Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

Vox

Spending Sunday with Nexus wasn’t my idea. Archer and Hayze knew he would be trying to push his weight around with her and in their weird attempt to try and help her, we kept him occupied all day. The fucker is so full of himself and has even planned a beach party on Saturday night for his welcome home celebration. All I want to do is break his teeth, seeing him standing there with Nova had me fighting with everything inside me not to snap his neck. I saw it in her eyes. She is terrified but has no other choice but to take what he and Thomas give.

I want to go to her and just see she is okay with my own eyes, but with the cameras inside the house I can’t risk it. Vivian texted her this morning and offered her a ride to school but she refused, saying she was riding with Nexus, which we all know was his idea not hers. Ez, Hayze, Arch, Vivi and I are standing beside my Challenger Demon, it’s been a hot minute since I have taken this vicious bitch out for a drive and I decided today was the day. Students mill around us, trying to spark a conversation. Vivian doesn’t acknowledge any of them, instead she shrinks between Archer and Ezekiel and uses them as shields. Both my boys shift subtly to keep her from the view of everyone else. Every guy here wants her but it's the girls she hates most because they hate they can’t be her.

“Yo, it's Nexus and Nova.” I follow Tim's line of sight and sure enough Nexus’ Audi pulls up beside us, forcing everyone to move out of their way. I look past him to Nova to see her staring straight ahead but it's the hard set of her jaw that has me frowning. Nexus climbs out smiling and shakes hands with a few of the guys before disappearing around the car. A second later my brows raise and white hot fury surges inside me at the sight of him leading Nova around the car by a lead. She has a studded leather collar around her neck and it isn’t the fancy kind, it is literally a dog collar!

She keeps her head down, using her long raven hair to shield her face from everyone. I shift toward them only for Ez and Hayze to block me against my car.

“She has a part to play and so do we,” Ezekiel warns. I grit my teeth and glare down at them.

“You son of a bitch!” At the sound of my sister’s angry shout I spin around to see her storming toward Nexus. Archer reaches for her but she sidesteps him and gets right in Nexus’ face.

“Ah, Vivian, what an unpleasant surprise,” he snarks back.

“Fucking watch it,” I warn. Nexus rolls his eyes, brushing off my warning as he looks down at my sister who now has Archer plastered against her back.

“You needle dick bastard, get that shit off her!” Vivi screams as she reaches for Nova. Nexus raises his hand to push her away but Archer is faster, he has Nexus’ wrist gripped in his hand, then Ez is rushing toward them, pushing both Archer and Vivian back, sandwiching my sister between their bodies.

“You can fuck around with your sister but not Vox’s. You know the rules,” Ez snarls in a tone that has everyone bowing their heads. Nexus plays off Ez’s words with a laugh and shakes his head trying to play the part.

“It’s all cool, my man.” He turns to Nova and unclips the lead then pats her on the head. “Off you go to class, piggy.” Without lifting her head or saying a word she turns and heads toward the front doors. Nicole and her cheer bitches have their phones out snapping pictures and videos, teasing Nova who still won’t say anything or even look up.

“You are a fucking piece of shit, Nexus!” Vivian snaps before running after her friend. I shoot Archer a look telling him without words to follow my sister. He taps Ezekiel on the shoulder and the both of them go after the girls. Hayze and I grab our shit and head toward the gym but Nexus calls out, stopping us in our tracks.

“Don’t be late to lunch, you won’t want to miss the new tricks I’ve taught my piggy.” Everyone laughs, I say nothing and continue on to my first class.

“The shit we did to her wasn’t even this bad. He had her beaten, Vox, and now this. What’s he going to do to her next?” Hayze asks. I can hear the concern in his voice and that shit worries me more because he doesn’t care about many people.

“The favor she asked is one we can’t grant without the proof she holds,” I admit bitterly.

“We’ve never not been able to deliver.”

