Scartissue by T.L Hodel

CHAPTER 13

Shelby

Riley picked up a can of pink paint and sprayed the wall.

“The prick hasn’t messaged me back.”

I sucked in a deep breath, enjoying the chemical scent of aerosol. Rye and I had been coming to the Causegrove for so long that the smell of wildflowers and paint had a calming effect on me now. It let me know I was safe. For a few hours I could forget all the crap going on and just have fun with my friends.

“Maybe he’s busy dealing with Junior?”

Junior was officially adopted by Micha today, which was good news to me. Since I dropped him off that one day, I’d been trying to put together a plan to collect donations for his mother and him for Christmas. Every kid should have a good Christmas. That was one thing I knew Micha could give him.

I highly doubted Junior was as happy about the adoption as I was. Mags constantly talked about him. Let me just say, my little sister probably didn’t improve his mood any. I swear Megan Ruth Grace was put on this earth to annoy people.

Rye’s blue eyes rolled my way.

“Micha’s not the coddling type.”

“And Junior’s not the coddle me type,” I pointed out.

Tico snorted from his spot on the rundown couch.

“Still don’t know why you’re dating that guy.”

It was weird seeing him hating on someone. Tico was a pretty easy going guy, he seemed to get along with everyone. Amazing, considering his home life. He really hated Micha Kessler though. Can’t say I blamed him. It wasn’t like Micha was nice to Riley growing up.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but I think he really does love her.”

Not sure why I was defending Micha. He was a complete and utter jerk. But the way he sat by Riley’s bedside, begging her to wake up, made me like him just a little. Still didn’t forgive all the shit he did to her. It was a start, though.

“You should give him a chance.”

“If you say so.”

Shadows ghosted across Tico’s face, deepening the scowl etched in his forehead as he stared into the glowing light of the crackling fire.

Riley mumbled, “There won’t be anything left of him to give a chance if the bastard doesn’t get back to me.”

When she pulled out her phone and sent another text, I knew she was worried. Rye wasn’t that girl glued to her phone. Sometimes it was like pulling teeth just to get her to answer a call.

“Like I said, he’s probably dealing with Junior.”

“I’m sure Junior’s fine.”

I gave my best friend a sideways glance. On a normal day, that kid was anything but fine.

Headlights lit up our spot under the stone bridge, interrupting our conversation. Rye groaned as a blue Ford Taurus rolled up.

“Holy shit,” Trina exclaimed, getting out of the car. “She showed! And surprise, surprise, she’s painting.”

Riley rolled her eyes and grumbled under her breath.

“Leave her alone,” Marnie said, climbing out of the passenger side. “Rye’s an artist, she can’t help it when the mood strikes.”

“Exactly,” Riley nodded.

“Whatever.” Trina cracked open a box and tossed Tico a beer. “Who’s the muse this time, Picasso?”

“Can’t you tell?” Riley turned her grin Trina’s way, “It’s you. After your ten year porn career.”

It was Trina’s turn to grumble.

I eyed the detailed portrait of a desiccated woman. She was laying on the ground with her head lulled to the side and eyes half open. My attention was drawn to the open chest cavity and hypodermic needles piercing the woman’s exposed heart. From everything I’d been told, I’d have to say the woman represented Junior’s mother.

“I don’t know,” Marnie sang, teasing her sister, “She might have a couple cheesy tattoos by then.”

“Good point,” Riley agreed.

“If I got any tattoos, they would be classy.” Trina waved her hand through the air. “You know, like a flower or dolphin or something.”

We all gave her the same look. Somewhere in Miami, Chase was shaking his head.

“Don’t ever say that shit to Chase,” Riley shook her head and returned to her painting. “He’d slap the shit out of you.”

Trina rolled her eyes.

“Please, Chase loves me.”

“No, he tolerates you.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. I missed this. Being here with my friends, listening to the wind blowing through tall grass and the crackling fire. The Causegrove was the place my friends came to get away from the world. To me, it was home. One of the few places I could relax and seek solitude from the mess in my mind.

