Chapter Twenty-Six— We Are Bad News

Nickolas slept at my house the next night, mostly so that my foster parents would see me and know I was there. They didn’t say anything about school, so at least they didn’t call. I almost thought they would since I was partially involved. They hadn’t even called Kim yet.

Dahlia had a ride from her friend’s mom, so Nickolas was safe to stay with me in the morning. We were quiet until we heard everyone leave, then I finished getting ready in my room. I threw on the uniform I hated, and Nickolas tied my tie for me.

“Are you coming?” I asked.

He grinned. “Not at the moment.”

I eyed him, trying to keep the annoyance and a smirk at bay. “Are you coming to school, you deviant?”

He turned serious. “I almost killed him, Cupcake. I can’t go back.”

“What are you gonna do? Just not graduate?”

He shrugged.

“No, you don’t get to be apathetic about this.”

He sat on my bed and held my hips. “I’m lucky the police didn’t come for me. He might not have pressed charges, but there’s no way the school is letting me back.”

I tried not to pout. “I don’t want to be there without you. Who’s gonna ‘accidentally’ grope me when we’re playing basketball in gym? Or sneak filthy comments into my ear in government?”

“Mona,” he said with a grimace.

“You know I don’t have those classes with her…”

He pulled me closer, so he could press his lips to my stomach and looked up at me. “I don’t like being away from you either. Nash can come and get you and there’s not a damn thing I can do. The only thing keeping me level is that he won’t hurt you.”

“There are a lot of ways to hurt someone, Nickolas.”

“I know. But you’re going to keep your phone on you the whole day. Any sign of anything, you call me and your wolf will be there to kill anything that touches you.”

“You can’t just kill him for thinking I’m his mate. You did the same thing he did.” I was almost terrified of Nash at this point, but he hasn’t earned death. He just needed to leave us alone and I’d be happy.

His brow arched and I almost thought he was mad at me. “I didn’t insinuate that I’m going to kidnap you.”

“Well, you broke into my house.”

“To sleep next to you. I brought my little sister, there was nothing sinister about the act. He snuck into your room and did God knows what. Just please, be safe today.”

I nodded. “What if there’s no time to call you.”

His smile was small. “You’re a clever girl, Posey. I know you’ll find a way to get to me safely.”

I still wanted to know what started this mess. How could the whole school find out something that wasn’t even in his records anymore? I would make it my mission today to figure that out.

“We should go,” he sighed and stood. “You’ve missed too much school already.”

“I’m probably not graduating.”

“Nonsense.” He patted my shoulder. “You’ll graduate. I probably won’t.”

We went downstairs and out to the car after Nickolas did a quick check to make sure he didn’t catch Nash’s scent. He said it was clear and all he smelled was his own scent, and my foster family.

He drove slowly to the school. I thought that part of him was wishing I would change my mind and go back home with him. I would have if it weren’t for government. I was passing all my classes with A’s but that one. We turned in our assignment, but I was still pulling a C. If I failed that final, I wouldn’t graduate. Everything else I could get away with.

We parked in the lot and I picked up my backpack, taking one last look at Nickolas before I had to go off for a day of misery. He caught my sadness and leaned in, putting his hand on my face to kiss me goodbye. He promised that after school, he’d make up for me having to go in alone. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I had hopes…

“I love you,” he said. “Stay safe.”

“I will.” I kissed his cheek and got out of the car. And I wish I never left it.

The lot was full of students. Students who knew whose car I had been in. Who was in it now. They looked at me with distain as they moved along. I heard the whispers and I tried not to. I failed.

“…can’t believe she’s screwing such a psycho…”

“…Eddie’s in the ICU for at least another two days. Weaver should be in prison for…”

One girl looked right at me for hers. She walked with her friend and said, “Clearly it’s her fault. He only hit him after he commented on the bitch.”

And, I was done. I opened the door of the car that I wasn’t brave enough to walk away from, and I sat my ass back down.

“Posey,” Nickolas said.

I looked at my feet instead of him. “Can you take me home? I don’t want to be here today.”

He hugged me. “I’m so sorry. This is all my—”

“WAAAIT!!” I heard being screamed from outside of the car. The back door opened, and a body flew inside. It was cursing and fumbling around. “WHAT IS A FUCKING BOOSTER SEAT DOING IN HERE!?” Mona screamed as she shuffled around. She was on her stomach and her legs flailed.

“Is that Mickey Mouse on your butt?” I said after getting a pretty good look at her underwear during the flailing.

