The Rebel of Raleigh High (Raleigh Rebels #1)(96)

He tried as hard as he could, but he didn't succeed in truly breaking me, though. He stole so much from me, but he didn't take my humanity. A part of me almost wishes he had, as I reluctantly unlock the door to the sound booth and let him in.

He rushes inside, collapsing to his knees, shaking just as severely as Sophia was a moment ago. He cowers, holding his head in his hands, and a strangled sob fills the cramped booth. Alicia and Sophia look down at him, shock and concern developing on their faces, and I allow myself the smallest moment of victory.

“You really think he's going to protect you now?” I ask bitterly. Stooping low, I scoot down so that I'm level with Jacob, eye to eye with the bastard who pinned me down and raped me. “I don't think so. See, you've always been a fucking coward, haven't you, Jake? Your strength and bravado are a pathetic act. Deep down, you've always been…this.”

He flinches at the raw disgust in my voice.

He doesn’t deny it. He doesn’t deny a single thing. He casts his gaze down at his hands, and he silently weeps.





34





ALEX





“I’m afraid you’ve caught me in the middle of a crisis,” Leon says, laughing shakily. His hands are steady on the rifle, though. They don’t waver an inch. The gun remains firmly aimed at my forehead. “Kacey and I were just ironing out a few issues, weren’t we, Kace? I was just letting her know how much I fucking hate her for dumping my ass via text after four years of dating. Coming to my house, acting like she still belongs there, draping herself all over Jacob fucking Weaving. Thought it was hilarious, didn’t you, Kacey? Go on. Tell Alex what you did at the party after he left. I’m sure he’s just dying to hear.”

Stall, stall, stall. The longer I can keep him talking, the longer I can keep him from killing anybody. “I could use a story,” I say evenly. “What d’you do, Kacey?”

The girl who threatened me in the parking lot only yesterday looks at me with pleading, desperate eyes. “That’s not important right now, Leon. What we really need to do is get you out of here before the cops show up.”

She just pissed herself, but it appears Kacey still has enough fire in her veins to try and manipulate her ex. Leon knows her better than anyone, though. He dealt with her for four years; he sees straight through the act without missing a beat.

“Oh, please, Kay Kay. You’ll be shoving me in front of a firing squad the second you get. You’re a horrible fucking actress. Always were. Tell Alex what you did after he left the party or I’ll shoot you in that vicious, ugly face of yours and I’ll tell him myself.”

“I—I slept with my boyfriend. At a party. Big deal, Leon. People hook up at parties all the time.”

“WHERE!” Leon screams. “Where did you hook up with your boyfriend?”

“In your bed,” she whispers.

Leon’s eyes are full of madness. He nods violently. “And there you have it. You fucked Jacob fucking Weaving in my fucking bed.”

“It was supposed to be funny, Leon. Jesus, it was a joke.”

“Funny? What kind of fucking psychopath are you? What kind of sick, twisted mind do you have, if you think something as spiteful and shitty as that would be funny?”

“Everyone…everyone thought it was funny,” she pants.

Leon stills. He’s staring at me, dead in the eye, but his focus is most definitely on the girl behind him. “Exactly. You told everyone. You used me as a source of entertainment. You ridiculed me, made me look like an idiot, and everyone laughed along with you because you’re Kacey fucking Winters, and if they’re not laughing along with you, then you’re singling them out and tearing their lives apart. Don’t you realize? You think people worship the ground you walk on in this school, but they don’t. They fucking hate you. They’re afraid of you. They walk around on eggshells, hoping you don’t even notice them, because you are a vile, vindictive, spiteful cunt.”

She can’t keep her tongue in her head. She just can’t help herself. “You think anyone’s gonna love you after this? You’re the fucking psycho, Leon! You’ve killed half the fucking school!”

“I’ve killed eighteen people, actually. You never were any good at math,” Leon spits.

“Leon, it’s seriously fucked up that she did that,” I say, inching closer. “You and I both know Kacey’s a piece of trash, though. Is she really worth all of this? Is she really worth any more violence?”

Leon narrows his eyes, adjusting his grip on the rifle. For a second, I'm hopeful—he looks like he doubts himself—but then he clenches his jaw, his shoulders tensing, and the moment has passed. His finger shifts on the trigger. “I thought you of all people would understand this, Alex. You're with Silver. Cillian, Sam, Kacey…they all hurt her, y'know. How can they hurt anyone else if they're all fucking dead? How can any of them laugh at someone else’s pain again, if they’re not around to see it?”

“Man, you’re right. These guys should all be punished for what they’ve done. But that doesn’t mean you should arm yourself and go on a…on a…”

“Killing spree?” His brows rise. “It’s okay. You can say it. I know exactly what I’ve done.”