Page 44 of Forged in Rain

“We,” Cyn says gruffly, and I nod, but I disagree. This is my mess, and somehow, I will have to clean it up without including any more people. It’s fucked up enough as it is.

When I don’t answer, Cyn grabs my chin and says, “You will not do anything about this without including us. Do you understand?”

“This isn’t your problem,” I say softly, and his grip tightens as he says grimly, “It fucking is now.”

Guiltily, I turn away and bow my head, exhausted in the face of all the damn lies. I don’t know what to do, and I’m scared. How did I get to this place?

I was an innocent virgin with no social skills, and now I’m stuck between a criminal organization and a set of guys who proclaim they don’t like me while vowing to figure this out together. It’s bewildering, to say the least.

∞∞∞

We part ways at school, and I make my way through my classes tiredly. Although heartened by Cyn’s response, what I said is true. I don’t know what’s happening and how Iris fits in, but she’s caused enough trouble, and other than hopefully using the guys for gaining information, I have to solve this on my own.

Maybe I should go to the police. I’m scared at what continues to happen because eventually, it’s not going to be appalling pictures but actual physical contact.

I don’t want to die, but I have a sneaking suspicion someone isn’t going to live through this.

I chew my fries absently during lunch and glance around as the guys do their thing, although today, the chicks usually attached to their faces are absent.

My gaze lands on Rand sitting with his friends across the way, and with narrowed eyes, I wonder what he was threatening me with the other day. What kind of information could he possibly have?

Rand tips his head back, laughing, and my mouth sours. Turning away, I meet Cyn’s narrow-eyed gaze, reminding me that he is most definitely in my way, even if I wanted to ask Rand.

Raising a brow, I suppress a shiver when his icy eyes turn to fire, and his mouth pulls up in a wicked smirk. My gaze drops to his package as he adjusts himself in his jeans lewdly before saying in a low husky rumble, “Ready to beg, baby?”

The question is bad enough, but it’s the word baby that sends a rush of ice through my veins. It’s what he calls all his bitches, and he’s doing it now as a message. I’m just a hole.

This is confirmed when I raise my eyes and find a cruel smirk on his face.

With a gentle pulse of pain in my chest, I lean into his lips and say softly, “If you’ll recall, it’s not your dick I have a problem with. It’s your personality.”

Smiling sadly, I look away from his moody glare and silently sigh. There’s no amount of apologies I can give Cyn to make what I did okay in his eyes.

In this, he will have to live with his hate because I’m not about to admit defeat. I did what I had to do, so he can suck it.

“We have a job after school,” he says harshly before standing and stalking away.

Glaring at his back, I can’t help but wonder if he’s about to fuck some slut after I presumably gave him the erection he was sporting, which leaves a bitter sting on my tongue.

Jig just sighs, and ignoring him and Bastion too, I finish my fries silently and push the tray away.

I sit down in fifth period with a headache lurking and a bad attitude. Bastion and I successfully ignore each other until it’s time to go, but when I go to walk away, he grabs my arm and pulls me down the hall and out the door to the backside of the school.

I glance around warily, noting we’re disturbingly alone, before turning to see him leaning against the door and staring at me with his dark eyes.

“Yes?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.

“You’re hiding something,” he growls.

“I’m not,” I say warily, and his brows lower menacingly.

“Haven’t you learned your lesson?” he says.

“Look, I’m doing as I’m asked. I’ve been snooping on my cousin for months! I’ve got a not-so-dead guy’s life hanging over my head, and I’m tired of being threatened. What do you want from me?” I bellow.

Bastion’s eyes go wide before they narrow once more, and he leans into my face. “This isn’t going to go away if you don’t fucking tell us what you know.”

“This isn’t going to go away at all, Bastion,” I whisper, turning away and dropping my head tiredly.

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