Page 39 of Volatile King (The Kings of Wayward Academy #6)

R en

As hard as I tried, I couldn’t stop thinking about Vicky.

I never wanted to think about Vicky, and now, all I could see was her devastated expression.

There was hurt and betrayal buried under her hard shell.

She’d said a few things that really hit home and forced me to look at the situation from her side.

Had she been nice to me? No. Did she deserve to be knocked down a peg? Yes. But did I feel good about yesterday? No.

My mother died, and I thought my father didn’t love me, so on some level, I understood what she was feeling.

What would I have done if I found out both my parents were lying to me from the day I was born, all in one go?

My knowledge had been a different kind of torture as it had trickled in one piece at a time.

I’d gained my heritage, but Vicky…you could see that she felt that hers had been stripped away?

Vicky had no idea who her biological father was now.

Unlike me, she had grown up as a Genovese, and the power that came with the name had become part of her personality.

I had a feeling that was all her mother’s doing.

Sleep eluded me with the constant barrage of thoughts. I shifted to wiggle my way out, and Myles’s eyes opened.

“Where are ya sneakin’ off to? Not for another late-night Nash visit, I hope.”

I blushed and shook my head.

“Just…drink.”

“Do ya want me to come with ya?”

Cupping his cheek, I kissed him softly. “No…I…good.”

“Hmm,” he grumbled, but got up and let me out before lying back down. I pulled on one of his hoodies, and he smirked.

Do you want anything from the kitchen?

“Nah, I’m fine.”

Slipping from the room, I went downstairs and spotted the shadows of guards patrolling outside. I knew there were fifty on the property and a few in the house, but if I passed them, I didn’t see them.

The kitchen was impressive in the obscenest way possible.

Three refrigerators lined one side of the wall.

There was a walk-in freezer, a commercial-sized stove with double ovens, a separate stone pizza oven, a massive island that stretched the entire length of the room, and so many cupboards that it was a game of memory to find anything.

Everything was sleek, modern, and screamed wealth.

And…what the hell was up with appliances talking? Who needed talking appliances?

Now, where were the glasses? I opened a cabinet, but all I found were bowls. The next had plates, and the one after that, smaller dessert plates. Ugh.

Turning in a circle, I noticed Vicky standing in the doorway. Her arms were crossed, hair up in a messy bun, no makeup, and a haunted look in her eyes. At least there were no knives lying out, because I was positive that she would use one on me.

She stepped into the kitchen, and I could tell she’d been crying. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her face was puffy. She pointed her manicured finger across the room.

“If you’re after a glass, they are over there.”

“Thanks.” Walking over, I opened the cupboard and sure enough, there they were. “Drink?”

“Well, I didn’t come in here for you,” she said bitterly.

Ignoring the comment, I placed the cup on the counter and took out another for myself. I moved over to the first fridge and pulled the handle.

“Next one,” Vicky chimed, leaning against the counter now.

Shifting sideways, I opened the next door and was immediately overwhelmed with the options. Unable to decide, I grabbed the first thing on the shelf.

“Water?”

“Sure. Whatever,” Vicky said.

Holding the pitcher as a barrier between us, I poured myself a drink before setting it down. It felt like I was luring a wild animal that would take my hand off if I wasn’t careful.

“I don’t understand you,” Vicky said, filling her cup. “Why are you doing this to me? You act like you want to be nice to everyone, but then you do this?”

Taking a seat at the table in the breakfast nook, I sipped some water before trying to answer. “I…didn’t…know.”

She narrowed her eyes at me. “Why are you talking so weird?”

I pointed to the side of my head. “Accident…hit…head.”

“Great, not only have you stolen everything from me, but now you really are a charity case. Papa will protect you fiercely.” She gave me two thumbs up. “Congratulations. This is a coup that even I couldn’t have planned.”

I glared at her. “I…no…this.”

“You know this?”

“No,” I growled in frustration.

“No…want…this,” I said.

Vicky scoffed.

“Maybe, maybe not. But you can’t deny that it works to your advantage, being the wounded little bird. Poor Ren, her mother died. Poor Ren has no friends. Poor Ren steals my man. Poor Ren is the victim again. Poor Ren steals my papa to be her own. Boo-fucking-hoo.”

I shook my head and pointed at her.

“You…ridiculous.”

“Me? How am I ridiculous? Or is that too many big words for you to handle?”

“Shut up, Vicky,” Myles said, walking into the kitchen. “Ya don’t have a feckin’ clue about anythin’ and yer too quick to spout off.”

Vicky turned her glare on Myles like she was excited to have a real adversary with my weaken state.

“Fuck you, Myles. I’m entitled to my feelings. Ren has systematically destroyed my life from day one.”

“Yer so full of shite, yer eyes are brown,” he said, coming to stand beside me. “Have ya ever taken a good long look in the mirror?”

“I’m amazing,” she said.

“To who? Yer mommy? The only reason we ever tolerated you or any of yer shallow friends was because you were fuckin’ Nash. We never liked ya. You want to know why?”

“I don’t have to listen to this,” Vicky snarled. Grabbing her glass of water, she marched for the door.

“Because yer rude, untrustworthy, and only ever think about yerself.” She paused but didn’t turn around.

