Thorn in the Dark (Grove High School Book Two) Read online

  I snap my gaze up and come into contact with someone who I never thought I’d see around these parts.

  “M-Mr. Aronole? What are you doing here?” I take a step back and wipe my face. This feels all too similar, the icky feeling in my chest. The warning lights going off in my brain. It’s a nightmare. This entire year has to just be a complete nightmare.

  “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Rose Strauss. So lucky for me to see you. I was hoping to come across Easton, but I haven’t seen him in days. This must be my lucky day.”

  “Um, Easton is inside. Do you want me to go get him for you?” I take a step back again, almost stumbling over a large rock.

  “No. No need for that, dear. It’s a good thing you’re here because I wanted to talk to you, anyway.”

  “What about? D-do you want to go sit down somewhere?” Somewhere public, I mean. With lots and lots of people to protect me from this man. If his son is capable of what he did, I’m terrified to learn what his father might be capable of.

  “Do you know that my son loved you, Rose? Do you know the extent he went to try to get you to move in with us? He begged—for weeks—for you to move in with us your senior year. He was ecstatic when we finally agreed, only for you to shoot him down. Do you know what that does to a man? To be shot down by the love of your life?”

  My hands start shaking. Hard. “Y-you don’t understand. It was never like that with us. He broke up with me last year, and we were fine. We were friends. I couldn’t leave my mom. She was in a bad place. Corey understood…”

  “You don’t really understand the mechanisms of a boy, do you, Rose? My boy loved you so much that he—”

  “That he raped me?” I cut him off, tears springing to my eyes. “He loved me so much that he held me down in a back alley and took something that wasn’t his? Brutalized me? Abused me? Hurt me? Yeah, that’s love, all right.” I seethe.

  “He took what was his, what has always been his. And you murdered him!” He booms.

  “He raped me!” I cry.

  “You open your legs up for these filthy thugs. Corey wasn’t even that type of person. He’s always had the school girls fawning all over him, so are you sure it was even what you say it was?”

  My jaw drops to the floor. “You have got to be kidding me! You’re kidding me, right?”

  “The point of this is what your friends did to my son is so horrific that I can barely sleep at night. No law enforcement will even touch the case. They want to say it’s an accident when he has bullet holes in his head. So many bullet holes! This—all of this—is so messed up, and it’s all your fault!” He starts towards me again, and when his left-hand shifts behind him, I know what he’s grabbing.

  It just has to be a gun.

  So, entirely glad I have my purse with me, I secretly reach my hand in and grab my own gun. I couldn’t be more thankful to Easton for teaching me how to shoot and for getting me something to protect myself with if he wasn’t around.

  He really isn’t around.

  “I came here to wait until Easton was alone, and I was going to kill that son of a bitch just like he killed my son. But then, here you come. And I think, what is better than killing someone? Killing someone they love the most. I mean, he did it to me, so let bygones be bygones, right?” He pulls out his gun at the same time I do and then he breaks out in laughter.

  “My God, dear. Put that thing away. Do you know how to even use it?” He flicks his safety off just moments before a nasty, angry look crosses his face.

  “Put it down. Right now, Rose.”

  With shaky hands, I say, “You first.”

  “You little bitch, always have to have the attention on you, don’t you? Can’t just let a man get what he wants without causing a fuss. Well, maybe this will teach you a lesson.”

  Bang.

  Bang.

  My ears ring. I hear a thump. Was that me?

  And then silence.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Fear. That might be the worst emotion yet.

  Easton

  Slamming the door in Rose’s face feels like a finality that I don’t think I’m ready to face. It’s like she took a piece of me with her. Doubt it was a piece of my heart. No way in hell was I given one of those if this is what I do to someone who cares about me.

  And I shut the fucking door in her face.

  Damn, I am seriously the biggest shit on this planet.

  The worst part was, the look in her face was defeat. She was defeated and seemed done.

  Done.

