Page 11 of Pretty Lies (Watch Me Burn #1)

CHAPTER FIVE

RORY

“ W ant a beer?” Tyler asked as he climbed out of the pool a few hours later and tossed the small ball that he’d been playing with into the water, glancing around the group. The other three nodded, but I hesitated.

I didn’t particularly want Max to bust me drinking and risk another hit to the face.

“Max would kill me,” I grumbled, hating to seem like a little bitch. I didn’t give a shit about the punishment, it was the gossip at school that stopped me.

They talked enough shit, so adding more bruises to my face just opened things up for more drama.

Caden grinned, pulling me firmly against his chest and causing the cool water to splash around us. He’d been doing that a lot, and I found myself leaning into it every time.

“Mom and Max took off for a week. Mom’s got some business to do out of state, and Max wanted to go with her.”

“They left us alone?” I asked, anger lacing my tone. I barely knew these guys, and Max had just left me here with them? He was lucky that I was getting along with them and they weren’t some crazy rapist gang or something.

Max might have been coming around here for years, but the fact that he had no idea that Lukas was friends with Caden spoke volumes.

How much did he really know about this family?

Caden let out an amused chuckle, winking at me. “Well, they think I’m still at Dad’s, so technically, they left you alone. Dad doesn’t give a fuck what I get up to, so I came home when Mom texted and said they were on their way to the airport. Figured you’d want company.”

That made the situation worse. They’d left for the week, knowing Caden was gone, and I’d be home by myself in this massive house. It didn’t feel like home, and being here alone would’ve creeped me out a little.

I shouldn’t have been surprised by Max being a prick, but why hadn’t Josie told me they were leaving?

Jensen smirked, giving Caden a tormenting waggle of the eyebrows. “Hey, I would’ve kept her company for you.”

“I bet you would’ve,” he snorted, but he gave me a small smile and continued. “You might as well have a beer. It’s fine.”

I nodded, and Tyler wandered inside to get everyone a drink, but Lukas watched Caden with a frown. “What’s the deal with you two? Her dad isn’t here for you to piss off, but you haven’t kept your hands off her.”

I tensed as realization set in that he was right, and I swam back from Caden to put some distance between us. He rolled his eyes but let me have my space as he replied.

“C’mon, I’ve got a hot stepsister. Why would I keep my hands to myself?”

“Oh, I don’t know, because maybe if you knew what happened to her, you wouldn’t—” I was going to strangle Lukas if he didn’t learn to shut his mouth.

Since that was illegal and Caden’s house had fancy cameras, I angrily threw a ball at him as it bobbed past me in the water, the ball bouncing off his face with a satisfying smack.

“Mind your own fucking business, asshole.”

He rubbed his tender eye and scowled at me. “Dammit, Aurora. You are my business.”

“Like hell. I haven’t been your business for a long time. You’re the one who stabbed me in the back, so stop acting like I broke your heart,” I bit out, his hands splashing water everywhere as he smacked them against the surface with frustration.

“I fucking loved you, Rory! You don’t know the truth about that night!”

Tyler stood by the pool silently as he rejoined us, glancing between us with confusion, and Caden and Jensen paid close attention as we kept arguing. Lukas was lucky I wasn’t completely crazy, or I’d have drowned him where he stood, cameras be damned.

I flung my hands in the air with annoyance, flicking droplets across the water’s surface.

“You don’t know what love is, so don’t give me that shit. I’m not doing this with you, back the fuck off.”

“Why won’t you let me explain?” he shouted, but I was completely done with the conversation. He didn’t deserve my time.

“You can’t fix it, so why bother?” I swam to the edge of the pool and hauled myself out to grab a towel, snatching a beer from Tyler on the way past. I made sure to slam the door on my way inside, not caring if I looked like a spoiled brat.

My chest ached as memories of that night came back to haunt me, the sound of my screams filling my head as Lukas had walked away.

He’d been the only good thing in my life, and he’d destroyed it within seconds.

I was only alone for ten minutes before Caden found me in the kitchen. He kept his distance as he spoke gently, waiting for me to go to him if I wanted the comfort.

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said bitterly, but he just shrugged.

“That’s fine. I just wanted to check on you.”

“Well stop it!” I shouted, his eyes narrowing at my outburst. I pushed myself off the counter and finished my beer as I chugged it down, glaring at him with frustration.

I knew I was alienating the one person who appeared to have my back at this point in my life, but I couldn’t stop myself as my usual defensive reaction spilled out of me.

