Hers To Keep (Servite Academy #2)

Chapter 14

Chapter

Fourteen

SCARLETT

I didn’t know how to react to the bomb Ace dropped on me today. He sounded so convincing. His words coated with a longing need to prove he’s on my side. But the question remains: As much as I want to, should I trust him? Can I trust him?

I take advantage of Ace skipping town for the next few days to do something I’ve been wanting to do since we arrived back in town a few days ago. I need to go see Drake. He hasn’t been back at school yet. I’m sure he’s still locked up in his room, healing . I saw Kai in gym class today, but he refused to look my way. Which means, he must know at least some part of what happened, and that I’m the one to blame.

I head out toward the Astor House after school, ignoring the glares and whispers of my less than friendly classmates who take the opportunity of Ace’s departure to show me how they really feel. The snickers I’ve heard all afternoon about what’s really happening between us only go to prove that no matter what Ace says or does, these folks will never approve of someone out of their ranks to step into a position of power. Not that I want any part in this world. I guess it will just be another obstacle in our way that we surely won’t be able to overcome.

I jog up the steps of the house heading toward the front door that swiftly opens. A couple guys I recognize from the lacrosse team step out. They freeze as they see me approaching, their gazes dropping to the hem of my skirt, before slowly moving up to meet my face.

Fucking pervs. I shake my head, rolling my eyes and pushing past them, hearing them snicker and whistle as I walk away and head up the stairs to the third floor where the guy’s quarter is. I make my way to their door and run into Jax and Kai stepping out. They scowl instantly as their eyes meet mine, their murderous glares burning deep into me. Fuck . I was hoping they wouldn’t be home. The last thing I need is to be lectured by these two about something I already blame myself for.

“It’s like the more we try to push you away, the more you’re determined to show yourself,” Jax sneers, his scowl deepening as his dark eyes burn into me. The hatred he feels toward me is clearly visible. When did things get this bad between us? He and Ruby were distant with me at the cabin, mainly doing their own thing, but today the way his eyes watch me, I know he knows what happened to Drake is because of me.

“Didn’t think you were so keen on getting rid of me Jax,” I say mockingly, trying to lighten up the mood. It doesn’t work.

“You’ve got some fucking nerve, Scar. Every time I think you can’t be any more fucking careless, you continue to surprise us. Ruby was right, we should have never allowed ourselves to get close to you. You inserted yourself into our family and now you’re the reason we’re fucking falling apart.” His words ring true, every fucking one of them, and I don’t dare tell him otherwise.

I just stare at the two of them, two guys I would do anything for and at one point would have done anything for me. Kai looks away from me, looking down at his feet not wanting to meet my stare, and I wonder if it’s because he agrees with Jax, or if he’s afraid to say otherwise.

“I didn’t come here to argue with you. I didn’t come here to ask for forgiveness because I don’t owe either of you an explanation. I’m here to see Drake. So get the fuck out of my way.”

Jax steps forward blocking me from the door, a sly smirk taking over his scowl. “Like fucking hell. You need to go back the way you came. Drake wants nothing to do with you. Some pathetic apology won’t change anything.”

Now it’s my turn to step into him, my head tilting up to meet his patronizing stare. “I don’t owe Drake any explanations, or fucking apologies. I never promised him anything. I’m here only because I want to be, not because I owe him anything.”

“So that’s it, huh? You run to him the moment your man heads out of town? You’re a fucking slut.” And that’s the last fucking straw. I reach up slapping Jax across the face, my palm burning as I realize what I’ve fucking done. I immediately regret it, but just as I’m about to say something, to apologize, Drake opens the door and appears at the doorway.

“Don’t you fucking dare, Jax,” Drake growls, eyeing his best friend who stares at me, panting, his rage filled eyes pointing directly at me.

“You’ll get what’s coming, Scar, and when you do, there isn’t a damn thing we’ll do about it.” With that, both Jaxon and Kai walk away, not saying another word, not giving me another glance.

It’s then as I stare back at Drake standing in the doorway, that I see for the first time the remnants of what they did to him. His left eye donning a purplish bruise, his green eyes almost transparent against the darkness of the swelling around it, while large gashes and dried-up blood cover his eyebrow and lip. He’s shirtless wearing nothing but a pair of gray sweatpants, and I can see how bruised his abdomen is under the dark ink of his tattoo covered torso.

