Deceit (Gallows Hill #1)

47. Chapter Forty Six

Chapter Forty Six

Skyla

R onan has been distant lately. I’ve tried to get him to come over, or to let me come to him. Instead, he dodges me at every turn. The last few times I went to the pool he wasn’t even there, some substitute swim coach in his place. I’ve asked all the guys, wondering if they know what has been going on, but they’re as clueless as me.

The worst case scenarios come to mind, and they taunt me daily. Has he gotten sick of this arrangement? Does he want me to himself, or not at all? Has he found someone else? Someone who is more ‘appropriate’, given our situation? My stomach works itself into knots when a text lights up my phone, forcing me to spring out of bed.

Liam and Vincent stir beside me, Vincent obviously much more alert than Liam as he reaches for me.

“What’s wrong, Siren?”

“Ronan texted me,” I say as I read it over as fast as I can manage.

“Bout time,” he grumbles.

Ronan: Will you meet me at my place in an hour? Bring the guys. I love you.

My heart flutters at that simple I love you, but when it comes after nearly two weeks of hardly any contact, I can’t deny I’m more than slightly irritated. Okay, so he definitely still loves me, unless of course he’s only saying that to get me over there, so he can break my heart properly, in person. Though, if he was planning that, why would he tell me to bring the guys? He has to know that if he breaks my heart, the guys will lose their shit on him, Asher included.

He's been surprisingly protective of me over the last few weeks. Ever since the carnival. We are definitely friends at this point, maybe more? I don’t know. I tried to bring up the almost kiss the next day, but he brushed it off like he didn’t know what I was talking about.

Is it bad that a small part of me hoped that when he came back from getting takeout he’d walk in, see me and the guys together and get jealous? Want to join? Or watch? Something?

Instead, he just sat outside and waited for us to be done before giving me my food and leaving at the same moment. After that though, things were semi-normal. Except anytime one of his little groupies would give me a dirty look or a whispered remark, he’d practically charge them. It took Liam and I both to hold him back from Bridgette one day when she called me a two-cent whore. After he nearly crushed her trachea in the dining hall, you’d think she’d be a little more careful. Or maybe she’s just dumb, probably the latter.

Regardless, it made my heart swell each and every time he defended me. Jeremy and Dane just glanced at me the other day, and Asher wrapped his arm around my shoulder protectively, giving them both a murderous glare that shouldn’t have been as sweet as it was. They scrambled out of there, despite Dane being in a wheelchair. Vincent said he fell down a flight of stairs or something, but the twinkle in his eye told me he had something to do with it. I should probably be way more concerned that one of my boyfriends is clearly a dangerous man. Tell that to my love-struck dumb little heart, though.

“He said that we need to come over to his place in an hour,” I say.

Liam groans as he wraps his arm around my stomach.

“Fuck him. Tell him we’ll go when we’re good and ready,” his sleepy voice grumbles.

I laugh lightly, but honestly I need to get out of this bed. The anxiety rising inside of me wouldn’t allow me to sit still and wait around even if I tried. Slipping out of bed and onto my feet, I make my way into the bathroom where I take a quick shower, skipping my hair this morning before getting ready.

When I come out of the bathroom, Vincent is already gathering up his new clothes for the day and passes me to the bathroom with a stolen kiss from my lips, while Liam is still in bed. The guys have been keeping clothes and toiletries here lately because honestly, they are here more than they are in their own rooms these days.

A few kisses and promises of head later rouses Liam awake, and he practically springs out of bed, running for the bathroom.

“Hope you’re nice and sudsy, Vinny!” Liam shouts as he runs into the bathroom, promptly followed by him shouting out a loud “Ow!”

I smile and shake my head as I slide on a pair of leggings and an oversized sweatshirt. Since it’s Saturday and we’re just going to Ronan’s, I don’t bother putting hours into my appearance. The guys have slowly broken me of the idea that I have to look completely put together, all of the time. When three gorgeous sexy men tell you over and over again that you look just as beautiful with or without makeup or fancy clothes, you can’t help it, you start to believe them.

A knock comes from my door, and I frown in confusion as I open it. I’m surprised when I see Asher standing there, hair damp and tousled like he just got out of the shower himself.

“Hey,” he says, his eyes running over me appreciatively as if I was wearing a skintight mini dress.

“Hi,” I smile shyly.

I can’t believe we’re getting married tomorrow. It’s such a weird feeling. I’m in love with someone, several someone’s, and none of them are my fiancé. I don’t exactly hate my fiancé though, not anymore. I…I actually think I like him, but the fear of rejection far outweighs my desire to know how he feels about me in return.

“Ronan texted me,” he says.

I nod. “Me too.”

“Can I drive you?” he asks.

I can’t help but smirk.

“Since when do you ever ask? What happened to the demanding, ‘be ready at this time or I’m leaving you’ texts?”

He rolls his eyes, but a breathtaking smile takes over his face.

