Page 18 of Twisted Heathens
Licking my lips for good measure, I shove him away. There’s no hesitation this time. He’s out the door without another word. I’m not ashamed to admit that his heartbreak thrills me. Tyler’s a good screw, but fucking him over is even better.
Slumping on the bed, I dislodge the loose chunk of plaster and grab one of my stashed meds, swallowing it dry. I can feel the hysteria bubbling up in my mind and I’m in no mood to stay up for three days until it burns out. My last episode ended badly for everyone.
I scroll aimlessly on my phone to distract myself. Shit, I’d love Brooklyn’s number. She’s stuck in my head like nothing else. I wonder what she’s doing right now.
Kade stormed off when she skipped dinner. That guy’s got a serious saviour complex. Always worried about others, even when they don’t give two shits about him. That’s why he stopped caring, focusing solely on our little screwed-up family. We look after our own. This Brooklyn chick? She’d steamroll him in a second if she knew how possessive he is.
Groaning, I toss the phone aside. I picture her splayed out on my bed, legs spread wide and secured to the frame with one of Kade’s ties. I’d eat her cunt while she screams and spank her until she bleeds.
The door slams open, bouncing off the wall with a resounding crack. “No answer. The hell is she playing at?” Kade exclaims as he storms in.
I watch as he rips the loosened tie off, tossing it in anger at the wall. My mouth goes dry as I consider the item, forcing my filthy fantasy aside. My eyes track down over Kade’s body. Yeah, we’re best friends and roommates. Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate him. Especially when he’s all riled up and aggressive.
“Chill out, man. Why do you even care? She’s been here for two fucking days,” I point out.
“Because!”
Raising an eyebrow, I let my cocky smile piss him off further. “Care to finish that sentence?”
“Because it’s my job,” Kade groans.
“Yeah, right. Whatever you say.”
“Fuck off, Nix. Where’s Tyler anyway?”
“He’s gone. I got bored of the constant whining.”
Kade nods thoughtfully, running a hand through his slick blonde locks. “In that case, come help me find Hudson? He’s avoiding me again.”
“Jesus. What is it with you and finding people today?”
I’m rewarded with an annoyed glare as Kade runs out of patience. He’s always running around after Hudson for one reason or another, when they aren’t arguing or trying to kill each other. It’s a love-hate relationship at best, but that doesn’t stop Kade from caring.
“You know what he gets like. He seemed to be doing better for a while, but the last few weeks have been tough. We’re losing him again,” Kade explains.
“I don’t know... he doesn’t exactly like you spying on him.”
Cursing under his breath, he turns to leave. “Again, it’s my job.”
“Doesn’t have to be!” I call after him.
The resounding slam of the door answers me. That’s the thing about Kade, he’s relentlessly stubborn. When he becomes invested in someone, it’s damn near impossible to sway him. That’s what happened with me, then Eli. We were both brought into the family through his need to control and protect.
Hudson is a whole other story altogether.
Back on my phone, I tap Brooklyn’s name into Facebook on a whim. Got to do something to satisfy the fantasist inside of me. I’m disappointed when it yields no results, so I try Instagram, followed by every other social media platform possible as my curiosity mounts.
There’s nothing.
Not a single profile or photo. She’s a fucking ghost. It’s almost like she’s been wiped from every inch of the internet. No way she’s gone her whole life without making any accounts. Someone has systematically deleted everything.
Growing frustrated, I turn to Google.
This time, I’m not disappointed. A whole slew of news stories appear, headlines viciously blazoned for the world to see. I scroll through, a heavy weight growing in my gut with every word. Something’s telling me to look away, but morbid curiosity beats my conscience. No one here is fucking innocent, you don’t end up in a place like this without some kind of damage. But this girl?
She’s earned her place alright.
Goddammit, I should be running in the opposite direction. My record here is damn near spotless, I’ve worked my ass off to get clean and avoid further rehab. The guys supported me through it all when I arrived. Sure, I fuck like a degenerate and disregard any sign of commitment or emotional attachment. But it’s better than heroin, right?