The Third Strike: Rogues of Everly Prep Book Three Read online

  I did have a reason. I was jealous that she was allowed to be near him when I couldn’t. She could sit by him in public, show him affection, claim him as hers…and she squandered that privilege by focusing on me more than she did on him.

  Everything she did was for my benefit. I was pretty sure she didn’t even like Mason, much less love him, yet she would follow his parents’ edicts and marry him for the money and prestige that came with his name. She was abso-fucking-lutely disgusting. And I wanted to punch her in the face.

  It had only been five days, and I was already tied in knots. I had no idea how I would make it to graduation without yanking out every strand of her bottle-blonde hair.

  I tried to push Charlotte Rutherford out of my mind as I applied the finishing touches to my make-up. Mason’s parents were out of town, and everyone was meeting at the Bellamy house for the weekend. Mason, Stella, Seth, Cooper, Simone, Theo, Josh, and I would all be there, hanging out and just being ourselves for two wonderful days and nights. I was really excited, and by Seth’s incessant pacing up and down the hall, I could tell he was, too.

  “Are you ready, yet?” he asked, poking his head through my open door.

  “Keep your panties on. I’m almost done,” I yelled back, applying one last coat of mascara before shoving all my makeup in a travel bag and striding from the bathroom.

  Dropping the cosmetics bag in the overnight duffel I’d already packed, I zipped it up and slung it over my shoulder. I turned to face Seth, making a shooing motion with my hands.

  “Let’s go.”

  Seth backed out of my doorway, grabbing the duffel bag off my shoulder as I passed by him. Slinging it over his shoulder on top of his own bag, he led the way down the stairs without another word. I started to complain, to assure him I was perfectly capable of carrying my own stuff, but I bit back the words.

  Seth was finally able to be himself around me now that all of the Rogues’ secrets were out. And underneath that stoic, condescending façade he portrayed to the world lay a true gentleman. His father taught him well, and I wouldn’t be the one to make him feel bad for it.

  As if I conjured him, Atticus Kincaid stepped out of the parlor and into the foyer. Seth skidded to a halt, wearing a boyish grin.

  “In a hurry, son?” Atticus asked, his own eyes sparkling with humor.

  “Yeah, kind of,” Seth admitted.

  “He thinks Stella is going to vanish into thin air if he doesn’t get there as soon as possible,” I quipped as I reached them.

  “I’m so happy for you,” Atticus said, then looked from Seth to me and added, “both of you. Finding someone you truly enjoy is a blessing, and you shouldn’t waste a single moment of the time you have together. Go. Have fun. I’ll see you Sunday night.”

  “Thanks, Dad,” Seth said before turning and walking to the front door.

  I stood where I was, wanting to say something but not really sure what. Atticus gave me a warm smile and a wink.

  “Go on,” he said. “I’ll tell your mother you said goodbye.”

  “Thanks,” I said, then turned to leave.

  “And Chaz,” he called out, and I spun back to face him. “You deserve happiness just as much as the rest of them. Don’t ever forget that, okay?”

  “Okay,” I muttered, watching him turn and head back into the parlor.

  I mulled over his words as I waited in the driveway for Seth to bring his car around. I knew I deserved happiness as much as anyone, but I think I knew what Atticus meant. It would be easy to wrap myself up in everyone else’s shitty lives with their shitty parents and forget about myself in the process.

  Atticus was reminding me not to do that. To make sure I looked out for myself, too.

  I brushed the heavy thoughts away as Seth pulled to a stop next to me. I climbed into his Mustang with an irritated grumble.

  “I wish we could take my car,” I complained.

  The Chevelle was my baby, and I rarely agreed to go anywhere in anything else. It felt like a betrayal of the worst kind to climb into my stepbrother’s Ford while my Chevy sat neglected in the garage for two days.

  “Oh, stop your bitching,” Seth said, nudging my shoulder with his elbow. “You know this baby rides like a dream compared to your rumbly gas-guzzler.”

  “This is blasphemy!” I yelled, quoting a movie Seth and I watched a few weeks ago and had been quoting ever since.

