Page 24 of Charming Cruel Boys

The memory of that sickening conversation a year ago has nausea churning in my gut. That’s why I’m pushing myself so hard. So I don’t get myself into that situation again. So Duke never experiences it himself. It’s just getting harder. My world is crumbling all around me, and I don’t know if I’m strong enough to keep fighting.

If it was just me, I’m sure I would have snapped a long time ago. But it’s Duke, too. And I won’t let anything happen to my brother. I’d die first.

My mind snaps back to the present when Mr. Maxwell dismisses us, promising to get our grades back by the end of the week. I already know I’ll have to stay to try and sway him to offer me some help, so when the rest of the class stands and heads out the door for lunch, I remain seated.

Remi gives me a curious glance when she sees me fiddling with my pencil instead of packing my things. I lock gazes with her, so many emotions flitting through my mind.Lust, longing, desperation, fear, anger. The list goes on. I hate her for the risks she represents. I hate her for being kind even when I don’t deserve it. And I fucking hate her for the way I’ve longed for her for so damn long.

“Aren’t you coming?” she asks hesitantly after a few tense beats. Her voice is like an easy melody, dancing around me and caressing every inch of my skin. I didn’t even realize I had missed the sound in the last few days since she barged into my room when I was plastered.

I shake my head and gesture to the teacher. “I need to talk to him.”

Remi glances over her shoulder and then back to me, fiddling with the straps of her backpack. “He’s a real hard-ass, you know,” she whispers, the corners of her lips turning up in a barely-there smile. When I don’t respond, her face falls. “If it’s about the pop quiz, I’m pretty sure I failed it… I peeked at your test. Not to cheat or anything, but I noticed that, um, you’ve caught on a lot faster to certain things that I’m falling behind with, and vice versa.”

“And?”I ask in an icy tone. I don’t like that she saw how poorly I did on this test. I’m not a genius like Duke, and Remi seeing proof of that makes me feel even more like a fucking dumbass.

“Look, allof ourissuesaside, I need to do well in this class. My father will loose his mind if I can’t get it together. He’s hellbent on me getting straight As this year. Maybe we could help each other? Study together and fill in gaps where the other is confused. Please, Knight. This is the only class that I’m not thriving in. We live together, nobody would have to know that you’re being nice to me for an hour a day.”

I bite my lip as I think. I need to keep my grades up too, and this might be my best bet at doing so and getting information from Remi about her dad. I could multitask. The question is, can I control myself around her? Fuck, I don’t know.

I get up and walk to the teacher’s desk without answering Remi. My nerves are fried and I can only worry about one thing at a time. Right now that’s sweet-talking this dick into giving me extra credit. He turns to face me with a blank expression and I know that the fucker isn’t going to help me at all.

17

Remi

Attheendofthe day, I’m walking down the hall to meet George by my car when Duke calls my name. I hesitate, and a flicker of hurt passes through his features. With a sigh, I text George to tell him I’ll be a minute, and then I meet Duke halfway.

“What’s up?” I ask, going for casual but feeling like my heart might burst out of my chest.

“What are you doing today?” he asks, shuffling his feet as an adorable pink hue spreads across his cheeks.

“Like, later or right now?” I clarify.

He chuckles. “Yes, Remi, right now. Do you have plans, or would you like to go out with me? We can go wherever you want. Thai food, greasy burgers, that expensive Italian place downtown. My treat?” he flashes me a nervous smile, and it takes a whole lot of inner strength not to jump into his arms. Damn him for being so cute.

I make the decision right then that I’m only so strong. The guy is trying and I’m not going to be able to turn down every one of his advances forever. I smile back and grab my phone, intending to tell George we’ll have to work on homework later. I get half of a text typed out when a shadow lands on me.

“Wow, Remi. What’s it been? A handful of days since you found out you weren’t dumped like a sack of shit and you’re already eager to get right back into bed with him,” Knight sneers. He’s standing to his full height, imposing and crowding and threatening.

Duke rolls his eyes and steps closer to me, subtly getting between Knight and I. Always the protector, he is. “Leave her alone, man. I’m over your shit,” he says with a tired, bored tone.

Knight glares at his brother, ticking his jaw. “Mom called, said she couldn’t get a hold of you. She needs your help moving some boxes out of her old office and into the new one, and it’s urgent. She has to get it all out by five tonight so the new guy can start in the morning. Better hurry home.” He flicks his hand in the universalshoogesture and Duke scowls. Hard.

“If it’s so urgent, why don’t you go help her?”

“I have football practice. She knows I can’t miss or I won’t be able to play in the game on Friday.”

Duke looks to me with a dejected expression. “Rain check?”

“Sure, no problem,” I answer, a little too eagerly if I’m being honest.

The second he walks away, I go to leave too but Knight wraps his hand around my elbow. His grip is tight, not painful, but the look in his eyes is feral. “When he finds someone better and breaks your heart again, don’t come crying to me. Just because he didn’t mean to leave you last time, doesn’t mean he would have stuck around forever. You’ll have to learn that the hard way now.”

“You’re only upset because him and I might be building something great together and you’re alone with yourpoor meattitude. Maybe if you weren’t always so damn rude, you would have had a chance with me.“ That last part slipped out without my permission, and Knight gapes at me, blue eyes wide and mouth parted. My cheeks turn crimson, hoping to god I don’t sound like I want him. Because I don’t.I don’t… Shit.

What kind of childhood trauma damages someone so much that they catch feelings for a guy like Knight? Whatever it is, I’ve got it.

I storm away, not paying any mind to my stupid heart, when I’m shoved to the ground. I stick my hands out at the last minute to break my fall. My knees smack hard against the dirty linoleum floor and I hiss in a pained breath. Someone grabs me by my backpack, flipping me over and settling on top of me. I blink several times until the image comes into focus, expecting to see Knight hovering over me with an angry glare.

---