Real Girl (Aston Creek High 4)

Skylah shakes her head and I realize there’s still so much more to her story. “What is it, babe?” I murmur softly, rubbing my hand up and down her back.

“Lucien came out,” she says, swallowing hard. “He was laughing and proud of me for hurting him. He bent down and I thought maybe he was going to help him, but he grabbed the knife and twisted it so hard. Marcus didn’t stand a chance and died, choking on his own blood. Then Lucien yanked out the knife and handed it back to me like it was some kind of trophy.”

Fuck. Fuck. FUCK.

Skylah raises her chin, keeping those beautiful eyes on me. “I’m still married to him,” she tells me as though there’s something I’m missing. She waits for a beat, hoping I figure it out but there’s already too much going through my head to even start trying to work out what’s going on here.

Rivers clear his throat, understanding this world a shitload better than I do. “Is this Marcus Mahony you’re referring to?” Skylah nods and he lets out a breath as Noah scrunches his face, obviously having heard of these guys before. “I’m assuming there was some sort of deal organizing this wedding and because of the legalities of it, I can assume there was no prenup, meaning if he’s dead, his millions are now her millions, making her the perfect target for Lucien Valentine.”

Skylah nods, meeting my eyes once again. “He wants me now more than ever.”

Damian’s hand slams down over the hood of my truck. “FUCK,” he roars, throwing his hands to his head and pacing back and forth. “When is this shit going to end?”

“It won’t,” Noah says. “Guys like this don’t stop until they win. They’re not like you and me. They have the funds to get away with whatever the fuck they want and they won’t stop until they get it.”

“He’s right,” Skylah whispers. “We either fight and win or we lose and suffer.”

I drop my forehead to hers, knowing there’s no way I can convince her to get in my truck and let me drive her home. “Have I ever told you the meaning of virago?” I murmur, keeping our conversation to ourselves.

Her brows furrow in confusion, wondering why I’m bringing up her nickname at a time like this. “It’s a violent, bad-tempered woman, just like me.”

I shake my head, letting a grin pull at my lips. “While all that about you is true, the original meaning of the term virago is a female warrior, a woman with heroic qualities, strength, and courage…a woman just like you. That very first time I called you virago, that’s the meaning I was referring to. I’ve always seen you that way. So, if this is what you want to do, and you’re ready, then I’m right by your side.”

Her eyes close moments before she brushes her lips over mine. “I love you,” she tells me.

“I know,” I whisper. “I fucking love you too.”

She nods, opening her eyes again. “Then let’s do this. Let’s end it.”

Chapter 17

I direct Slade to park in the blind spot of Lucien’s ridiculously over-the-top security system. I can’t believe we’re actually going to go through with this, but I need to put an end to it. I refuse to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder.

Slade glances over at me as Rivers’ Firebird comes to a stop behind us. “Last chance?” he questions, always wanting to give me another option. He hates that I’m doing this, not because of what will result from it, but more because of what kind of effect it might have on me.

“We’re doing this,” I tell him, knowing that no matter what decision I make here tonight, he’ll be standing right by my side, supporting me the whole way.

Slade nods. “Right, then let’s go.”

I swing open the passenger’s side door of his Dodge RAM and jump down, stumbling forward as the pain in my feet is too much for me to handle. Damian is there and catches me with his strong hand around my upper arm. “You good?” he murmurs, looking up at the massive gate that surrounds the mansion, making it some sort of fortress.

“Yeah,” I say with a small cringe, trying to hide just how much pain I’m in, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. I’ve been, raped, shot, drowned, and even killed a man. What’s a few scratched on bruised feet?

Rivers and Noah get out of the Firebird and meet Slade around the back of his truck. Damian and I walk over to meet them and we all start hauling shit out and pulling backpacks up our arms.

Slade meets my eyes at least four times while we grab our shit, waiting for me to break and preparing himself to jump in like my knight in shining armor, more than ready to curl me into his chest and take me home. He wants me as far away from this shit as possible. Hell, had we decided to go straight home and skip tonight, I’m sure he would have packed me a bag, got us both false identities, and ran, leaving it all behind, but he knows I wouldn’t be able to do it. I couldn’t leave Shay and Blake like that just like he wouldn’t have the heart to leave his family.