  “This is madness,” he said back.

  “This is Sparta,” we said in unison, then we both chuckled.

  “Seriously, Bro, don’t talk about my girl that way,” I said.

  Seth’s smile dropped, his expression growing thoughtful. When he didn’t reply, I reached over and placed my hand on his shoulder.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “Nothing,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s just…I like it when you call me Bro.”

  My stupid eyes started to sting, and I blinked away the tears that tried to form. Seth and I were finding a sort of sibling comradery—something we never realized we were both missing until now.

  “I think of you as my sister,” he mumbled, so quiet, I almost didn’t catch it.

  “Me, too, Bro. Me too.”

  When we arrived at the Bellamy house, Cooper and Theo’s cars were already parked in the driveway. If anyone drove by this weekend to see what Mason and Stella were up to, it would look like the four Rogues were hanging out here with them. Nothing more.

  Mason wrapped me up in a hug as soon as I stepped through the door, smacking his lips against mine before twirling me around. When he set me back on my feet, I clung to his shoulders until the dizziness faded, then looked around the room.

  Simone gave me a little wave from where she was curled around Cooper on the couch. Theo and Josh were on the floor directly in front of the couple, controllers in their hands as they battled it out in a shooting game. Josh called out to me in greeting, and Theo lifted his chin in a nod.

  Seth had made a beeline for Stella, pulling her up from the chair she was sitting in before taking her seat and settling her in his lap. His arms caged her in as she nestled into him, turning her head to brush her lips against his cheek.

  Our lives may have been a total shit show in the outside world, but here, in this little cocoon of privacy where we could truly be ourselves, everything was perfect.

  We spent the entire weekend together, just the eight of us. Swimming, ordering take-out, playing video games, and watching movies filled the hours as we enjoyed being together. Everyone was happy, and nobody minded that we were pretty much sleeping on top of each other on air mattresses and leather couches.

  It was an amazing two days, and I was sad to see it end when Seth and I had to go home on Sunday night. But it was time to get back to reality.

  And I had no idea just how real things were about to get.

  4

  I pulled my Chevelle into the school parking lot on Monday morning, unable to shake a feeling of doom and gloom that had taken up residence inside me sometime the night before. I’d chalked it up to the prospect of having to keep my distance from Mason and the guys after such an amazing weekend. But I was just going to have to get used to it. We had several more months of this suffering before the twins turned eighteen, and Stella was safe from her parents’ threats.

  As soon as I stepped foot inside the building, I locked eyes with Charlotte Rutherford. Her usually muddy eyes burned with strong emotion, their brown depths sparking under the fluorescent lights. Her cheeks were ruddy, and her chest heaved with each breath she took.

  I watched her watch me as I walked toward my locker, and a triumphant smile bloomed across her face. Before I could stomp over and demand to know what her strange behavior was all about, she whirled around and strutted away, her hips swinging provocatively.

  “What was that all about?”

  I jumped about a foot of the floor and spun around, finding Josh leaning a shoulder against the bank of lockers.

  “Jesus Christ, Josh. Yo
u scared the shit out of me.”

  “Sorry,” he said with a laugh that told me he wasn’t. At all.

  I looked over my shoulder to see Charlotte swinging around the corner at the end of the hall, disappearing from sight.

  “And to answer your question, I have no fucking clue.”

  “Well, whatever it is, it can’t be good. She looked like the cat who swallowed the canary.”

  “Or the demon who damned her hundredth soul,” I muttered.

  “And they say I’m the dramatic one,” Josh quipped, smirking.

  “Nobody says that, Josh.”

  “Yeah, well, if they did, they’d be wrong. You are most definitely the dramatic one in this transcendent twosome.”

  I shook my head, though I couldn’t hide my smile. “At least you’ll never be bored.”

  “This is true, my queen,” he said, then waggled his fingers at me before jetting off to get to his first class.

