Page 46 of The Sweetest Cruelty: Hudson (A Sawyer Brothers Story #1)

Everyone else stood at the bottom of the driveway and watched.

“Is he OK?” I heard Molly’s voice, full of worry, and it lifted some more of my ire. I had scared her, and yet she still cared. Her comment about me not recognising a genuinely caring person burst through my brain.

“He will be. Look, everyone, cool it. I’ve got an Uber on the way,” Reed, Mr. Fucking Fix-it piped up.

As the cab arrived, we left the party I felt as wired as fuck .

No one said much on the drive home, and the atmosphere was tense. You could tell the driver felt it as he soon shut his mouth after moaning about the pitfalls of electric cars.

I couldn’t even look at Molly. She had seen me for the psycho I was, and shame thrummed through me.

The last week had been torture, and I knew that the news about my father had added extra fuel to the fire Creed had started tonight.

Ma had contacted the warden’s assistant, who had explained that I needed to collect Callum Gage’s belongings within thirty days or they would be incinerated.

I’d already agreed to his body being destroyed without a funeral.

The thought of driving over there to pick up my father’s shit was constantly on my mind.

I could leave it, but thoughts of there being something in there that had belonged to my mother kept me rethinking that decision.

Ma had suggested I homeschool myself the whole week, knowing that the slightest hiccup at school could send me over the edge.

She had also offered to collect Callum’s stuff herself.

Everything he owned was sitting waiting in a banker's box. Ma also explained that there was some money, as the remains of Callum’s bank account would be made out into a check once his death certificate was issued.

The thought of taking anything off that cunt, made my skin crawl.

I had told her to hold off. I could always pick up his meagre shit and then burn it.

“You shouldn’t have touched him,” Reed unhelpfully admonished, breaking through my reflexions.

“Thank you, Captain Obvious,” I muttered back, the muscles in my jaw tensing.

As rational thought entered my head, I knew I shouldn’t have attacked Xander. If he told his father, there was a chance Anton would retaliate. Thoughts of being taken into the woods and kneecapped swam around my head.

I glanced at Molly, who had remained silent during the entire journey. She stared out of the window with a vacant look. It felt awkward, I’m not going to lie. I was desperate to speak to her and find out if she was OK, but not in front of everyone.

“Fuck me. It’s not even ten thirty. Can’t we go into the city?” Phoenix whined from the back.

“I’ll go into the city,” Harper said brightly, but was instantly shot down in flames.

“You’re going nowhere but bed,” Phoenix blasted back.

“No, the party is over,” I replied firmly .

“I was enjoying the one we were at before dickless went all Karate Kid on that motherfucker,” Micah huffed. “Tate and I were getting real close.”

Turning in my seat, I scowled. “I throttled him, it’s hardly Bruce Lee, and you should be thanking me.”

“Thank you for giving me blue balls?”

I cut him a look, “Yes and from the STD that would no doubt follow. Do you want it to burn when you piss?”

“Who cares. I was this close from getting her to agree to anal. You do the math?” Micah whispered loudly, motioning with his finger and thumb at the words this close .

“Men. You’re all gross,” Harper snorted.

The cab drew outside what I assumed would be Molly’s house, and Reed opened the door and climbed out.

She was sitting in the middle between Reed and Harper.

Micah and Phoenix were on the row behind, and I was riding shotgun.

I glanced around the area. I didn’t realize Principal Dick lived this close to Ma.

“Well, I’ll say goodnight then. Thanks for the lift.”

Everyone grunted their uncomfortable goodbye’s but I remained silent.

As we sat there with the engine running, I heard another door open as Harper climbed out.

“Harper!” Phoenix shouted.

“Give me a minute. Molly, wait up.”

Harper raced around the front of the cab and threw her arms around her.

The girls hugged, and I saw Harper flinch as Molly’s eyes met mine through the window.

Molly didn’t look disgusted like I had expected her to.

More curious and it lit a twinge of hope that I hadn’t totally fucked things up with her.

She shot me a small smile, and I attempted to return it.

As Reed and Harper got back in the car, I saw Harper was holding her shoulder, her expression pained.

“Did you hurt yourself?” I asked as I turned to the back. Harper’s eyes flashed to mine before Phoenix’s voice distracted her.

“Is it your shoulder, Harper?”

“Was I talking to you?” I snarled at Phoenix, but he coolly flipped me off.

Her hand dropped as she shot back, “It’s fine. Just stiff.”

What the fuck was wrong with Harper’s shoulder ?

Realising I didn’t have time for the fucking code that seemed to exist only between Harper and Nix, I turned to the driver. “Let’s go.”

Once we arrived home, everyone went their separate ways, apart from Nix, who followed me up the stairs. Ma was already in bed.

“Hey. We good, brother?”

“Always,” I replied. We hugged and slapped each other’s backs before heading to our bedrooms, which were next to each other.

