Page 48 of Charming Cruel Boys

“Dude, what if I had my dick in my hand?” I snap.

Duke gives me a bored look and crosses his arms over his chest. “You don’t.”

“So fucking observant, good for you,” I mutter.

“Yeah, I am, actually. And you know what I’ve caught on to?” Duke asks, making my heart rate skyrocket.He can’t possibly know anything about me or Charles, he’d be freaking out.Chill out, Knight. It’s probably nothing.

“Hm?”I ask casually, stripping out of my practice uniform and standing there in my boxers. It’s not weird when we’re twins. We have the same body.

“You haven’t been getting drunk. I’ve hardly seen you wasted in weeks,” Duke says, looking all sincere and shit.

I shrug like it’s no big deal that I was a legit alcoholic and suddenly snapped myself out of it. It was hard, but I can’t stomach the idea of being that fucked up with Charles in the house. I hardly trust him when I’m sober, there’s no way I’ll risk anything because I’m blacked out.

“I’m happy for you, man,” Duke says gently. “I was really starting to get worried for a minute there.”

I snort and pull my cigarette pack from my bedside table. I’m not an animal, I’m not going to smoke in the house, but just putting one between my lips helps calm the raging storm sometimes.

“Thanks, brother,” I say sarcastically.

“Knight, I mean it. When Dad died... I mean, it was hard on all of us, but you seemed to take it the worst. It’s been a rough year.” He swallows, rubbing the back of his neck and shifting his weight from foot to foot. “I miss you. I miss my brother. You shut me out for a long time, but we’re family. I’m here for you, is all I’m trying to say.”

I look at him then, really take a good, long look. Guilt eats away at me for everything I’ve done. Everything Charles has pushed me into doing. Remi’s not the only person I’ve been a major dick to. I nod and move across my room, standing in front of him. “I’ve missed you, too. And I miss Dad, a lot. Everything went to shit so fast, I never got to tell him how much I loved him. He just... died. I was right there in the waiting room in the ER, telling myself that he’d pull through, come out of surgery, and be fine. You weren’t there and Mom was catatonic in her grief, and it felt like my entire world was imploding.”

“I’m sorry that I spent that night with Remi. I should have been with you,” Duke says heavily, raking his fingers through his hair and avoiding my eyes.

I shake my head, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t do that. I know I made you feel like shit, but it’s not your fault. Or Remi’s fault. I’ve just got my own demons to work through, I guess,” I explain, wishing I could be honest for once without fearing the consequences.

“Why are you such an ass to her? Can’t you lay off or does it get you hard to torment someone so kind?” he sneers, the sadness leaving his expression to make room for irritation.

I snort and he shoots me a look that could kill. “Remi might be kind to you, but don’t go thinking she’s some frail little girl. She can hold her own with me. And maybe she’ll be stronger when I’m done with her. I’m teaching her not to trust people. Not to let her guard down. That’s what she needs. Remi is too damn nice in a world full of people who would love nothing more than to tear her down.”

Duke flips me off. He leans against the doorframe and drums a beat against his thigh as he thinks. Finally, he says, “Something else is going on. I don’t know what yet, but I’ll figure it out. You stopped drinking, you’re a dick to Remi even though I know you love her.” I open my mouth to argue but he keeps fucking going. “You’re twitchy around the house. Especially around Charles.” That makes me snap my mouth shut. Duke stands tall, squaring his shoulders. “If you need help, man, I’m here. If you’re in trouble, you know I can fix it. I’ve always had your back.”

My chest tightens and I drop his intense gaze, stepping away and moving toward the window. The stars are all out in the sky, shining away as usual, as if life isn’t suffocating me. “You can’t help. You can’t save the day like you have before. It’s my turn to look out for everybody else.”

“That’s bullshit! We came into this world together, we’re supposed to be a team through everything life throws at us. You think I stuck my neck out for you time and time again because I’m just such a good fucking guy? Hell no! I did it because you’re my brother and I love you and anything that takes one of us out has to take both of us out,” Duke argues, pacing my room in a fit.

I grit my teeth, staring out at nothing as I fight against telling him every single thing right this second. Duke shoves my shoulder when I don’t respond and I slam into the window, glaring at him. Putting my hands up, I say, “Alright, fuck! Fine, you wanna know what’s eating at me?” He nods, and I take a deep, shaky breath. “It’s Charles. He’s dangerous, Duke, and he’s made it clear that he doesn’t want either of us around Remi.”

Duke screws up his face, all the fight going out of his body. “Dangerous how? Why hasn’t he said anything to me about Remi?”

“I don’t know, but I’d like to keep it that way. The less you interact with him the better. And you should keep your hands to yourself in the house. You might not give a damn about consequences, but who knows what he’d do to her if he knew the extent of yourrelationship.”

“Pretty sure you’re not the best with self-restraint either, so why don’t you practice what you preach before you try to mess with what she and I have?” he snaps, instantly getting defensive. I don’t let it show, but on the inside, I’m relieved. Remi needs someone who loves without restraint, who won’t ever back down.

“I know,” I admit bitterly. I cross my room and sit down heavily on the edge of my bed and Duke reluctantly follows. I’m itching for a smoke right now, with all this stress and tension. “We all need to be better. No more slip ups. Charles could have cameras around the house, for all I know.”

“What could a high school principal possibly do? He hasn’t hit Remi again. I make sure to stay close to her whenever he’s home so he doesn’t get another chance,” Duke says, again making a swell of pride unfold inside me. He’s always been so protective.

“He could fucking kill you. End all of us, if he wants to,” I tell him, trying my hand at brutal honesty and hoping I’m not risking too much. Duke starts to laugh, assuming I’m joking, but when I don’t join in, his face falls. Then it pales and I know he believes me. We’re not just dealing with a high school principal.

Charles Williams isn’t innocent. He’s the worst kind of human being. He’s vile and sick, but he hides it under a cool exterior.

And we’re living under his rules until I can find a way out with all our lives intact.

33

Remi

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