Tough Shit (Rejects Paradise 1)

“Come on, babe. As if you didn’t tell Milo about it. Why am I being punished for something that you did too.”

I stop walking and spin around to glare at his pretty face that looks like freaking sunshine. “Are you serious right now?” I demand as I spy Colton over his shoulder watching us like a hawk and no doubt listening to every word that’s about to be said. “Yeah, I talked to Milo. I told him how fucking great it was. I bragged about how you gave me exactly what I asked for, how it was freaking incredible, but you know what I didn’t do? I didn’t make you out to be some kind of cheap whore, my actions didn’t lead to you being sexually harassed at school, and I didn’t make you feel humiliated for being with me. Fuck you, Charlie.”

I turn and walk away when I hear Colton’s scoff behind me and I fly back around, already on too much of a roll to stop. “And fuck you too, Carrington. All four of you bastards are the worst kind of people. Arrogant assholes like you wouldn’t survive in the real world. I’d love to see where you would all be without Daddy’s money. Hell, I know Jude would probably be in jail.”

Colton steps forward, his eyes burning into mine. “What do you know about that?”

My brow shoots up. Did I just touch on something real? I’ve suggested something like this before but never got a response out of him. It was just an assumption, an educated guess at what Jude’s future will hold but Colton’s reaction is saying so much more. He doesn’t need to know that though. My lips pull into a knowing smirk and I watch with satisfaction as his face begins to fall in horror. Hell, even Charlie looks fucking nervous.

I hold his glare and see true panic behind his eyes. Without a doubt, I’ll be calling Nic and asking him to look into this. The way he keeps warning me away from these guys suggests that he might even know something. I wouldn’t be surprised. Nic is the type to do his homework, but if there really is something there that I should know, I can guarantee that I will find out. I want to know every last dirty secret about the people who I’m around. When it comes to Jude Carter, I have a feeling there’s a lot to learn. Hell, the way Colton hasn’t stopped looking at me has me wondering if he’s involved in whatever shit is going on here. What I do know is that it’s bad.

I turn and keep walking back to the pool house, my senses on high alert. I can’t hear them following me and just as I let out a breath of relief, Charlie comes hurrying to catch up. “Wait. We didn’t actually solve anything.”

“Charlie,” I groan in frustration, thankful that Colton has stayed away. “There’s nothing to solve. You ran your mouth to the world and blew your shot.”

“Shot?” he questions with a raised brow. “I actually had a shot for something more with you?”

“I … no. That’s not what I meant.”

“Then explain.”

“I just … I don’t know. Maybe I would have done a few repeat performances until I got bored, but not anymore. Not after the bullshit that went down today.”

“Come on, babe,” he says, grabbing my hand. “You know I’m not like that. Sure, I like to fuck around but I swear, I only told Colton, Jude, and Spence and it’s mostly because they already caught the sound effects from the main event. I didn’t tell the whole fucking school like you think I did and I sure as hell didn’t get them to attack you like that.”

“Some kid during lunch said that you were boasting about it during health class, saying how fucking wild I was.”

“Babe,” he says with a soft sigh and an apology in his blue eyes. “I don’t take health on a Monday. He lied. Someone put him up to it.”

My brows furrow. That doesn’t make sense. “Who would do that?”

Charlie’s eyes harden and he glances back over his shoulder to find Colton already staring, still listening intently to our conversation. He nods to Charlie, having some kind of silent conversation, and just like that, they know exactly what happened today and who was behind this whole clusterfuck, and if I had to take one guess, I’d say it was Jude.

Charlie turns back to me with a promise shining behind his eyes. “We’ll handle it.”

I shake my head. “I can handle myself, Charlie. I’m not a damsel that needs your saving.”

“I don’t care. I’m going to handle it,” he says. “And trust me, I know you’re not some weak damsel who can’t take care of herself. You’re a fucking queen who deserves their respect, no matter what Colton likes to say.”