Crown of Thorns by E.M. Snow
25
My eyes shoot wide.I look over my shoulder and see him, Alaric, and Reina, of all people, marching up to me and the group. When I glance at the girls, their jaws are all dropped and their eyes wide. They look like a gaggle of idiot turkeys staring up at the pouring rain with their mouths hanging open.
Phoenix stops by my side and stares down my tormentors.
“Ph-Phoenix, we were just—” one of the girls lamely tries to say.
“Did he ask for your explanation?” Reina interrupts in a bored voice as she examines a nail. She glances over at the girl and cocks an eyebrow. “Well?”
Another girl, slightly braver than the first, replies, “Oh, please, Reina. You don’t scare us—”
Her brother takes a step forward at that, a vicious gleam in his hazel eyes. “She might not, but you should definitely be scared of me. Of him.” He bobs his head toward his cousin.
“They have short memories,” Phoenix adds, shooting Alaric a grin that’s both awful and sinfully gorgeous. “I don’t mind reminding them of what a shit I can be, though.”
The girls all visibly shrink back, and I can hardly blame them. Phoenix can be a scary guy under normal circumstances, but right now, he also has menace practically rolling off him in waves.
I fight the smug smile that wants to curl my lips as I watch the pack of bitches start to tremble as they gaze between Alaric and Phoenix. The golden god and the dark god.
Reina folds her arms and cocks her brow. “I suggest you all just get the hell out of here, yeah? And again, don’t let us catch you messing with Josslyn again. These two are straight psychos, and I wouldn’t cross them if I were you.”
The girls seem to take her at her word, because with lingering, nervous looks, the group finally begin to break apart and slowly scatter. Once they’re gone, I turn to Phoenix, to his cousins, and give them a tentative smile.
“I … thank you.”
Alaric responds with a brisk nod before he shuffles off, and Reina simply shrugs. “Don’t mention it. I’ve been getting pretty sick of how uppity the bitches around here have gotten, so any chance to knock them off their self-given pedestals is always welcome.”
I won’t point out that she’d join forces with Phoenix for this chance. Instead, I just bob my head, and she shoots me a wink before taking the seat across from me and grabbing a bunch of my fries. I don’t even bother to stop her. Instead, I focus on Phoenix. Who’s giving me that intense stare of his.
“What made you want to help me?” I whisper around the thick knot in the back of my throat. “You never have before.”
He doesn’t give me a direct answer, which really shouldn’t surprise me at this point. “Someone needs to make sure you don’t wind up shivved by a Tiffany toothbrush.”
My brows shoot up in surprise. “Was that an actual joke, Townsend? Are you getting soft on me?”
“Whatever,” he murmurs, but there’s a smirk tugging at the corners of his full lips. “Just watch yourself, Luna. Keeping tabs on you is exhausting enough without having to scare off entitled bitches.”
Turning, he storms away without a backward glance. A deep breath slips past my lips, and I look to Reina, who’s wrinkling her nose as she watches her cousin flee.
“What a fucking shithead,” she says with a shake of her head. Meeting my gaze again, she continues, “Still on for the nursing home after school?”
I nod. “Yes, absolutely. Reina … thanks again.”
“Seriously, don’t mention it. You’re going to make me gag.” She rolls her eyes dramatically, but a moment later, her expression goes serious. She lowers her gaze to my tray, and when she speaks again, her voice is low. Commanding. “Don’t let anything these bitches tell you make you feel less than worthy, do you understand?”
Once again, there’s a lump in the back of my throat and I find myself nodding. “I won’t.”
At that moment, the bell rings, marking the end of lunch. Reina gets up and strolls away for her class, and I follow suit, feeling just a little bit lighter and not so completely alone.
* * *
Later that evening,after Reina drops me back off at the Townsends’ mansion and then drives off to God-knows-where, I decide to grab a book and go lounge out by the outdoor pool. After such a chaotic day, I need some quiet and fresh air, and I don’t anticipate anyone being out at this time in the evening.