She slammed the door shut after she righted herself. Her hair was all over the place as she tried fixing it. “You wish you were as cool as me,” she said. “Oh, and what the fuck, sweet pea? I called a hundred times.” She patted Nickolas’ shoulder. “Drive, Bitterman. We need to get the fuck outta Dodge.”

He rolled his eyes, but left the parking lot.

“Um, what are you almost getting yourself killed for?” I asked her.

“Well, you’d know if you answered your phone. I called you when that hot English dude came sniffing around the school.”

Nickolas tensed. “Nash?”

Mona snapped and pointed at him. “Yeah. That’s his name. He was here a few days ago. He was talking to my cheer bitches about you. I don’t know why, but he was talking about your mom. He was telling them how she died. I’m sorry, Nick.”

I turned to her. “Did he say anything else?”

She shook her head. “Just that. How do you know him?”

He gripped the wheel. “He’s been bothering me for years. I guess he wanted some kind of retribution for what he thinks I took from him.”

“Being?” Mona asked.

“Me,” I said. “Nash thinks Nickolas took me from him.”

“Pretty extreme thing to do just because he thinks Nick’s screwing you.”

Nickolas cut in. “Not as extreme as this is going to get.”

She looked back at the booster. “Are you going to tell me what this is, Nick? Did you and Posey already make Mona Jr.?”

“It’s for Dahlia,” he said.

Her eyebrows pinched together. “Your mom?”

“My mother’s name was Camellia. Dahlia is my sister.”

“Oh,” Mona said. “I always wondered about that tattoo. I assumed it was your mom. I, uh, I didn’t know you had a sister.”

“By design. I don’t tell people about her for a reason.”

I sat forward when I thought of something. “If Nash wanted to piss you off, why didn’t he tell everyone about Dahlia too?”

He breathed out. “That might put her in danger. He still wants her.”

“Huh?” Mona said. “Why does he want your sister and my lady friend?”

Nickolas shot me a look and didn’t say anything. So I did. “Long story, Mona. Not one that we should share the details with.”

She booed me. She freaking booed me. “You suck.”

We were turning a corner and Nickolas said, “Where do you live?”

“Nuh uh. Can’t go home. Mom’s hosting a business lunch and she’ll pitch a fit if I show up in the middle of it. You’re taking me to your humble abode, Tall, Pale, and Secretive.”

He wasn’t into that idea, but he didn’t fight her. He just took his turn and brought us to his house. We went in and she made a bunch of comments on how modest it was for the money he had. Then she threw her shoes in the basket with us.

Her hands went to her hips. “Who wants Chinese for lunch?” She marched past us and sashayed right to Nickolas’ room. How she knew where it was, I’ll never be sure.

She hopped on his bed and Nickolas leaned against the wall, staring daggers at her. “Mine,” he said.

She was on her stomach, looking up at him. “I let you have Posey, you can let me lie on your bed.”

He rolled his eyes. “You let me have Posey?”

“I did. She was in the palm of my…” Her eyes got distant as her gaze landed on my finger. “Holy fucking fuck!” She shot out of bed and ran to me. She held my hand closer to her. “What is this?” She waved my hand in the air.

“Um, a ring,” I said.

“On your marriage-y finger! Did you bastards get engaged? You ditched school for a marathon screwing session after you got engaged! I KNEW IT!”

My eyes darted around. “Wasn’t a marathon…” Just the one time, actually. It’s hard trying to find time when there’s either a kid in the house, or you’re in your room at your foster parents house.

“AHH!” Mona jumped up and down. “That’s so cool! And so terrifying! You’re getting married!”

I nodded. “Eventually.”

Nickolas eyed me. “Soon, Cupcake.”

Mona hugged me. “I’m happy for you crazy kids. Like, legit crazy, though. You’re still in high school.”

Nickolas glared at her next. “Don’t convince her we’re too young, please. I just got her to agree to this.”

She waved her hand. “Of course not. Let’s celebrate with a three-way. Nick, you can wait outside while Posey and I get started.”

He crossed his arms.

“Just kidding,” she said. “But how was she? Was she as amazing as I know she was?”

He sighed. “That’s just something you’ll never get to know. I was amazing, though.”

I smacked his arm lightly. “Jeez, Nickolas. Tone it down.”

He eventually decided it was okay that Mona sat on the bed. I think it helped that I sat him on the other side, and got in his lap. He had his chin on my shoulder and his arms around me. Mona forced a picture on us but Nickolas didn’t mind it.

