Page 128 of Chaos at Prescott High (The Havoc Boys 2)
Nothing.
Besides, I’ve turned into something strange, a whore who can’t stop fucking, who doesn’t know what to do with his feelings, or how to help anyone. This is the least I can do, really. Dad is still in prison and, god-willing, he’ll stay there. Mom is safe, at least for now. I mean, if the parole board doesn’t jam their heads up their own asses and decide to let him free.
I lick my lips, adjusting my grip on the knife. Neil Pence is out here, fucking a prostitute who looks about the same age as Bernie. Blonde hair, big tits, curvy. I should kill him just for that.
Mostly, I’m killing him because I’d do anything to make sure that Bernie makes it to adulthood without falling into the hands of a predator.
That’s all I want. I’ve got simple needs, you know. I’m easy to please.
Something in the darkness draws my attention, and I shove to my feet, spinning around and swinging the knife in an arc at my would-be attacker. Fortunately for me, the person coming at me is just as good as I am and manages to miss having his throat split open from ear to ear.
I would never forgive myself if I killed Aaron Fadler.
“Dude, what are you doing here?” he asks me, sounding tired. We’ve stopped chasing Bernadette around, sure, but it’s impossible to miss her when she steps foot on campus every morning.
Her sister is dead; she looks broken.
I drop the knife to my side as Aaron studies me, waiting for an explanation of some sort.
“You know what I’m doing here,” I retort, glancing over my shoulder to make sure that Neil hasn’t left the motel yet. All seems quiet on the Western front. I look back at Aaron, and in his eyes, I see a reflection of my wants and needs.
“We followed you,” Aaron adds, stepping back to lean against a tree. He looks like a strong wind might blow him over. I slip the knife—the very same one my dad used to cut me once upon a time—back in its leather holder and then tuck the whole thing in my pocket, so I can cross my arms. “They’re all here, around the corner.” He pauses and looks away. “Waiting for me to bring you back.”
“Is this an order from Vic?” I ask, not even sure why I’m bothering. I know the answer to that.
“You know it is.” Aaron looks up, meeting my eyes just as I hear the door swing open and look back to see Neil swagger down the upstairs walk toward the stairs. Fuck. I look back at my friend. “Bernadette is a part of us, but so you are. Havoc has to look out for every member, not just Bernie. You going to prison for life for stabbing a cop doesn’t do anyone any good. Pamela will still have Bernadette, she’ll still be trapped by Heather, by Heather’s grandfather and uncle …”
I touch the knife at my side, knowing that my time for jumping Neil is running short. It’s now or never, but looking at Aaron, I don’t feel quite as sure as I did. Giving up Bernie for life, I don’t want to do that, but I will. Because I’ll never be selfish when it comes to her again.
“Besides, who’s to say killing him now won’t find its way back to her? Everyone knows she hates him. He’s sent her to juvie for attacking him before. We can’t take the risk, Hael.”
I frown, and my hands squeeze into fists at my sides. But I already know that he’s right, just like I knew about Vic. I might act like an idiot sometimes, but I’m not as stupid as I look.
“Every night he’s in that house, there’s a risk that he might touch her, that he might put his hands on her. Aaron, I couldn’t live with myself if that happened.”
“It won’t,” he tells me, reaching out a hand, palm up. It takes me a minute to realize that he’s asking for the knife. With gritted teeth, I give it to him because I’m not sure what I might do with it if I don’t.
Well, okay, I do know. I’d destroy Neil and I’d probably howl with laughter while I did it.
I reach up to scratch at the back of my head.
“Well, you gonna explain or what?” I snap, listening to the sound of a car door being shut. After a few seconds, the engine starts up and Neil disappears into the night. I didn’t do it. I wanted to, but I didn’t. Am I still that same selfish asshole I’ve always been? The thought infuriates me.
“Look, he knows we have the video now. He knows we’ll come for him if he touches her. Right now, we have to work on building Havoc, so we can help her later.” Aaron plays with the knife for a minute. “Someday, she’s going to come to us, and she’s going to call Havoc. We have to give her a weapon she can actually use, something that’ll help her escape.”