“Anyway, I’m much more interested in what your stepbrother’s intentions are with our darling Shelby.”

At least it used to be.

Stupid Trina and her big mouth.

“What?” Riley spun around, slamming her hands down on her hips. “What the hell is she talking about, Shell?”

“Nothing.” I huffed out a sigh and glared at the sparkle in Trina’s aqua eyes. She did this on purpose. I wouldn’t answer her, so she outed me to Riley.

Touché Trina.

“I wouldn’t call showing up at our school and punching Evan March ‘nothing.’”

Sometimes I really hated Trina.

“That had nothing to do with me.”

It was a lie, but hopefully one Riley would buy.

“Uh huh?” The corner of Trina’s mouth lifted, “Well, according to Chelsea, he practically told the whole school you were his, and hit Evan for touching you.”

“Chelsea’s full of bull.” My hand swept through the air, trying to pass it off as nothing more than gossip. “”Everyone knows that.”

“Hold up,” Tico sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Are we talking about Logan Hudson? Gorgeous god of a man?”

Trina nodded.

Tico’s brow arched. “So, the player of Ashen Springs called our little Shelby his?”

“He sent her a piece of pie too. From Mauves.”

How did she even find that out?

“And he showed up with your boyfriend at one of her practices.”

Shut the hell up Trina!

“Micha knew about this!?” Riley growled and crossed her arms. “Okay Shell, what the hell is going on?”

“Nothing’s going on.”

That was a definite lie. Something was going on. Like the things he did to me last night. My mind kept replaying over and over, reminding me how he felt inside me. His hot breath warming my skin while he grunted in my ear...

“Logan’s just a pain in the ass.”

A deep aching pain that throbbed every time I thought of him.

“Girl,” Tico sang, clicking his tongue, “You’re in trouble.”

“Please.” Just because he had pretty green eyes, a charming smile and smelled really good, didn’t make him the epitome of masculine perfection. “He’s not that great.”

Who are you trying to kid?

Tico sighed and flopped back on the couch.

“I’d eat the shit outta some pussy if it meant I got to just look at his dick.”

“Right?” Trina agreed. “I’d pay to lick him.”

Riley made a gagging noise. I was right there with her. Just thinking about Trina touching Logan made my blood boil. Which only pissed me off more, because why the hell should I care?

“Sorry girl,” Tico sighed, “But that man is hot enough to turn me straight for a night.”

“I told you, sis.”

Both Riley and I groaned at the big smile on Logan’s face. We’d been so caught up in our conversation that we didn’t hear him drive up.

“I’m irresistible.”

Logan looked over at Tico and gave him a playful wink as Parker walked by carrying a keg. I might’ve thrown up at the pink tint in Tico’s cheeks if Micha and Silas didn’t march in to join us.

“What are you doing here?” Riley growled at Micha, “This is girls’ night.”

Micha shot Tico a dirty look, “Doesn’t look like girl’s night.”

Tico was the last person he needed to worry about. Even if he didn’t bat for the other team, he wasn’t the kind of guy my best friend would go for. Not because he wasn’t cute–Tico was adorable–but adorable wasn’t exactly what women went for. Besides, his short stature was not going to help Riley’s huge Napoleon complex.

“We brought a girl,” Logan said, flashing his perfect white teeth.

That’s when I noticed the blonde tip-toeing closer. My eyes rolled over her black silk dress and Jimmy Choo shoes. Hardly the kind of outfit for the Causegrove. Though I had to admit she was rocking it. Didn’t so much as stumble on the rocky ground, and those had to be at least two inch heels.

“Bitchy Barbie.” Riley’s brow rose. “Seriously?”

“What the hell is this, Logan?” the girl huffed and crossed her arms.

I could see why she’d been dubbed Bitchy Barbie. This girl had the best resting bitch face I’d ever seen.

