“What the fuck is going on?”
My sister jerks back, revealing her flushed face, and I almost lose it. I almost rip her back by her hair and drag her back to the car, but not before kicking Trent in the balls. I steel myself for what I’m about to say next, hoping the embarrassment will be enough of a lesson for her and more than enough to get Trent to look elsewhere for fun tonight.
Words that are filled with venom spew from my lips. And with each one, I watch my sister’s exterior crumble. I watch her heart shatter into millions of pieces; yet, I can’t bring myself to be sorry. Everything I’ve done, everything I’m doing, is for her.
It always has been.
For the entire ride home, I can feel her hurt. I see the pain in her eyes as she climbs out of the car. I see it in the drop of her shoulders as she heads inside. A part of me wants to call out to her and make things right, but the urgency thrumming from my fingertips down to my toes urges me not to.
I have more important scores to settle. She’ll have to wait.
That was my plan—take care of this situation tonight, once and for all, then finally explain everything to Mackenzie. She deserved to know. If there was anyone I trusted, it was her. It was always her.
Once she’s safely inside, I head back into the woods. The one place they’ll all be tonight. I furiously push through the trees, slapping branches out of my way, as I close in on the kissing rock. I can hear their laughter, and it fuels my anger.
How dare they enjoy themselves while my entire world is turned upside down?
How dare they be young and free when there’s a darkness that now taints my soul because of them?
When the trees clear, giving way to the rock and the Savages around it, I see red. A blinding rage consumes my every breath, taking space in every orifice of my body. I’m trembling, my arms shaking and my legs threatening to give out on me.
“You sorry motherfucker.” My voice is steel, cutting through the sound of their laughter.
All gazes swing toward mine. Vincent’s smile drops, and the rest of the guys look confused. I close in on Trent.
“Stay the fuck away from my sister,” I grit, the warning clear in my tone.
Seeing Trent with his hands all over Mackenzie caused something in me to snap. A protective streak I never knew I had came out to play, and I’d embrace it. I’d always embrace it if it meant protecting my sister.
An inferno brews at the caustic smirk he’s wearing. The red spill of anger that’s blurring my vision is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. I know what they’re capable of, and there’s no way I’m letting any of them near my sister. She’s not like us. She’s never been like us. She’s too good for our world. Too sweet and much too naïve. Easily corruptible and easy to take advantage of. Over my dead body will I let that happen.
“Oh, c’mon. I just wanted to have a little fun.”
“I know what you wanted from her, and I swear to God, if I see you near her again, I’ll kill you. Understand me?”
The rest of the guys “ooh,” obnoxiously, like children. Everyone except for Vincent. He’s standing as calm and aloof as ever, prompting me to whirl on him.
“This is your last chance before I make your life a living hell.” I search his gaze, trying to find a semblance of a human being or at least one redeemable quality in the guy. But there is none. Vincent Hawthorne is a walking, talking shell of a human being. He’s dead inside. That was what attracted me to him at first, how quiet and unattainable he was. His eyes were endless black orbs that felt like an ink spill if you stared into them for too long. He seemed broody and serious, and I was a fucking idiot to ever think inserting myself into his life was the safe thing to do.
“Fuck off, Madison,” he growls.
“What does she want?” Marcus asks, confusion thick in his tone.
Vincent and I have a stare off, and when a smirk steals over his face, my body thrums with rage. It’s a smirk I know too well.
“Nothing. Where are the rest of the bottles?” he asks, never taking his eyes off mine. There’s a challenge there. Always a challenge with him—always a game.
“We’re heading to Sebastian’s to grab the rest. We need to hurry, though. He’s leaving for another stupid fucking family vacation in about an hour. C’mon, Marcus.” Trent jerks his head back toward the trail, and Marcus follows. He takes one last look over his shoulder, likely still trying to figure out what’s happening.
Uncomfortable silence descends as we all turn and watch Trent and Marcus disappear through the trees, leaving me alone with Vincent and Zach.
Zach’s gaze darts back and forth between the two of us and our silent standoff. He crosses his thick arms over his chest, and a frown tugs low on his features.
“Someone want to explain what the fuck is going on between you two? Ever since last year, you two have been acting like fucking idiots, so spill it.”
Vincent smirks. A dark gleam enters his eyes, sending a fearful tremor down my spine. “We made a sex tape, and now poor little Madison is scared it’s gonna end up in the wrong hands. You wanted it. You inserted yourself into my life. You practically fucking begged me for it, and now, you suddenly want to erase it. What, you came back from Italy, and now you think you’re hot shit? Better than the rest of us?”
Tears of frustration spring to my eyes at his callousness. My hands ball into fists, and my nails dig into my palms, tearing open my skin. He has no idea. No fucking clue what he’s done or just how much he’s ruined my life.
“You raped me!” I yell, tears glimmering in my eyes. All traces of humor on their faces are gone. The woods suddenly grow silent. The sound of the wind whispering through the trees completely dies down as if Mother Nature herself understands the gravity of this moment. My body shakes violently as I take a step toward Vincent. Leaves and stray twigs crunch beneath the soles of my shoes. “You raped me, and hurt me, and recorded it for your sick viewing pleasure.”
They both grow deathly still. The silence around us all is almost unbearable.
His lips thin into a grim line. A darkness I’ve unwillingly encountered before enters his eyes. “That’s not what happened that night, and you know it. We were fucking drunk.”
“And I begged you to stop!” I yell, my voice bouncing off the redwoods surrounding us. I risk a glance at Zach and find the color drained from his face. The shock is ever-present and lasts a good ten seconds before he seems to gather himself and clears the emotion off his expression. His gaze darts toward Vincent who, in turn, looks murderous as he stares down at me.
I’ve made him look like shit in front of his friend. I’ve exposed him for the monster he truly is, and now, he’s going to make me pay for it.
“You should really learn when to keep your mouth shut, Wright,” Vince growls, taking a threatening step toward me. My heart bangs against my rib cage, and I swallow the sudden lump of fear in my throat.
I’ve never feared much in my life. But here, right this second, I’ve never been more scared. They say you know when you’re going to die. It’s a bone-chilling experience few people can feel coming. It’s one I feel with my entire being as Vincent and Zach close in on me.