Page 17 of Pretty Lies (Watch Me Burn #1)

Before I could take more than two angry steps in his direction, Jensen’s arm snaked around my waist and pulled me back against his chest, his lips tickling my ear as he spoke loud enough for only me to hear him.

“Please let Caden speak, and I’ll tell Lukas to back off, okay?” I relaxed against him, taking a deep breath as I nodded. He didn’t step away from me as he leaned against the BMW beside Tyler, pulling me back with him as his eyes met Lukas’. “Dude, shut your mouth, okay? It’s not your business.”

“What the hell did she tell you?” Lukas growled, and Jensen narrowed his eyes with irritation.

“The truth. Fuck off and leave her alone.”

Caden watched us suspiciously for a moment before he set his jaw hard, speaking firmly. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t think it would scare you like that. I’d never force myself on someone. I figured you’d be down since I thought you were fucking Jense too.”

I glanced at him before looking away, shrugging slightly as I tried to look like it wasn’t a big deal. “Okay.”

“Okay?” he asked with a frown of confusion, and I looked up and met his gaze again.

“Yeah, okay. I heard your apology.”

He seemed torn, looking at Jensen and having a silent conversation before heading off to homeroom and jerking his head at Tyler to follow, leaving Jensen and Lukas with me.

Lukas’ expression became soft once the others left, and he took a small step in my direction without getting too close. “I’m worried about you, I really am. Did you seriously talk to Jense about it?”

I was tense but nodded. “Yeah, I did.”

“All of it?”

When I was quiet, Jensen spoke gently but sternly, proving I was right about him having my back.

“She doesn’t have to tell me all of it if she doesn’t want to. Jesus Christ, Luke. Let her deal with it in her own fucking time. Stop bringing it up in front of the others too.”

Lukas seemed to be processing it for a moment before finally sighing, defeat filling his almond eyes.

“You think I turned my back on you, but I didn’t know what else to do, Rory. You didn’t know about the other players in his game.”

That made me frown, uneasiness washing over me. “What other players?”

“Like I told you, you never let me explain it all to you.”

Jensen moved past me and scruffed him firmly by the front of his shirt, anger rolling off him in waves. “Explain how you could walk away and cut her off after what you saw. Give it a fucking crack Lukas, we’re all ears.”

Lukas stared at his friend for a moment before sliding his eyes to mine.

“Max’s debts went way past that one filthy piece of shit.

You were promised to more than just him, but I’d managed to pay most of them off myself behind Max’s back.

I couldn’t track down that one guy though.

I couldn’t find out who he was,” he explained with venom in his voice, a shiver rolling through me.

His eyes were full of pain and apology as he kept speaking, my heart tearing open in the process.

“Max tried cutting me a deal to help with some of my mom’s debts to him that weren’t even that bad, claiming he didn’t want the money, he wanted something else.

He thought if I roughed you up a little that you wouldn’t be such a brat, and he swore it would clear all the debts and Mom would be square with him. ”

“What do you mean, roughed her up ?” Jensen growled as he shoved him back, the pain spreading across Lukas’ face as he continued.

“I was meant to do to her, what that piece of shit did. He even threatened to kill Mom if I didn’t.

Obviously, I told him to fuck off. I loved you, Rory.

I didn’t think he’d actually let anyone else hurt you like that.

When he called me that night and told me to come over and peek in your window, I did.

I had to make sure you were alright. When I turned away from the window when you saw me, I was heading inside to try and help you, but your father stopped me on the way in.

He told me he had someone at my house watching my mom, and all he had to do was give the word and they’d kill her.

When I got in his face and tried to get past him still, he told me if I helped you in any way, he’d get someone new to visit you every night instead of the once, and that’s what stopped me.

I couldn’t face you after that, knowing what you thought of me.

I was a kid, Rory. Max was super powerful at the time, and?—”

I couldn’t listen to it anymore as I flung myself at him, wrapping my arms around him tightly and burying my face in his neck as I tried to hold my emotions in. I wasn’t going to fucking cry in the school parking lot, but it was hard.

After a moment, his shock seemed to wear off and his arms wrapped around me tightly. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t stop any of the hurt. I’m so fucking sorry.”

I finally looked up at him and gazed into his eyes. I’d never noticed the guilt he’d been carrying since seeing me again, but now I saw it all. It had broken his heart knowing he couldn’t stop it all for me.