Drake notices the pitiful look in my eyes as I hear him scoff turning and walking into the room, leaving the door open behind him. This is my chance, what I came here for, but as I stand here in the hall, I don’t have the courage to step foot inside. He reaches the couch, turning back to glance my way, raising a brow questioningly.

“Did you come here to apologize, or are you just gonna stand there and gawk at me?” He grabs a black T-shirt from the couch beside him, slipping it on before meeting my gaze. “Because if I’m not mistaken, you lost the right to do that when you fucked someone else, just saying.”

His comment, however true it may be, pisses me the fuck off. Who the fuck is he to judge me, as if I am not already paying for it? “Don’t you fucking dare, Drake. That’s not fucking fair and you know it.” I make my way into the quarter, walking toward where he stands beside the couch in the living room.

His eyes drop to his feet as he shakes his head clearly debating what he’s about to say next. “Look, Scar, I don’t resent you or blame you for being with him. You decided you didn’t want to be with me and that’s fine, that I can handle.” He lifts his head, meeting my gaze once again as he runs his fingers through the dark waves of his hair. “But that you stand by his side after all the fucked-up shit he and his family are responsible for, that I won’t fucking accept.”

“I’m not asking you to accept anything,” I shout out, laughing nervously at his assumption that he has any say in what I do. “You don’t get to tell me what I should and shouldn’t do. I didn’t come here to fight with you, Drake. I didn’t come to give you any explanation because frankly, I owe you nothing. I don’t even owe you an apology because you just couldn’t fucking stay away. I warned you to stop. I begged you to stop digging and looking for answers you would not find.”

“And that makes what they fucking did okay!?” he shouts back, clearly angry at my attempt at justifying what they did to him.

“No, and I’ll never be able to take that back, Drake. But it was preventable if you had just stayed out of it. These guys, this world, it isn’t something you want any part of. Do yourself a favor and just keep your head down and look the other way. I promise you it’s for the best.” Tears threaten to make an appearance as I see the confusion in his gaze.

He steps in closer to me reaching out to tuck my hair away from my face, but he pauses before he does, quickly pulling away, his hand nervously resting at his side. “And what, this world is for you?”

“No, but I’m already in too deep. I had no say in it, Drake, and as someone who has witnessed firsthand how dangerous it can be, I’m begging you to heed my warning. I care too much about you to see you end up hurt, or worse.”

He scoffs, “Please, don’t patronize me with some bullshit lie. I don’t get it, Scar. You never were one to give up. You were not the type of girl to throw in the towel, to stop fighting for what’s right.” He steps back, leaning on the couch. “What’s changed?”

I can feel the air thicken as the tension between us grows. “So much, Drake,” I whisper, but I know he heard me. “But I promise you, everything I’m doing is to make sure you are all safe. Wesley Servite is a dangerous man, more than you could ever imagine. If I dare to go against him, I’d be doomed before I even fought back.”

“And what about Ace? He’s his nephew, Scar. The apple doesn’t fall far from the family tree.”

“Ace is…” I can see the pain in his eyes as I mention Ace’s name. I know he doesn’t want to hear it, but I need to say it. “This thing I have with Ace, I can’t explain what it is, but it’s not something I can choose to fight against. It’s impossible for me to deny that whatever it is, doesn’t completely consume me. I don’t want to hurt you, Drake, but if I step away from him, I’d be hurting myself.” I step forward, his body stiffening as I do. “Drake, you will always be an important part of my life, but we’d both be fooling ourselves if we tried to make things work between us. I don’t want to hurt you. ”

“It’s too late for that, Scar,” he mutters, my heart breaking with every word he speaks. “But it is what it is, and I won’t hold it against you. You know what you’re doing and if you don’t, you’ll figure it out the hard way. I won’t hold my breath on it anymore.”

“I just came to make sure you were okay. I’ll never be able to forget what happened to you because of me. Which is why I should stay away from you.” His eyes turn somber at my admittance, but he nods his head accordingly. Deep down I know he won’t understand my reasons, but he also knows there is nothing he can do to change my mind.

“I hope you find what you’re looking for with him, Scarlett. Because despite everything, you fucking deserve it.” At his sorrowful confession, I break. I reach out to hug him, burying my head in his chest as his arms come around to hold me, and we stand there for what feels like hours before I step back, realizing I need to get away.

“I’ll see you around, Damon Drake.”

“Always, Scarlett Steele.”