To Fall (The To Fall Trilogy Book 1) (27 page)

Tightening his hold around me, he rumbled, “I wasn’t complaining.”

40

Abby

Wednesday morning, I spotted Sophie outside the media center doors. She had her hair down and curled like the stylist showed her yesterday. Wearing the new clothes we picked out, the blue blouse was striking against her porcelain skin, and the floral skirt made her legs look long and lean. I got her to recycle the
Bingo
glasses for a pair of black metal frames that brought out her light brown eyes and into this decade. I had tiptoed around the “no socks with sandals rule” and she wore ballet flats.

I threw her a thumbs-up and she grinned.

“That was a nice thing you did for her yesterday, Abby.” Xander pressed a kiss to my lips.

I shrugged. “She’s a nice girl. She deserved it.”

“I know you think your heart is weak, but it’s one of the strongest and purest I know.”

Finding Mel, she looked better but still raw with hurt. She at least did her hair and makeup and her eyes returned to their pre-swollen size. Hugging her, she gave me a weak smile.

At lunch, every time I turned, Greg was staring at Mel. Xander hit him on the arm to stop him from entering creeper status. How did I not notice Greg liked Mel before?

Tyler made it known he was back with Rachel, and had made more than one appearance at the dorms. That was hurtful. Beth seemed like she was coming around, too. I think being a support for Mel helped Beth snap out of it. I didn’t think she wanted to give up on finding love. They both deserved their own Xander.

Walking into biology, wild sandy hair rested on our desk and I didn’t think the fruit flies were making Will sick.

I slid into my seat. “Will? You okay?”

He turned, keeping his head on the desk as though it weighed fifty pounds. “I have a headache, overdid it on a hike the other day.”

I knew he was prone to migraines, suffered with them all through high school. “Sorry, can I do anything?” I rubbed his shoulder.

Will massaged his temples. “No, I’ll be all right.”

“Listen, I know this is bad timing, but there’s a girl I would like to set you up with.”

His eyes closed and brows rose up. “Oh yeah?”

“But I want you to keep an open mind,” I blurted out.

He mumbled, “Uh, huh.”

“Can you meet me behind Scott Hall after school today?” I winced and waited for his reply.

“Sure.” His eye cracked open. “No, I gotta know, who is it?”

“If I tell you, then you won’t have an open mind. Trust me?”

He squinted and that was either at me or because of the migraine. “All right.”

Today, we were grilling and Jake paired with me. After the water park and his best friend calling me a bitch, working with him was awkward. With a glance down the row, Xander was looking at me. He was paired with Sophie and Greg was on his own since Mark was absent. After announcing he was man enough to handle the kitchen alone, Mrs. Bradley laughed, then conceded.

Jake was helpful while I prepped the steaks and he cut potatoes. He not so subtly pulled the knife away from me, feigning fear. “I get queasy at the sight of blood, Abby. The Union nachos were bad enough the first time around, I don’t want to taste them again.”

“Funny, Turner.” Since I cut my hand, everyone tried to keep me away from the cutlery.

Mrs. Bradley had to step out for a minute to take a phone call.

Jake turned to me, his face solemn. “Abby, I’m sorry Tyler called you that word the other day. He’s an ass.”

I blinked at him, surprised. “Yeah, he is. Thanks.”

He nodded. “High school he was cool. College? I don’t know what happened to the guy. He’s different. I still can’t believe he cheated on Mel.”

“At least it was before they…
you know
. I’m glad she found out what he was.”

“Me, too. She was too good for him.”

Jake put the potatoes in the oven and I placed the steaks on the stovetop grill. Smoke erupted everywhere, causing me to step back, coughing. I forgot to put the overhead fan on.

Jake reached over me and flipped the switch. “It’s my job to create the fires, Miller. Don’t step on my toes.”

I laughed. “No problem. Consider your toes intact, the pyrotechnics are yours.”

After a beat, he asked, “Hey, I was wondering if you and Xander would come to a game sometime. The coach put me on first string.”

“How great!” I scrunched my nose. “Is first string good?”

Jake tried stifling a laugh. “Yeah, it is. My dad’s pretty excited.”

I looked up at him as though he started speaking Spanish. “I’m sorry. I don’t know anything sports related. What do you…do?”

“My position is a running back,” he explained.

“Oh, that sounds tiring.”

He really laughed this time. “Yeah, it can be.” The steaks spit grease out at me and Jake pulled my shoulders back. “If you were hurt on my watch, I would have Xander and Caleb to answer to. Greg was right. You don’t make it easy, Miller.”

I smiled. “Thanks, Turner.”

Huh, Caleb, too? All of the Wrights were nice to me, but I didn’t think they were protective of me like Xander was.

Jake turned his attention back to the oven and I went to flip the steaks over. My hands slipped and I dropped the greasy tongs. I bent to get them and Jake’s hand appeared on mine. It was ice cold. “I’ll get those for you, Pink Polka Dots.”

I froze and dropped them again.

His eyes were dark, lifeless. This was the different Jake, evil Jake. He wasn’t drinking—we were joking around together. What was wrong with this guy, split personality disorder?