  My pulse starts racing at that thought. Her finally giving up. Being done. Over. It’s funny that in such a small amount of time, a person can have such a significant impact on your life. Rose did that for me.

  She changed me. She made me a better person. But the thing is, as good as a person that she can make me, I’m still bad.

  Still filled with evil.

  I walk over to the refrigerator and look at the only thing in there, beer. Nope, not cutting it today.

  I reach up and grab the half-empty bottle of whiskey on top of the refrigerator and pull it down. Will get me through the night, I suppose. Might need to make a liquor run tomorrow, though.

  Bang.

  Bang.

  I know that sound anywhere.

  My heart stops and fear like I’ve never known it runs through me as I drop the bottle of whiskey. I barely register the sound of glass shattering and me losing the last of my booze as I run outside with only one thought on my mind.

  Rose.

  The feeling of glass cutting into my bare feet doesn’t even pain me as much as the searing pain in my heart.

  I bust out of my house with no shoes on and can barely speak when I see the sight in front of me.

  Frank Aronole lies on the ground with a pool of blood surrounding his head.

  Rose lies on the ground beside him, and I almost lose my shit until I see her shaking like a leaf.

  Thank God.

  I run up to her, and she notices me only when I pick her up and carry her back into my house.

  “Stay right here. I’ll be right back.” She doesn't say anything as I bolt back outside and drag his ass all the way to the alley. Reaching in his pocket, I pull out his wallet and grab the money inside, then throw the wallet on his stomach.

  The police will think it’s a mugging, and anyone who thinks otherwise won’t say anything, anyway.

  “Fucker.” I kick him once, twice, three times in the side just to get a little anger out.

  Frank thinks that he can shoot at Rose? He has the balls to pull a gun on her and think he will walk away with his heart still beating?

  He is really fucking mistaken.

  I run back into my house and find Rose in the same spot that I left her.

  Seeing her, trembling, scared, and safe, I realize something.

  I walk up to her and brush her hair out of her face. Tilting her chin up, I look her in the eye when I whisper, “Rose.”

  She looks up at me, bottom lip wobbling and I can tell she’s trying not to let out the biggest cry known to man.

  “I love you.” The words feel foreign on my tongue, but relief zings through me when I finally allow myself to come to terms with that fact. It’s like the words exploded from me like a firework and I had no control over it.

  I love her. I love her so much that the thought of her dying is enough to bring me to my knees.

  She’s a part of me, and I cannot lose her.

  And I’m a fucking idiot for waiting until something like this happens for me to realize it.

  The moment the words come out of my mouth, Rose bursts out a sob.

  “Please don’t cry. I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry for everything. Can you forgive me, please?”

  “You… what?” She breaks out in between sobs.

  I crack a small smile. “I love you, Rose. I love you so damn much.”

  She cries harder. “What did you do to Frank?”

  “I tell you I love you
and you ask about your almost murderer?”

  “What did you do with him, Easton?” Finally, her cries start to subside.

  “I brought him to the alley down the road. Made it look like a mugging.”

  She shakes her head but says nothing else.

  “So, do you have anything to say back to me?” I’m waiting on pins and needles here. Did I blow my chance? Am I too late?

  “I’m so fucking mad at you.” She wipes her eyes and frowns at me.

  “I know, but I will spend a million years trying to make it up to you.”

  “I have been waiting to hear these words for so long. The moment that I allow myself to move on, you want to reel me back in. Is this a game or something?”

  I groan out loud and give her a look. “Rose shut the fuck up. I. Love. You. I have been too much of a chickenshit to be a man and tell you my feelings. But Rose, the thought of something happening to you? It was like being shot myself. It made me focus on what’s in front of me. I don’t care. I’ll be selfish. I want you, and I need you in my life. I love you, baby.”

  She looks at me with hurt and hope swirling into one magnificent emotion. Her next blink, though, everything shuts down.