So, it’s a surprise when I spot Alaric sitting on the pool’s edge, wearing athletic shorts and a tank-top, his bare feet dangling in the water. He spots me the moment I step out through the backdoor, and I can see his jaw clench. For a moment, I worry I’m intruding on his own private moment, and I tense to turn around and go back inside. As if he can read my mind, he rolls his eyes and waves me over.
“I’m not going to bite,” he calls out. “Not hard, anyway.”
My lips twitch. Look at that, he’s capable of jokes, too. At least, I think it’s a joke. My cheeks heat at the thought that maybe it’s not. Still, it would be weird to just blatantly ignore him, so I shrug and make my way over to him. I kick off my flip-flops and sit down next to him, dipping my feet in the water alongside his. We don’t say anything for several moments, but it’s a strangely comfortable silence.
At length, though, I bump his shoulder with mine and say, “Thanks for earlier today. I know I said it before, but I really mean it. You and Reina and Phoenix didn’t have to stick up for me like that.”
He doesn’t look at me, but he replies, “It’s no big deal.”
But it is, and we both know it.
After some length of time, he asks, “Why do they hate you so much?”
I glance at him with an arched brow. “Seriously?”
“Best guess.”
Sighing, I roll my head on my shoulders before answering, “I’m an outsider. I don’t belong in their world, and yet I’ve managed to not only attend their school, but I’m tangled up with their most elite peers. In their eyes, I don’t deserve the attention. Maybe they think if they cut me down, the rest of you will see me for the nobody they think I am.”
He arches a light brown eyebrow, looking almost impressed. “And here you said you didn’t know.”
Chuckling, I lean back on my hands and tilt my head back to gaze up at the darkening sky. “I never said I didn’t know, did I?”
“Touché.”
I grin, and that comfortable silence falls between us again. It gives me time to think, and my mind can’t seem to help but turn to the awkward elephant still looming between us. For a moment, I debate saying anything about it, but I know I should address it, or it’ll probably come back to bite me in the ass again.
“I’m sorry that I used you to lie to Margaret. I just really wanted her to leave it alone, and I knew she wouldn’t if I didn’t give her something juicy, you know?”
He arches an eyebrow and the corner of his mouth curled into an amused smirk.
“You know, I’m not really pissed you told that stupid bitch that we hooked up. I mean, fuck, I kind of wish it were true.”
My lips part in shock. I’m somewhat used to Alaric’s strange way of flirting with me, but such a blunt response catches me off guard. My mind begins to race as we stare at each other, the air thick and heavy with tension. Memories of our brief encounter at the music store flood my mind. His hands on me. That kiss.
I don’t realize we’re leaning closer to each other until his lips are just a breath away from mine, and there’s a growl behind us.
“What the fuck is going on here?”
I jump and jerk away from Alaric at the sound of the angry voice cracking through the air. Wide-eyed, I turn and feel the blood drain from my face as I watch Phoenix stalking toward us from the direction of his cottage. His expression is furious, and I actual feel a fissure of fear shoot up my spine. I glance back over at Alaric, and his jaw is tense, but he doesn’t look intimidated. He looks irritated. Pissed.
He drags his feet from the pool and stands so he can face down his cousin at eye-level. I scramble to stand just as Phoenix storms right up to Alaric and shoves him in the chest.
Hard.
“Fucking answer me.” Fury blazes behind his green irises. “What the hell are you doing messing with what doesn’t belong to you?”
“She’s not an object, you primal asshole,” Alaric snaps back, backpedaling so he can shove Phoenix in turn.
I have a fleeting, ridiculous thought that I should step between the two to stop them before they get into a full-on fight, but then I pause and recognize how stupid that would be. It would be the equivalent of getting in the middle of two battling lions. I’ll likely end up torn to shreds myself rather than bringing about any kind of peace.
“This is how you repay me for taking your ass in?” Phoenix snarls.
“You didn’t take us in,” his cousin retorts, dragging a hand angrily through his blond hair. “But if you want to go there, fine. At least my folks didn’t take off because they couldn’t stand to be around me. How long’s it been, Phoenix? Four months now? Do your parents really hate you that much? Or did you decide they just weren’t necessary features in your life anymore and you got rid of them yourself?”