“It’s a party,” Logan sang, throwing his arms open wide.

“This is not a party.” Bitchy Barbie carefully plucked something off the couch, curled her lip at it, and flicked it away. “It’s reject day at the homeless shelter.”

“Sorry babe,” Tico snickered, “If you’re looking for cocktails at the Plaza, you came to the wrong place.”

The curl in her lip deepened. “Clearly.”

“Stop complaining,” Parker scoffed. “Think of it like camping.”

“I don’t camp.”

“There’s a shocker,” he muttered.

“Everything’s covered in dirt.” She exhaled a puff of air and turned her unimpressed eyes Logan’s way. “Where, exactly, am I supposed to sit?”

I don’t know why, but it pissed me off that she expected Logan to cater to her. Maybe it was just because I didn’t like snooty people. And this girl, whoever she was, was as pompous as they came.

“If you put a little more clothing on, it wouldn’t be a problem.”

I could feel the judgement in her cool glare as her gaze slowly swept over my black jeans and green shirt.

“Oh honey, I don’t dress down for anyone.”

Admittedly, the shirt wasn’t something I would normally wear, but for some reason the color called to me. I stole a quick glance at Logan’s sparkling eyes.

Yeah, for some reason.

“Naomi doesn’t dress up, either,” Riley snarled.

Ah, this girl was Naomi. That made sense. Rye told me a lot about her, and so far, she’d lived up to every one of my meager expectations.

Naomi sneered at my best friend.

“It’s called class, honey. Something you clearly have none of.”

“Hooker isn’t a class,” Rye scoffed, “I hope you’re wearing underwear. I’d hate for the couch to catch something.”

Normally I enjoyed my best friend’s sarcasm, but Micha was staring at me. Arms crossed with a glare so cold it sent a shiver up my spine. I might’ve even moved in closer to Logan when he threw his arm over my shoulders.

“Micha and I need to talk to you.”

I looked up at Logan and over to Micha, who I was pretty sure was currently contemplating my potential murder. Micha wasn’t the only one who had death in his eyes. Riley was eyeing the arm Logan had draped around me.

“We have nothing to talk about.”

Whatever this situation was, I wanted no part of it.

Micha’s booming voice disagreed.

“Yes, we fucking do.”

“Yeah,” Rye loudly agreed. “Like why the hell is Logan touching you?”

“I did a lot more than touch her last night.”

I’d never wished the ground would open up and swallow me more than when Riley and Trina’s jaws dropped.

“It’s not what you think.”

“It’s exactly what you think,” Logan smirked. “Just not how you think.”

Sweet God above, please give me the strength to not murder this man.

“Shelby?” Trina sang in an accusatory tone. “And here I was thinking you might die a virgin.”

I rolled my eyes.

“I am a virgin.”

Right? I mean I still had my hymen, so technically…

“Depends on your definition of virgin,” Logan pointed out.

Right now would be a great time for those secret teleportation powers to kick in.

“This is so not… I mean…” Riley’s burning blue glare landed on me. “How could you let this happen?”

How could I let this happen? It wasn’t like I’d asked for Logan’s interest. If anything, I’d prayed it would go away.

“You should’ve told me. We said no secrets.”

“No secrets. Really?” At that moment, all I could think about was seeing my best friend laying in that hospital bed, and the lame excuse she gave me for it. “Okay then, what really happened to you and Mason?”

“I already told you, it was a car accident.”

Right, cause you get bruises on your neck from car accidents.

“You can talk about this later, Mouse.”

Not once had Micha taken his eyes off me.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Riley snarled at him. “She’s my friend, not yours.”

“This is more important.”

“How could it be more important?” Her gaze shifted over to Logan. “If you helped him with some stupid fucking contract…”

Logan chuckled and tightened his hold on me.

“I didn’t need help for that.”

“What?!” shrieked Riley.

Not sure why she was getting so worked up over a contract. My dad was a lawyer. Contracts were a good thing. They protected both parties.