“I know. We need to find her mom, get her back and then she will hand over the proof. Once we have that we can take down the Haven Saints and Thomas and his little cunt of a kid,” I snap as we enter the gym and head for the locker room. We’re the only ones here but I don’t give a shit I needed to get away from Nexus.

“Okay, I’ll make a call to Tyler and have him start tracking their movements and see if we can locate her mom—” Hayze clamps his mouth closed as we enter the locker room and see Nova standing there.

“What are you doing here?” I bite out. She says nothing as she stalks toward us and slaps a black envelope against my chest and pushes between us to escape, but I snap my arm out and grip hers, stopping her escape.

She glares up at me. “Stay away from me, Vox, I mean it.” I hear the plea in her tone but the look in her eyes begs me to ignore her order.

“What’s he doing to you?” I find myself asking.

She yanks her arm free of my hold. “Nothing you didn’t do yourself, you just never put a leash on me.” Her words knock the air out of me. She flees the locker room, leaving us standing here staring after her.

“I think you just met your match.” I shoot Hayze a scowl before bending down and collecting the envelope off the ground. I flip over and immediately my breath hitches. “Dude…” Hayze breathes out. I flick my gaze to his and see the same look of shock on him that I feel inside at the sight of the Tempest seal.

“Edmund,” I mutter. When we hear voices approaching I pocket the letter and move to my locker.

“We need to tell Ezekiel,” Hayze says as he opens his locker. I nod my agreement and end the conversation as the rest of the team comes barreling in. I shoot Archer a text to keep an eye on Nova in math class, I have chem with her next and Hayze has English with her this afternoon. Archer’s reply comes almost instantly, it’s a picture of Nova sitting in the back of the class with Nicole right in her face.

Archer

Bitch is dogging your girl, bro.

Me

Not my girl, asshole, get rid of the mutt and watch her.

I get out of the solo chat with Archer and bring up our group message.

Me

Something’s come up, meet us after first period.

Ez

What is it?

Hayze

Your past has come back.

Ez

The fuck does that mean?

Me

Don’t worry, just meet us after first period.

Archer

Oh shit! Your girl just showed her claws.

*video*

I hit play and instantly my brows raise at the sight of Nova shoving her chair back and getting right in Nicole’s face.

“You think you’re better than me,” Nova snaps.

“Oh, I know I am,” Nicole says as she flips her hair over her shoulder. “You think they notice you? Girl, please. I am the only one they have all slept with.” Her three friends all nod and smile to pump up their queen but Nova’s laughter is loud and mocking, silencing them all.

“Have at them, girl. Go slam that pussy of yours on their cocks and let them destroy your self-worth some more because none of those fuckers are worth it. But hey, if desperate is what they are into, then you are sure to be their first pick.”

Hayze

She just shat all over Vox with that line.

I shoot the fucker a glare but he just shrugs and purses his lips.

Ez

She is never fucking you again.

Hayze

So…

Is she free game?

I toss my phone in my locker and shoulder the cunt as I stalk out of the locker room, his taunting laughter follows me but I ignore the bitch. I need to nail some fuckers on the field and get rid of this pent up anger before I do something stupid like go and prove to Nova I’m not someone she can forget.

I stalk into chem and spot Nova instantly in her usual spot. I slam my books down on the table but she doesn’t even react, she just keeps doodling in her book and ignoring me completely. I’m on edge and need an outlet. I couldn’t meet up with the guys because practice ran over and Hayze made sure to keep fucking with me and taunting me with how he would ask Nova to come out later.

I know what he is doing, he’s trying to get me to admit that she means something to me. I’m more on edge because of the fucking letter that is burning a hole in my pocket than anything else.

“Desperate, huh?” I grit out. She keeps her head down and continues to draw as she answers.

“If that’s what turns you on, go for it.” Her answer just fuels my rage.

“Some might say you dropping to your knees for a stranger is desperate.” The only indication that I have that my words are effecting her is the slight hunch of her shoulders.

