Page 54 of Pretty Lies (Watch Me Burn #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

RORY

“ I t’s okay, I’ve got you,” Tyler soothed as I woke up covered in sweat at some ungodly hour in the morning. I instantly grabbed his arm to anchor myself as he sat beside me, pulling my body against his to stroke my back in a calming motion.

I needed to get out of my own fucking head.

He rocked us gently until I peered up at him, desperation in my gaze.

“I need it to just stop, Ty. I want to get wasted and blackout, but last time I got wasted, I was stupid and got taken. My brain won’t turn off.”

“You want to sit in the den with me while you get drunk? I’ll stay with you. I think a shower would relax you too, you’re soaked, babe,” he murmured, making me realize just how drenched I was. My clothes stuck to me like I’d been swimming.

“Yeah, a shower might be a good idea.”

“C’mon, I’ll take you and sit outside the door,” he offered, helping me out of bed and leading me to the bathroom, grabbing me one of his shirts and a pair of boxers on the way. It was better than nothing. He didn’t grab anything for himself, being more than content in his boxers.

The bathroom light blinded me as he switched it on and made a show of checking the room for danger, then he turned the shower on and adjusted the temperature before turning to me.

“I’ll be just outside if you need me. No one will come in, but keep the door unlocked in case you need me,” he said as he handed the clothes over to me, waiting for me to nod before he stepped out of the room and closed the door to give me privacy.

My arms felt heavy as I pulled the drenched shirt over my head and dropped it on the floor before kicking the boxers off, stepping under the hot spray and instantly sitting down to hug my knees.

I let the water run over me for a while before I realized I was crying, my sobs getting louder until Tyler softly knocked on the door.

“Rory? Are you okay?”

I couldn’t reply, my throat so tight that it choked me, and I hugged my knees tighter until my joints screamed in protest.

“Reply or I’ll come in and check on you,” he said after a moment, the door clicking open when I continued to sob, and he shut it gently behind him when he saw me crying on the floor of the shower.

The shower door opened, and the cool air washed over me, making me shiver. I expected him to turn the water off, but he stepped in and dropped down beside me, draping an arm around my shoulders to pull me against him.

“You can cry while I watch out for you,” he said softly, making me cry even harder somehow, and I turned into him for comfort as the pair of us sat there getting drenched.

He was still in his boxers and the water was pelting down on his head, but he didn’t move.

“I’m sorry I hurt you. It was stupid,” he murmured into my hair after a few minutes of silence, making me lean into him even more as I closed my eyes. The memory of that day rushed back to me as I replied in a shaky voice, hating to admit the truth to him.

“You guys ruined me.”

“I know, baby,” he whispered, holding me a little tighter just as there was a knock on the door and Lukas’ muffled voice came through it.

“Yo, Ty. You in there?”

“Yeah.”

“Have you seen Rory? Caden’s freaking out because she’s not in bed,” he called out, my body going tense. I didn’t want them all barging in and witnessing this.

Tyler’s hand gently caressed my spine to soothe me, his voice firm. “She’s okay.”

Lukas was quiet for a moment before speaking again, confusion lingering in his tone.

“She’s in there with you?”

“Bad nightmare. Let him know I’ve got her and to give her some space.”

Once Lukas’ footsteps walked away from the door, I peered up at Tyler with a frown. “They’re gonna think we’re up to no good, you know?”

“Trust me, no one’s going to think that, but who cares what they think anyway? You need me right now, so I’m here,” he said honestly, kissing the top of my head as if to prove his point. I was too fragile to not believe his words, so I pushed the doubt down and nodded.

When we climbed out, he dried me before helping me into the clothes that he’d let me borrow so we could head down to the den. They all seemed to have their own clothes at each other’s houses, lucky for me.

Caden was sitting behind a desk, looking lost in thought when we entered, his gaze running over me before he spoke. “Luke said you had a nightmare. You okay?”

I gave him a nod, letting Tyler tug me down onto the couch beside him.

“I’m okay.”

“You can go back to bed if you’d like. It’s only six in the morning.”

“I can’t go back to sleep now, and I got out of bed for some whiskey. Do you have any cigarettes?” I asked, and he shot Tyler an unimpressed glance about the whiskey as he stood and placed his cigarettes in front of me.

“I’ll leave you guys to it then.” He turned to leave but I grabbed his hand to stop him.

