Chapter 31

The old tire swing Kato used to push me on was still there, hanging off a large cypress tree by the pond. I sat there watching it sway in the breeze while the hum of tools funneling out of the garage across the street floated through the air.

The pond I used to swim in was the only place I could think to come to after school. Gio dropped a bombshell on me. either I let Chuck get hurt or possibly worse, or I told everyone we were engaged. Meaning Kato would find out. And as much as Chuck annoyed me, the choice was obvious.

Perhaps that was why I was sitting on this wooden dock?

It had been over two years since I stepped foot on this ground. There was nothing in this place but painful memories of what used to be. The scenery was a portrait frozen in time that mocked me.

Everything, from the sun glinting off the water's edge, to the rope swing wrapped around a thick tree trunk, and dusty pink fishing rod poking out of the forgotten boat reminded me of Veda's laugh and Kato's bright smile.

The happy family I used to have.

Until Atlas Mancini came along.

He destroyed everything that meant something to me, and what was I doing? I was sitting here, in this sacred place, thinking about his brother. And not in the paranoid what was he up to way.

I was wondering what he was doing right now? Was he being his regular asshole self and tormenting someone else? Was he with Atlee? Were they with some girl? Did he want to be with other girls? For some fucked up reason I apparently cared about that.

Kato was locked up, Veda was gone, and I was worried about who Gio Mancini might be doing.

Sighing, I tossed a rock and watched as ripples spread out across the water.

I was a horrible person.

What did I care if he was with someone else? That would be a good thing. Maybe then he'd leave me alone. That's what I wanted, right?

I dropped my eyes down the conversation I had open on my phone.

Fuckface: What's your ring size?

A ring. Gio wanted to get me a damn ring. This shit was becoming way too real for me.

For all I knew Gio and Atlee spent all day yesterday fucking some girl. If he was then I could go back to hating him – which I did, just not as vengefully as before. But it wasn't like Gio would tell me. Atlee on the other hand… I wouldn't even have to ask him out right. He was my Home ech partner, hence forth I had reasons to message him.

Scrolling through my contacts, I clicked on the name I was looking for and sent a text.

Me: Just so you know, you missed chocolate cake yesterday.

Twatwaffle: Is that your way of saying you missed me?

I snorted.

Me: You wish. I just wanted to rub your nose in it. I make amazing cake. It was way better than everyone else's.

Well, except for the football player. His was amazingly moist. I may have to sabotage his flour.

Twatwaffle: You didn't save me a piece? I'm hurt.

Me: I gave your piece to my new fake boyfriend.

Twatwaffle: You can't have a new fake boyfriend until you break up with the first fake boyfriend, and I didn't receive the standard break up text.

Me: What? You didn't receive my fake text that destroyed our imagined love? I'm shocked. Maybe if you were in school yesterday, you would've gotten it. But you weren't so I was forced to find someone else to annoy me.

Twatwaffle: So, are you mad that I wasn't in school, or that Gio wasn't there? Do you want to know what he was doing?

Me: Like I care. Your absence was barely noticed.

Twatwaffle: And yet, you're texting me, instead of asking him.

Me: I'm only texting you because I had to do all the work in class. You're welcome by the way.

Twatwaffle: Or… you're texting me because you think he was fucking someone else.

I rolled my eyes.

Me: Who he occupies his time with is no concern of mine.

Was it that older woman? He didn't seem very pleased with her, but he was never pleased with me either.

Twatwaffle: That's an interesting choice of words. Am I detecting a bit of jealousy?

Me: I'd have to care to get jealous.

And I didn't care.

Twatwaffle: So if I told that Gio was getting his dick sucked right now, you wouldn't care?

Me: No.

I wouldn't care. Good for him. Unless it was Cindy. Then I hope she choked to death on his monster dick.

A new text chimed in before Atlee could respond.

Fuckface: Why the fuck are you texting Atlee?

What did he have a tracker on my phone? Maybe Atlee was with him?

Me: Who else am I supposed to send nudes to?

To be fair, that wasn't a complete lie. I had sent Atlee nudes. They just weren't mine. If he was going to send me cheesy pickup lines, then I was going to respond with a random internet found dick pics.

Fuckface: You better be fucking with me.

For the record, I was always fucking with him. If I saw an opportunity, then I was going to take it. But that was beside the point.

Me: I think tonight I'll send him the one with the pink teddy.

I'm sure Atlee would appreciate the pink bear Kato won me at the fair.

Fuckface: Keep it up.

Me: Ooo, I'm so scared.

What was he going to do? Gio had no idea where I was.

I looked over at the boat tied to the right side of the dock. The fishing gear Kato and I had prepared for my birthday was still there. Untouched in a dusty cooler and duffle bag. I didn't even know why I was here.

