Chapter 22 #2
“It wasn’t like that,” I argued, realizing I was walking straight into his trap. “Go start a war with the Devils or something.”
“I’m here saying thank you and you’re not sounding very grateful. I could shoot her instead, if you’d like?” Archer said dryly, flicking his eyes over her. “I really don’t see what you all like about her.”
I gave Rory a warning glance when I sensed her considering aiming the gun at him, and I decided it was definitely time to get them to leave before I ended up having to somehow cover up the murder of a crew leader in a public space.
“You said your piece, now go. Thanks for stopping by,” I replied, motioning for them to leave.
He thankfully took his gaze from her and looked at me, amusement simmering in his eyes.
“I’ll see you later, D. Make sure you teach her not to barge into my club again since Skeet never taught her manners.”
They turned to leave, and I wasn’t proud of it, but I grabbed Rory and shoved a hand over her mouth to stop her response from coming out. It would one hundred percent make them turn around and continue this argument.
She bit my hand, and I hissed as I jerked back from her, her mouth curving into a dark smile. “Don’t do that.”
“What are you? Three?” I scowled, rubbing my tender skin. “I was stopping you from making them stick around. There’s enough shit going on currently, don’t add a Reapers’ war to the list.”
“I really don’t like him.”
“No one does,” I said dryly, moving closer to slide my arms around her, turning her to face the targets. “Keep practicing.”
She leaned back into me, sighing. “Don’t teach me to shoot, then not let me shoot anyone.”
“We can stop, if you’d prefer,” I chuckled, pressing a kiss to her neck, and I groaned when she spun back around to kiss me. She slid a hand to the back of my head to pull me closer, and I blindly took the gun from her hand so she didn’t accidentally shoot one of us.
“You owe me a date,” she murmured against my lips, and I grinned.
“I do. I was going to give you some time to settle back in at home before bringing it up.”
“Whatever day you can do it, I’ll take it.”
“You’re kicking the guys out of your room that night so I can stay over. I want you to myself,” I replied, wincing slightly when I realized how forward that sounded. “For movies and to just hold you. Just so you don’t get the wrong idea.”
She rolled her eyes playfully, tugging me closer for one more kiss before replying. “I know, but feel free to change your mind whenever you want.”
It was embarrassing how easily my cock got hard around her, and I knew she felt it from the way she smirked before stepping back.
We went back to practicing for another hour before Skeeter called to bark orders at me, and I hated having to say goodbye to her. Every time we hung out, it never felt like it was long enough.
“You go first and I’ll follow to make sure no one sneaks up on us,” I instructed through the open car windows as we sat in the cars, and she gave me a nod.
“You be careful today,” she answered with a smile, but I knew she was genuinely worried. For someone like Slash to get killed, it kind of proved that none of us were invincible.
“I will. I’ll text you later,” I promised, waiting for her to blow me a kiss before she backed out, and I did the same to follow behind her.
Hopefully, Skeeter wasn’t in too much of a bad mood today. I had no idea what he was currently up to, but it was quiet in the background on the phone when he’d called, so he wasn’t at the Shed unless he was shut in the office.
I followed Rory until turning off to the Shed in Ashburn Valley, and she gave me a little wave out the window as she continued towards home.
Rory
I stopped for gas and cigarettes, grabbing a snack and drink while I was there too, then I sat in the car to eat as I watched the world go by. You really didn’t appreciate the outside until it was taken away from you.
I sipped the soda, trying to figure out what to do with my day. With the guys at school, Diesel busy, and the fact I was avoiding Hunter and Marco, that didn’t really leave me with a lot of options.
Mule had texted to welcome me home, so I’d considered catching up with her. Maybe we could spar in the gym at home? If she brought Zeena, I could tell her all about my new friendship with Tilly.
A pain started in my chest, and I rubbed my hand over it to ease it. Why did I miss being in that shithole? I’d spent the whole time watching my back, sure, but it had been nice when I’d spent time with some of the girls.
Was it clingy to visit them the same week I left?
It wasn’t like I could call them right now, so I’d have to wait until one of them called me.
I toyed with my phone and scrolled on social media for a while before deciding to leave, keeping an eye on my surroundings as I went.
The turn-off to Slash’s appeared and I found myself driving in that direction.
It wasn’t like my key would work if the Psychos had changed the locks, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t sit out front and just exist there.