“Yeah, well, unlike your pussy squad out there, I don’t make the same mistake twice. You know, fool me once and all that shit.”

“If I recall it was a lot more than twice,” I say in a husky tone that has her finally turning her gaze to me but I did not expect her to look up at me with tears in her eyes—anger yes but not fucking tears.

“Yeah, it was a lot more but unlike you, I wasn’t hiding or pretending, it was real for me!” I open my mouth to try to defend myself but she pushes on. “I’m paying for the mistakes I made, unlike you. I’m living in hell until the guy who fucked me over with his friends helps me. So, tell me, Vox, how did I wrong you again?” I open and close my mouth but no words come out. She scoffs and returns her attention back to her book and continues to scribble. I peer over her shoulder and grit my teeth when I read what she wrote.

Vox Hatchett is a bitch.

Die Ezekiel.

Hayze is a pussy.

Archer needs to be shot with an arrow.

They are filthy, disgusting and make me sick, especially two horns!

Before I realize it, the bell rings and I heard nothing from the professor. I was too lost in my own head repeating what she wrote over and over again. She tears the page from her books and tosses it to me as she stands and stalks out of the room. Students snicker and taunt her thanks to the collar and the show Nexus put on this morning. I look down at the sheet and crumple it, not wanting to read her hatred of me again.

I exit the classroom and head toward the cafeteria as my phone pings with a text.

Thomas

Nine sharp, be there!

Son of a bitch!

I pocket my phone and round the corner, spotting Ez and Archer leaning against my locker. They shoot me a look but when I spot Nexus and Hayze coming toward us, I give them a subtle shake of my head. The letter is going to have to wait until after lunch at this fucking rate.

“Come on, boys, I have a surprise for you!” Nexus shouts, drawing the attention of everyone. I say nothing as I follow after him and the others. I dart my gaze around and don’t see anything, but then my gaze lands on Nova standing at the edge of our usual table holding a tray. Nexus laughs loudly and rubs his hands together as he approaches her.

Disgust rolls through me at the sight of her standing there with her head down looking utterly powerless.

“This is how we should be greeted!” Nexus calls out. Everyone turns toward the five of us but when they spot Nova, all their phones are pulled and they begin recording her shame. I harden my features making sure not to give anything away, we can’t help her or we risk fucking up the plan—I risk fucking up the plan. “Put my tray down.” She does as he says and places it on the table.

“Good, piggy, now… kneel .” It takes everything inside me not to display my shock. I watch her inhale sharply then slowly lower to her knees. Laughter and cheers sound out around the room at the sight of her on her knees before Nexus. He pats the top of her head. “Good, piggy! Come on boys, let's eat.”

I’m the first to take my seat but I don’t spare Nova a glance, not even when every fucker comes over to snap pics of her and taunt her. Hayze and Archer look like they want to smash Nexus’ skull in but refrain. I look around the table but don’t see Ezekiel. Nexus is still there smiling and talking to a few of the guys as he eats.

“Get the fuck away from her!” I snap my head to the side to see my sister shouldering every motherfucker out of her way so she can get to Nova. My eyes narrow when I see Ezekiel standing behind her carrying something, Vivian turns around and snatches the bucket out of his grasp and then tips it on Nexus, He shoves back from the table but slips over in the… crimson liquid.

“You fucking bitch!” he roars. It takes a split second for me and the two beside me to be on our feet.

“You want to be a big boy, then let’s play Carrie!” Vivi snaps as she grabs Nova’s arm and hauls her to her feet.

“Oh shit, it’s pig's blood!” someone calls out and then everyone is laughing and filming Nexus who is covered head to toe in pig blood. I look to Ezekiel to find his gaze already on me but it's the dark look in his eyes that gives me pause.

“I’m done playing, I don’t like her but I won’t watch Vivian suffer because her friend is hurting,” is all he says before he turns and goes after my sister and Nova.