Mona also forced Chinese on us when the time came. She paid, so we couldn’t really complain. We sat on the floor as to not get the bed messy. Mona wasn’t trusted to not go nuts. We watched her eat a pound of rice all by herself while we tried to not throw up.

“So,” she said with a full mouth of egg roll. “What are you guys doing about school? Everyone is flipping their shit over what happened. And since I wasn’t there, I don’t actually know what happened. Someone said Nick shanked Ed.”

I scoffed. “Ed was saying some shit that should have earned him a trip to a morgue. Nickolas just hit him a couple of times.”

He glanced at me while he stabbed at his chicken with a fork. “You’re bias, Posey. I nearly beat his skull in.”

“What did he say?” Mona asked.

Nickolas hesitated. “You know about my mom?”

She nodded. And he told her what Ed said about Nickolas’ mom, dad, and me. Then fury flashed in Mona’s eyes. “Good thing he’s already in the hospital. Otherwise I would have done worse than Mr. Sweet Pea did.” She pointed at Nickolas. “Still might.”

We all heard the front door open before we heard, “Nick! Where are you?” It was Kim. She was home a lot sooner than she should have been.

Nickolas got up to open the door. “In here.”

She had her hands on her hips, her shoes off, and her tongue touching her canine as she slowly walked into the room. “Got a call today, Nick,” she sighed. “You wanna tell me what happened at school?”

Nickolas stared at her and shrugged. “How about you tell me how you found out?”

She huffed. “I got a call from your school. You’re expelled by the way, and I couldn’t talk them out of it. They told me that you beat the hell out of some kid. Again. What happened this time? He look at ya funny?”

Nickolas braced himself. Then he told her. The second that Mr. Weaver came up, her whole stance changed. What had been annoyance, was now impotent fury. Not a bit of that rage was directed at her stepson.

“I’ll kill him,” she said. “That little bastard’ll regret ever deciding to show up to school.” She pulled her phone from her pocket.

Nickolas put his hands over hers. She looked at him when he spoke, tears in her eyes. “Don’t do that. The kid is damaged. Trust me when I say I got more than a fair revenge out of this.”

“I don’t care,” her voice shook. “He shouldn’t have said that about your parents. You. Or Tiger Lily.” She smiled at me.

I smiled back. “Come on, Kimmy, you weren’t even trying on that one.”

She shrugged and sniffled. “I ran out of P flowers.”

Mona and I stood up. I shuffled over to Nickolas. “What do we do now?”

“Nothing,” Kim said. “The little prick’s family isn’t pressing charges, but Nick can’t come within a hundred feet of the school.”

“Too bad,” he said. “I’m taking Posey to school and picking her up. She can’t walk alone.”

Kim’s brow arched before she glanced at me, then Mona, and back to Nickolas. “Why’s that?”

“Nash?” Mona guessed. “Are you really worried about that creep?”

“Mona…” I said. I didn’t know how to explain.

Kim got what Mona didn’t. “Nash is still here?”

Nickolas nodded in conformation. “He came for Dahlia, but he’s staying for Posey.”

Worry flickered in her eyes. “Mona, is it?” She looked to our friend. “How good are you at secret keeping? Your choices are to go home or to keep quiet.”

Mona smirked. “I’m good with my mouth, so you can trust me.”

“Um,” Nickolas cut in. “No. We don’t go around sharing trade secrets with the locals.”

Mona cocked a hip and crossed her arms. “Buddy, I found out a lotta stuff today. I sure would like to know the rest, without having to threaten you.”

“With?” he said to the challenge.

“How about I show your missus just what she could get if she let me have at her.”

“Mrs.?” Kim asked. “What’s that now?”

Dammit.

“Kim,” Nickolas sighed, “I don’t think this is the time to discuss this, but we’re getting married.”

She shook her head. “Fucking mate shit.”

“Mate?” Mona laughed. “What are you, Nick, a werewolf?”

Kim laughed and coughed to cover up mine. That only worked for a few seconds. I stopped when Nickolas glared at me.

I patted his chest. “It’s okay, Nicky. I love wolves.” I gave him a peck on the lips.

Mona threw her hands in the air. “You guys wanna tell me what’s going on now?”

I looked at the watch that wasn’t on my wrist. “Oh look, Dahlia is getting out of daycare soon. Nickolas, we should get her. And bring Mona home.”

He nodded. “Wonderful idea, Cupcake.”

He dragged me along and Mona yelled at us the whole time for not telling her what was up. To be fair, Kim had no right to offer. Mona got in the back seat of the car and didn’t stop complaining for a second.

