Page 51 of Mayhem

I drive around town, hoping to see Serena’s car anywhere. Wherever she is, that's where I want to be. Logically, I know she is either at Evie’s house or her own, but something tells me she isn’t. I drive around town a few times, not seeing her anywhere, so I go to the only other place she might be.

The drive out of town is pretty, but I don’t pay attention. My mind is on one place and one place only. I pull into the lake, and I see her car parked. I park beside her and get off my bike. I put my helmet on my seat before walking around.

I finally see her at the far end of the lake at the end of the dock. God, she looks so beautiful. The sun beat down on her, creating a halo effect on her. Midas was right when he called her an angel. I can’t help myself; I walk to her and sit beside her.

We don’t speak, and that’s fine.

We enjoy the quiet together, watching the calm water in front of us.

“Serenity,” I whisper. She looks over at me quizzically. “Your mom gave you the perfect name. You have become serenity in my fucked up life.”

She doesn’t say anything to me, just leans her head on my shoulder. I take it as a win and lean on her. I promise myself that I will make everything right with her. I will find her stalker and kill him. I will make Midas come around so we can all be with her. I will protect her forever because I need her to protect me.

Serena

It’s Friday night, and Mom demanded I be home tonight. It's not like I had plans or anything. I never heard from Kirk or Ryan; I haven’t even seen them at school since I gave them my number. I overheard some of the girls talking about how they got mugged in the city and got beaten up pretty badly. I wanted to visit them in the hospital, but they aren’t allowed visitors.

I walk into the kitchen and see my mom cooking up a storm. I have no clue what Mom is cooking, but it smells amazing. The table is set for eight people, and I am silently curious about who she invited. I’m guessing some people from work. I mentally think of an excuse to use to get out of sitting with a bunch of lawyers when the doorbell rings.

I open the door, and my heart drops. Zane, Ryker, and Axel are standing at the door, each holding a gift. Zane has a nice bottle of wine. Ryker and Axel are holding bouquets. They all smile at me. Mom comes running into the room and greets them. I take a step back and let them in. Zane kisses me on the cheek before doing the same to Mom. He hands her the bottle of wine.

Rykers gives me a bouquet of roses while Axel hands the other to my mom. She gives him a polite smile while I want to vomit all over them. I half expect the guys to be behind them, but they aren't. I close the door and walk into the kitchen, putting the flowers into a vase.

Mom walks back in, and I zone in on her. “Why are they here?” I keep my voice quiet, not wanting them to hear me.

“I ran into Zane at the store yesterday, and he somehow invited them all over for dinner. I tried to find an excuse, but everything I came up with, Zane found a way around it.” She sheepishly replies.

God damn it, Mom. She is too nice for her own good sometimes. I know she wants to be friendly with the neighbors, but after what happened with them at the clubhouse, I have been trying to keep as much distance as possible.

I’ve been keeping my distance from their sons too. After that moment with Zeus by the lake, nothing has changed. Valerie is still their little lap dog that follows them everywhere. I have seen her coming out of Midas’s house a few times. She never leaves looking happy, but she is still there.

We all sit down at the table. Ryker and Axel sit on either side of me, while Zane sits across from me. Being surrounded by them again brings me back to that night. By the looks on their faces, they are thinking the same thing. I suddenly really wish the guys were here. I may not be speaking to them much, but it would be better than this.

Mom serves dinner. She made a lasagna, salad, and some homemade garlic bread. It looks delicious, but I don’t have an appetite anymore.

“Who are the other place settings for?” Ryker asks my mom.

“Oh, I thought your sons might be joining us tonight,” Mom replies.

“They are out tonight. They left a little while ago to pick up a couple of girls, and they are taking them out to dinner.” Axel responds. And there goes the rest of my appetite. My fork clinks off my plate.

I sit in silence, tuning them out while they all talk. I wish to be anywhere but here. A hand lands on my thigh, making me jump. I look down at the hand, then up at Ryker. He gives me a sweet, fake smile. I try to return it but fail miserably.

Thankfully, my phone starts ringing in my back pocket. I grab it and see the one name I never want to see again. Evan. He is better than this, so I excuse myself and answer the phone.

“Why the fuck have you been ignoring me?” He barks down the line. I suddenly regret this decision, too. “I have been trying for almost a month to contact you. I miss you, Serena. Please, please, please, can we work things out? It was a one-time thing, I swear to you. I never loved her, and I never will. I don’t even know if the baby is mine. I need you. You are the only person I want to be with. I’ve been so lonely without you. I can’t live without you. I can barely get out of bed in the morning. I hate knowing you are mad at me. Please just come back so we can make this work.”

I am blank listening to all that. Does Evan honestly think I would go back to him after everything he has said and done to me? I am flabbergasted at his audacity. I want to hang up on him, but I listen to him blab on more.

“Please, baby. You are my fiancé, and I need you.”

I take a deep breath. Keeping my voice steady and strong, I say the one word I know I need to say, the one that feels right deep inside me. “No.”

“You fucking bitch! No one is ever going to want you the way I do. No one will love you like I can. I am the best thing that ever happened to you, and you know it. Don’t let this all go over one mistake. You would be fucking stupid to let me go.”

I move the phone away from my ear while he continues berating me. I stare at my phone and wonder how I ever thought that man loved me. How I ever thought he cared. I seriously wonder where he gets the audacity and the stupidity to speak to me like that.

These words used to hurt me so much, but now I laugh hysterically hard. I can’t breathe with how hard I am laughing. Evan is even more mad at me, but I don’t care anymore. There isn’t anything he could do to me that would hurt me anymore.

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