Page 57 of Charming Cruel Boys

“Very funny. Go ahead, get it all out now. I’ve been a dick for so long, I guess I’ve earned it.”

My good mood sobers as quickly as it came. “Why have you been so horrible to me?” I ask, dropping my eyes to avoid his gaze. I’m torn between wanting him to grovel for the rest of his life and just letting it go for the comfort of having him hold me like this. But at the end of the day, I don’t want to be a weak pushover who lets things like this slide. Knight has a lot to answer for.

He tenses and rests his chin against my head, his fingers drawing lazy circles on my back. “What happened to Duke last night... The same thing happened to me. I wasn’t drugged, but…” he shakes his head with a defeated expression. “It happened the day before my dad died. It was one shitty thing after another, and nothing I did could change it. I was so angry. Fuck, I still am. I took it out on you. But I know better now, and I’m sick of treating you like you don’t mean the world to me. I can’t keep pushing you away and expect to be happy one day.”

“Knight,” I breathe out, tilting my head up to meet his haunted gaze. My heart is racing dangerously. I don’t know whether to cry or scream or ask him every question that comes to mind. I don’t want to overwhelm him with my shock and horror. “I’m so sorry.” A single tear slips out of the corner of my eye, sliding down my cheek and hitting my pillow. This has to be what Rose mentioned to me in the kitchen. I can’t imagine struggling through an assault and not saying a word to anyone. “I wish I could bundle the two of you up and run away. I’d take us somewhere across the country and we could start over. Be happy.”

Knight nudges my nose with his, smiling sadly. “I’m alright. I’m here to protect you, not the other way around. I don’t want you worrying about it.”

“Of course I’m going to worry about it! First Duke, and now you. Or, I guess, first you and now Duke.” I shake my head, still feeling a bit fuzzy around the edges. “At least Sara is taken care of. But it obviously wasn’t her who hurt you. Are they still out there? Walking around free while you’ve been tormented for over a year?” My voice rises as I speak, my hands starting to shake as I fist them. I’m really starting to get heated as I think of the injustice of it all. How some people think they can take something like that. What happened to respect and empathy andno means fucking no?

Before I can go off on a tangent, Knight wipes my cheeks dry — I didn’t realize I was properly crying until now — and he shushes me calmly. “Yes, they’re still out there. No, I won’t tell you who it is.” I open my mouth to argue and Knight gives me a stern look. “I mean it, Remi. I don’t want you anywhere near this fucking mess. But I’ve got a plan, and I’m working on it... Everything is going to change.”

Before I can ask what he means, my father barges into my room. Knight jumps up, wearing only gym shorts, his hair rumpled and tangled in a way that makes me want to run my fingers through it and pull. He stands between my dad and me, his shoulders tense while the two men stare at each other.

“What the fuck is going on in here?” my father snaps, taking another step toward Knight.

“I know you heard about last night, Charles. I called my mom the second I finished talking to the cops. Don’t come in here and pretend that anything unsavory could have possibly happened while Remi and Duke were drugged. I just wanted to be close in case either of them needed something,” Knight says, making me shake with anxiety.My father is unpredictable at the best of times, and right now I can see the flames of hatred flicking behind his eyes. It is definitely not the best of times.

He glares at Knight, his fists curled tight at his sides. “Just because my daughter wasn’t in her right mind doesn’t mean that a fuck-up like you wouldn’t take advantage of the situation.”

Just like that, Knight’s rageexplodes. Stepping into my dad’s chest, face red with pure fury, he shouts, “That’s fucking rich! I wouldneverhurt Remi. Sure as fuck not like that! I’d die first, you son of a bitch! You know how I feel about her. You come in here and accuse me of something vile just so you can keep up the goddamn charade. Well, guess what? I see right fucking through you and—“

“Knight, stop!” I lunge forward and get between them before things can get physical. With my back to my dad, I place my shaky hands on Knight’s chest, feeling the erratic beat of his heart under my palm. “Hey, look at me,” I beg. But it’s like he’s in a trance, only able to see the man behind me.