“I never said that.”

I choke on a laugh and nod. “You practically did, every single time. You could hardly stand to breathe the same air as me.”

His arm lifts to rest on the door frame as he leans down, until we’re practically at eye level.

“Things can change.”

My breathing stalls as my heart flips.

“Yeah, they can,” I say cryptically, causing him to lift a curious eyebrow as his smile shifts into a soft smirk.

“Yeah?”

I swallow roughly, my teeth catching the inside of my lip as I nod. His eyes lock on the movement, tracking me slowly before coming back to meet my gaze.

For the love of god just kiss me already! I think I’m going to die from the buildup of all this sexual tension.

He can’t actually read my mind, which is stupid if you ask me. I think things would be a lot simpler if he could or vice versa. Vincent comes out of the bathroom, drying his jet black hair with a towel, dressed in his black jeans and shirt that I’m sorry to say, look exactly like what he wore yesterday and the day before. My boyfriend is simple in his ‘I don’t have to try’ goth style. He’s still hot as hell, though, so I don’t mind.

“Little close to my girl, don’t you think, Putnam?” Vincent says as he steps behind me, slipping an arm around my waist as he pulls my ass back to him.

I scoff, smacking his chest but he doesn’t take his eyes off Asher. Vincent has been like this ever since Asher and I started getting along. I think he can sense things shifting between us and he doesn’t like it. He already hates sharing me with Liam and Ronan, I fear Asher would be his breaking point.

Asher being the arrogant asshole he is doesn’t budge an inch, in fact, I think he moves in just a hair closer as his eyes remain on me.

“I’m not hearing any complaints from her.”

The way his mischievous smile curves his face has a rush of butterflies fluttering through my stomach as I do my best to bite back a smile in return.

Vincent doesn’t say anything as Asher continues staring at me, that smile still in place when Liam steps into the room. His footsteps pause, as he no doubt takes in the scene before him.

“Oh shit, what did I just walk in on? The tension in here could choke a fucking horse.”

I wrinkle my nose at that and turn to face him.

“What?” I ask.

Liam laughs and shrugs his shoulders.

“Ha! I don’t know. Shit was feeling a little too heavy for my liking, though.”

Vincent scoffs and I shake my head as I steal one more glance at Asher. He’s dropped his arm from the doorframe, but his eyes are still on me before he finally breaks eye contact.

“I’m driving the princess,” he says to the room.

“Like fuck,” Vincent laughs hollowly.

Asher gives him an unimpressed look.

“Down boy. You guys can ride with me too.”

“I don’t want to squeeze into the Maserati’s tiny as fuck backseat, Ash,” Liam whines.

“I brought the Rolls. Will everyone just shut the hell up and get in the fucking car?” Asher snaps, before blowing out a slow breath and looking at me.

“You ready, Princess?”

Nodding, I reach for my purse, but Vincent is already there, handing it to me with an appraising look.

“What?” I ask him.

He stares for several more seconds before he leans forward, pressing his lips against mine. I sink into the kiss, never getting tired of the overwhelming feeling that consumes me with each kiss.

When I open my eyes to pull away, I see that his eyes are wide open and firmly trained on Asher in a taunting way. Pulling away from him, I smack his chest as I shake my head.

Before I can say anything, Asher is gone, storming off down the hall.

“That was really shitty, Vincent,” I say with a frown, before I start after Asher.

The elevator doors begin to shut, and I have to squeeze myself inside, my sweatshirt getting trapped between the doors as I do.

“Oh shit!” I gasp before Asher’s hands wrap around the material, yanking hard and freeing me.

I tumble a few steps and he’s there as well.

He’s everywhere. All the time.

His hands are resting on my forearms, head tilted down to look at me in concern.

“I’m sorry,” I say softly.

Asher’s eyes scan mine like he’s confused about why I’m apologizing, as if he forgot why he stormed away for a moment. He shrugs it off, releasing his hold on me as he leans against the back wall of the elevator.

“You’re my fiancé, Asher. Soon to be my husband, tomorrow soon. That wasn’t okay. Vincent needs to respect you, at least enough not to pull petty shit like that,” I continue, despite his eyes being now closed and his head tilted up.

When the elevator stops, the doors pop open, and he pushes away from the wall.

“It’s whatever,” he says as he brushes past me, stepping into the hall before taking a right and making his way outside.

“It’s not whatever. I’m trying to apologize and validate your feelings here! The least you could do is stop walking for two seconds,” I huff as I follow after him.

A bitter sounding laugh escapes his chest as he shakes his head, his eyes still forward.

“What feelings?”

I blink at that, before hurt and irritation flicker inside me. I jog the remaining distance between us, catching him by the arm before I force him to face me.

“For me! Don’t lie and say that you don’t have them, I’m not stupid.”

He looks down at me, assessingly, before trying to walk away again.

