Twisted Complications by Nikita Parmenter

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“Holy fuck, I think you’re living my dream.” Peter says, sounding slightly shocked.

Whether that’s because three of the guys kissed me one after the other or because of the casual way that they talked about seriously hurting someone and my reaction to it all, he doesn’t make clear, but I grin anyway. I hear the bikes roar out of the driveway and I know that they’ll deal out the justice that Thomas deserves. The guys were right last night, apart from Jensen’s arm I have the worse wound here and it’s going to slow me down. I don’t do well at being injured I’m far too impatient. It makes me feel vulnerable as well and that makes me a bit moody.

To put it mildly.

“Dude, you’ve got no idea.” I wink and he bursts out laughing.

“So, can I know why you can’t take care of Thomas or is that something I just pretend I haven’t heard?”

“I’ve got stitches in my side; the guys are being stick in the muds.” I reply, smiling affectionately at the guys.

“We’re trying to stop you from hurting yourself more.” Trick says, he comes and kisses me. “I’m going to go and read for a bit. Call me back down when they come back?”

“Of course.” I grin.

“Okay, tell me to fuck off if it’s none of my business, but my little nosy as fuck heart, has to ask. How many of these gorgeous men are yours?”

“We all are.” Jensen grins proudly.

“Seriously?” He asks me.

“Oh yeah, apart from Rage.” I say my eyes, landing on him, pain flashes in his eyes and I regret singling him out. Truth is that I’m starting to realise that my feelings are growing for him and I don’t quite know what to do about it. Peter looks at me knowingly. “I’m all theirs and they’re all mine.”

“Lucky bitch. You know any more men, maybe some that swing my way?”

I chuckle, “Nope, but I’ll keep my feelers out and see what I can do.”

“Thanks.” He grins. “So, the other reason I’m here. The guys should all back off now after what happened at the party, they know your men are fucking lethal and they won’t risk earning their wrath. I get the feeling that you’re just as capable but that’ll be a nice surprise for whoever steps out of line.”

“Oh, that would be fun.” I agree.

“Thought so, anyway, like I said the guys will be fine, but the teachers are still going to be assholes. Not overtly so, they’re still scared of Atlas but enough that they’re going to make actually learning pretty difficult. That’s where I come in, I was thinking I could help tutor whichever ones of you need it a couple of days a week?”

“That would be absolutely amazing, yes please.” I reply, relief filling me.

I don’t want to fail school.

We spend the next couple of hours just chatting, Peter is as funny as I thought he’d be and as the guys start to interact with him more, he becomes more relaxed.

“Honey, we’re home!” Luc yells, banging open the door.

“Well fuck me sideways, you guys look like you’ve just come from a fucking horror film.” Peter blurts out.

The guys are blood splattered and grinning, clearly, they’ve enjoyed themselves.

“He had friends around, we played hunt the cunt.” Rafe chuckles.

“That’s brilliant, I’m using that.” I grin.

“I made him send out a mass text explaining that he lied about my involvement and absolving all of his clients of their favours. He won’t be coming to school again.”

“You got him kicked out?” Peter asks curiously.

“We convinced him that it would be better if he left.” Rafe grins.

“Good job guys.” I praise.

“We’re going to go shower, there’s blood everywhere again.” Luc sighs.

“Do you want me to start a rumour about it?” Peter asks.

Atlas looks at him slightly confused but Trick watches him, his eyes assessing.

“That’s actually not a bad idea. It means everyone else will know not to use your name to threaten anyone or there will be consequences.” Trick says.

“I hadn’t thought of it that way. Go for it, thanks man.” Atty says, taking the stairs two at a time the others following quickly.

I’m pretty annoyed that I didn’t get to go. I don’t get to go on the jobs because of fucking Liam and the one thing that came up on fucking campus and I’m too injured to do anything about it.

We spend the rest of the evening relaxing and just having the first calm day that we’ve had it what feels like forever. Peter eventually goes home telling us that he’s got to start getting the rumour out there. He warned us that by the time we go to school in the morning, it will have mutated and multiplied and some truly out there theories will be flying around the school.

I’m sort of excited to see what they’re going to come up with if I’m honest. Once he’s gone we all settle down in the lounge with blankets and pillows, I end up with my head in Atlas’s lap and my feet in Rafe’s, both of them having their foot rests up on the seats, Luc is sat on the floor in front of my stomach and my fingers run through his hair playing with it as we watch a tv show. The others all around me. I get a flash of what days in our future could be like all of us together.

*******

Last night we all ended up crashing in the front room. It was awesome to have all the guys around me, but me side hurts today from staying in the same position all day which means I’m stabby. This fucking teacher isn’t helping. She keeps eyeing the guys like she wants to take a fucking bite out of them and shooting me looks like I’ve stolen her boyfriend.

