements,” he says without a greeting. “I’ve got footage of you sneaking in, and then back out again, on the day he was arrested for drugs.” He’s glaring at me.
This is not what I was expecting at all.
After a beat, I speak carefully. “So you’re going to tell Joey you have proof it was me, then?”
Ash doesn’t move. He doesn’t lean back in his chair and cross his arms with a cocky grin. He doesn’t lean forward to whisper at me. He doesn’t move an inch as he says, “Joey has told his friends you’re off limits.”
I close my textbook. I should have known this was coming. Matteo told me he was going to step in now that he knows Joey wants to rape me. Not that Matteo gives a shit about rapists; he just doesn’t want anyone breaking his toys. I feel sick at the thought.
“I’m going to send Trevelen the videos. I’m going to tell him if he doesn’t expel you, I’ll go to my father.”
I look up at him. Ash is staring at me with his face carefully blank.
There’s no conflict in his eyes. He’s called me names and laughed at everything that’s happened to me, but he’s never actually tried to get me out of Hannaford.
He’s never actively campaigned against me like Avery and Joey have, but I haven‘t ever doubted that he was capable of doing whatever he deemed necessary to get what he wants.
If he wants me out, then telling his father will make that happen.
Whatever the dirt Matteo has on Trevelen, I doubt it would trump the hell that billionaire Joseph Beaumont Sr could unleash.
Plus, the warning from Matteo’s file rings in my head.
If Ash tells his father, I will have his attention.
I’ve been very careful about the things I’ve done in my life, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be able to uncover something and destroy me.
He could also just hire someone to take me out. Diarmuid comes to mind.
There’s something I’m missing about the Beaumonts, a piece to this puzzle that I haven’t quite placed yet—but I can feel the answer dancing just out of my grasp. Why do the twins protect him?
“So your brother finally leaves me alone, and you’re just going to take his place? Is there a standard number of fucked-up Beaumonts that must bully me at any one time?” My voice is level even as my heart thuds violently in my chest.
“Joey didn’t just warn them off for his own enjoyment. He told them you were permanently off limits.” I nod. I already know this, but it’s nice to have it confirmed. I might start getting some sleep if I didn’t have to worry about being killed during lunch.
“Harley told me you were dangerous, but I didn’t believe him until now.
You’re out of this school by Friday.” He moves as if to stand up and leave me.
I shoot out a hand and grab him by the wrist, and he freezes.
His eyes are the color of a summer storm, and seething with rage.
It makes no sense. I’ve been moving the pieces on the board to get away from this sort of hatred.
“If you’ve chosen to take Joey’s side, then I’m getting you out.
I can’t have you sleeping across the hall from Avery.
” My fingers loosen a fraction, and he rips his arm out from my grasp.
I’m gaping at him; I don’t even try to hide it.
He shakes out his arm like he’s trying to brush off the feel of my touch. I’m just Mounty trash to him.
“I would never take Joey’s side. The guy is a serial killer in the making.”
Ash laughs derisively and pegs me with a look.
“I wonder what it was you offered him, what someone like you could offer him, to get his protection. I know exactly what the other girls here do. I guess it was only a matter of time before you gave it up to him, too.”
That final jab hurts far more than it should.
Even if I’m forced to accept the fact I’m about to lose my chance to escape Mounts Bay and that entire life, that still leaves me with the complication of Harley.
Word will have already reached the O’Cronin family.
I can’t rescind my protection; he’ll be killed the second he walks out of this school if I do.
I could call Diarmuid and tell him the problem, but then I’ll have to admit why I told him I was keeping him in the first place, then he’ll have leverage over me.
Leverage that the Jackal will pay him big money for.
I can’t leave Harley here without some sort of warning, either. There’s a whole list of people that would kill him to prove a point with me and, again, the Jackal is at the top of that list.
My only chance at stopping Ash is to talk to Harley to try to make him understand that I don’t want anything to do with Joey. He’s in a better position than anyone to believe me, knowing what he does about the world I’m from.