“Micha…”

“It’s done, Mouse. Deal with it. You and I need to have a talk,” Micha added, pointing at me.

“No.” Riley slapped his hand. “You are not pulling the same shit–”

“Jesus Christ, Mouse, this has nothing to do with the fucking contract,” he roared down at her. “It’s about our goddamn brother.”

My eyes snapped up to his.

What?

***

I didn’t believe it at first. I mean, my mom with Louis Kessler? How laughable was that? My mom was a country girl. Not the small town wearing cowboy boots type, but the competing in horse shows and sipping tea type. I swear dirt literally avoided the woman. Louis Kessler was… well Louis Kessler.

So, I called my mom, and guess what? Not only was it true, but she had a baby she gave up. I had an older brother! My mom. The Sally Mae, baking on weekends, proper southern girl, got pregnant at seventeen. Seven–friggin–teen!

She claimed she was too busy to talk and we’d discuss it later.

Bull crap!

This would get brushed under the rug and become another taboo subject in the Grace household. Just like my dad’s gambling problem. After all, everything would be fine if you just smiled.

I threw my phone and dropped down onto the grass, letting tears burn angry streaks down my cheeks.

Was I so fragile that people were afraid to tell me things? Didn’t they think I could handle it?

Even my best friend, the one person I thought would never keep me in the dark, was hiding something from me.

That’s what hurt the most. It was like Rye didn’t trust me. After all the crap we’d been through, and she couldn’t tell me what really happened to her. She didn’t tell me about Micha, either. Not until long after they started dating.

Would she have let Micha tell me about our brother? Or would it just be something else to keep from me?

A secret they all didn’t think I could handle.

Riley always said we were all the same. No one was better than the next. But that wasn’t true, because she treated me differently. They all did.

“Shell?” Riley stepped through the trees, invading my dark solitude. “Are you okay?”

Fan–freaking–tastic. Not that you care.

“I’m fine.”

“Look at you,” she flopped down beside me and brushed some of the wetness off my cheek. “You’re not fine.”

I didn’t want her touching me. Didn’t want her arm around me in some pitying version of comfort.

Instead of pushing her away, I just hugged my knees and whispered, “Go away, Riley.”

I really am pathetic.

“Come on, Shell,” I could hear the tinge of pain in her words. I just didn’t care. “Talk to me.”

I snorted. Talk to her? Yeah, right. Because she’s been so forthcoming with me.

“You shouldn’t keep this stuff in,” she said, giving me a gentle nudge. “Friends don’t keep things from each other, remember?”

Because I was the one hiding crap.

“Don’t make me get Trina.”

She was really pulling out the big guns now. If she wanted to talk, fine. We’d talk!

“Alright Rye, why don’t we start with what really happened to you.”

“Shell…”

“Don’t give me some crap about a car accident either,” I cut her off before she could lie to me again. “People don’t get bruises like that from car accidents.”

“Yes they do. Bruises are easy to get.”

“From car accidents?” I cocked a brow at her. “On their neck?”

“The seatbelt.”

Funny how she couldn’t look at me when she said that.

“Sure,” I sighed and pushed off the ground. “Whatever you say.”

“Shelby…”

“What, Riley?” I barked back at her, “Are you going to feed me another lie, because I’m not really in the mood. I’d rather spend my time drinking than listening to your bullshit.”

Should’ve known she wouldn’t just let me drown my sorrows.

“Don’t,” she said, grabbing my arm. “You shouldn’t drink when you’re upset.”

“Relax, Riley, I’m not your mother,” I snarled, tearing my arm out of her grasp and continuing on my way to the keg. “I’m going to drive myself into a powerline.”

Okay, that was a low blow.

Guilt or anger, I’m not sure which, allowed me to turn away from my best friend and head for the keg. Alcohol would help. Didn’t need to think when I was drunk. I could almost taste the bitter beer on my tongue when Logan stepped out of the shadows.