They’re mine, you bitch.

The first lesson wasn’t so bad, we got ignored but we got books this time so at least there was that. Walking through the hallways to lunch is an entirely different experience than it has been since we got here. All of the kids move out of our way even though we don’t have Rage and Atlas with us, since they had a different class before lunch. Cash and Jensen keep getting given looks of either fear or admiration and some even give them those guy head nod things as we walk past. No one’s said anything snarky or disgusting towards me and I’m grateful for the reprieve although, since I’m feeling a bit stabby, I kind of want to take it out on some mouthy dickhead. Not that the guys would let me with my side and to be honest, with the way it’s hurting, I probably shouldn’t either.

Peter was right about the rumour mill going nuts. The original and true story of Thomas being taken care of has morphed into the guys hunting him through the woods like a deer and then burying him out there. There’s a couple of variations that are even more amusing and further than the truth.

“Are you okay, Angel?” Jensen asks, just as we step through the doors to the cafeteria, this time there’s no silence or jeers, just wary looks, it’s a nice reprieve.

“I’m in pain.” I tell him honestly.

“You should’ve said something, il mio Cuore.” Cash says, rummaging around in the front pocket of his bag, he pulls out some painkillers and hands them to me. “I brought them just in case.”

“You’re my hero for today.” I smile gratefully.

“Go and sit down and we’ll bring lunch over to you.” Trick smiles.

“It’s table service.” Jensen smirks.

“Well shit, I completely forgot.” He chuckles.

We make our way through the tables daring some fucker to try something but although I feel eyes on me no one so much as mutters a word. I suppose that’s a good thing. I take a seat at Atlas’s and Rage’s normal table pulling out a bottle of water from my bag and taking the painkillers.

“What’s wrong?” Rage asks, as he sits down opposite me eyes me with concern.

“Her side is giving her trouble.” Cash explains.

“Probably didn’t help that we all slept in the living room last night.” Rage mutters.

“Nope, but it was worth it.” I grin.

My eyes search the room for Atlas finding him leading a nervous looking Peter to our table. They both take a seat and the guys greet Peter, he relaxes at the easy interaction. It seems he thought this friendship was just for behind closed doors.

No chance, once I decide that someone’s my friend, it’s all or nothing.

The waiters come over to take our orders, which is an entirely surreal experience on my part. Once they’re gone, Atlas leans forward slightly lowering his voice.

“I got a message from my guy, Clint’s dead.”

“What?” I ask shocked.

“Yeah, the official report is that it was a heart attack but he’s not buying it. The woman that worked there has gone missing and the other patient that was at the facility has too.” Atlas explains.

“That’s fucking crazy. It’s got to all be connected.” Trick murmurs.

“I hope the nurse is alright, she was lovely.” I say.

“I’m sure she just got the hell out of dodge.” Riot reassures me.

“Did you guys find anything from those blueprints yesterday?” Rafe asks.

There’s a pause in the conversation as the food gets placed in front of us and I thank the waiters who look pretty shocked to be treated with common courtesy which pisses me off.

“I managed to look a couple of them, all of the buildings have been taken over by new businesses not named on the blueprints. I’m going to try and see if there’s a link between them all, but I want to go through all of them first before I try to find the link, which is going to take a while.” Cash says.

“Same for me. I got through a couple, but they’ve been taken over.” Luc agrees with Cash.

“Do I want to know?” Peter asks seriously, you can tell he’s curious as hell but he’s also aware that there’s probably some things he doesn’t want to know about.

I share a look with the guys and Trick tilts his head into a nod giving me permission.

“It’s about what you told us about when you gave us a lift home.” I tell him making sure I don’t actually mention Phoenix, the last thing we need is for the wrong person to overhear us.

“You’ve actually found something out?” He says, leaning across the table in his excitement, his eyes burning with curiosity.

“Oh yeah.” I grin.

“Then I want in. It’s fascinated me since my dad first told me about it.” He says excitedly, that’s exactly what I thought he’d say.

“I feel like need to warn you first that it’s going to be really dangerous. Someone’s already died but we’re not sure if there’s a connection to us yet.” Rafe warns him.

“Eh, you only live once.” He grins, he’s got a backbone on him, he’ll fit in nicely with us.

“Fair enough,” Trick grins, “Come to our house after school and we’ll explain what we know. Obviously, it goes without saying that you can’t tell anyone. For everyone’s safety.”

“I know, don’t worry, I won’t be saying a word. I’m just excited to be involved.” Peter assures him.

The rest of lunch is light-hearted while I try not to laugh at Peter trying to hide his curiosity and not succeeding that well. Finally, the bell rings and its combat class. I’m pretty gutted that I don’t get to join in, it’s been the one class that I’ve looked forward to since we got our schedules.