It’s the weekend, so I have to search the entire school for him. When I can’t find him in the main building, I’m forced to look through the outbuildings and sports facilities. I’m about to give up and walk right into the boys’ dorms when I find him.
My jaw drops and I think I destroy my panties instantaneously.
The boxing ring in the seldom-used gym, the same one I train in every morning, apparently does get used by students… at least two of them. As my brain starts to leak out of my ears, I’m suddenly pissed I didn’t pick gym instead of choir. I forget why I chose that option in the first place.
Sparring in the ring is Harley and Blaise.
Shirtless.
Teeny, tiny black shorts.
Legs, tattoos, muscles, sweat, oh my God I’ve fucking died and gone to the one place I know I’m not going to end up.
They don’t notice me come in, so I have a minute to collect my brains from where they’re still dripping out onto the floor.
My legs are shaking so badly, I have to give myself a stern talking-to about how serious my current situation is.
I don’t have time to turn into a puddle at the boys’ feet.
Even if they are ridiculously attractive.
Blaise is covered in colorful tattoos. They stretch from his collarbones down both arms and his chest. One of his legs is covered, and the other has a few on his thighs, obviously a work in progress.
It’s shocking to see, because with his uniform on, you can’t see any of them.
He looks like every other polished rich kid.
Harley has a chest piece, wings and a crowned heart like a bastardized claddagh ring, all in black and white and shades of gray. It makes his chest look even wider and more impressive. I can’t breathe.
I get all the way to the ropes before they notice me. Blaise’s eyes flick to mine, and Harley uses the opportunity to smack him in the ribs and then wrestle him to the ground. It’s all just a writhing pile of bulging biceps, defined legs, and sweaty chests.
It’s better than porn.
Resisting the urge to get my phone out and film this for, ahem, later and more intensive viewing, I call out to them instead. “Sorry to interrupt. Harley, can I speak to you for a minute, please?”
He releases Blaise, who stays panting on the floor, and gets up to walk over to me.
He’s not panting or red. The only sign of his exertion is the sheen of sweat on his chest. He unwinds the wrap on his hands and tightens it casually, like he’s done it a million times before.
He won’t look me in the eye. Unease begins to pool in my gut.
“What do you want, Mounty? We’re busy.”
Yes, you are. My eyes flick over to Blaise, who’s still lying on the ground, but his head has turned so he can watch us both intently. I choose my words carefully. “Are you aware of Ash’s intention to get me kicked out of Hannaford?”
Harley smirks and nods, his eyes still focused over my shoulder. I wasn’t expecting him to bitch out his cousin and best friends, but I was kind of hoping after everything I’ve done for him that he could at least care that my life was about to be ruined.
“Do you really want to discuss this with him here?” he drawls, jerking his head at Blaise.
“Will you make him leave?” I snap back.
“Nope.”
I grit my teeth and smile, so it looks like I’m baring them. “I guess I have no choice then, do I? If Ash gets me kicked out, then we have some things to talk about.”
“Oh yeah? Like what.”
“Like the fact that you’ll need to be very careful without me being here to keep an eye on you.
Like that there are teachers here who are on the payroll of someone other than the Beaumonts, and he’s looking for an opportunity to remove you from my protection.
Like how you need my contact details in case something does happen so I can fix it. ”
Blaise’s eyes have narrowed, and he has that look on his face I’ve seen far too often lately. The one he pulls right before he runs his mouth to try and piss me off or embarrass me. “How would you be able to protect Harley? You can’t even protect yourself.”
They both snicker at each other for a second, and I lose my cool.
“Do you really not give a shit about whether or not your grandfather can come for you? Have you become suicidal in the last couple of days without me noticing? You should’ve told me that before I paid such a high price to keep you alive. ”
Harley’s eyes turn into slits. It’s the first time he’s looked me in the eye since our kiss. I lift my chin and stare him down. I don’t really give a shit about the favor, but I have very little to work with here.
Blaise shoots a lopsided grin at me and says nonchalantly, “Leave, Mounty. You don’t belong at this school or around people like us. You’re a groupie, you fuck gangsters and serial killers, and you’re playing in a world you don’t belong in. No one wants you here.”