“Asher!” I snap, yanking on his arm and refusing to let go as he turns, throwing his arms out and screaming at the top of his lungs in the middle of the empty courtyard.

“FINE! You want me to admit that I have feelings for you? That I’ve fallen so fucking hard for you and I don’t know how to get up? You want me to sit here, and tell you how I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you from the moment I met you? How you have always occupied a majority of my headspace, but now…” he takes a long pause as he laughs hollowly.

“Now, I’m absolutely FUCKED. There is no room for anything except you. Skyla Parris, is practically inked into my DNA, there forever, and I can’t have her,” he shakes his head, taking several deep breaths before those chocolate brown eyes come back to me.

“You know what the worst part is?” he smiles angrily. “We’re going to be married tomorrow, you’re going to be my wife and I still won’t have you. Not in the way that counts, not in the way I want you.”

I blink at him several times but I don’t speak. How can I when my mind is racing a million miles a second. I was hoping he’d admit that he’s been having some feelings for me, but I didn’t expect all of…that.

Asher watches me carefully, his body language rigid and guarded but his eyes so expressive and so sad. Hesitantly, I take a small step towards him, softening my voice to match the emotion behind my words.

“What if…you could? What if…we could?”

His brows pinch together, not in confusion but almost like he is in pain.

Shaking his head he looks away as I take another step forward.

“Your roster is full, Princess. There is no room for me, and I wouldn’t exactly be welcomed by your little fan club.”

I reach a hand up to his face, forcing his cheek to look at me. Surprisingly he lets me, his jaw tight and those three golden flecks practically shining in the October morning.

“What if none of that mattered?”

He frowns but doesn’t respond.

“What if both of those excuses were gone, then what would you say?”

“They aren’t excuses, Skyla. It’s the facts. It’s—”

“Answer the question, Asher,” I snap.

His eyes roam over my face before he shakes his head.

“Then nothing could stop me from having you.”

My heart beats out of rhythm, the air practically buzzing around us as someone comes to stand between us.

“Everything okay? I heard yelling.” Liam asks cautiously.

Asher’s eyes close, as if he were to say, ‘See?’.

He pulls away from my touch and a stupid part of me hurts because of it. Asher faces Liam nods his head.

“It’s all good. We’re fine. Right, Skyla?”

I know it started out as a sarcastic nickname, but I can’t lie, I like it so much better when he calls me Princess. Maybe that makes me a little fucked up. I honestly don’t really care.

“Sure. We’re fine,” I say slowly, giving him the opportunity to speak up. Not that I’d really expect him to.

Asher gives me a tight lipped smile, as he nods and moves to where a black Rolls Royce is parked slipping into the driver’s seat. Liam follows after him and I’m about to as well when a hand comes to my back.

I turn to see Vincent there, his black hair falling into his face. I’m about to walk away because I can’t deal with him right now when he stops me, gripping my cheeks together and squishing them with one hand as he speaks through clenched teeth.

“If you’re gonna be pissed at me, be pissed at me, but never fucking walk away from me again. Do you understand?” he asks, giving my head a small shake as he emphasizes his seriousness.

“I’m gonna do shit that pisses you off and maybe even makes you hate me at times, but that doesn’t mean you go off on your own when there is someone out there watching you, Siren. So next time, just punch me or slap me or something, but don’t you fucking run away from me.”

He releases his hold on my face slightly so I can speak.

“It’s not like I was alone. I was with Asher.”

Vincent scoffs. “Yeah, I trust that Putnam with your safety about as far as I could throw a goddamn elephant.”

I frown at that. “Well, maybe you should. He’s going to be my husband.”

Vincent bristles at that, dropping his hold on me altogether.

“Don’t fucking remind me.”

He storms away, but not without taking me with him. His hand is wrapped around my bicep as he practically drags me to the car, opening the back door before ragdoll tossing me inside. Liam is in the seat beside me waiting and thankfully helps break my fall.

“What the fuck!” Liam snaps as Vincent sits in the passenger seat, shutting the door with a hard thunk.

Liam’s fingers are featherlight, dancing over my cheeks that are no doubt red. Anger transforms his features, a look I don’t often see on him as he reaches between the front seats and hits Vincent right in the face.

Vincent whips around, ready to leap for him as Liam speaks.

“Piece of shit! You hurt her!”

His attack on Liam pauses as his eyes come to me assessingly. He reaches out to touch me and I pull back slightly, causing his fingers to hang in the air. Regret splashes across his face, a look I’ve really never seen on his face before. He slowly turns around, speaking only to Asher.

“Drive,” he rasps.

Asher’s eyes come to mine in the mirror. Anger and frustration in them, before he puts the car into gear and pulls out of the parking lot. Liam lifts his arm up, allowing me to lean closer to him and I take every opportunity for his comfort. It’s not like I’m some battered woman who is terrified of Vincent. I know it was an accident, he was just trying to get my attention and keep his anger in check. He needs to do a better job of that, though.