“I loved you too, Caden. Just as much as I loved Jensen. I never had a favorite with any of you. I just wanted you to know that.”

I had no idea why I’d blurted that out, but I was sick of all the fighting and backstabbing. I wasn’t sure if I could ever trust them again, but at least they’d know how I really felt and what they’d lost.

His expression softened and he sighed, sitting beside me.

“And now?” he asked almost timidly, meeting my gaze.

I’d never seen those green eyes look so vulnerable before, but big, bad Caden Holloway looked ready to fucking crumble as I reached a hand out to rest on his cheek.

“The only reason I haven’t stabbed you is because I still love you, but I can’t go through any of that again. You’ll just have to deal with the fact that you fucked up and ruined something that could’ve been really good.”

He looked ready to argue but nodded, leaning back as I dropped my hand. The least they could do was give me strength until I was ready to face the world again, but they’d never get me back.

Our future together had been shattered, thanks to their games that had destroyed the trust I’d given them. I wasn’t giving second chances.

“Be a good ex-stepbrother and get me some whiskey. I think I deserve it.”

He silently got to his feet and walked out to get some, and I smoked while I waited for him to return. I wasn’t surprised when he didn’t stick around though, leaving me with Tyler to drown my sorrows while he went and tended to his bruised heart.

Skeeter

“She’s okay?” Diesel asked as I sat at the bar at the Shed early in the morning, contemplating how to make Tristan’s death as painful as possible. No wonder our old leader, Savage, used to be happy doing business with him. They were as vile as each other.

They’d laugh and claim women were weak because of how easy they were to assault and break, but men could be raped and tortured just as badly.

I’d bet forcing a dick in a guy’s dry ass for hours would leave them just as damaged.

“It’s emotional trauma more than physical.

He really fucked her up,” I muttered, glaring at Slash from across the room.

He was laughing at something Brick was saying, not seeming to give a shit that one of the girls that technically worked for us had been assaulted, let alone the fact that it was the girl who I’d formed an interest in.

He’d brushed it off when I’d asked for us to handle Tristan, claiming it was too risky since the asshole had connections. It would be a noticeable death, one that we couldn’t afford right now.

I might have punched him in the kidney for that.

“What are we going to do? Would she feel safer if we hung around the house to keep an eye out? I doubt Tristan will show up, but it might help her sleep better,” he offered, a small smile forming on my lips.

Diesel and I didn’t always see eye-to-eye, but I could always count on him when it mattered.

He understood the mental damage rape could cause a woman, seeing it firsthand himself. It still haunted him, that much I knew.

“I’m being selfish bringing her into my life, aren’t I?” I asked, earning a sad smile in return.

“We do dumb shit for pretty girls. Convince ourselves that we can keep them safe from the darkness in our lives, but we can’t make promises to them like that.

Those promises get broken and destroy you.

I like Donovan, she’s got a fire in her soul, but she’s been through enough.

Trust me when I tell you that letting her go now will hurt less than losing her to something worse later. ”

“I’m a better villain than a hero, but you make a good point,” I mumbled, raking a hand through my hair.

“Cut her off, I mean it. No casual sex and no more cage fighting. Keep her as far away from this place as you can before it kills her. Holloway and his boys fucked up, but they’ll keep her safe.

It’s the right thing to do,” he said as he patted my shoulder, motioning to Slash.

“He’s being a dick, but I think some of it’s for her own good. ”

I eyed Slash as he glanced in our direction, frowning when he realized we were talking about him.

“She’s going to flip out if she’s banned from the fights, and I don’t think Slash will like it either. She makes good money.”

“Let her hate you. At least she’ll be alive to do it. Tell Slash this is the only option for you to stay away from her. He’ll agree.”

“I need to check on her before walking away. I told her I would.”

“I’ll come with you if you want. I’d like to see her too,” he said instantly, and Slash suddenly joined the conversation.

“You’re going to see Donovan.” It wasn’t a question.

“Get off my back about it. I’m going to check on her like I said I would, then we’re done. You’re right, she’s going to end up killed if she stays. If I have to cut her off for her own safety, then she’s cut off from fighting too,” I said firmly, surprise registering in his eyes before he nodded.

“Done. You’re making the right choice, Skeet. Let the rich boys have her.”

“I’m heading over to see her with D, we’ll be back later,” I sighed, and thankfully, he let us go without an argument.