“We’re not telling you,” Nickolas said. “Trust me when I say that you don’t wanna know the rest.”

She pouted as we went to get Dahlia. She stayed in the car with me while Nickolas went alone.

As she was getting buckled into her seat, she said, “Who are you?”

“Mona,” the girl smiled and held her hand out. “Nice you meet you, kiddo.” She shook her hand.

“Are you coming home with us?”

She clicked her tongue. “Nope. Nick and Posey decided that I needed to go back to my house. But don’t you worry, I’ll get the truth out of them.” She eyed me. “Soon.”

We dropped Mona off at her house and headed back to Nickolas’. Kim took her since she was actually home. I think that part of it was how upset she was over what happened to Nickolas.

It was clear for the very first time just how much she loved Mr. Weaver. The mention of him being spoken of in a bad way sent her into a depression that was obvious. When we got back, she was in jam mies and her hair was up. She was at the table eating from a carton of ice cream. Dahlia being there seemed to perk her up. Nickolas and I went back to his room.

I sat down in his chair and spun left and right, trying to clear my mind from all the stress trying to consume me. I knew today was my last day. I had to go back to school tomorrow and I had to do it alone. Be brave even when I didn’t want to be.

I watched Nickolas sit on his bed and play his guitar. His eyes were on nothing at all while his fingers moved along the chords. They dragged and it made a sound that was satisfying to the ear, though technically it didn’t go with the song. When he caught me looking, he smiled and transitioned smoothly from no real song, to the 'Sesame Street' theme. He hummed along with it and the only reason I could even hear was because he was playing unplugged. There was a hint of light in his eyes when my lips turned up. That alone made me feel better.

“Wanna hear a secret?” I said.

His brow arched with curiosity. “You have a secret for me?”

“A little one.”

He gestured for me to go on, and I did. “That very first time I heard you play, I almost jumped you. Guitars are kind of my thing.”

“Your thing?”

“Yeah.” I stood up. “Like that one thing that can flip your switch like you’ve been electrocuted. Guitars for me.”

He nodded and his eyes got distant. “Knee socks…”

I smiled. “Really?”

“Yeah. I can’t tell you how many times I almost did some naughty stuff to you when I saw you walk past me in fucking knee socks.” He blinked twice and started playing again. “So… like right now…”

“I would like nothing more than you violate your personal bubble.”

His forehead creased and he stopped playing. “How many dozen times have I played beside you? Not one of those times did you try and get my pants off.”

“We weren’t together,” I reminded him. “I was trying at all times not to attack you, while simultaneously trying to subtly encourage you to do stuff to me.”

The Devil smiled through him. “I’d like to think I satisfied those hints.”

“Nah, you missed a bunch. It was a frustrating relief.”

He set his guitar on the bed and held his arms out to me. “Let me make up for some of that, would you?”

I did as he wished. He sat up and set me between his legs. Then he put the guitar in my hands and told me to play. I tried. I plucked out an abominable tune while Nickolas twirled my hair between his fingers. It gave me a peaceful moment.

In the middle of the crashing waves, I felt like I was in a still pond. But my peaceful moment was just that, a moment. Fleeting. Gone as quick as it came when it was time for me to go home. Nickolas couldn’t stay with me and I couldn’t stay with him. He promised that he’d make it up to me, as if he was somehow liable for the one night we couldn’t spend together. I told him not to feel guilty. It didn’t work.

We stood on my porch as we said goodbye.

“I’ll be here bright and early to pick you up,” he said. “Maybe I can stop by early and watch you get ready.”

My nose crinkled. “You mean watch me change?”

“Obviously.” When I didn’t laugh, he sensed the worry that was overtaking my brain. “Please don’t be scared. I’m going to make sure you’re safe. Remember that I’m deadly. Just as deadly as he is. I have more to fight for than he does and you better believe that I will.”

I shut my eyes for a moment. “I don’t want this to come down to a fight. You’re not a killer.”

“Nash is,” he told me. “Our kind, the kind of lives we lead, that’s just what we are. I got lucky and I was trying to keep Dahlia from this life, but the fact is that sometimes you just can’t. There’s a reason you didn’t know you were fae for so long. You’re gentle and kind. What you are doesn’t take over your whole being like it can with us. In Nash’s head, you belong to him, and he’ll do whatever he thinks he needs to do to convince you that he’s right.”

“What does that mean?”

He took a breath. “It means that this is most definitely going to come down to a fight.”