Page 36 of Charming Cruel Boys

Sawyer walks in and scans the room, settling on me in an instant. He walks straight over and drops his books on the desk that Duke’s sitting at.“You’re in my seat,” he tells Duke with a cold voice.

Duke looks around the room and shrugs, trying for a kind smile but looking a bit too possessive over me instead. I do not mind. Not one bit. “There’s plenty of others that are empty. Sit literally anywhere else, man.”

“We’re working in partners today. Remi ismypartner.“Sawyer flicks his brown eyes to me, possession also shining through his features. Except from him, I do mind. Sorry, not sorry, Sawyer.

Duke narrows his eyes, his arm tightening around me like he could pick me up and sweep me away in a heartbeat if he had to. Finally, he sighs and nods reluctantly. “Alright. You can sit next tomygirlfriend for an hour, I guess.“ He stands, kisses me with a whole lotta tongue for the middle of a classroom, and then moves to his usual place in the back.

Sawyer sits down and runs his eyes over me slowly, his brows furrowing as he sees my cheek. I tuck some hair behind my ear self-consciously. “So you’d rather have a guy who hits you than someone like me who’ll treat you with respect?” Sawyer asks, his voice low and harsh.

I swing wide eyes to him, touching my fingers to my bruise. “Duke didn’t hit me,” I whisper.

He looks at me with a mixture of pity and disgust. “Sure, that’s what all abused women say. They protect their asshole boyfriends.”

“Sawyer, I—,” I start, but I’m cut off when the teacher walks in and starts up the lesson right away. My cheeks heat uncomfortably whenever I catch him looking over at me, and I don’t know what to say to prove this wasn’t Duke.It’s not like I can be honest. If word got out that Principal Williams was an abusive father, all hell would break loose in this town, and I’m positive my dad would strangle me for it.

By the time class is over, I just let it go. I’ve got bigger problems right now than Sawyer thinking Duke is something he is not. What does it matter what he believes? I pack up my things and slip out of the room with Sawyer glaring at my back the whole way.

Duke catches up to me in the hallway, grabbing my elbow and turning me around to look at him. “You alright?”he asks softly, cupping my face and tracing his thumb over my bottom lip. Around us, the hallways are loud with students moving from class to class, joking and fighting and a few even coupling off to kiss and dry hump against lockers.

“I’m fine,” I answer with a sad smile. “I should have known better. Lesson learned.”You would think the hurt I felt when Duke and I split up last year would have taught me not to open my heart so easily. Apparently not. I’m too trusting and forgiving, and it’s going to ruin me one day.

Duke sighs and wraps his arms tight around me. We’re right in the middle of the hallway, blocking the flow of traffic, but he doesn’t care. I’m his priority right now and it makes me ache in a way that I don’t understand. Ugh, why did I have to fall for both brothers? I’m heartbroken over what Knight did, and then guilty for feeling that way when I’ve got a charming, gentle, deeply loving guy right here, holding onto me like I’m his entire world. Was it wrong of me to even want Knight in the first place? Duke more than satisfies every inch of my heart, soul, and body. Am I so broken from my childhood that I think I need more than one person’s love?

“My sweet girl,” Duke mumbles into my neck, rubbing a soft pattern against my back. “I don’t know why Knight said that shit, but I swear he didn’t mean it. He can lie to himself all he likes. I know he cares about you. So much.”

I let out a huff of bitter laughter. “It doesn’t matter if he’s lying or not, Duke. There’s no going back from this. Sex might not mean anything to him, but it does to me. I don’t share my body with just anybody. Before last night, I’d only ever been with you. Knight doing this, pushing me away after what we did, it’s the cruelest thing he’s ever done.”

I notice the way Duke tenses when I slip in my little secret of not being touched in a year, but thankfully, he doesn’t linger on it. I don’t have the energy to explain why I never moved on. “I know, baby, I know. I’m sorry,” Duke soothes, clinging to me tight and holding my broken pieces together. “I just don’t know how to fix it for you.”

“Me neither,”I mumble into his firm chest.

We part ways when the bell rings. The day goes on, I avoid Knight at all costs — which isn’t all that hard to do when he ignores me in calculus — and I cry into my pillow half the night, wondering how I gave a piece of my heart to the mean, sharp-tongued boy who’s been nothing but brutal to me.

25

Remi

Aweeklater,asI’m lounging in black sweatpants and Duke’s hoodie, watching reruns ofTeen Mom—guilty pleasure, don’t judge— there’s a knock on my door. I hop up from my bed, wearing a bright smile and expecting to see Duke.He’s been spending all of his free time with me since, well, you know... I think he feels guilty for encouraging Knight and I, so he’s trying to make up for it. It’s not his fault at all, but I’m not going to say a word. I like his ’round the clock affections too much.

When I open the door, my smile drops and I cross my arms over my chest, feeling self-conscious as I stare up at Knight. Duke could waltz in on me when I’m looking my very worst, and I wouldn’t think twice. But with Knight, I never know what mood he’s in. If he’s going to cut me down with sharp words and make me feel as small as a mouse or flirt obscenely.We haven’t shared a single word or even a glance since the blowup at breakfast the other day, and I can’t get a read on him at all.

I chew on my nail as I quickly scan my room for anything else to put on. I’m swimming in one of Duke’s burgundy hoodies, my brown hair up in a messy, greasy bun, not a lick of makeup on even though I’m breaking out from all this freaking stress lately. I was headed to the shower as soon as this episode was over, so I didn’t think I’d need to pretty myself up.

“You gonna let me in or what?” Knight gripes when he gets tired of waiting. He leans against the door frame and waves his calculus textbook in my face.

“What do you want?”I ask through clenched teeth.

“If you can keep your hands to yourself, then I’d like to be civilized. Being a dick all the time is getting old.” He glares at me like it’smyfault he’s such a jerk. “And I really do need help in calculus, so if the offer is still on the table?” Knight mumbles quietly, brushing a hand through his long hair and looking a tad embarrassed.For a split second, I see the Knight I thought I was falling for. This quieter, softer version of him that I know now was all a lie.

I roll my eyes and nod curtly, not letting him bait me into an argument. Hands to myself? He’s the one who can’t seem to control himself and then loses his temper at me once he’s over it. “Sure, yeah. We can study together... I guess, um, friends?” I hold out my hand and then bring it back to my side quickly, feeling uncomfortable in the way only he makes me feel.

Knight snorts. “We’re not friends, baby girl. Just enemies who are setting aside their weapons for a minute,” he says, staring at me with a blank face for a painfully long amount of time. Or maybe it’s only a few seconds. It’s hard to measure time when I’m standing in his presence.

With a long, dramatic sigh, I step back and wait for him to walk in. The moment he does, my room feels half its size. He has that ability, you know. Knight always seems larger than life with his secrets and dark gazes and asshole persona dripping off of him.

He walks wordlessly to my bed and settles down on it, flicking his book open and pulling out a folded sheet of paper from between the pages. He looks way too harsh against the pale pink comforter. A few days ago, I would have teased him about it. Now, I keep my mouth shut. He looks up at me, still standing frozen by the door, and cocks a brow.

Nodding to myself, I grab my backpack from the closet before sitting on the floor. Without carpet or a rug, my ass is going to be sore in no time, but it’s safer down here than on the bed with him.Knight is volatile. As much as he hurt me, as much as I’m swearing to keep my distance from now on, I can’t risk it. He might turn that fake charm on and trick me into a kiss with apologies and soft-spoken nothings. My feelings are still too raw. I know it wouldn’t take much for him to tear my guard down all over again if he really wanted to.

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