Crown of Thorns by E.M. Snow

28

“What the fuck do you want?”

Phoenix’s tone is vicious as I walk into the room that I saw him slip into after the end-class bell rang. It’s one of the music practice rooms, which confused me at first, but when I see that he’s standing next to an open window with a joint in his hand, his reason for coming in here makes more sense.

I narrow my eyes and scowl at him. “Why are you being such a son of a bitch? Scratch that, that’s just your default setting, isn’t it? Let me be more specific. Why did you run away like a coward yesterday?”

His glare is lethal and his hand clenches, crushing his joint. I don’t think that was on purpose, but he doesn’t seem to care as he tosses it out the window and then slams it shut. He storms toward me until he’s towering over me, and my heart gives a little jolt.

“You didn’t just call me a coward, because that would be exceedingly stupid of you.”

I jut my chin up at him and bare my teeth. “Was I really so hideous that you had to bolt at the sight of me naked?”

I flinch, the words slipping from my mouth before I fully realize what I’m saying. Shit, shit, shit. The last thing I want is for him to know how insecure his sudden abandonment left me. That’s a weakness I simply don’t want to let him see. It’s too late, though. I can’t take back what I’ve said, and I know he’s going to somehow find a way to use my confession against me.

True to form, his lips curl into a cruel smirk and he lets out a bark of laughter.

“Are you that hard-up? You’re more concerned about how I thought you looked naked than the fact you were about to give your virginity to the man holding you hostage. That’s fucked up, you know that, right?”

I snarl at him. “You don’t get to tell me how fucked up my behavior might be. You’re the king of fucked-up, so you have no right to judge me.”

“You’re not even going to deny it, huh?” He shakes his head, as if baffled, but I can see it’s an act. He’s mocking me, acting as though I’m the one in the wrong here. “Well, shit. If it meant that much to you, strip down again and let me get another look.”

“You’re a pig,” I snap.

He shrugs. “I’m not the wannabe slut throwing my cunt around to see where it sticks.”

I jolt back, stunned. “Wow,” I gasp. “You’re not just a pig, you’re an actual piece of shit. You know what? Thank God you ran away before I let you fuck me. That would have been a colossal mistake on my part. I’d be better off letting Alaric have it, or Easton…”

His hand is suddenly in my hair, jerking my head back and he’s pressed up against my body. He’s seething, his wrath rolling off him in waves. “You wouldn’t fucking dare.”

“Try me.” I shove at his chest. “Now let me go, asshole.”

He doesn’t. Instead, he lowers his face until it’s within an inch from mine. For a moment, I think he might kiss me, but I quickly shove the ridiculous notion away. If he so much as tries, I’m kneeing him in the balls.

“If I catch either of those fucks so much as looking at you in a way I don’t like, I’ll ruin them, you got it?”

I fight against his hold and hiss, “I said let me go!”

For a moment, I think he’s going to ignore me again, but at length, he finally releases me. I stumble back, fury rushing through me.

“You know what? I’m done,” I say through gritted teeth.

His brow furrows. “What the hell are you talking about?”

I spread my arms wide and shout, “I’m fucking done, Phoenix! Take up whatever issues you have with your father and my brother and leave me the hell out of it. I don’t give a shit anymore. Take your threats and shove them. I’m over this bullshit!”

His green eyes widen slightly, and then narrow again. “Then go! I don’t give a fuck!”

Spinning on my heel, I storm out of the room before either of us says another word. If he thinks I’m not deadly serious, though, he’s got another thing coming.

* * *

I’m soupset after my confrontation with Phoenix, I don’t say much to Reina as we have lunch together. She seems to pick up on the fact that I’m upset and doesn’t push me to unburden myself, which is a relief. I just want to wallow in my misery for a little while before I have to face him again in my last class.

When the bell rings for last period, I begrudgingly make my way to the classroom. I walk inside and am relieved to see that Phoenix isn’t here yet. Making my way to my seat, I duck my head and try to keep a low-profile as the rest of my classmates filter into the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a large figure walk into the room, and I instinctively know that it’s him. I don’t look his way, keeping my eyes locked straight ahead of me. He moves past me, settling into a seat somewhere behind me and to my left.

I’m so focused on not looking at Phoenix that I don’t notice the other figure approaching until he’s standing right next to me.

“You okay, Josslyn?”

Startled, I jump in my seat and look up to find Easton gazing down at me with a small frown. I blink up at him.

“Huh? Oh, I’m fine,” I tell him.

He grins. “Good. You were pretty spaced out, so I was worried.”

A motion out of the corner of my eye catches my attention and I look before I think better of it. Phoenix is glaring over at us, his fury palpable from across the room. Easton turns to see what I’m look at and when his eyes land on Phoenix, he lets out a derisive snort.

Turning back to me, he says, “I really don’t get why you hang out with that asshole. He’s not nearly good enough for you.”

I can’t help the small grin that curls my lips as I look back up at him. “You and I could not be in more agreement about that.”

Chuckling, he glances over his shoulder at Phoenix once more.