Was I surprised when my phone rang with a call? No? But I was surprised I answered it. By the time I realized I'd hit the green button, it was too late. Gio's voice was already wafting from the other end.

"Today is not the day to piss me off, Nova."

He sounded mad, which meant today was exactly the day to piss him off.

"The private conversations I have with my fake boyfriend are none of your business."

"You sure you want to go down that road?"

I mean…"Yeah."

Gio sounded oddly calm when he said, "alright," and hung up. I probably should've been worried, but there were a lot of things I should've been worried about. It never stopped me before.

"You do know he's tracking you, right?"

"Jesus Christ!"

I threw my phone at the unfamiliar voice, which caused the elbow I used to prop myself up with to slip, jarring my body to the left and banging my hip on the dock before I plunked over the edge. All I saw was a pair of sunglasses and a flash of denim before water engulfed me.

While floating down in the murky depths of Quackwater lake, I couldn't help but glare at the blurry image the person on the dock who was clearly hunched over in laughter. I could even slightly hear the bellowed out sounds of his amusement.

Needless to say, it wasn't my finest moment. Not sure I had a finest moment. I was, however, cooler, so there was that.

I swam back up, flopped my arms on the dock, and prepared to pull myself out. That's when I stopped and cocked a brow. I'd seen this guy before.

"Booth number two?"

Was he following me? How did I not see him? And if he was following me, could he give Gio lessons. He really needed help in that department.

"That was great."

I'm glad someone thought so.

Strands of wet hair stuck to my face while mascara probably ran down my skin. It wasn't what I would call great, but it wasn't the worst look I'd had either.

I scooped a lock of hair out of my mouth and smacked my lips together. "Are you stalking me?"

"More like checking up on you." He snickered out between chuckles.

Checking up on me? Okay creep. "Listen buddy, I don't know you, or what you're into but I'm only seventeen."

His laughter instantly died. "I know how old you are Novalee. I'm not here for that. I prefer my women to be women."

Well, that was rude. "I'll have you know I'm as capable as any woman you may know."

His brow rose. "You tripped over your own feet three times this morning… before you got out the door."

Okay, so maybe I wasn't as graceful as the women he knew, but… "I'm not the one stalking a teenager."

"I told you, I'm checking up on you."

"Says the guy who knows how many times I tripped the morning."

He huffed out a sigh. "Maybe we should have this conversation on dry land."

I eyed the patch on the vest over his jacket. Anyone who walked around wearing a scythe and crossbones was probably someone I should stay away from. It might be safer to stay in the water.

"Here, let me help you."

"I don't need…"

That was as far as I got before he reached out and lifted me up with one hand, like I was no bigger than a kitten. I was really getting tired of being manhandled. Thankfully, he set me down on the dock and took a step back. He seemed to be giving me space, not that it made me feel any better. But I suppose if he wanted to hurt me, he would've already.

"What do you want?" I growled while bunching up the end of my shirt to ring the water out.

"What are you doing with Gio Mancini?"

I stopped and rolled my eyes up to his. "What business is that of yours?"

Who the hell was he? Seriously, who was he?

"None." He said, then added, "But I think your brother will want to know why his baby sister is trapsing around with a Mancini."

That's when I noticed the patch on his other arm. The one that said The Lost Souls. Things started to click into place. He was following me, but not for nefarious reasons. My brother sent him. God damnit Kato.

"You're part of that cult Kato joined."

His brows knit. "It's not a cult."

"Uh uh? That what every cult member in the history of cults has said."

"It's a club." He argued.

To which I retorted, "That's just another word for cult."

"Your brother warned me you'd be like this."

"Then clearly you should've been better prepared." What use was warning if they weren't going to listen.

"Trust me, I already know everything I need to. This conversation was just a curtsey."

He eyed me.

I eyed him.

"What do you know?"

The corner of his mouth lifted. "You'll find out when your brother gets out of isolation."

Okay first off, why was Kato in isolation. What did he do? And secondly… "What did you tell him?"

"Oh, so now you want to talk?"

This smug son of a…

Kato would lose his mind if he knew what I'd done. And he would know. There was no way I could convince him that we were dating. Could I? Damnit. What was I going to do? Did I need to worry?

No. this guy didn't know anything. He was bluffing, trying to get me to admit to something. When all else failed, go with plausible deniability.

"I'm not doing anything with Gio."

"Okay." He nodded. "Well, if you're not doing anything turns into something and you need some help, call this number."

He handed me a piece of paper then promptly walked away without saying another word. I waited until he disappeared around the corner before looking down at the phone number in my hand.

What kind of name was Snake?

Whatever, he was the least of my worries. My biggest issue right now was Kato and the stupid upcoming engagement announcement. Something told me Gio wouldn't let me keep my brother in the dark. If he was still in the dark.

"God damnit." I sighed.

There was no choice. I'd have to ditch school tomorrow and go see my brother.