  She hops off my counter and wipes her eyes. “I have to go.”

  Wait, what?

  “No, wait. What the fuck?”

  She doesn’t say anything as she speed walks to the front door. I’m faster than her, though, and the moment she opens it up, my palm slaps on the front of it and it slams shut.

  “What the hell! Let me leave.”

  “I just spill my heart out for you like a fucking sap, and you try to run from me? Fuck that.”

  She tries to yank the door open beneath my palm, but I use all of my weight and it doesn’t even budge.

  “Let me go, Easton, or I swear I will call the police.”

  I wrinkle my nose up at her and shake my head. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because, Easton. You seriously don’t know? I hate you. I just spent the last however long groveling to you for something you think I did wrong, when I don’t even think I did anything wrong. The moment I finally step back and say fuck this and I almost get shot, here comes Easton on his horse to save the day? Nuh uh. Not even a little bit. Sorry, buddy. But you lost your chance.”

  She yanks the door open again, and I’m in so much shock that I don’t resist this time.

  She looks at me with a little sadness before regaining her composure and stomping out of my house.

  I snap out of my pity.

  “You can walk the fuck away all you want, Rose. You know you love me!” I holler at her from across the street.

  She turns around and narrows her eyes at me. “You’re right, Easton. I do love you. I love you so much that I’ve been dying to hear those words come out of your mouth. I’ve been craving to say them back to you. You hurt me, Easton. With Logan, with the slut-tender. You hurt me, and for that, I think I might hate you just a little bit more than I love you.”

  I stand there like a speechless fuck as she gets in her car and speeds out of the lot.

  I don’t know how to fix this. But all I do know is that I have to fix it, fast.

  I’m about to walk back into my house to grab my car keys and speed off after Rose when I hear a slam behind me and see Jackson sneaking out of Cara’s house and over into his own. His white shirt is rumpled, and he isn’t wearing any shoes.

  My temper instantly flares from irritated to irate, and I change course.

  I come to my senses once I’m halfway there and stop.

  Bad idea. Go home

  I storm back to my house and slam the door shut so hard it nearly tears off its hinges. I pace around, back and forth for who knows how long. It feels like I pace this room all day, wearing a path in the already worn out floor. More than likely, I’ve only been going crazy in here maybe an hour, if that.

  I feel like an animal locked in a cage pacing through this tiny cell.

  I can’t go see Rose. She fucking hates me and will probably gouge my eyes out with a knife if I try to go near her right now.

  I shouldn’t go see Jackson. I know I shouldn’t even think about talking with him right now when I feel this out of control, but I’m pissed. I’m pissed at so many things, but mostly, I’m angry with Rose for being so damn stubborn.

  Is that really what I thought I saw, though? Jackson just really left Cara’s house looking like that? He’s that dirty that he would do that to Logan?

  With that thought, I tear back out of my house and speed walk towards Jackson’s. I wish I had the ability to turn back around and do what I should do.

  Go to school.

  Go to the gym.

  My mind has one focus and there is no straying from it when I’ve already made up my mind.

  I don’t try to be a dick when it comes to Rose, but I can’t help but feel a little possessive after everything she’s been through.

  But who the fuck am I kidding, my ass is permanently a possessive asshole when it comes to Rose.

  The possibility of something happening to her hurts worse than a fucking root canal. I know I’m an idiot, but yes, it takes a her nearly getting shot for me to snap out of my stupidity.

  Once I get to his house, I start pounding on the door incessantly, my patience grows shorter by the second.

  “Hold on. Hold the fuck on!” Jackson shouts from the other side before swinging it open so hard, the door nearly breaks off the hinges.

  “Oh, it’s you. What’s up? Is something wrong?” He asks in a gruff voice.

  “No, dude. Just seeing what’s up. Where’ve you been?” I look around his house, looking for any kind of evidence that will tell me he’s been with Cara. Thankfully, his house looks just like it always does.