I didn’t need anyone, especially not an entitled rich boy.

“Stop pretending to care about me! You don’t give a shit about anyone but yourself!”

He moved faster than I expected as I stumbled and my back hit the closest wall as he got in my face, his hand wrapping around my throat before I could shove him back. Panic surged through me as he was suddenly nose-to-nose with me.

“You barely know me, so don’t you dare tell me who I give a shit about. Why the fuck wouldn’t I want to check on you?” he growled, not letting me go as I started to struggle.

“Don’t fucking touch me!” I screamed, the sound raspy due to his hand cutting off my airways. I desperately clawed at his hand, needing distance from him.

He was scaring me in ways my father never could.

I knew Max’s tactics, but these guys? They could do whatever they wanted to me all weekend and no one would know.

“Why? You like it when I touch you,” he sneered, his words digging deep inside me until I couldn’t breathe. My eyes watered as I tried to block out the memories, but I refused to let tears fall.

I didn’t want him to see me cry again, he didn’t deserve to see me vulnerable.

“Holloway, what the fuck? Let her go!” Jensen snapped as he walked into the room and saw what was unfolding, but Caden glared at him over his shoulder without flinching at being caught strangling me.

“Fuck off, Gilbert. This has nothing to do with you.”

“Bro, she isn’t breathing.”

“That’s because my hand’s around her throat,” he deadpanned.

Jensen glowered, his voice full of warning. “Get the fuck off her. Now.”

Caden snorted, shoving me firmly in Jensen’s direction, and I tensed as Jensen’s arms went around me to break my fall. “Have her then, see if I care. You only want to fuck her anyway. It’s all she’s good for.”

Caden stormed off, and Jensen released his hold on me as I yanked back from him while I attempted to suck in air, his concerned gaze on me.

“Hey, breathe. I won’t touch you, but you need to work with me here. Look at me.” I peered into his piercing blue eyes, the worry on his face reassuring me that he wasn’t going to harm me.

There was something about him that made me want to trust him, despite my freak-out, and I reached my hand out to him, needing the contact. He hesitated before taking it, pulling me closer so he could cup my face gently with his other hand.

“C’mon, it’s just you and me, babe. Take a breath in with me, okay?” I struggled, but after a few attempts, I choked on fresh air, earning a small smile from him. “There you go. Better?”

I choked again as more cool air filled my lungs, closing my eyes and leaning my forehead on his shoulder for comfort. I couldn’t lie, Caden had managed to scare the shit out of me. I was used to Max’s violence, but since moving here, Caden had become my security blanket, keeping me safe from him.

This was why I had trust issues. Everyone wore a mask until their true colors showed.

“Caden—”

“Meet the real Caden Holloway. See why people are so surprised that he took you in so easily? He’s not a nice guy unless you’re his mother, or his boys.

What did you say to upset him like that?

” he asked gently, his fingers stroking my back in a calming motion.

Shame burned through me, but I shrugged, not wanting to admit what I’d said.

I’d hurt him, so he’d lashed out.

“Nothing.”

“ Sure you didn’t. Are you going to come back out to the pool to hang out or—” I took a step back, shaking my head.

“I might head out for the night and stay somewhere else. I don’t want to be here.”

Not with that asshole still roaming around, anyway.

“Caden won’t get violent with you. Ever.

He didn’t hurt you right now, he scared you.

It’s how he works. He just wants you to think he’s capable of physically hurting you so you fall in line.

I promise, you’re safe to stay here.” Jensen gave me a small smile as if we were sharing secrets, and I guess we were since Caden was such a private person.

I wasn’t sure why Jensen was telling me, but I was grateful I could relax a little bit.

“Okay, I’ll stay. Thanks,” I said softly, his shoulders lifting into a lazy shrug as discomfort filled his eyes. His good deeds were over for the day it seemed.

“It’s okay. I’ll see you later.”

I thanked him again before padding up to my room and shutting myself inside, sliding into bed and curling into a ball as I finally let the tears fall. I’d done well to hold them in downstairs in front of the guys.

I’d get it out of my system tonight then face the world tomorrow with my walls back in place.

Something pulled me from my sleep through the night, and I startled when I noticed Caden sitting on the bottom of my bed with his arms crossed and a hard expression on his face. It was only just visible in the moonlight, but I could tell he was frustrated.

I scrambled back against the headboard, his low voice breaking the silence.