Page 32 of Charming Cruel Boys

She takes a deep breath and blows it out slowly. “So, um, I failed that pop quiz in math,” she says as she looks at my brother underneath her long, dark lashes.

Knight’s brows knit together, matching the look on my face, I’m sure. Then it’s like a light bulb goes off as realization flows through him. He clenches his jaw, flicking his eyes over every mark on Remi’s face. Knight gently lifts his hand and cups her cheek, brushing his thumb over the cut beneath her eye. “Your dad did this because you failed that test?” he grits out, barely masked fury pouring off of him.

All it takes is the slightest nod from Remi for me to jump to my feet, ready to rain hellfire down on Charles for touching his daughter. That sick fucking abusive bastard! I always knew he was a loveless prick, but I had no idea he got physical with her. I want to claw his eyes out. I want to rip his throat out with my fucking teeth. I want to—

My thoughts are cut off when Remi’s small hand circles my wrist. “Don’t,” she warns, her eyes wide. “Just let it be, Duke. You’ll only make it worse.” For a second, I don’t know what she means, but then the room around me slips back into focus, and I realize I’m inches away from reaching for the door, and Remi is holding me back.

I turn on her, reaching for her waist and dragging her into a tight embrace. I need to feel her against me, need her to ground me, or else I will do something I can never take back. Like throw my fists at her father’s face until he can’t breathe anymore. “How long has this been going on, Remi? Why didn’t you ever say anything when we were together before?”We talked a lot about how much she hated it here, about her plans to move far, far away after high school, but she never mentioned this. A part of me is hurt, like maybe she didn’t trust me enough to come clean about this abuse? I clench my teeth and vow to myself to earn that trust and more this time. I’m not screwing around. Remi is endgame.

“It’s never been this bad,” she says, her raw voice muffled in my chest. “My dad’s never hit me like this. He used to spank me with his belt all the time, but once I started high school, that pretty much stopped, except for the rare occasion. I thought... I don’t know what I thought, to be honest. That he realized he was too hard on me?” She scoffs as if the idea of a father being gentle with his daughter is absurd.

“What can I do?” I ask her because I’m desperate to make her feel better, to take all this shit away, even if it’s only a little while.

Remi looks back at Knight before turning her gaze to me. “Distract me. I don’t want to think about my dad anymore tonight.”

“That makes two of us,” Knight chimes in roughly, laying back against the headboard and patting the mattress.I narrow my eyes, but when Knight looks at me, I can tell he’s going to keep a lid on his shit for tonight at least.

I lead Remi over to my bed, placing her in the middle of Knight and I. He grabs the TV remote, flicking his eyes down to Remi. “What do you want to watch?”

Remi sniffles and then shrugs. “I don’t care,” she mumbles.

“She likes scary movies,” I say, smiling when Remi nods softly against my chest.Yeah, baby, I still know you.I know how you like your coffee, I know that yellow is your favorite color because it reminds you of ducklings, and I know that when life is too damn much, you like to watch the most horrific thing you can find just for an escape.

Knight puts onThe Amityville Horror, and then much to my fucking surprise, he wraps his arm around Remi and pulls her into his chest. He looks down at her, his eyes softer than I’ve seen in over a year. It’s such a nice moment, I kind of want to stay here forever and forget about the hurt I’ve gone through and the stress over chasing my music career without Dad here to cheer me on. That’s a whole load of shit I don’t want to unpack right now. I’ve been drifting through my days, pretending that I don’t have to start practicing religiously for the senior concert at the end of the school year, but time is catching up to me. I need to get focused on my goals again. But for tonight, I can let it all slip away and enjoy this moment.

Until the dirtbag ruins it. He leans down and licks up the blood and tears from Remi’s cheek like an animal.

“Dude,” I groan.

Remi giggles and Knight flashes me a triumphant smile. “Fuck off. I’m cleaning her up. Taking care of her.”

I shake my head but keep my mouth shut. The last thing Knight needs is someone to take care of. That’s what I’m good at. I need someone to dote on, and I’ll cherish Remi until my dying breath if she lets me. What Knight needs is someone to take care ofhim. Someone to listen to him and love him no matter how bad his demons get. Someone who won’t run when he gets angry or moody.

The thing is, as I watch Remi in his arms, I’m pretty sure he’s found that person. I just wonder if he realizes it yet. And if he’ll screw it all up by pushing her away.

22

Remi

Dukeissnoringsoftlybehind me as I jump for like the fourth time since starting the movie. Knight chuckles beside me, and I glare at him.“Leave me alone, I’m enjoying it,” I say.

“Are you? Because you said you liked scary movies, but you close your eyes every time the music gets intense, and you jump a foot off the bed whenever something happens.”

I huff, crossing my arms over my chest and focusing on the movie again. I don’t have to explain myself to him. Knight sighs and scoots over a little until his leg brushes mine. I freeze and wait for him to freak out or leave. The last time we really spoke, we were fighting in the bathroom and I told him to stay away from me. But he doesn’t pull his leg away and I don’t bother moving, so we spend the rest of the movie like that.Something warm explodes in my chest and I realize… I like it. I like his touch and his closeness. I just like him.

What a freaking mess my heart is in.

Thirty minutes later, the end credits start to roll, and the room is thrown into near pitch-black. I suck in a breath and reach for Knight without even thinking. “Can you get the light?” I whisper.

I feel him turn before his warm breath fans my face as he speaks. “Scared of the dark?” he says in a low, teasing tone.

“After watching a movie about ghosts and murders, yes.”

He trails his fingers up my arm, over my shoulder, and across my collar bone. Then he tips my chin up and brushes a finger over my lips. “I like the dark,” he whispers. “Anything can happen in the middle of the night, and you can convince yourself it was a dream.”

He’s so close, I can smell his spiced cologne and feel the heat from his body radiating toward me. If I shifted forward even an inch, our bodies would brush together. I take advantage of his good mood and explore his face with my eyes. The low light from the TV makes him look like carved marble. His full lips are slightly parted and his dark eyes are staring right back at me, a raw hunger filling them and making me squirm. “Is this a dream?” I breathe.

“You tell me,” he answers quietly before sealing his lips to mine. He’s gentle but demanding, taking control and owning every part of me within seconds. I groan when our tongues meet, and Knight grabs my thigh — careful not to touch my sore, bruised ass — lifting and curling my leg around his hip. With the new angle, he thrusts his erection against me and bites my lip hard enough to draw blood when I whimper. Pulling back, he says, “If I’m dreaming, I don’t want to wake up. Stay with me in the dark, Remi.”

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