I didn’t have the heart to tell him that it had all been for nothing.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for, Luke.” His body seemed to sag in relief, and he kissed the top of my head affectionately like he always had when we were kids when he wanted to comfort me.

“We can talk another time, okay? C’mon, we’re going to be late for homeroom.”

I couldn’t sit in class just yet, not when I had so much on my mind.

As if reading my thoughts, Jensen draped an arm around my shoulders to speak quietly in my ear.

“I’ll cover for you. Take a walk or something if you need to.”

“You’ll cover for me?” I asked weakly, making him nod.

“Yeah. Take an hour or two then go to class. I’ve got you,” he smiled, releasing my shoulders and motioning to Lukas. “Let’s go. Rory needs a minute.”

Lukas didn’t want me to wander off alone, I could tell, but he didn’t argue as they walked off together and left me to hide out behind the bleachers until I felt like I was in control of my emotions again.

I knew it would happen eventually, but not like this. Girls usually stole the new girl’s clothes in the locker room or made up nasty rumors, but these rich girls were beyond petty crap.

They grabbed me from under the shower spray after PE, dragging me towards the main door, completely butt naked.

I struggled against their hold on me, but Claire’s posse didn’t let go until we were out in the hallway, where they pushed me to the ground and locked me out without even a towel to cover myself.

Familiar panic set in as I noticed eyes on me everywhere as people whispered and giggled, and I scooted back into the corner, trying hard to shield myself from everyone’s stares and jokes.

No one moved forward to help, and tears formed as the anxiety started to race through me.

I never cried in front of people and let them see my weakness, and I was only just managing to hold myself together as a familiar voice cut through the growing crowd.

“C’mon, guys. Move along. What the fuck are you even looking?—”

I peered up from behind my wet, tangled hair, finding Caden and the guys in front of me. For a moment, it didn’t look like they were going to help, but then Lukas suddenly yanked his blazer off and moved towards me.

Jensen followed, blocking me from everyone’s view as Lukas helped me into the blazer that luckily went halfway down my thighs. I still felt too exposed, but at least I was covered.

Once they helped me to my feet and I was safely tucked under Lukas’ arm, Jensen glared at the crowd of students that had gathered.

“Who the fuck did this, huh? You all know what happens to people who fuck with us, so speak up!”

Caden walked past us, glancing over at me through hooded eyes, his voice quiet. “They still in the showers?”

I nodded, watching as he kicked the door hard, wood splintering as the door swung wide to reveal Claire and the girls who’d dragged me out. They stopped their gossiping, some having the decency to look scared.

If I was wearing pants, I’d have handled them myself, but after being exposed to half the school like that, all my bravery had vanished.

Claire was only in her panties and bra, but she smiled as if Caden was about to sell her a fucking puppy with a bow on it.

“Problem, Holloway? If you wanted a good time, you didn’t have to kick the door in. You know I’d let you in,” she purred.

No one moved as Caden stalked into the room and his hand shot out to grab her throat, fear flashing across her gaze as he shoved her back hard into the wall with a scowl.

“What did I say?” he asked in a low voice, the other girls scattering, their leader forgotten. I’d call them pussies, but I didn’t blame them. He was mad as fuck .

“Oh, come on. She—” Claire started, but he just shouted over the top of her.

“She’s one of us!” He slammed her hard into the wall again to get his point across, but she just chuckled, looking over at me with a nasty glint in her eye.

“It’s just one big game to them, you know?

Girls don’t join their group. They’ll fuck you until they’re bored, then all of a sudden, you’ll be dropped like a sack of shit.

You think they’re your friends? You’re just a way for them to be amused for a while.

Just you wait, Aurora. They’re making a joke out of you and you don’t even know it. ”

Caden muttered under his breath at her, making her sneer before he released his grip and stalked off without a backwards glance.

Tyler got everyone to move along, while Jensen and Lukas guided me into the locker room to collect my things. Everything was a soaking pile of fabric in one of the shower stalls, so I sighed and grabbed my bag, wringing my clothes out and shoving them into it.

I leaned against Jensen, hiding my face in his chest as his arms went around me protectively, my anxiety pushing and pulling inside of me as I tried to calm myself.

He brushed the damp hair off my face, meeting my gaze. “Let me take you home. I’ll get the Lambo later.”

