My head pounds like a fucking bass drum when I climb the steps to James’ house the next morning. I probably shouldn’t have done it, but the second Remi and Sarah left last night, I wasn’t far behind them.
He was three words into his ‘rip Ace a new one’ speech when I turned and walked away. I don’t need him laying down the law. I’m an adult, for fuck’s sake. I don’t need to fucking be here. I can make my own choices in life.
I jumped on my bike and headed straight back to the Heights. Thankfully, Cruz was still at Sinners and took me up on my offer of getting shit-faced. I ended up spending the night with him, drinking scotch and smoking. It was exactly what I needed. Actually, no, that’s not true. What I really needed was to be balls deep in Remi, but I didn’t think climbing the trellis to her room was a particularly good idea. Sarah already looked on the edge of losing her shit when they left; I didn’t want to make it worse for Remi than I already had.
She took the fall for me.
I was not fucking expecting that. Not that I really think it matters what she says to James, because to him everything will be my fault. That’s just the way he sees me.
“Ace Jagger, get your ass in the kitchen right this fucking second.” His voice is murderous. I don’t need to look at his face to know it’s bright red and that his eyes are bulging, ready to burst.
Rolling my eyes, I stagger towards him, more than ready to have it out with him. This fight has been brewing. I’m actually looking forward to it.
“Uncle,” I slur when I get to him. “How wonderful to see you.”
His eyes are murderous, but his anger has little effect on me. If he wants to scare me then he’s going to need to do a little more than give me a look. At least do it while holding a gun for half a chance.
“Where the hell have you been?” He looks me up and down, disapproval written all over his face.
“Out,” I seethe.
Pushing from where he was leaning against the counter, he steps towards me. He’s trying to make me feel small, like I’m the child in this situation. It’s not working.
“This is not how you act under this roof, boy.”
“I think it is, Uncle.” I narrow my eyes at him, warning him about getting any closer. I’m more than happy to settle this thing with my fists if he’d like to lose.
“Do you have any ideas how many strings I had to pull, how much money I had to spend to get you into that school?”
“I didn’t ask to go there, to even be here. You instigated this.”
“Because it was the right thing to do.” He lets out a weary sigh. “The three of you deserve a chance at a future, a real future, after the childhood you’ve had.”
Memories flash through my mind like a fucking movie. Mom strung out on the couch while I attempted to cook dinner so my brothers wouldn’t go to bed hungry. Mom having her special friends visit and me having to take my brothers out in the rain just to get them away from what was about to happen, the noises that she would happily allow them to listen to in the other room.
Then there’s the most pressing issue. Our dad. The man who died all those years ago, leaving us with that fucking disaster of a mother while our dear old uncle turned his back on us.
He knew what our life was like, and he just walked away.
“Guilt,” is the only thing I say, and his eyes widen in shock.
“What? No. I’m doing this because you’re my family. Because it’s what you deserve.”
“Bull. Shit. I know, James. I know what you did. I know the hand you had in how our lives turned out. So if you think you’re ever going to get me on board with this little perfect life you’ve attempted to drop us into, then you need to think again. All this is you trying to rid your guilt. Trying to wash your hands of the blood you think is staining them. Well, newsflash, Uncle. I know everything. And rest assured. Revenge is the first thing on my list.”
The blood drains from his face as he swallows nervously.
“Yeah, you should look worried, Uncle. I’m coming for you.”
He’s silent as I back out of the room, our eyes locked in our silent exchange.
“It’s not what you think, Ace,” he cries as I disappear from his sight. “And stay away from Remi.”
Shaking my head, I make my way up to my room to put on that lame ass uniform so I can get to school. This whole situation might be fucked-up beyond belief, but he’s right about something: my brothers deserve a chance at a future, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to ruin that for them.
Thankfully, by the time I’m hauled into the principal’s office for my dressing down for skipping the last two days, my hangover has almost subsided and I can see straight again. He either ignores the stench of alcohol I’m sure is clinging to me, or this place drives him to drink so much that he barely notices.
For the first time, I actually make it until lunch. Although it’s not because I want to be here but more that it’s easier to sit in class and stare at whatever I’m meant to be doing than it is to leave. I probably had two hours’ sleep last night on Cruz’s couch. Even without the hangover, I’m like a zombie.
I grab some food from the cafeteria before leaving as fast as I entered. Eyes drill into the back of my head the entire time I’m there. I can’t think of anything worse than being forced to eat in here.
With my lunch in hand, I walk around the building to find a quiet spot so I can be alone. Cole should be hanging out with the team as I made him promise me he’d do in an attempt to fit in, and I’ve no idea where Conner is. He’s probably trying to bag some poor unsuspecting girl with his bad jokes and even worse banter.
I shake my head at the thought of both of them. With my own drama and the distraction of Remi, I’ve not really checked in with them about how it’s going. Guilt floods me. They should be my priority right now, not how soon I can get back inside Remi’s panties.
I come to a stop around the side of one of the buildings when a familiar voice hits my ears.
“He’s really annoying,” Remi says, and I can’t help but smile. I don’t need to hear any more to know she’s talking about me, but, helpfully, she continues anyway. “And so bossy. But he gets me, I think. It’s all very confusing.”
I think back to yesterday and the connection that was between us. I’m about to keep walking to give them some privacy when her friend asks a question that freezes my body in place. “You like him, don’t you?”
My heart pounds wildly in my chest, although I’m not sure if it’s with panic or fear. Fucking hell, do I want her to say yes?
“Yeah, I think I do.”
All the air comes rushing out of my lungs, and I stagger back a little. There might have been a part of me that wanted her to say yes but fuck, I was not ready to hear it.
