Savage Gods (Reign & Ruin Book 2) Read online

“We need to shower.” He placed a kiss on my forehead and then graciously climbed out of bed.

  Now that he’d mentioned it, I couldn’t think of anything better to do. I was covered in sweat with come trickling down my inner thigh. I sat up and accepted the hand waiting to take mine.

  I frowned at my reflection. If I made it through this whole day without some cheek slippage someone could color me surprised. This uniform was all I had here which truly fucking sucked because it was obvious it belonged to Brianna, or at least a girl with an ass much smaller than mine. I had a G-Wagon. The skirt was for a Fiat, at best.

  There wasn’t anything I could do about it. Going all the way home would only put me behind on time. Not to mention I’d have to see my parents and I was far from ready for that encounter. I wasn’t ready to go to school either, but it was the lesser of all my evils right now.

  I checked my reflection one last time and gave myself a satisfied nod. I’d combed out my hair and applied the bare minimum of make-up, using the only tools I had in my bag. I didn’t look like a model, but I was cute enough to survive the glam-infested battleground of Pesadilla Prep.

  I flipped off the bathroom lights and made my way downstairs. There still was no sign of Judas’ mom or dad. No indication that they lived here too, making me almost one hundred percent sure this giant house was bought solely for him and his friends. That put things into a not-so-nice perspective.

  I’d already known Judas was loaded. It was a given for anyone who attended Pesadilla. Something told me his family’s wealth was on a broader spectrum than most that were well-off in Crudele. If I were to believe everything Judas had disclosed about my family, we weren’t too far behind some of those people.

  The thing is, I didn’t believe all that Judas told me. I would be an idiot to trust the same person who promised to destroy my world. I was struggling with the fact that I’d started to fall in love with him.

  Right, this minute I was trying to figure out where he’d wandered off to.

  He was nowhere in sight. He had wisely excused himself from our shared shower session before it turned into something else. That was a whole twenty-five minutes ago.

  I entered the kitchen and ignored the hunger pangs that promptly began poking my insides to get my attention. I never skipped breakfast, until today. I wasn’t going to raid Judas’ fridge. I hadn’t come in here for food, anyways. My feet carried me this way due to morbid curiosity.

  I swallowed, drawing a quick breath to calm my nerves as I approached the door that led out to the garage. It surprisingly wasn’t locked, the knob turned without any resistance.

  I stepped inside and looked around the vacant space. The windows were no longer all blotted out, allowing early morning sunshine to stream through the frosted glass.

  This was my first time being back in here since the night everything went down. Standing here now, no one could know that my ex had been killed in this very room. Anything remotely suspicious was long gone, leaving not a shred of evidence to prove the garage had been used as a make-shift torture chamber.

  No blood.

  No knives or guns.

  Most notably, no body.

  Where was the body?

  “Looking for evidence?”

  I shut my eyes and silently exhaled before turning to face him. Silver gaze resting squarely on me, he was as cool and gorgeous as ever, dressed down in his uniform. I wish I could say he was joking but I wasn’t sure if that were the case.

  “Why would I need proof of something I saw with my own eyes?”

  He crossed the threshold and joined me inside the garage, his posture relaxed as he swaggered closer to where I was standing. I wasn’t fooled by his stance for a single second. A relaxed Judas was almost worse than a tense one. At least then you knew he might strike.

  I peered up at him waiting to hear whatever he had to say. He kept me in suspense, removing a hand from the pocket of his finely pressed dress pants to lift a piece of my damp hair.

  “Because my principessa might panic when it all sinks in and think she should go to the police.” He rolled the strand between his thumb and pointer finger, staring at me with a detached look in his eyes.

  I knocked his hand away and took a step back. “Did I go to the police after I helped you bury a body in the middle of the woods?”

  “That was different.”

  “Was it?”

  “You weren’t fucking that man.”

  “I wasn’t fucking Daxton either, but if you want all the details on the last time I did I’ll gladly share them with you.”

