Bad Boy Games

Chapter 48

The thought of Damen came into focus but I squashed it before it could begin. No way in hell am I thinking about him of all people right now.

So many thoughts and memories chased each other around my brain. I opened my eyes and gazed out the window at the moonlight filtering in through the open curtains. Then I sat up, slowly crawled to the side of the bed, pulled myself up onto shaky legs, and made my way over to the window seat.

When I reached it I lowered myself down onto it and got comfy among the pillows with my head resting on the wall and my arms crossed over my knees which are pulled up to my chest. I stared up at the moon, hearing nothing but the quiet chirps of the crickets and my own breathing. This is really peaceful.

“You should have waited till I got back so I could’ve helped you.” I didn’t even jump when I heard Jacob’s soft voice beside my ear- just continued to watch the moon. I heard a muffled clinking noise as he put the glass of water on the floor and then his hands found my face, fingers holding it tenderly as not to hurt me.

Our eyes met and he stroked a thumb over my cheek. I sent him a timid smile which he returned with a sweet smile of his own. My heart jumped in my chest at the sight of it.

“Do you feel alright?” I nodded. Other than the pounding in my head and the slight weakness I feel fine. He reached down and picked up the cup, handing me two small white pills along with it. I took them and drank all of the water. Damn. I didn’t even realize how dry my throat was till just now.

When I was done Jacob took the cup from me, placed it back onto the ground, and climbed up onto the seat across from me. I sat there with my head facing the window as my eyes slowly slipped closed from sleepiness. My mind is wide awake but my body could beg to differ.

Jacob glanced over at me and then leaned forward with his arms outstretched.

“Come here,” he murmured quietly as he took me into his arms and returned to his previous spot with me cradled in his lap like a child. I snuggled up to him, the side of my face and my hand pressed against his firm smooth chest.

Neither one of us said anything for a while but then Jacob let out a deep breath and rested his cheek against the top of my head. I was about to ask what was wrong but decided against it. If he wants to tell me then he will. I’m not going to push him.

I stayed quiet and kept my eyes closed. I know that I would normally be falling asleep right now but my mind is fully awake for some reason. It’s probably because of the nightmare. I held back a shudder.

“Are you tired?” He murmured softly. I shook my head and he kissed the top of it, holding me closer to his chest. “Do you… do you want to know more about the situation with-“ He took a sharp breath through his teeth and forced out his name. “Preston?”

I didn’t say anything for a moment and instead just processed what he asked.

“I… only if you’re alright with telling me Jacob. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. I- I’m sorry about before. At… the park. You were right- I was being a brat. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did but it just surprised me. I’m so sor-“ He covered my mouth to keep me from saying anymore and turned us so now my legs are on either side of his hips on the seat and he’s staring into my eyes.

“No. Don’t apologize Lyla. I should have realized that telling you something like that- especially after so long of keeping it from you- would come as a shock.” I shook my head.

“I-“ before I could say anything else he leaned forward and kissed me quickly to silence me.

“Why don’t we just settle this by saying that we’re both to blame. Alright?” He smiled just the tiniest bit at me and stared into my eyes. I nodded silently and then his smile grew a little.

He took a deep breath and then began. “A few years before I was born my father was in a relationship with some woman. It didn’t work out and they broke up. Then he started dating my mom a couple months later. Apparently he still had feelings for his old girlfriend because about two years after he and my mom got married he cheated on her with his ex. Mom was already a month into her pregnancy with me and Noah was only one at the time.

“He knocked up his ex and then left her again. She gave birth to Preston nine months later, three weeks after I was born. He grew up without a dad and all he knew about him was what his mother told him-which weren’t good things, I’m sure. We’ve known about being half-brothers since we were thirteen. At first I felt bad for him and I actually was willing to get to know him, but then that pity turned to hate.” His arms tensed around me as he pulled me closer.

I lifted my head from where it was resting on his shoulder and gazed up into his eyes. He stared back for a while and then one of his hands came up to touch my cheek with his fingertips and brush the hair out of my eyes.

Reaching up, I cupped his face. “What happened?” His jaw clenched and I felt bad for asking but I’m really curious.

“There was this girl.” I pursed my lips but he didn’t see because my face is now pressed into the crook of his neck with my arms hugging him close. “I met her one day and we started dating. She was funny and beautiful and everything that I could have asked for. I started to have feelings for her and I thought that maybe I could have something good in my life for once.” He took a deep breath and I tightened my hold on his waist.

“I was lost and I thought that she was the one, the one that would collect the pieces of my heart and put them together again. After what happened with Noah and Lillian I thought I would never be the same again. I was fifteen when I met her and we were together for almost a year. Near the end she started to act strange and I didn’t know why. I thought maybe she was just having problems at home. Then she started making excuses why she couldn’t come over.

Then one day I decided to go over to her house to surprise her. Her parents were away and I figured she could use some company. When I got to her house no one answered the door so I let myself in. You’ll never guess what I found when I went into her bedroom.” He shook his head and laughed dryly. I tensed up, knowing that this story is about to get bad.

“She and Preston were there, fucking each other senseless. He saw me when I came in and all he did was smirk and keep going. I was so pissed, more so than I had ever been before then. I wanted to rip his head off. But all I did was turn and leave. I didn’t even look back once.” I thought he was done talking but then he continued. His voice grew stiff and angry. “He confronted me sometime later and rubbed it in my face, mocking me. He told me that she had said our whole ‘relationship’ wasn’t real and that she didn’t know what she had seen in me in the first place. He said that now I knew some of the pain that he and his mom had to suffer through every day because he didn’t have a father in his life. It wasn’t the same kind of pain, but still pain nonetheless. And then he mentioned Noah.” I froze up and waited for his next words.

His breathing picked up speed and his arms tightened even more around my waist. He’s pissed. “He… he fucking said that he… he was the one who shot Noah. He killed our brother.”