I slowed as I reached the house, nerves filling me at seeing the McLaren parked in the driveway. What the fuck was Skeeter doing here?
Did I leave? No, it was my fucking property, so he could leave if he didn’t feel like company.
I parked out front on the road so he could get out if he chose to, and I’d barely made it half-way across the lawn before the door swung open to reveal Skeeter.
He looked tired, and he definitely wasn’t happy to see me.
“You’ve got a lot of balls showing up here,” he seethed, blocking the doorway.
“You’re the one in my house. Step aside, it’s obvious we need to talk,” I said calmly, but my heart was hammering at the sight of him. The guys had been telling the truth. He looked like he hated me.
A bitter laugh left him, his eyes burning into me. “You’re not coming in. You’re a snake, Aurora. You let him die thinking what you two shared was real. You—”
“It was fucking real!” I snapped, stepping closer and jabbing my finger against his chest. “I never lied to any of you!”
“I warned you,” he spat, taking a menacing step forward to push me back. “The second you climbed into bed with them, we were done. Don’t act like a victim now that you got caught.”
“I’ve never touched either of them. You know me. I’d never do that to you.”
“I saw you on TV!” he hissed.
“I was hauled out of bed, yes, but I never crossed a line with Hunter or Marco. Never.”
“You were still in his bed.”
“Where else was I supposed to go? I called you. I tried Diesel. For some stupid reason I tried calling Slash too!” I threw back, shoving him.
The last part must have caught him off guard because he stumbled slightly, giving me an opening to get inside so the neighbors didn’t witness our argument.
“If anything, you lied to me. You said you’d answer whenever I needed help, but you didn’t.
I was looking at my dad’s dead body, begging one of you assholes to answer, but none of you did.
Couldn’t call Caden or one of the guys because what the fuck would they know about covering up a fucking murder?
Hunter made a promise to me once, well before we’d spent much time together.
He said he’d answer if I called, no matter what, and he did.
I tried everyone else first before having no choice but to call him. That’s on you, Skeet. Not me.”
“Wrong. That’s on you for running off in the middle of the night and killing Max with no plan in place,” he growled.
“You said you’d answer.”
“I was busy!”
“So was Hunter, but he canceled his meeting in the middle of it and came straight to me to help. You don’t have an excuse, other than your crew walks all over you. Fuck you for forcing my hand like that.”
His hand was around my throat in seconds and my back slammed against the wall, his face in mine.
“You knew from the beginning they came first. Don’t pin that on me.”
“Slash would’ve put me first, so why couldn’t you?” I demanded, forcing back angry tears. There was no way I was letting him see that.
“Don’t talk about him like you knew him.”
“I did fucking know him, and I know for a fact he’d be ashamed of you right now,” I scoffed, his hand tightening so hard I couldn’t breathe. I clawed at his hand to try and make him let go, but his grip only tightened more somehow until spots danced in my vision.
At the last second, he growled and shoved me aside, sending me sprawling to the ground as I choked and tried to catch my breath.
“Get out. It’s your last warning before you won’t get the chance to,” he snarled, the click of the safety being taken off his gun sounding. “I said get out, Aurora!”
Glancing up, I found him aiming his gun at me, his eyes full of hatred as he glared at me. I was still trying to catch my breath, but I suddenly couldn't breathe for another reason.
I barely recognized the man in front of me. No matter how much we’d fought, he’d never looked at me like that before. He wasn’t trying to scare me off, he genuinely wanted me dead.
“This is why we could never have a rational conversation. You’re so overly emotional,” I rasped out, flinching as the gun went off and a hole appeared in the floor close to me.
“You want to talk about rational conversations? The second anyone disagrees with you, you fly off the handle!” he gritted out, waving his gun at me again. “You are the most frustrating woman on the planet!”
“It only bothers you because you give a shit, remember that,” I pointed out as I got to my feet.
“Of course I give a shit. You played me, just like Marco did. The difference is my whole fucking crew got to witness it this time. Do you feel better now that you’ve humiliated me?” he barked, his hand shaking the angrier he got.
“I. Didn’t. Do. Anything,” I said sharply.
“It’s a bit hard to believe you when you were already screwing Slash behind my back. What’s stopping you from fucking Hunter or Marco?” he demanded, and I stared at him for a moment before shaking my head slightly. Out of everyone, he should have believed me.