“Do you mind?” I growled, pissed that he was in my way. “You’re interrupting my date with a drink.”

Or a dozen.

“Shelby…”

“Riley…” I sang back at her.

I tried to move around Logan, but he stepped in my way.

Prick.

“Where do you think you’re going, sweetheart?”

“It’s a party, right?” Screw him and his sweetheart. “I’m just joining in the festivities.”

“That’s not gonna happen.”

Who the hell was he, thinking he could tell me what to do. Oh, that’s right. Logan Hudson. The friggin king of everything.

“What’s wrong, Logan? Worried someone will take advantage of me?” My eyes locked on Parker. He had the same playful glimmer in his gaze as he did the first time I met him. “Or that I’ll let them?”

The version of Logan I’d met last night came back. I stood there watching his eyes darken and felt a deep sense of satisfaction fill my chest. Probably should’ve been scared. He wasn’t nice to me last night, but I didn’t want nice. I needed to take my frustration out on someone. I wanted to fight with him. Craved the sting of his slap. Pain let me forget.

“You’re treading a thin line, Cherry Pie.”

Good. Let’s cross that line, asshole.

“Whatever you say, Logan,” I said, and shouldered past him. Fuck him and his stupid brow of disapproval.

The next thing I knew, my feet were lifted off the ground and I was thrown over his shoulder.

“Logan, put her down!” Riley shrieked.

“Go find your boyfriend, sis. I got this.”

The bastard’s palm smacked down on my ass, making me cry out. I was still sore from last night, and that shit hurt.

“Fuck you, Logan,” I hissed through clenched teeth while pounding my fists on his back.

“You don’t want to keep pushing me, sweetheart.”

If Logan felt my strikes, he didn’t respond. Simply kept walking us deeper in the trees as I added more strength into each hit, hoping that one would cause him to release me.

It didn’t.

The only response I got was a softly growled, “Just so you know, I’m keeping a mental tally of every time you hit me.”

That made me stop. Something told me Logan held back last night. A theory I wasn’t in a hurry to test. No matter how mad I was.

I sighed and tried to get comfortable, which was impossible when being carried caveman style. Shoulders were hard, especially when digging into your gut.

Had a great view of his ass though, so it wasn’t all bad. I cocked my head at the design on his pocket, wondering if all jeans looked this good, or just his.

“Out of curiosity, would smacking your butt count against my tally?”

Logan’s shoulders shook with his laugh.

“Baby, you can touch me any time you want.” His grip on my backside tightened, fingers digging into my sore flesh. “Anywhere you want.”

Anywhere? Because I was a little curious about one part. I mean, I’d felt it, but hadn’t really seen it.

Was it just as pretty as the rest of him? Could a dick be pretty?

I’d seen a few pornos and I didn’t know if I’d call those dicks pretty. Intimidating, scary and big, maybe, but not pretty. Pretty just wasn’t the right word for a dick.

I shook my head. That was the last thing I should be thinking about. Unfortunately, my body didn’t agree. The longer he carted me through the foliage, the deeper the growing need in my core got.

I blamed it on his scent. All masculine and yummy.

Stupid Logan Hudson. Was he taking me to his secret love den?

I could picture it all silky and full of pillows. Like something out of one of those Egyptian movies. I snorted. It was probably more like the back of a dirty van.

Still…

“Are you going to have sex with me?”

Shut up Shelby, don’t give him ideas!

“It’s not if I’m going to fuck you, sweetheart, it’s when.”

My brain was already far too focused on the hard muscles bulging under me to think of some witty retort. At least, that’s what I told myself.

“If that’s where you’re taking me, you can turn around. I’m not doing that with you.”

Even I didn’t believe my own words.

“Keep telling yourself that, Cherry Pie,” he snickered. “You and I both know I’ll be balls deep in your pussy soon enough.”

I grumbled a string of curses under my breath, because I was starting to think he was right.