  I headed in the other direction toward my own classroom. My eyes searched the faces of the people hurrying back and forth, but there was no sign of Mason. We’d been finding a quick moment to eye-fuck each other each morning, and I’d started to look forward to it.

  Where could he be?

  I didn’t see him, or any of the Rogues in the halls all morning, and each hour that passed had my anxiety levels rising. I was sure something bad had happened. Then I’d backtrack, reassuring myself that if something bad had happened, someone would’ve found a way to get a message to me. Or Josh.

  Shit, Seth was my stepbrother, so he, at least, would have found me to give a girl a heads-up.

  By the time lunch rolled around, I was exhausted from so many up and down emotions. This day had been a twisty roller coaster, and I wanted off. I stalked to the table were Josh sat alone and slid into a seat before casting a glance at the Rogues table.

  Everything looked…normal.

  Mason, Theo, and Seth stared at their phones while Charlotte, Isla, and Amelia shoved their tits up in an attempt to snag the guys’ attention. Simone and Cooper sat close to one another, their heads bent together as they conversed.

  My phone dinged, signaling a new text message, and I picked it up from where I’d tossed it on the table moments before. It was from Simone. My eyes flashed back to her for a moment, and I realized she was staring at something under the table as she chatted with her boyfriend—most likely her phone.

  Coop said to tell you everything is okay. Charlotte was acting more cocky than usual this morning, so M decided to stay on her today. Maybe if she feels like he’s coming around, she’ll let the details slip about whatever has her so smug.”

  I read the words two more times, forcing my eyes to stay on the phone and not flash to Mason, Charlotte, Simone, or anyone else at the Rogues’ table. I hadn’t been the only one to notice the change in Charlotte’s demeanor, which meant I hadn’t imagined it.

  And though I hated to admit it, Charlotte being smug was scarier than shit.

  I wasn’t scared of her. Not at all. But I’d been the recipient of enough of her machinations to know how devastating they could be. The boys and I were walking a tight, thin wire, and Charlotte Rutherford could shove us off at any moment.

  Thanks, I texted back. I’ll keep my eyes open, too.

  Simone had shown an interest in Cooper on my behalf, inserting herself into the world of the Rogues to play inside man before breaking him down. But she ended up really liking him, so we called the whole thing off. They worked things out, and now she’s once again my inside man, but in a good way. She can keep me updated in a way the Rogues can’t with their parents hovering.

  Between her and Seth, I stayed pretty well informed, but it was not the same as truly being part of the group.

  “What’s up?” Josh asked, nodding at my phone.

  “Mason noticed the way Charlotte is acting all smug today. He staying up her ass, trying to find out what she’s up to.”

  “Ew. Thanks for the visual.”

  I chuckled. “You’re very welcome, my friend.”

  “Hey, Trash-whore.”

  Speak of the devil. Literally.

  Charlotte loomed over our table, the fire in her eyes threatening to disintegrate me on the spot. My eyes flicked to the Rogues’ table. Mason watched us, his face a few shades darker than usual as a muscle ticked in his jaw.

  Oh, he was pissed he couldn’t come over here and snatch Charlotte away from me by her bleached-blonde hair. His hands were tied by the untenable situation we were in while his caveman instincts screamed at him to rescue his woman.

  But I didn’t need rescuing. Especially from this bitch.

  “What the fuck do you want, Charlie?”

  The growl that vibrated in her chest told me I’d struck a hit. I knew she’d hate her name being shortened into one traditionally meant for a boy. She was much too refined for such a nickname. I snorted at the thought.

  Charlotte’s frown turned upside down, the resulting smile vicious and filled with dark satisfaction.

  “I have something for you, jizz drinker.”

  “Your insults are getting lame, Charlie. Maybe you should do an internet search. I’m sure you could find something better than jizz drinker.”

  “Shut up, bitch. I’m in control here. Not you.”

  “You don’t control me. You never will,” I bit out, but her attention was already on her phone.

  Before I could question what she was doing, my phone dinged an incoming text. Charlotte’s brown eyes met mine as she tucked hers back into her pocket. Her feral smile returned as she nodded at the device in my hand.