  The small space I’d created between us disintegrated in the blink of an eye. He wrapped an arm around my lower back and pulled me flush against him. His other hand came up and grasped hold of my jaw, preventing me from looking away.

  “That pathetic piece of shit should have never laid a finger on you. If I didn’t have a reason to kill him before he would’ve died regardless for touching what’s mine.” His cool tone carried the kind of anger no one in their right mind wanted to be faced with. I would rather he yelled or screamed at me.

  “Why are you being like this?” I tried to free myself from his arms and wound up pressed even tighter against him.

  “I would never go to the police about you or your friends. I’m not an idiot.”

  Despite wanting to claw his beautiful face, I spoke softly. He didn’t leave me much of a choice. We were so close our lips would touch if I breathed too hard.

  His lack of immediate response didn’t sit right with me. His eyes hammered into mine like he was searching for something, breaking apart all the faulty defenses I needed to solidify if I was going to survive him.

  “You are far from being an idiot that isn’t what concerns me. You’re reckless and headstrong when you let your emotions get the best of you,” he brushed his lips over mine in a gentle caress, “Don’t do anything that would make me have to remove your pretty little head. How would your parents feel if your headless corpse showed up on their doorstep?”

  An array of the emotions he just accused me of twisted my stomach and spiraled through my chest. I pushed against him; this time being released with an ease that had me tripping over my own two feet. Judas was quick to reach for me again, ensuring I remained upright.

  “Careful. We can’t have you getting hurt.”

  There was a genialness in his words that threw me through a loop. I knocked his hand away for a second time and glared at him. “What the hell is wrong with you? Do you want to kill me or fuck me? I’m starting to get whiplash.”

  His devilish smile had me wishing I never asked that.

  “Aw, bella. I’ve always wanted to do both.”

  “How can you admit that so casually?”

  “Would you like it better if I lied? Want me to whisper sweet nothings in your ear?

  “Just...” I swallowed the words that I was about to say, stopping myself from demanding he stay away from me.

  Letting him go wasn’t an option. I knew he wouldn’t follow my demand in the first place, but I also didn’t necessarily want him to. I’d decided to see this through and play whatever role was necessary until I could figure out the truths from the lies. This was about something bigger than our dysfunctional relationship.

  Even so, I couldn’t fathom being apart from him long-term. I needed a break sometimes, a few moments to myself so that I could think. I didn’t want a permanent absence.

  The raging emotions settled and left me with a sudden heaviness. I shook my head from side to side, walking away from him to go back inside the house.

  CHAPTER THREE

  I had an uncanny sense of Deja-Vu.

  With my satchel on the floor and hands folded loosely in my lap, I recalled the first time I rode in this car. The trip hadn’t been as voluntary as it was now. That day seemed so far in the past.

  I was about to ask Judas was he never drove with the radio on when without warning, he jerked the wheel to the left and cut across oncoming traf
fic.

  “What the hell are you doing?” I grabbed the door and held on tight as horns blared and tires squealed, praying to whichever powers that may be, we didn’t get hit.

  He pulled into a parking lot somehow avoiding a head-on collision—barely.

  “For fucks sake, Judas! Was it too much to wait and use a blinker like everyone else?”

  “I like to be punctual. We only have thirty minutes before the first bell.”

  I looked out the window to see where he needed to go that was worth risking our lives. “Mary-Kay’s Doughnuts? This is what we almost died for?”

  “You’ll understand the risk in a minute.”

  Huffing irritably, I released his passenger side door from my death grip. He circled a cute brick building and pulled up to the speaker-box right as a large SUV was pulling off. While he placed an order, I retrieved my cell from my bag and checked the notifications.

  I had thirteen missed calls and eighteen unread text messages all from Mom, Audrey, and oddly Brianna.