I follow the guys to the gym, a room that I haven’t seen yet. They start to move off to the changing rooms before stopping and looking back at me worriedly.

“I’ll be fine, I can still take these fuckers out even with my injury, and I am armed.” I reassure them quietly.

They still hesitate but finally rush into the changing rooms. I can almost guarantee that it’s going to be the fastest they’ve ever gotten ready before. Once they’ve gone, I push my way through the doors to the gym. I am not disappointed, for a place that puts such emphasis on combat classes and weapons training, at least the gym lives up to the high expectation.

Its split into thirds. In the first third is a lot of workout equipment and weights including a large wall of mirrors. Next is a large area set up with several rings made for sparring, the fact that they have six in here just shows you the true size of the room. In the last third is a large obstacle course made for testing your endurance and speed.

It’s a thousand times better than the one that was at the school with guys and I can’t wait to have a go and see how far I can push myself. I wonder if this place is open at the weekends to train in?

“You can get changed in my office.” The coach says to me, sounding bored and not looking up from his clipboard.

He’s already written me off and I hate that I can’t show him how wrong he is right now. Stupid cut.

“I’m not joining in today, I’m injured.” I reply, through clenched teeth.

He looks up at me. “You don’t look injured. This class is mandatory, and just because you’re a girl, doesn’t mean you get out of it.”

Sexist fucking asshole. My blood starts to boil, I’m already feeling stabby and this fucker is not helping.

“This has nothing to do with me being female.” I bite out. Hanging on to my calm by a thread. “I am not allowed to do any strenuous activity. Doctors’ orders.”

Technically Cash isn’t a doctor, but he doesn’t know that.

“Show me.” He orders his eyes flashing the indignation and anger.

“What?” I better not mean what I think he fucking does.

“Show me your injury.” He sneers.

“No, that is highly inappropriate, and you shouldn’t be asking me to do that.” I growl, preparing to defend myself.

“I don’t care who you fucking are. You will show me, or I will fucking make you.”

The professionalism in this school is absolutely fucking stellar.

He charges me and I say a quick apology for Cash in all fairness, it’s not my fault. His hands reach out to grab at my clothes like the creep he is. He’s wrongly assumed I’m weaker than him. I grab a hold of one of his reaching hands moving swiftly and carefully because Cash will tell me off if I pull my stitches, I swipe his legs out from underneath him as I bend his arm up behind his back. As he lands on the floor, I pull his arm up straight behind him, making him howl in pain as his face is pushed into the floor trying to alleviate the strain, I place my boot on his back keeping him in place and bend closer so he can hear me.

“Don’t ever lay your hands on me without my fucking permission or I won’t go so easy on you.” I threaten my voice dark.

He starts to try and move underneath me, but I’ve got him in a good fucking grip and he’s not going anywhere.

“You dirty fucking whore. I’ll touch whatever the fuck I like.” He retorts his voice tight with pain.

“Wrong answer fucker.” I growl, grinning as dark glee fills me.

I wrench his arm hard dislocating his shoulder. He bellows in pain and I chuckle dropping his useless arm to the floor and stepping back, bouncing on the balls of my feet and ready to go again if he gets up. From the wounded animal sounds he’s making though I doubt it and I pout, disappointedly.

“Ever what the fuck did the coach do?” Atlas growls his dark and pissed as fuck stare glaring at the idiot writhing in pain on the floor as he and the guys come into the gym, a load of other guys coming out with him.

They all pause, and their mouths drop open in shock as they spot their coach on the floor. The guys rush over to me their faces dark.

I hold my hands up. “Before you tell me off, I was careful, I didn’t pull any stitches and he deserved it.”

“I know he did, il mio Cuore or you wouldn’t have done it.” Cash says gently.

“What did he do?” Jensen growls.

“The usual misogynistic male bullshit told me that just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I get out of this class. Then demanded that I show him my injury when I refused, he told me I would show him, or he’d make me show him.” My voice carries across the gym and my faith is somewhat restored in the guys at the school when the majority of them turn angry eyes onto the couch.

“What did he do?” Trick asks, trying to keep hold of his calm as Rafe stands in front of Jensen cutting off his view of the fucker and within reaching distance to grab him if he tries to go for the fucker.

Similarly, Cash and Riot stand near Atlas, ready to stop him from doing the same thing. My eyes watch Luc closely. His arms are crossed tightly over his chest and his eyes are dark but he’s still with us, I think it helps that the coach didn’t hurt me.

“He came at me and I floored him. I had his arm up straight behind him to keep him down. I warned him not to touch me without my permission and he told me he’d do what the fuck he liked to me.”