“Do ya really think Ren wanted to be in that limo? Ya think she enjoys spending hours a day relearning how to speak? If ya genuinely believe that, then yer a bigger idiot, and more self-centered than I already think ya are.”

That was a bit harsh after everything she had learned today, so I touched his arm to stop him.

Vicky spun around, anger burning in her eyes.

“Don’t you get it? It doesn’t matter if she wanted it to happen.

She always comes out smelling like a fucking rose.

It doesn’t matter what she does. She’s still perfect.

I mean, she effectively cheated on you with your best friend, and instead of being pissed off, you let him join.

Now, she’s collecting you all like her own private harem of men. What the fuck is that?”

“What we have is something you can’t comprehend because no one has ever loved ya,” he bit out. “Well…except for yer father. Then again, can ya really trust his love? Yer not even his.”

Vicky took a step back, her lower lip shaking as she tried to hold off tears.

“Myles…stop.” He looked down at me.

“She needs to hear this. Always so happy to dish it out but can’t take a little truth. Is that it?”

“No…not…the…time.” I tried again.

“Wait, wait, wait.” Vicky’s eyes bounced between Myles and me. “She was in the limo with my papa. I’ve heard the rumors that it was your father who shot up Volatile and caused the accident.”

Myles didn’t deny the claim. “And?” Myles narrowed his eyes into a glare. “Yer point?”

“So…you must feel really fucking guilty. You weren’t man enough to kill your father when you had multiple chances. He almost killed your girlfriend and my papa, and now her brain is fucked up.” She snickered. “I thought I had baggage.”

Myles took a step toward her, and I grabbed his wrist, stopping him.

“See, I knew it. I hit a nerve,” Vicky said, gloating that she’d put the pieces together.

It didn’t matter that everything she just said was completely out of context.

“You know nothing,” Myles growled.

“So you keep saying. But from where I’m standing, you had ample opportunity to take your father out.

We all knew he beat you. Why didn’t you just shoot him?

You act tough…mean Echo who will make you pay,” Vicky said, putting on a villain-like voice.

“One piece of lead and a gun would’ve solved your issues, instead you took it like a little bitch. Over and over again.”

Vicky turned her gaze to me.

“I’d watch out if I were you, Ren. You know what they say…history loves to repeat itself. One day, you just might find yourself falling from a ladder like his mother did.”

Myles lunged for Vicky with a roar, but I still had hold of his wrist. My grip was just enough for Vicky to laugh and walk out.

“Bitch,” Myles growled as he followed Vicky out of the kitchen. He was dragging me along like a little mop behind him, my socked feet sliding on the tile.

“Stop…Myles…please.”

He froze, his body shaking and rage flowing off him in waves.

“Please,” I begged again.

Myles slowly turned, his eyes searching my face. “Tell me ya don’t believe her. I would never.”

Wrapping my arms around him, I pressed my head over his heart. It was pounding hard under my ear.

“No,” I said, and hugged him tighter. We stood like that until he stopped shaking. Myles kissed the top of my head, and I sighed. “She…hurt…wants…lash…out.”

Stepping back, I signed.

Sadly, I think I’m starting to understand Vicky.

“What do ya mean?”

She strikes out because she is scared. She is sensitive.

I tapped over my heart. Myles scoffed and crossed his arms.

“I doubt that.”

I shook my head.

I can see it in her eyes, maybe because I have found some peace with my life. I have all of you. Great friends. My father. I know who I am. I see the insecurity in her.

“Okay, but that doesn’t explain why she is such a…cunt.”

She is still a cunt. I smiled, and Myles laughed.

Vicky said something yesterday that I can’t stop thinking about. She said she and her mother stayed here all the time. Eddie said they didn’t have a normal relationship from day one, and she blamed herself. I think she is insecure and starved for affection. I know it sounds crazy.

“Then why keep doing things to push everyone away? To alienate everyone? Why not just be a decent fucking person?”

Because it is safer to be alone than to open yourself up to getting hurt.

“I don’t know. That seems to be a stretch. I think she is just a raging bitch, and you’re just wanting to see the good in her. But there is none.”

All bullies do what they do to feel special, powerful, and important. Think about it, even sleeping with Lawrence was just for attention, who did that hurt?

“Yuck…I don’t even want to think about that.” Myles gagged.

Exactly. Yes, I’m sure it was to get back at Nash. But don’t you find it extreme? Like really extreme? If we broke up, would you try to sleep with my mum if she was still alive?

Myles’s face screwed up. “Nah…never. That’s horrible.”

I keep thinking Vicky is just shallow, but the look in her eyes…she seems more like someone set on punishing themself and pushing everyone away. There is something there. I feel it.

Myles looked over his shoulder to where Vicky had disappeared.

“I think yer giving her too much credit,” he said.

I shrugged. “Maybe.”

He sighed.

“Come on back to bed. I’m done talking about Vicky for one night. Just lookin’ at her, hurts me head.”

Walking back to the table, I grabbed my water glass and rejoined Myles, but the more I thought it through, the more I believed it.

Vicky wasn’t evil. She wanted us all to think she was invincible. She was like a scared animal, and the only way she and I were going to learn to co-exist as sisters was if I found a way to make her see that I wasn’t going to hurt her.

But…who made her this way?