  She and I weren’t exactly chummy despite her needing a friend speech. I couldn’t look beyond her being in Judas’ sordid little posse. She was loyal to him without question. That wasn’t the kind of friend I would be having heart-to-hearts with anytime soon.

  Seeing no reply or call from Dad, I began chewing my inner cheek. My texts were marked as read. It wasn’t like him to ignore me, especially now. There was so much to talk about, and he was choosing not to say anything at all. His lack of response didn’t make the accusations against him or Mom any better.

  I withheld a sigh and returned my phone to the pocket inside my satchel without opening any of the other messages. I didn’t have the brainpower to deal with those yet. As I was sitting back up Judas dropped a white paper bag onto my lap.

  “What’s this?”

  “Your breakfast.”

  He placed some kind of iced drink topped with whipped cream and drizzle in his cup holder, thanking the older woman working the window before he drove off. Since I’d paid no attention to what he asked for, I pulled the bag open and peeked inside. A double-chocolate chunk muffin rested alongside a straw on a small stack of napkins.

  “What about you?”

  Ignoring me, he pulled back onto the main road like a normal driver this time, thank God.

  “The drink has a shot of espresso. I know you’ll need it.”

  “And you’re not going to eat?”

  “I already did—twice.”

  “When?”

  “Yogurt with strawberries and a Whey smoothie while you were in the shower.”

  This couldn’t be all he ate. “What kind of breakfast is that?”

  “One that helps me keep the body you can’t keep your hands off of in shape.”

  “Oh, please.” I pulled my muffin out of the bag. It was warm, smelled delicious, and was huge. The bottom of the liner was round as my palm. “What was the second thing?”

  “That was the second thing. If you’ve already forgotten the first, I’m going to have to remedy that in the school’s parking lot.”

  I shot him a look. I should’ve known that’s where he was going with this. “What happened to punctuality?”

  “Four minutes is all I need to make you come screaming my name.”

  “Judas, I’m not sure there’s enough room in this car for me, you, and that big ass ego you’re toting around.” I broke a piece of muffin off and popped it in my mouth. It tasted even better than it looked, a mass of chocolatey goodness.

  I swallowed and broke off another bite before I reached for the drink.

  “How did you find this place?”

  “Take a wild guess.”

  “I’d rather not.” That had the markings of another girl written all over it. Who needed that kind of negativity in their life?

  I read the label on the side of the plastic cup. Caramel-crazed latte with a shot of espresso. Hmm, he did well.

  “Thank you.”

  “Why are you thanking me?”

  “Because you just bought me food?”

  Did he make a sound of…irritation? With him, I could never be sure.

  “If I can fuck you I can damn sure feed you. What kind of asshole doesn’t make sure his girl eats?”

  “You don’t have to take care of me.”

  He reached over and placed a hand on my knee, giving it a gentle squeeze.

  “I do have to take care of you, but I don’t want your thanks. I want you to get used to it.”

  I popped my straw into the latte and took a generous sip to save myself from having to reply to that. He’d fucked, threatened, and fed me all in the span of a few hours. It’s almost comical how that wasn’t too concerning or abnormal unless you were anyone other than us.

  I shifted in my seat, trying to get comfortable and focus on what the teacher was saying. All I heard was a jumbled mess of words that made zero sense.

  I’d somehow managed to make it to Theology, a class I never would’ve fucking selected for myself.

  I don’t know why I let Judas bring me to school today. I had the attention span of a goldfish that was belly-side up. Everything was starting to hurt from my head to my toes. The espresso I drank was the only thing keeping my eyes open and those felt like they were burning. Sneaking back home and diving beneath my comforter was sounding more and more tempting.

  Suppressing a yawn, I glanced down just as my cell lit up for the hundredth time displaying Audrey’s name in the notification bar. I hadn’t spoken to her yet. I knew sooner than later we would have to talk. I hoped my dad knew that too seeing as he still hadn’t text me back. I was much closer to him than I was to Mom. He’d always been someone I thought the world of.