“You know, there’s a party tonight at one of my buddy’s, and I was going to ask you if you wanted to go with me.” Easton focuses back on me, but he’s speaking loud enough that Phoenix can definitely hear us from where he’s sitting. “I swear I was going to invite you before I knew how much it’d piss that fucker off. That’s just a happy bonus.”

I arch an eyebrow and laugh. “Well, I can’t say I blame you for that.” I peek toward Phoenix, who looks murderous now. Good. Smiling wide, I look back up at Easton and say, “That sounds fun. Count me in.”

“Great,” he replies before moving behind me to slip into the chair at my back. He leans forward and lowers his voice to add, “Really, though, I was going to ask you before. It really wasn’t about him.”

I nod and assure him, “I know. Don’t worry.” Then, more loudly, “You can pick me up at my grandma’s house. I’m going to go there after school.” I quickly scribble the address on a piece of paper and hand it to Easton before turning to face the front of the class. I can feel Phoenix’s eyes boring into my back, but I don’t care. Am I being petty, rubbing my meet-up with Easton in his face, even after he warned me to stay away from the guy? Sure am.

Do I care?

Not at all.

Throw in the added bonus that I’m not going to go back to his house after school and won’t be sticking around to wait for him to drive me anywhere, and I feel like I’ve quite successfully shown Phoenix how little I care about him and his threats. Easton continues whispering to me and making me laugh throughout class, and I very firmly continue to ignore Phoenix’s presence. As soon as the bell rings, I’m up and out of my seat. I shoot Easton a quick goodbye before rushing out of the room. I’m not about to give Phoenix any opportunity to corner me and get a word in edgewise about my hang-out with Easton.

I hurry to gather my things and I’m out the school door and to the bus stop just in time to catch the shuttle to my grandma’s house. It’s as if the bus schedule realized how badly I need to get away from this school and readjusted itself just enough so that I wasn’t left waiting and vulnerable to confrontations.

The ride to my grandma’s house is at once familiar and strange, and I realize how much I’ve grown accustomed to going to the Townsends’ after school now. That thought sinks my mood even further. I don’t ever want to be comfortable around those people. I don’t ever want to get used to them, because they are not normal. This is normal, what I’m experiencing now. This is how normal people live, riding on buses and making their way to their practical homes after school and work. Normal people don’t drive foreign sports cars and live inside of behemoth mansions with more space than they’ll ever need.

I am a normal person. I am not a Townsend. I am not like Kallista or any of her rich friends. A part of me was beginning to forget that I don’t really belong with them, as I was starting to feel a little too comfortable living in that big house with all the perks that come with it.

I can’t forget, though, that I’m not a guest there. Phoenix said it himself. I’m a hostage. That mansion is a gilded cage, and the Townsends are the prison guards that I’ve gotten too friendly with. Laying my head back against the hard plastic bus seat, I let out a dejected sigh. What was I thinking, acting like I somehow belonged there? Belonged with Phoenix? He’s never hidden who and what he really is from me, and so it’s really on me that I’ve let myself be so blinded by lust for him.

He was right … I am the fucked-up one.

When the bus reaches my stop, I hop off and head up the sidewalk to the house. I stop dead in my tracks when I see there’s a sleek black Range Rover parked in the driveway. What the hell? Did Phoenix beat me here? He doesn’t usually drive a Range Rover, but I’d be lying if I said I know the full extent of his family’s car collection.

After all, they have a fucking fleet that would rival Enterprise.

Cautiously, I creep closer to the house, and when the front door comes into view, I see a young woman knocking firmly. She has long dark hair, and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen her before, though I can’t see the front of her. Deciding a girl is less of a threat than a pissed off Phoenix, I approach her with more confidence.

“Excuse me,” I call out when I’m standing on the walkway behind her. “Can I help you?”

The girl lets out a startled squeak then turns around to look at me. My eyes bulge when I take in her pregnant belly. What’s even more shocking is how young she looks. She can’t be much older than I am. Who the hell is this girl?

“Josslyn Luna?” she asks, her tone friendly but formal.

I slowly nod. “Yes, that’s me. Who are you? What are you doing here?”

The girl carefully makes her way down the single step and off the porch and comes closer to me. When she stops again, she meets my gaze and offers what can only be described as a sympathetic smile.

“It’s nice to meet you,” she says, and for the first time, I notice her thick Southern accent. “Your brother sent me.”

I swallow my gasp. What the hell does she mean, Jasper sent her? “Who are you?” I demand, and the blue-eyed girl forces a smile.

“I’m Mal—Carley.” The fucking liar. “Your brother asked me to check on you.”

“Ghost or Jasper?" He has so many names, so many terrible parts of himself, I can barely keep up anymore. "And where is he?”

Her smile flips, turns genuine. “Jasper, huh? I never would have expected that.” She tilts her head and sizes me up. When she starts speaking again, she gives me an answer I would have never anticipated. “He asked me to check in on you. He wants to know that you’re safe.”

Jasper? Caring about my wellbeing?

What the hell kind of Twilight Zone have I stumbled into?