Chaos at Prescott High (The Havoc Boys, #2)

by C.M. Stunich

“You okay?” I ask him, and he lifts his head up just enough to look at me, a frown darkening those perfect pink lips. He’s still holding the bat, like he can’t bear to let it go. “I’m okay,” he replies, but I’m not sure that’s true. He killed somebody tonight. For me. He’s bound to be a little fucked-up. Callum smiles, like he can sense the direction of my thoughts. “Just to be clear: I’m not upset that Danny Ensbrook is dead. I’m upset that I did it with too many witnesses, and that I put us all at risk. I’d kill the world to save you, Bernadette.” My cheeks flush, and I look down, running my tongue over my lower lip. “I appreciate it,” I say, and even though our situation tonight is beyond fucked, I can’t help but like what he’s just said to me. Like I said, I’ve grown up in the dark, so I appreciate the shadows. His darkness is beautiful to me, like a night sky bereft of stars. The sun is just too bright, and it burns. I belong here, in eternal midnight.

I'd ask how things could possibly get any worse than they are, but then, I know that rock-bottom is just an illusion. Fate is a cunt, and she will drill down into that stone beneath your feet and send you straight to hell first chance she gets.

“Despite the fact that you’ve barged into a smoothly running operation and thrown it entirely off its rails, Victor wants to continue with your list. I suggested we step back from it and deal with more pertinent matters, but apparently your cunt is made of glitter and rainbows.” I smirk at him, taking another drag on the joint. “Curious about it?” I quip, raising an eyebrow, but Oscar just smiles at me like a shark who’s scented blood. “Not particularly. I’d rather eat razor blades.

“You have to find happiness wherever you can, whenever you can, because you never know when you might be sailing into a storm.”

“Well?” I ask, and he laughs at me, a bit breathless and very obviously surprised. I’ve just shocked the shit out of him. “Lemme get you a crown made, baby,” he murmurs, his voice thick with sex and satisfaction. “You can have half my kingdom. Fuck, you can have it all. I made it for you, you know, Havoc.” And then he kisses me on the mouth, and I forget what I said about not having an orgasm. I have two before I leave our little cocoon of darkness.

“Your favorite McDonald’s?” I query, and Callum smiles cheerily, like he didn’t just chuck a dead guy’s body into a teenager’s trunk. “South Prescott, no cameras, a lot of illegal activity to work under.” His smile gets a bit wider. “Plus, they never give out cold fries.” Dark humor. But it works.

“You shouldn’t be here.” “Yeah, well,” Vic says, shrugging. “We are, and just in time to see our girl strangle the life out of you.” He laughs again and moves forward, getting up close and personal with Neil as Hael and Aaron hold him back. “To be honest with you, officer, you’d have been lucky if Bernie had strangled you. We have something much darker in mind.”

I glare at him. “Of course I’m okay,” I snap back, pretending like I don’t notice how badly I’m shaking. The boys extend me the same courtesy, which I appreciate. “I had him. Didn’t you see?” “You’re the only woman I know who could go from being handcuffed in the back of a squad car to choking the life out of an armed police officer in less time than it takes most people to decide what movie to watch on a Friday night.” Oscar tucks his gun away again, confident that Neil is out for the time being. I’m not sure if Oscar’s statement is meant to be a compliment, but I take it as one anyway.