Monsters' Crew (Crude Hill High 1)

“Stop the car,” I said.

“I’m not going to do that,” Caleb said. Always the one in control, but he couldn’t stop this. Not now. Not ever.

“I said stop the fucking car.” I dived across Gael, trying the door, getting it open. The car moved left and right, the sudden jerks nearly flinging Gael from the car.

“Stop the fucking car now!” Gael yelled the words and we were brought to a sudden stop.

I crawled over Gael, kicking off my shoes in the process. Falling out of the car, I stopped myself from hitting my face on the hard ground. I panted before finally rising to my feet and staring at these men. The ones who had surrounded me and for the last few months had considered me one of them.

Vadik looked ready to sweep me up off my feet. Gael looked like he wanted to hold me. Caleb and River, both of them stared at me, waiting.

Running fingers through my hair, I looked at all four of them.

“You’re keeping something from me. What is it?”

“You need to get in the car, then we’re going to take you somewhere where it’s safe.”

This made me laugh. I couldn’t seem to help it. It bubbled up inside me and once I started, I just couldn’t stop.

Bending over, I hit my leg as if it was the funniest thing I’d heard him say.

It wasn’t.

“There is nowhere safe. Did you just see what happened? He killed my brother at a party.”

This wasn’t a coincidence.

“I’m not stupid. Don’t treat me with kid gloves, and tell me what the hell is going on. I know something isn’t quite right and I don’t want to keep being left in the dark, now stop doing that.”

They all looked at each other, clearly wanting to be anywhere but here right now. Well, tough.

Something had gone down, something big. The death didn’t scare me. I’d killed someone with my bare hands. The blood didn’t bother me.

No, what got to me was the fact the person they had killed was my brother. Even as I hated him, I still felt responsible for him in an odd way. It was all so fucking messed up. I just couldn’t handle this.

“Tell me what is going on.”

Caleb looked at his friends and I slapped my hands together. “Stop it. Whatever it is you’re thinking right now, it’s not working. I know how this shit show runs. I’ve been living it all my life. They took out Peter. My brother. The party. The sudden interest. The old dude who’s supposed to be claiming me and my now nonexistent cherry. I may as well get it all out there for you all to hear. Vadik and I had sex. It was great. I loved every second of it. Now let’s move on. Why was my brother killed?”

Tears filled my eyes and I waited for a response.

I looked at each guy in turn, and they kept on staring back. “You know why he was killed, Emily,” Caleb said.

The tears fell down my cheeks.

“Then tell me. Use those precious words you love so much.”

I was being a bitch. I hated myself, but I couldn’t seem to stop. There was so much anger building inside me. They knew something was going down and they had kept me in the dark. This was big.

“Your father has a very big gray cloud over his head,” Caleb said.

“Don’t talk in riddles or poetry. Just tell me like it is.” I was ready, but deep down, I knew.

“He tried to remove the Monsters, Emily. He wanted to run the show. The deal he struck with Valentine. He didn’t consult our parents. He made the deal and tried to keep it quiet. All this time, he’s been making underhand deals, and he’s also tried to kill us.” He pointed at them all.

“The reason he was pissed off with you saving Gael was because he’d organized for the MC to take us out. They were supposed to be the best.”

This was news to me. I covered my mouth as I looked toward Gael. “I had no idea.”

“We know that.”

“You know the rules, Emily,” River said, speaking up. He held a knife against his thigh.

I nodded.

Peter was first. One by one, they were going to take us all out.

“But my dad wasn’t there,” I said. “He didn’t witness Peter’s death. You all know that removing a family, they do it in one fell swoop. They don’t wait around. They don’t linger. They just do it.” I pressed my lips together. “There has to be a reason they waited.”

“Emily,” Caleb said, stepping toward me. “Understand this. They are coming for you. They are going to kill you and they will not show a single mercy.”

I tilted my head to the side and stared into his eyes.

“What about Ashley?” I asked.