Arranged love

EMILEE

FOR THE SECOND morning in a row, I wake up in Titan’s bed. My body is just as sore as the day before. Getting out of the bed, I make it to the bathroom to brush my teeth and use the restroom. I see a T-shirt of his lying on the end of the bed, and I place it over my head, pulling my very tangled hair from the collar. I open the French doors, not thinking anything about it but come to a quick stop when I see three sets of eyes on me.

Grave sits at the kitchen table with a fork paused halfway to his mouth, which is wide open as he spots me. His eyes drop to my bare legs, and I tug at the already long T-shirt. This is payback for catching him in the act yesterday.

Titan stands in the open kitchen flipping pancakes. He looks me over once, and my body heats from the intensity of his gaze. I clear my throat and rub my neck awkwardly.

My eyes go to Cross. He looks less surprised than Grave did to see me here. He’s leaned back in his chair relaxing with his legs open and his left hand flipping his Zippo open and close. Cross always had a mysterious vibe about him. I was the least close to him because he kept to himself. Even between the Kings. Or maybe I was just never close enough to pay attention. All I know about him is that he has secrets. Murderous secrets.

Nineteen years old

I’m digging around in my trunk, trying to find my bag through all of my shit when I’m slapped on the ass. I whip around about to give whoever did it a piece of my mind but laugh when I see Jasmine. “What was that for?”

She laughs. “Bones can’t be the only lucky son of a bitch to hit that ass.”

I roll my eyes and turn back to my car, picking up the blanket that my mother made me put in there just in case I’m ever stranded in the winter. She forgets we live in fucking Vegas. “Aha,” I say, finding it hiding under there.

“Did you hear about Oak Grove?” she asks as I throw it over my shoulder.

Oak Grove is the Baptist Church that Cross’s father preaches at. “No. What about it?” I slam my trunk shut, and we begin to walk toward the school.

“It burned down last night.”

“What?” I gasp, coming to a stop.

She nods and looks over my shoulder. I turn to follow her line of sight.

The Kings all stand by Bones’s car. He has both of his hands in the pockets of his dark jeans and a white hoodie on. Titan stands facing him with a cigarette between his lips, and Cross has his ass leaning against the front passenger door. His bag lies at his feet. He has his right ankle crossed over his left. His left hand is in his pocket while the other flips his Zippo lighter open and close.

I look back at her.

“Now Father James is missing.”NôvelDrama.Org holds © this.

“No way,” I breathe before looking back over at Cross. His eyes are on mine, and I wonder if he can hear us all the way across the parking lot. He snaps the lighter shut and then opens it again.

“What are you girls doing?” Trenton, her on-again, off-again boyfriend, gets our attention as he comes up to us with his best friend.

“Talking about what happened at Oak Grove last night.”

“The police suspect arson and murder.”

“How do you know that?” she asks him.

“Heard my father talking about it this morning. Guess a witness called the police and said that they saw Cross enter the church with his dad an hour before and then saw him leaving. Alone. Just before the place went up in flames.”

She covers her mouth with her hand. “His dad was left inside?”

He nods. “So they say.”

His friend Liam snorts. “I heard it was suicide.” Then his eyes go to Cross. “I mean, wouldn’t you kill yourself if Cross was your son?”

My eyes narrow on him. “That’s a horrible thing to say.”

He shrugs.

Trenton just shoves him. “I’d like to see you say that to his face.”

Jasmine laughs, and he throws his arm over her shoulders and walks her toward the school along with Liam.

I turn back around, but the Kings are no longer standing by the car. Taking a look around the parking lot, I see a few people standing around. A couple are on their phones. Others are walking to classes. It’s early on a Monday. Jasmine and I have class, but the Kings have ball practice to get to. Turning back toward the door, I go to take a step but run into a hard body. “Sorry …”

My voice trails off when I look up to see it’s Bones. “Hey,” I say, trying to slow my racing heart.

He takes a quick look around. “You shouldn’t be out here by yourself.”

I ignore that statement as he grabs my hand in his. “What’s going on with Cross? I heard about what happened with his dad …”

He yanks me to a stop and spins to face me. The look in his eyes has me taking a step back. “What did you hear?” he demands.

I swallow. “Uh, that … just that there was a witness who saw him at Oak Grove with his dad and then him leaving right before it burned down …”

He steps into me, and I shut my mouth when he grabs my upper arms, digging his fingers into my skin. “Dillan ….”

“Don’t say a fucking word, Em. To anyone. Do you hear me?”

“What?” My eyes search his. “I don’t know anything … It’s just a rumor …”

“Who told you?”

“Tr …?” I stop myself before I finish that sentence. I don’t wanna throw Trenton under the bus. No matter how much I dislike the guy. And I’m not sure if the Kings are involved in the death of Cross’s dad. But I don’t wanna be responsible for anything that happens. “Dillan …”

“Who the fuck was it, Emilee?” he snaps, using my full name.

“I … I don’t remember,” I lie and hang my head.

He steps into me and grips my chin in his hand. I try to pull away, but it just tightens. “Ow, Bones …”

“Lying to me isn’t going to save him, baby.”

I dig my nails into his forearm as he holds me in place. “You’re hurting me,” I whisper as tears sting my eyes.

His blue eyes search mine for a little longer before he lets go, and I take a step back from him until my ass bumps into my car. Then he turns and walks into the building, leaving me standing in the parking lot all by myself and confused as to what the hell just happened.

I never brought it up again. Bones never let me into his personal life. I never discussed what he and the Kings did, and he never offered any information.

Silently, Cross stands from the table and walks out the door.

“I, uh … can …”

“Sit,” Titan orders with a spatula.

I pull out a chair and fall into it, avoiding Grave’s stare as he goes back to shoving pancakes in his mouth.

“So …” he begins once he swallows.

“Save it,” Titan orders.

Grave just shakes his head, letting out a chuckle. “It’s your funeral, man.”

My eyes shoot to Titan, and his are narrowed on Grave. He doesn’t even look his way as he grabs the hoodie off the back of his chair before exiting the suite as well.

Titan walks over to me with a plate full of pancakes, bacon, and some strawberries on the side. He places the syrup in front of me.

“This was a mistake,” I say, just staring at my food.

“Em.”

“No.” I stand quickly. “I don’t want to cause any trouble between you and Bones.” I push the hair back from my face.

“Look.” He sighs, running his hand down his face. “I don’t want to tell you that Bones won’t care because that makes it sound like you never meant anything to him.”

I didn’t. But that doesn’t mean he could be okay with it either.

“But I will tell you that Grave has no idea what he’s talking about.” He walks back over to me. “Grave lives in his own little world that does not exist to others.”

He always has. Grave has had a problem with addiction since he was young. And he doesn’t allow anyone to get close to it. Because that would make it real. And he can’t handle that. Bones has always let his little brother do whatever the fuck he wants. And their father was never really around. He spent all his time up at Kingdom when he and the Three Wisemen owned it. I’m not sure about now because I’ve been gone for a couple of years, but I haven’t seen or heard anyone mention him.

“But-”

“But nothing,” he interrupts me. “Now sit down and eat before your food gets cold.” He kisses my forehead and goes back to the kitchen.