Chapter 12

Warning, this story contains dark scenes with graphic detail that some readers may find distressing.


“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I eyed them suspiciously. Now apart of the Fab Four now to be called Fab Five.
“It means,” Elijah replied. “You are now a part of the very courageous, feared by many, and the unbeaten gang of guardians in this messed uptown.” I let out a little laugh. Yeah right, after trying to murder me twice, now they want to be my friend? I think I’ll pass. They were all staring at me. Four handsome boys, each with looks that girls would go weak at the knees, by just one smile in their direction. But behind their stunning faces were scary and emotionless young men. Their faces were just a mask, a disguise. Now they had a new trick up their sleeves and if they thought I was buying the nice boys act they could think again. No harm in playing along though.
“And, what, that whole jumping off the cliff was like an initiation??” I asked sceptically. “I honestly convinced myself you jerks were going to kill me! I already accepted my fucking fate!” I spat at them. No way did I want any part of the crazy’s group of insanity.
“Yes, more or less of an initiation. The four of us did it, so it would only be proper if you jumped as well.” Carter replied from beside me. “I knew you would do it. Little fire starter.” He winked and I had the urge to punch him in his full red lips. Too bad I was too weak and tired. “I’m Elijah, by the way.” Elijah said with a soft smile. Out of the four of them he had the most genuine eyes. My mother always used to say that “one’s eyes are a doorway to their soul.”
He held his hand up for a handshake, but I could only stare back at him, still mad at them for letting me go through that hell. He sheepishly put his hand down, embarrassed I thought. You should be. All of you should be. Crossing my arms over my chest, I put on my blank expressionless face. I had perfected the emotionless look where been at the mental home.
“But what if I don’t want to be a part of this stupid gang? I asked.
Kingsley sighed next to me. “We’ll talk more when we get home.”
“Home?” I asked confusingly. My eyes went wide as realization hit me; it was so late already, and Victoria should have been home hours ago. Uncle Robert would be fuming by now, and he probably had the whole police unit searching for me under his command. Putting my head in my hands I held back a scream. Instead, I breathed deeply, practising the methods I had been taught to control my anxiety.
“Guys, my Uncle Robert is going to kill me,” I whispered.
“You don’t have to go back Lilly,” Carter replied, unfazed by the situation. They should be scared; they should be worried about Uncle Robert finding them and knowing that they kept me with them. We could all wind up in jail. No doubt he’d find something to pin onto me.
“And don’t worry, we talked to the police about you. All they must do is pretend in front of your uncle that they couldn’t find you.” Bryce added.
I laughed. “Do you guys seriously think he’ll allow you to keep me from them? Victoria would tell him as soon as she spotted me. Plus, had an agreement with the court that—"
“Trust us, Lilly,” Kingsley replied with a chuckle. “There’s a reason why people consider us as dangerous and undefeated.”

“Lilly, we know what you’ve been through more than you think,” Kingsley added with a more serious look as he looked at me with his gold eyes. “And we know about your past.”
My eyes went wide. But how? How could they know so much about me or my family?? Oh no!! my mind screamed. They think I am just as murderous as them. Perhaps I’ve jumped from a hot stove to a flaming fire. What have I got myself into?
The rest of the ride to their home was silent. Despite my drained-out state, I fought the urge to fall asleep and get answers for all these thoughts that swirled around my head. My body finally returned to its normal temperature, and I wasn’t freezing anymore. However, my muscles still ached, and I swear I felt like I’d been run over by a bus. We reached a two-story house a little bit farther from the heart of town, and I climbed out of the car, looking at the grand-looking house in front of me. The porch was clean-cut just like the rest of the houses here but it was filled with so many different plants and flowers and the shrubs were cut in squares neatly. I followed the boys inside and the interior looked more luxurious than the outside. The ceiling was adorned with crystal chandeliers and the floor I was stepping on was made from polished wood. The room to my right was a living room, where a large, flat-screen television caught my attention, hung on the wall and the couches and reclining chairs were all velvet and maroon in colour. The floor in the living room was carpeted, and the shelves were filled with books and some action figures and a few picture frames. I followed Kingsley to the left side of the house where the kitchen was, and the countertops were all decorated with white marble and the table was rectangular and long enough to fit twelve people. The cupboards were all painted white and black and some of the shelves were full of food, canned goods, and cereal boxes.
I let out a low whistle. “This is your home?” I wasn’t expecting anything of the sort. Some crumbling old cabin in the woods yeah, but a posh house that looked like it should belong to a celebrity no.
“Our home,” Kingsley corrected with a wink as I watched him open the stainless refrigerator, taking out bottled water before opening it easily and chugging down the liquid. I couldn’t help but marvel at the way he drank from the bottle; the way his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he drank, his smooth neck in view and jawline prominent as he wrapped his lips around the opening.
“Lilly, you’re drooling.” Carter pointed out which snapped me out of my thoughts, and I looked away from the oblivious Kingsley, quickly wiping my mouth but there was no sign of any drool.
“I was certainly not!” I exclaimed with a frown and Carter could only chuckle. I rolled my eyes and quickly left the kitchen in hopes of hiding my red cheeks.
“Do you want to see your room?” Bryce asked me. I hesitantly nodded, still trying to let all this new information sink in as I cautiously followed him up the staircase. I should try to run. I should feel fear. Yet I felt secure. After everything these guys had done, I felt safe in their presence.
The second floor was well lit with yellow and white lights and the cream-coloured walls were filled with picture frames, mostly of the boys with their families. There were at least six doors and Bryce took me to the second to the last one and opened it.
It was a white room and in the middle was a queen-sized bed with white duvets and pillows and on both sides were wooden bedside tables with a sliver lamp on one and a digital alarm clock on the other. There were two doors to which I assumed one led to the bathroom but I wasn’t quite sure of the other one.
Bryce, as if hearing my thoughts, answered my question. “This door leads to the bathroom and the other is to your little walk-in closet. Although there aren’t any clothes yet, Taylor told me she would take care of everything else that you need.”
My eyes went wide as worry crept up to my face when I turned to look back at Bryce. “Taylor?” the thought suddenly hit me. “Did she know about all this?” she had too if she was taking care of everything else that I may need.
Bryce slowly nodded. “Although she wasn’t in favour of the whole ‘letting you jump off a cliff, scared you might not make it or hurt yourself. She should be here in an hour and spend the rest of the night here.” Letting out a huge sigh, I stepped closer to him in an intimidating move.
“Why did you guys do that to me?” I asked him.
“When we read up on you, after we found out about your uncle getting the job as sheriff. Well, erm we figured that you’d be a good fit to our cause.” To their cause?
“Is this the reason why she befriended me in the first place?” I asked nervously.
“No, it wasn’t in the plan. It was her own choice to help you out that night you both first met. She pitied you, you know. She told us about your situation.” Bryce replied with an apologetic look. Of course. I didn’t need their pity.
“You know, I don’t know what you have read about me, but I am not like you guys.” I confessed.
“They way you stood up to Kingsley and then even after we kidnapped you, still you stood up to us all. You’re more like us than you may think.”
“No, I am not.” I whispered as he left the room.