His stare went to my chest and licked his lips. “You wearing cute pink polka dot panties for me today?”

I breathed out, “What?”

Xander yanked me up by the arm and growled, “Go help Sophie.”

My feet cemented behind Xander, his arm blocking me and he stared Jake down. Xander’s frame was solid like he morphed into a rock, fists clenched. If I thought his Tyler-glare was scary, it had nothing on this one.

Jake stood, never taking his eyes off mine while speaking to Xander. “You get into her panties yet? Tell me, does she get wet for you like she does for me?”

I didn’t see how, but Xander’s arm no longer blocked me and Jake was dangling. Xander’s hand gripped Jake’s neck so hard his fingers were white. Any normal person would have been clawing for breath, but Jake…
laughed
. Xander carried Jake as though he was made of air and Jake’s dark eyes followed me with a wicked grin in place. When the class door swung open, Caleb was in the hall, seething. What the hell?

Greg blinked like something was wrong with his eyes. Sophie shuffled over to my kitchen and put an arm around me. Shouts and screaming came from down the hall, rousing Greg and he tore out of the room.

Sizzling and burning meat filled the quiet kitchen. Sophie turned the burner off and picked up the metal tongs. Neither one of us knew what to say.

Not long after, Xander and Greg came back in the classroom. No Jake.

Xander bounded over to me and held my face. “Are you okay?”

I may have answered him, but I didn’t remember. Bile inched up my throat, I went as fast as I could to the bathroom, and threw up. A rattle of metal against porcelain pinged in the otherwise silent bathroom. Looking up, I realized it was my ring hitting the bowl.

The door to the stall opened and Calista asked, “Abby, are you okay?”

My legs wobbled and Calista guided me to the sink to rinse my mouth. Her warm hand stayed on my arm. Was that a Wright trait, hot skin? I felt better, my nausea went away, and I thanked Calista.

“Come on, Alexander will be worried if I don’t get you back to him.”

How did she know I was here? Why was Caleb in the hall? Where did Jake go?

As Xander ushered me to my locker, I remembered Will didn’t meet me after class. He must have forgotten. Thank goodness Xander didn’t make me talk. He drove me home and stayed with me, doing our homework together, huddled on the couch, and he stayed for dinner.

After we ate, I excused myself to the bathroom. When I came downstairs, I didn’t see Xander anywhere. Searching the house, I found him and Margaret in the backyard talking. I hoped this meant Margaret was finally coming around and I let them have their moment. A few minutes later, Xander suggested a walk and he grabbed Bozo’s leash.

The nights were cooling off, but it was still warm out. The neighborhood was quiet, lit by street and house lamps. Moths and tiny gnats swarmed to the lights and looked like dust motes from below.

We made it around the block before I decided I was ready to discuss today. “How…did you do that?”

He pinched his brows in question.

I said, “Pick Jake up like he was nothing.”

He looked up to the stars and swallowed. “I don’t know. My mind went blank. Adrenaline, I guess.”

“What did you and Caleb do to him?”

His eyes stayed locked on the sky. “We didn’t hurt him. Caleb talked to him and took him home.” He was lying. Xander didn’t look at me when he couldn’t tell me the truth.

“Why does he act like that? Like Jekyll and Hyde. Sometimes, he’s my friend, and other times, he’s so different. We were talking and joking, then he—” I trembled.

Before I could shudder again, I was wrapped in his arms.

41

Cresil

I almost wrote Jake off as a lost cause, and then it happened. A clang of the tongs and he glanced down. Faster than a rat could flap its pearly wings, wonderful, dirty, lustful thoughts rushed to his brain along to other parts of him. And I slipped right in.

I loved taunting that rat. I couldn’t help but ask, “You get into her panties yet? Tell me, does she get wet for you like she does for me?”

I was surprised he would risk exposure here. He was cracking to protect her. I think he found rat love. This would make what I was going to do even sweeter. Heaving me into the hallway, his brother met us and helped drag me into the bathroom.

A smirk drew along my face. “I knew there was something going on between you two. Looking for some kinky three-way action? Bathroom’s a bit cliché. Fair warning, this kid will need healing after.” I wagged my borrowed brows.

“How dare you come here!” her rat hissed.

I frowned. “Oh. No hello? How have you been, Cresil? We’re just gonna get to it, huh? You didn’t answer my question. Did you get in her panties yet?”

His grip tightened. “You foul demon!”

“Alexander! Be careful!” the blond warned.

I looked into his hazel eyes that carried more hate for me than the night we had met. “Wow, you are wound tight. You should get some release,” I laughed out.

He seethed, “I want to rip you apart.”

“Speaking of…tell me, why haven’t the Archangels done away with me yet?” They knew as I did, I should have been destroyed by now for my past sins. I laughed harder and the hand around my throat broke something that was probably vital to Jake’s anatomy.

The blond rat’s face screwed up and he broke out his wings. His angel light blasted through to my insides, churning heat, unbearable pain. He spat, “Demon Cresil, with the Light of God, I cast you back to Hell!”