I gape at Alaric, shocked. Phoenix’s parents haven’t been around since June? Holy shit. And what’s more, did he just accuse Phoenix of murdering his parents? That has to be a joke, right? Just a cruel jab to get under Phoenix’s skin. It couldn’t be true, but that does still leave the question I’ve been asking since I came to live with them two months ago: where the hell are Royce and Sabrina Townsend?
Phoenix lets out a cruel bark of laughter that’s devoid of humor. “Interesting that you bring up murder, considering your mom offed your dad and your sister’s dirty whore best friend. You’d probably be the one to follow mommy’s footsteps, my guy. The only question would be if you’d take the cowards way out like she did and kill yourself along with your victims. You should be more grateful.”
Jesus Christ, what is happening right now? This is getting way out of hand. I’ve learned way more about the Townsends and the Hartley twins in the last few moments than in all the months I’ve lived with them, which is really problematic. Phoenix’s words seem to trigger something in Alaric. His hazel eyes flash with rage and his usual cool and nonchalant demeanor melts away as he charges his cousin. He shoves Phoenix again and grabs his collar before he has a chance to fully regain his balance.
“Don’t fuck with me,” he hisses viciously. “I could ruin you so easily. I know everything, and I don’t give a shit about letting it all spill.”
“You don’t know shit.” Phoenix breaks Alaric’s hold on him and pushes him away. “You don’t scare me, you bitch.”
All I can do is stare between them, my heart beating wildly as I watch this train wreck happen.
“Is that so?” Alaric’s hands ball into fists at his sides, and for a moment I think he’s going to throw a punch. Instead, he continues, “I know that the week before Saint Angelle’s death, his father showed up on your family’s doorstep.”
I don’t know what that means. I don’t know what any of this means, but Phoenix’s expression turns deadly. There’s a moment where no one says anything, and I feel like I can’t breathe as I wait to see what either of them might do. Suddenly, Phoenix dives at Alaric, and it’s the fight I was afraid was going to happen from the start. Fists start flying, and I let out a shout.
“Knock it off!” I command them sharply, but I may as well have been talking to two brick walls. They both ignore me as they continue to exchange blows with each other. I try to think of a way to stop them before they kill each other, but there isn’t much I can do without risking my own neck.
Then, as if he was sent to answer my please, Gideon comes running out of the house with a startled expression. He charges right into the melee, getting between his brother and his cousin, and shoves them both away from each other before shouting, “What the fuck is the matter with you two?”
Phoenix looked as though he wants to ignore his brother and go after Alaric again, so I quickly run forward and stand next to Gideon to add an extra barrier between the two idiots. Phoenix turns his vicious glare to me, and I can almost see that fucked-up mind of his whirling. I just don’t know what it is he’s trying to decide.
The tension becomes suffocating before he finally hisses, “I don’t fucking need this. I don’t need any of you.”
Before any of us can respond, he turns and makes his way toward the main house instead of his guest cottage, his movements tight with rage.
Puffing out a sharp breath, Gideon turns to Alaric and demands, “What happened?”
I glance toward Alaric as well, and his eyes latch onto mine as he snarls, “Nothing. Not a fucking thing.”
I don’t know why he seems angry with me all of a sudden. He turns and stomps in the opposite direction of the house. I don’t know where he’s going, but I don’t try to stop him. It’s probably for the best that he and Phoenix have some distance between them right now.
With an exasperated sigh, Gideon turns to me, his expression pleading. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”
Not really, if I’m being honest. Plus, I don’t know that it really matters right now. The fight is over, and knowing those two, they’ll cool down for a while and then find some other reason to go at each other’s throats.
At least, that’s what I tell myself to push back the guilt that’s bubbling in my belly.
Giving him a shrug, I calmly answer, “Who knows. One minute I’m talking to Alaric, the next, Phoenix is trying to rip his head off. They’re both psycho.”
Reina was definitely right when she called them that earlier today.
He gives me a long look before slowly bobbing his head. “Right. Sure. That’s true, I guess.”
I can see he wants to push for more, but I don’t give him a chance. I turn from him. It doesn’t occur to me until I take my first step that I could have just as easily gone in the same direction as Alaric, and yet, here I am. Following Phoenix’s deceitful trail.
What a fool I am.