I threw myself onto the bed, taking out my phone and messaging Molly two words I meant with my entire being.

I’m sorry.

Molly Miller. The principal’s daughter, who was now the object of my obsession.

My mind was so screwed up. Did I want to break her or make her mine? Destroy her or protect her?

Molly was tunnelling under my skin, and I had nothing left to stop her with.

But after my performance at the party. Had I blown it for good?

MOLLY

What a bizarre world I had stumbled into. I can honestly say I had never seen that degree of aggression up close before. It should have been terrifying, but it wasn’t.

After I had processed the shock, I found the drama exciting.

Hudson looked magnificent, so full of rage and retribution.

His behaviour was fascinating, and I wondered how it felt to have an outlet to channel your angst in a proper, no-holes-barred approach.

How many times had I wanted to lash out when I found out my mother had been taken from me?

I wasn’t quite sure of Hudson’s reasoning behind the attack. Had I made him jealous, or was it more about Micah? I had heard Xander call me Hudson’s girl, and he hadn’t corrected him.

The thought made my insides dance.

The word drug baron filtered into my thoughts.

Was that the case? Xander had confessed to selling the occasional doobie, as he called it.

I knew a couple of boys at my school in England who sold marijuana for extra cash.

I wouldn’t have called them hardened criminals, though.

They were stupid but harmless enough. Lisa had tried it a few times, but I had never been bothered.

I let myself into the house. The lights were on, and I knew my father had waited for me.

It was just before eleven, so I was back way before curfew.

Luckily, I had spent most of the time when I’d been talking to Xander drinking water, and the effects of the small amount of booze I had ingested had worn off.

Drug baron swam around my head again, but I shelved it.

“You’re back early. Did you have a good time?” Dad said as he came into the hall from the kitchen. “Goodness, you smell smoky.”

“I was standing close to the barbecue for part of the night.”

I took off my shoes and spent a few minutes lying, saying it was all fine.

I got to my room, turned on the light and dropped my bag. I took out my phone and half expected to see a message from Harper, but there was one from Hudson.

I’m sorry.

Shock vibrated through my muscles. I had assumed there was more chance of being struck by lightning than getting an apology from Hudson after that level of outburst. It appeared I was wrong.

Balancing a hip on my dressing table, I replied . It’s fine, don’t worry. But it’s late. Maybe we can talk about it tomorrow? Turning to switch the lamp on, I eyed my bed, relief pumping through my veins that Hudson had made the first move.

Tomorrow?

Yes. Our tutoring agreement. You bailed last Sunday. I’m free tomorrow.

There was a huge pause before he replied, and I placed my phone on my bed and padded over to the bathroom. Fuck I was tired.

After changing into my shortie PJs, I returned to my room and lifted my phone.

You still want to tutor me, even though you’ve now met my monster?

Walking past my window, I turned down the comforter on my bed (my father’s word for duvet), toying with my answer.

He wasn’t so bad. I’ve seen worse. I hadn’t, but I wanted to play tonight's outburst down. If I made a big deal about it, Hudson would feel like the psycho he believed himself to be. And I knew there was more to him than that.

I found his reply interesting. Me too .

As I was about to question him, I held back and asked. So, do you want to work on your maths tomorrow?

You mean math? Hudson added a LOL emoji. Wow. I did not see Hudson as an emoji user.

Whatever. I added an eyerolling one, attempting to meet him halfway.

Do you mind if we leave it for a few weeks? I have shit to deal with before I can safely let you into my room.

My nose scrunched at the word safely. Surely things had changed between us now?

Before I could reply, another message fell below that one. Nice pyjamas.

My tummy flipped, and I skittered towards the window, noticing I had yet to close the blinds.

Looking out into the dark, quiet street, I scanned the pavement past our driveway.

And there he was. Hudson Gage.

He was leaning against my father’s parked car, with the dull glow of light across his face. One hand was in the pocket of his jeans, and the other held his phone.

Hudson was looking up into my bedroom window, and I smiled down at him.

Raising my hand, I placed it on the glass as our gazes remained intertwined.

And. Hudson. Smiled. Back.

My phone vibrated again, and I glanced away.

I’ll see you at school, just Molly.

Deal. I messaged.

And can I ask you a favour? Hudson replied.

Another one? My lips twisted, and I raised an eyebrow at him through my window. Even from a distance, I could see how the street lamp highlighted the amusement across his features. Hudson had a gorgeous smile.

Pursing my lips, I nodded, yes, through the glass without replying.

His next words made me gooey inside as I knew it would happen anyway.

Dream of me.

After reading those words, I lowered my phone and gently closed the blinds. I decided against replying. Part of me was still worried that he was messing with me.

As I lay in bed that night, I eventually fell asleep.

My hopes of dreaming of happy ever afters were once again smothered by images of my past, but this time. This time. I wasn’t alone.