  “Aren’t you going to get that?” she asked.

  I gripped my phone tighter, not wanting to look but knowing I had to. Whatever Charlotte was up to, she was feeling triumphant, and I needed to know what I was up against.

  I unlocked the screen and tapped my finger against the notification pop up. The text was from a number I didn’t recognize, but of course, I wouldn’t have this bitch’s phone number memorized. I’d have liked to erase her existence altogether.

  A video clip appeared on the screen, and with dread filling the pit of my stomach, I tapped on the arrow to play it. Josh, who’d remained quiet during the whole exchange, leaned in to watch with me.

  I inhaled sharply, my eyes burning from refusing to blink as I watched clip after clip of me and Mason together. Holding hands at a romantic dinner in Carsenville. Kissing on the front stoop of the Kincaid mansion. Sharing a shake at Barney’s.

  After that, the clips got decidedly more R-rated. Me in my bra and panties, on my knees with Mason’s cock in my mouth. Both of us naked in my bed. In his bed.

  “What the fuck is this?” I roared, and the entire dining hall fell silent.

  Before I realized what I was doing, I was on my feet and launching myself at Charlotte, who skipped back several steps as if she’d anticipated it. Strong arms circled around my waist, holding me back as I struggled against them in a haze of fury.

  “Let me go, Josh,” I ordered, but he only tightened his grip.

  “You can’t do this, Chaz,” he growled in my ear, his tone urgent. “She has the upper hand here.”

  “Yes. I do,” Charlotte taunted. “Here’s what is going to happen.”

  I stopped struggling, Josh’s words and the truth of the situation quickly turning my anger into anxiety. This was bad. Really bad.

  Charlotte closed the gap between us so she could speak in low tones. She obviously didn’t want the whole senior class to hear her blackmail demands.

  “You are going to stay the fuck away from Mason and the others,” she gritted out between clenched teeth. “Whatever delusional relationship you thought you had with him is over. He’s mine. If you put your dirty whore hands on my property again, I’ll send this video to the Bellamys. I’d hate to think what they’d do if they knew Mason had disobeyed them. Poor Stella.”

  She shook her head with mock sadness, and I had to bite my tongue to keep quiet. I
might not like it, but Josh was right. Charlotte had me by the proverbial balls, and there was nothing I could do about it.

  With one last smirk, she spun around and sashayed back to her seat next to Mason. He spoke to her in words I couldn’t hear, presumably demanding answers about what she said to me, but the bitch only smiled and kept her evil gaze on me.

  What the hell was I going to do? From where I stood, it didn’t really matter.

  I was fucking screwed, no matter which way you looked at it.

  5

  “What are we going to do, Seth?”

  I asked the question for the twelfth time, and Seth still didn’t have an answer. He was slumped in the desk chair in his room, and hadn’t moved from the spot in the last hour. I’d signaled him to meet me in the hall after Charlotte had flounced away from my table. Using the excuse I wasn’t feeling well, I asked him to drive me home. I’d get my car later. This was too important, and Seth wasn’t helping. At all.

  I jumped up from the edge of his bed and stormed toward him.

  “Say something!” I yelled. “I can’t fix this by myself. I need you to help me, Seth.”

  I squatted down beside him, looking up into his amber eyes. He looked helpless. Lost and confused, like a sad little puppy in those horrible ASPCA commercials. I needed him to snap out of it.

  “Please. Contribute,” I said, adding a breath of space between the words.

  “I’m sorry, Chaz,” he said, finally, shaking his head. “I know I’m being useless, but all I can think about is Stella and how, if that bitch Charlotte got video footage of you and Mason, she got some of me and Stella, too. She’s going to use it to keep me in line and with Amelia. I know she is.”

  “I know,” I said, forcing my voice to remain gentle when I really wanted to scream. “That’s why I need you to work with me here, Bro. This affects all of us, not just me and Mason. Charlotte has all the power, and that is a very, very bad thing.”

  “What can we do?” he asked, sitting a little straighter in his chair.