Page 45 of Charming Cruel Boys

That’s one of my favorite things about him. Duke lives for music. It hums in his veins, it’s woven into his DNA. He always seems to know every word to every song I’ve ever played. The oldies, the rock and roll, the heartbreak crap from every female artist out there. And Duke’s voice is deliciously deep and smooth, like worn velvet. It surrounds me, caressing every inch of my skin until I’m lost in him.

I don’t even realize we’re home because I’ve mostly been watching him the whole drive. But then headlights shine down the street, and I recognize my father’s flashy Mercedes instantly.The car is too far away for him to see us out here, but just a few seconds longer, and we could be caught.

Duke shoots me a wild grin, flicking his eyes down the street. “Let’s make a break for it. Last one upstairs owes the other a favor.”

“Hmm. Deal,” I whisper before shoving the car door open and racing up the concrete path toward the front door. I cackle —super flattering, Remi, nice— as Duke charges closer to me, almost catching me around the waist. At the last second, just as his fingertips graze my hip, I jerk to the side, spin away, and then rush through the front door and up the stairs.

I’m breathless by the time I make it to my room, but hey, I won. Flopping my back down on my pink comforter, I close my eyes and let a giggle spring free as I think about what favor I want from Duke.

Speaking of.

He saunters into my room, eating up the space between us in a few easy strides, and lays down next to me. We turn our faces toward each other at the same time, wearing matching smiles. Duke laces our fingers together, bringing my hand up to his mouth for a kiss.

“Pretty sure you cheated, but I guess I’ll owe you,” he says, stroking his thumb along my knuckles. “Better make it something good, baby.”

“I’ve got a few ideas.”I prop myself up on my elbow, leaning in and stealing a kiss from Duke’s pillowy lips. He sighs and cups my jaw, tilting my face to deepen it, and I have half a mind to ask for my favor right now. Something sexual and filthy that’ll ruin me forever.Duke may be the nice twin, the gentleman of the two, but holy fuck, he becomes a different guy once our clothes come off. Long gone is the thoughtful boy I fell for sophomore year and in his place is a dirty-talking, panty-melting man. I’m getting hot all over again as I think up some truly wicked ways for him to use my body.

But then the front door opens downstairs, and I hear my father and Rose chatting. Opening my eyes with a cringe, I start to tell Duke he better get back to his room when movement in the corner of my eye draws my attention. I turn and find Knight standing in my doorway, muddy and grass-stained football gear on.

I sit up and straighten my shirt out before chewing on my nail as Knight and I stare at each other. It’s a nasty habit, the nail chewing. I thought I had a handle on it, but the nerves Knight gives me on a regular basis have shattered all my hard work.

Duke clears his throat, sitting up and looking between his brother and me. It snaps the two of us out of the spell, and Knight takes a step back.

“I wanted to talk, but I can see that you’re busy. Another time, maybe,” Knight explains, his body strung tight and his face looking oddly sad and tired. He knocks his knuckles against the doorframe, giving me a long look before he leaves.

I look at Duke, half convinced that I just hallucinated that brief exchange.Knight, talk?Those two things don’t go together very well.

“What do you think that was about?” Duke asks suspiciously, skimming his fingers along my shoulder.

“No idea, but it can’t be good, right? I doubt he wanted a sincere conversation. More like he was gearing up to go another round and verbally rip me to pieces,”I say bitterly, staring daggers at the spot Knight vacated.

Duke shakes his head, tilting my chin to meet his eyes. “Don’t say that, baby. Maybe he’s coming around. Knight has a lot of demons, but you are eternal sunlight. If there’s anyone who can crack his hard exterior, it’s you.”

I lift the corner of my lips up in a sad smile. “Always so hopeful. So optimistic.”

“I’ve had to be,” he tells me, looking at me with a tender, serious expression. “Every day that we were apart, I hoped for relief, something to take the pain away, for an explanation as to why we broke up. And it was a long wait, but I got it, didn’t I? And even better, I got you back. Now I’ll never let you go.”

Geez, pretty sure my heart just liquified and gushed right out of my vag.

“You are quite the sap, Duke Ashbury. A truly hopeless romantic,” I tell him with a kiss. “I love you. Now get to bed before my dad finds us together and beats me. Or worse, you.” I say it with a half-joking smile, but on the inside, I’m absolutely horrified that that’s what it would come to if my father ever did realize I’m screwing my soon-to-be stepbrother. After all, he gave me strict orders to stay away from both boys. The study sessions with Knight are open-door engagements and I think my father has allowed it because he’s fed up with my grade in calculus. But imagine if he walked by my room one time and caught Knight kissing me?

Not that I’d let that happen. I’m strictly anti-Knight, as much as my heart protests. It’ll catch up eventually.

Duke kisses my forehead, my nose, and finally my lips before telling me goodnight and sneaking down the hall into his bedroom. I lay on my back with a stupid grin on my face, thinking about the magical afternoon he gave me. A few weeks ago, I was dead set on making him earn me back, making up for breaking my heart. But now? I’m just done with it all. I’m not going to hold myself back from Duke’s love when it makes me this goddamn happy.I think I’ve earned it after everything I’ve dealt with in life.

Knight, on the other hand, has some serious work to do if he even wants to be friends one day. He’s been a cruel, vicious, wicked asshole ninety percent of the time. I mean, that other ten percent, yeah, he’s amazing. Those few moments when Knight lets down his guard and drowns me in his soul-consuming passion, that’s when I think I could fall in love with him. But then, it’s like a switch gets flipped, and he’s cold all over again. I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do about that, but this back and forth with him is exhausting.

But that’s a problem for tomorrow. Or next week. Or never.

31

Remi

Wednesdayofthefollowingweek, I wake up sick to my stomach and sitting in my own blood. Whoever decided women get periods and men don’t can burn in hell. I don’t know how other girls are, but my periods are heavy and painful, and I get stabby. I texted my dad from bed and told him I didn’t feel well, and after a disappointed text, he agreed that I could play hooky since I very rarely miss school. I’m doing the world of favor today by staying home and wallowing in self-pity.

Duke kissed me before leaving for school and made me promise I would tell him if I needed anything. Sometimes he’s too damn sweet, I could explode.

After an extra-long, burning hot shower, I throw on a pair of black and pink fuzzy sweats, tie my hair up into a messy bun, and trudge down the stairs. I grab a tub of Ben & Jerry’s from the freezer, not giving a single fuck if it’s only nine in the morning. Then I sit my ass on the couch and put on slasher flicks. What can I say? Bleeding from my vagina makes me enjoy watching gruesome murders.

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