I nodded, letting him lead me out of the room and through the school until we reached the parking lot, not speaking as we climbed into the Camaro and drove off.

Once he’d gotten me home to the Holloways’, he steered me upstairs to my room, pulling me against him for comfort. “Are you okay?”

“No,” I mumbled honestly, his hand cupping my cheek as he gave me a small smile. I nearly melted at how cute he looked when he did that.

“You want me to stick around for a while?” he offered, and I let out a nervous bubble of laughter.

“Should I at least put pants on?” That earned me a sly smirk from him as his thumb ran across my lower lip.

“Only if you really have to. Kind of wish it was my blazer you were naked in.”

I peered up at him, my lip twitching into a tiny smile. “Make up your mind, Gilbert. Do you want me naked, or in your clothes?”

“Trust me, you’d look better naked,” he murmured, his hands resting on my waist as if to stop them from roaming my body.

“Jense?”

“Hmm?”

“Take my mind off today,” I whispered, uncertainty crossing his handsome face.

“Aurora—”

“Just kiss me, please,” I asked, hating that I was practically begging him. I just needed the comfort and to forget about the shitty afternoon. I wanted to feel in control again, and I knew Jensen would give it to me.

For some stupid reason, these guys were slowly tearing down my walls and turning into some form of security blanket.

He groaned, his hand moving to the nape of my neck to pull me closer as he kissed me without another word, his free hand sliding down to squeeze my ass through the material.

I rubbed against him as his kiss became more desperate, until he suddenly growled and grabbed my thighs, lifting me and carrying me across the room to drop my ass down on top of the dresser.

I parted my legs and pulled him closer, letting out a breathy moan as one of his hands moved between us, his fingertips teasing my clit. The blazer fell open, exposing me to him, but I didn’t care.

Being able to be vulnerable around Jensen was like a breath of fresh air.

He yanked me forward and pushed a finger inside me, both of us groaning as he started pumping it faster. My nails dug into his shoulder through his shirt as he added another finger, his lips moving to my neck before he nipped me sharply and took me by surprise.

My legs clamped around his waist as if to hold on when the tingling started, and the moment his thumb rubbed my clit again, I detonated, pulling him closer if that were possible.

I bit his neck to silence myself until his fingers slowed, then I leaned back, his lips softly trailing over my tender skin where his teeth had nipped me.

“Holy fuck, Rory,” he said breathlessly, as if I’d been the one to rock his world instead. My body was weak from the intensity of it, and I barely remembered him tucking me into bed and closing the door on his way out as I drifted off to sleep.

Him and Caden were going to kill me with orgasms one day.

Caden

I didn’t know why I’d helped Rory. Claire had that shit planned since day one, but I’d told her to hold off on it. I didn’t like it when people disobeyed me.

Whatever my boys and I said was law, and the girls seemed to be getting too brave lately, going against our orders whenever it benefited them.

Tyler tracked me down after I’d taken off from the girl’s locker room, a satisfied look on his face as he approached. “You’re starting to like her, aren’t you?”

“Why do you say that?” I grunted, leaning against the building and lighting a cigarette with irritation. I watched as Jensen led Rory up to the parking lot, not realizing I’d made a noise of annoyance until Tyler moved in front of me with a smirk.

“You took off, for starters, but you get shitty whenever Jense even looks at her. Let him play with her for a while, you’ve had a turn.”

She was fucking with Jensen’s head. Was I the only one who saw that?

I kept catching him watching her when she wasn’t looking, and his attention usually never wandered unless a bitch was at least naked.

Then again, she was starting to fuck with my head too. I’d caught myself wondering what she was doing whenever she wasn’t with me. Only for a split-second, but the thought was still there.

“We can call this shit off if you want? Maybe we just stop and let Lukas have her. You know he’s got his hackles up about it all,” Tyler stated, snapping me from my thoughts.

She wasn’t allowed to fuck with Lukas either. He was worse than Jensen, getting big heart eyes whenever she walked into a room. I wasn’t sure why, she tried to beat him up every time he opened his mouth.

I shook my head, giving Tyler a dirty look. “Lukas doesn’t know what he wants. Leave it, I mean it.”

“Alright, it’s your call,” he shrugged, but I could hear the annoyance in his voice. They were all getting way too soft with her.