My feet take me away from the scene, and, before I realize it, I’m at my bike. I glance back over my shoulder to see kids laughing and joking with their friends, enjoying their stress free bullshit privileged lives, and I cave. Throwing my lunch into the nearest bin, I throw my leg over my bike and get the fuck out of here.
The house is in silence when I enter. I’m really fucking grateful, because I really don’t need to go for a second round with James right now.
“James, is that you back?” Ellen calls from the kitchen before her head pokes around the kitchen doorway. “Oh, Ace. Finished school already?” she asks with a knowing wink.
“Something like that.”
“Have you eaten, or would you like me to make you some lunch?” I want to say no, but my stomach rumbles loudly, making her chuckle. “Come on, what’s your favorite?”
“I… um… whatever you’ve got. I’m not fussy.” I drop down onto one of the chairs around the table in the center of the huge kitchen.
“I really don’t mind, Ace. James pays me to ensure the four of you are well looked after.”
I scoff. “That’s really not necessary. I’m more than cap—”
“I know, Ace.” She rests her hand on my shoulder and squeezes slightly. “I know. But you don’t have to now. So just enjoy the rest, eh?”
“I’m just not used to it.”
“Just give it a few weeks. This place will feel like home in no time.”
“We’ll see.”
“So tell me about school,” she starts. “Made any friends yet?”
I can’t help but laugh at her positivity. “Do I look like the kind of guy who’s going to make friends with anyone in this town?”
She shakes her head but doesn’t comment. “James said you’d been hanging out with Remi.”
“Yeah, he’s real happy about it too.”
“Things haven’t been easy for her and Sarah since Remi’s dad left. He’s just looking out for them. I know they’ve not been together long, but he cares about her as if she’s his own. He only wants the best for her.”
“Yeah, and that isn’t me apparently.”
Ellen glances over her shoulder at me, an amused smile playing on her lips and a twinkle in her eye.
“What?” I ask, not knowing what she’s getting at.
“Oh, nothing, Ace. Nothing at all.”
She falls silent as she continues with whatever she’s making me, and my mind wanders back to Remi.
I knew the moment I saw her, saw how James looked at her with pride and love in his eyes, that she was going to be the perfect target. But it’s only been a few days and she’s already admitting to her friend that she likes me.
Even though the plan is to make her fall for me and force James to watch as I break her, proving that he doesn’t have the control he thinks he does… I need to stay away from her. For a while at least.
I can’t lose my head.
Not now.
Not when I’m so close to the answers I need.
So what if she’s a hot girl who’s clearly interested? I need to focus on my end game here. And it’s not for her to fall for me.
Or worse.
Nothing good can come from that.
I don’t leave my room for the rest of the day, and when the sun rises the next morning, I reluctantly pull my uniform on and get ready for another day in Hell.
My down time yesterday gave me chance to sort out what I’m going to do where Remi is concerned. I have a plan. Now I just need to put it into practice.
She makes avoiding her at school easy, and throughout the day I don’t even get a flash of her dark curls in the hallway. I actually start to think she’s not in school until our last class of the day.
I ensure I turn up first.
The teacher gives me a double take when I’m through the door before the bell. “Well, well, well. This is a nice surprise, Mr Jagger.”
“Don’t get used to it,” I grunt. “I didn’t have anywhere better to be.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
I mumble something at her before finding a seat.
It’s only a few moments later that the bell rings and students start filing into the room. They all take a seat, but the one beside me remains empty. It’s like they’re too scared to sit beside me or something.
That is, until she walks in.
My eyes lock onto her immediately and I have to fight to pull my gaze away so I don’t look more interested than I want to. I know the moment she finds me because my skin tingles with awareness. I watch her move through the room out of the corner of my eye before she comes to a stop at the table beside me.
“Sorry, that’s taken.” I don’t look up at her, but that doesn’t mean I miss her gasp of surprise.
“O-oh… okay. Sorry.” She stares at me for a beat, but when I don’t so much as look up at her she spins and walks away.
I have no idea who I’m reserving it for, but I soon get my answer when a familiar blonde walks through the door. She scans the room before her eyes lock on mine.
A smile twitches at my lips and I gesture to the spare seat. She beams at me, delight filling her eyes as she drops down in the chair beside me, but not before she slides her table a little closer.
“I thought it was about time you and I got to know each other a little better.” Her voice turns me off immediately, but I smile at her like I’m interested in doing just that.
All the while, Remi’s death stare burns into the side of my head.
I’m getting to her.
Good.
“You’re coming to the pep rally tonight, right?” Cole asks, poking his head into my bedroom Friday morning before school.
“Uh…”
“Come on, man. They’re going to announce the starting line-up. I need you there.” He knows exactly what he’s doing. I can’t say no to something like that. He barely asks me for anything, so I know this is a big deal for him.
“You’d better get that fucking spot,” I mutter, pulling on my shirt. I don’t do pep fucking anything, but for my brother, I’ll make an exception.
The last thing I want to do is spend the night with Bexley and his bunch of assholes, but seeing as I helped force Cole into it, I guess the least I can do is support him.
“It’s in the bag, man. I’m the best fucking running back the Seahawks have ever seen.”
“You’d fucking better be.”
“I’m sure it won’t be a total loss for you. No doubt Remi will be there.”
My head snaps up in his direction and my eyes narrow.
“I see everything, Ace.” Of course he fucking does. He’s always fucking watching.
“I’m not interested in Remi.”
His eyebrow quirks. He’s obviously used his quota of words for the day. After shrugging one shoulder, he backs out of my room.
“I’m serious. I don’t want her,” I call after him.
It’s Friday night, a pep rally is the last thing I want to do.
But he’s right. There’s a good chance that Remi will be there…