  “Just doing me. You know.” He shrugs and goes back to his couch.

  “So... I saw you leave Cara’s house a little while ago.” I watch as he freezes his grab for the TV remote.

  Shifting his eyes up, I swear I can detect a slight cringe before he recovers.

  “You did?” He says in a lazy voice.

  It only makes me angrier.

  “Yeah, what’re you doing over there so early in the morning?” I fold my arms across my chest and prepare for his bullshit response.

  “Well, uh, she needed help with something.” His eyes shift back and forth. Jackson has never been a good liar.

  “Needed help with what?”

  “I don’t know! She just wanted to hangout. What the fuck is wrong with you right now?” He shouts and gets up off the couch, coming over and standing toe to toe with me.

  “So, what is it? Did she need help with something, or were you just hanging out?”

  “Easton, you need to mind your own business, brother.”

  “You fucking her?” I snarl in his face.

  His face turns red in anger or embarrassment, I’m not sure. Reaching around me, he opens up the door and says, “I think you need to leave. I don’t want to fight you, man.”

  “Are you fucking Logan’s girl, dude? Are you fucking serious? You’re fucking your boy’s girl? What kind of a sick fuck are you?”

  “I’m not going to tell you again, E. Back. The fuck. Up.” He pushes me out of his door, and I bare my teeth and let out a breath.

  My skin feels on fire.

  I look at him and ask him one more time. “Are you fucking Logan’s girl?”

  “She’s not Logan’s girl! Logan is dead!” He shouts in my face, enough to pull that string so tight that it snaps.

  I swing my fist out so fast—too fast—that he doesn’t even have a chance to react. I nail him right in the jaw, and he stumbles back in shock.

  Once he recovers though, he’s just as game as I am.

  He comes barreling out of his house and throws a fist into my stomach, running into me so hard that we both fly off his small porch and onto the gravel ground.

  Fist after fist, punch after punch. I’m seething and letting it all
out on Jackson.

  I can’t get enough.

  And neither can he, from the way he lays into me over and over again.

  He lands a few good punches, but at the end of the day no one is a match for me. This rage that overcomes me freaks me out a bit. My fists have a mind of their own, and if I’m not careful I might end up killing him.

  I should stop.

  But I just can’t.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  What’s worse than hate? Love.

  Rose

  Walking away from Easton after he finally confesses he loves me—so unbearably difficult. My heart was pulling me to him, the crank on that fishing line pulling me in quick and hard. I couldn’t just allow these last few months to get swept under the rug, though. What he’s done nearly every single time that I’ve seen him since Logan died, it’s been combined with excruciating pain and heartbreak.

  I will never in a million years allow myself to get walked over by a man like that. Even if that man is someone that my heart bleeds for. Even if that man will take a life for me. I still don’t deserve to get treated like shit.

  Not ever.

  I walk in, my mind a mess and oh, so sidetracked that I don’t even realize my mom is still home.

  When I open up the door and come face to face with mother dearest, it’s with her still in her pajamas and looking a little worse for wear.

  “Mom? What’re you doing home?” I ask with a frown.

  “I’ve been waiting for you. Sit down, please.” She sets her phone down and glances up at me. Her hair is in disarray, and her eyes give away her shock, sadness, relief, and maybe a few other emotions I’m not really sure how to decipher. “I thought I would be waiting until school let out. Why aren’t you at school? Where have you been?” She asks suddenly with a frown, like she’s just snapped out of whatever fog she’s been in.

  I wave her off. With the state she looks right now, I think the last thing she needs is for me to tell her about Corey’s dad almost trying to kill me. “It’s a long story, I’ll tell you later. What’s going on, though? Aren’t you supposed to be at work by now?”

  She taps her fingernails on the wooden table before speaking, “Rose, I don’t know how to tell you this, but your father, he passed away.” He bites her bottom lip and gives me a heavy stare, awaiting hysterical sobbing, I’m sure.