Looking over my shoulder, I scowl at my father, standing there with a smug smile like he’s on a pedestal while the rest of us are kneeling at his feet. “Knight didn’t touch me, but I think you already knew that. Why start a fight? Just go,please. You can yell at me later when my head doesn’t feel like it’s been cracked open with an axe.”

He scoffs and grips the back of my neck in a punishing hold, forcing me to step back from Knight. With his lips near my ear, my father says, “When will you learn? Quit wasting your time with bastards like him. He’ll never amount to anything when his temper gets the best of him like this. How long do you think it’ll take before he snaps and hits you?”

Knight snarls, taking my hand and trying to ease me out of my father’s death grip. It doesn’t work. My dad tightens around my neck and continues. “And Duke? You think he loves you? Wake up! High school sweethearts don’t last. The second he gets out into the real world and has women throwing themselves at him for his musical talent, he’ll forget all about you. I’m just trying to save you the heartache. I told you to stay away from them. Finish school, go to college, and when the time is right, you’ll find a nice, respectable man. That’s all I want for you, Remi. Not bottom of the barrel like these two, getting passed back and forth whenever they feel like an easy fuck.”

“You piece of shit,” Knight curses, barely containing himself from lunging forward.If I can’t get a handle on him, this will turn into a bloodbath.

“Ah, ah. Watch what you say around my daughter. You don’t want to cause any trouble for anyone, do you, Knight? You don’t want to poison her mind with lies,”my father warns, voice low and cold. He’s hunched over a little behind me, almost as if he’s using me as a shield in case Knight starts swinging. It makes me furious. First of all, Knight would never. I know that. And second, what kind of a father would put his child in front of him like this? He’s pathetic.

Knight narrows his eyes but doesn’t say anything more. With a hollow laugh, my dad shoves me forward and leaves, humming some merry tune under his breath like a total psychopath as he walks down the stairs.

Knight wraps his arms around me as I sink to the floor, carefully holding me as my breathing catches and my eyesight blurs. He whispers soothing words and wipes my tears away, but all I can think is that if this continues, I won’t survive much longer. I have to get out.

38

Duke

IgroanasIcome to, sweating and nauseated. My heart is racing and skipping beats at the same time. My mind is blank. There are phantom touches gliding all over my body and it makes my stomach churn.

I sit up in a rush, breathing heavily and looking around frantically. Pale pink walls, white furniture, roses and sunshine scenting the air. Remi’s room. I’m safe. I’m okay.

Pushing the comforter off, I get up from the bed. As my feet touch the floor, the door opens, and Remi and Knight walk in, carrying bowls of food and water bottles. Remi and I look at each other, and the bowl falls from her fingers, the glass shattering loudly on the hardwood floor. “Oh my god,” she cries, jumping over the mess and running straight for me. My muscles tense without reason.It’s Remi, I scream in my head.It’s just Remi. But it doesn’t make any difference. When she throws herself into my arms and wraps around me, I’m stiff and panicking.I don’t want to be touched.

Knight catches my eye over Remi’s head. He looks broken, more so than usual. He quietly shuts the bedroom door and steps over the mess on the ground. Reaching out for Remi, he gently pulls her off me, saying, “Careful, baby girl. He just woke up from heavy drugs. He probably doesn’t feel great.”

Remi pulls back immediately like she’s worried she’s hurting me. “I was so worried,” she chokes out. “You were in and out all day yesterday, but you didn’t even open your eyes; you just mumbled and tossed around in bed.”

“What day is it?” I ask hoarsely. My voice sounds like I’ve been swallowing rocks and my throat honestly feels the same.

“Sunday,” Remi supplies, folding her arms across her chest and shifting on her feet. She looks like she’d give anything to hold me again, but she’s restricting herself the best she can.

I blink a few times, scrubbing a hand down my face. “Halloween was Friday. I’ve been out that long?”

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