  Dad was kind and giving, he loved me to death. I couldn’t wrap my head around the image of him Judas had painted, but I also couldn’t outright reject it.

  Judas had been right. That boy knew me so disturbingly well. When it was just the two of us, lost in our world and each other none of this had weighed on me so heavily. Now that I was forced from our bubble things were beginning to sink in and I was being pulled in a million different directions.

  I hated that.

  I hated this whole situation.

  His earlier concern was pointless, though. I knew for a fact that I would never go to the cops. I’d be on a bus straight to fucked and an unmarked grave if I did that.

  Seeing Audrey’s name flash across my screen again, I shut my eyes for a second and rubbed my brow. I didn’t want to ignore my best friend.

  Avoidance was a temporary salve for conflict—a sure way to make things worse. But what was I supposed to say after being radio silent for days? I couldn’t bring myself to speak to Brianna either. Although, she hadn’t exactly pushed the issue.

  If anyone knew that there was a muddled mess inside my head and my life was dangerously close to coming apart at the seams, it would be her. She was a part of the damn wrecking ball.

  The bell signaling class was over finally rang, cutting off Mrs. Harmon mid-lecture. I stood up and tugged at the hem of my burrowed uniform’s skirt, doing my best to make sure my ass didn’t fully emerge.

  Everyone filed out of the room, students scampering off to their lockers and next class. My destination was the cafeteria. Bri didn’t wait for me like she normally had begun to do, which was all the better.

  Her petite form disappeared in the throng of bodies now filling the halls. Audrey on the other hand appeared like a freaking apparition. One second, I was walking a clear-cut path and the next a pair of hazel eyes were shooting daggers into mine.

  I stopped abruptly to avoid bowling her over which caused the kid behind me to nearly slam into my back. His hot breath blew way too close to my ear as he was forced to weave around us.

  “Why are you ignoring me?”

  “I’m not. I’ve been in class.”

  “You’ve been in class all weekend? And don’t pull the studious card with me. We both know you don’t give a shit about Br
itish Literature or theology, Rhia.”

  “I care a little bit.” I held up my thumb and index finger, leaving a small space between them.

  Audrey rolled her eyes and grabbed hold of the offending wrist. “Let’s go.”

  I readjusted my satchel and allowed her to lead me into the nearest girl’s bathroom, immediately finding my senses under attack from an overwhelming flowery fragrance.

  Two pretty blondes turned their heads our way as we entered. By now it was common knowledge that Judas and I were a thing. I was going to keep it on the down-low to avoid situations exactly like this one, but he made sure it was known every chance he got. Today hadn’t been any different when he’d dropped me off at the front walkway.

  My best friend seemingly joining his impenetrable crew only made the rumor mill swirl ten times more. So, it wasn’t at all surprising that when they saw us, petty judging commenced. This was typical for those who took high school way too seriously. I didn’t know these girls’ names and damn sure wouldn’t remember their faces once I escaped this hell of textbooks and lectures.

  “Both of you get out. I promise you look the same as you did when you were sitting behind a desk less than five minutes ago.”

  Blondie on the right capped her mascara and scowled. “Who gave you the right to decide if we can be in here or not?”

  “Myself. If you need help, I can drag you out by that ponytail you’ve saturated with hairspray. I’d have something solid to grab onto,” Audrey replied sweetly.

  The girls shared a look, and then made a noisy exit that consisted of loud sighs and a few expletives.

  “Have a great day!” Audrey sang after them, undeterred by their attitudes. Once they were gone, she shut the bathroom door and locked it before turning back to face me.

  I crossed my arms over my chest, semi-amused. When Audrey wanted something, no matter how big or small, she made sure she got it. Thus was the curse of a modern-day princess.

  That didn’t bode well for me.

  “Spill,” she demanded, pointing a flawlessly polished nail at the dark tiled floor.

  “Spill?” I feigned confusion.