Wicked Mercy Read online

  He raised an eyebrow. “You remember what the poem said.”

  “Of course. I remember them all.” It was an incredibly intimate moment with Kaleb, but when I glanced over at Jackie and Brett, they didn’t seem bothered. It was amazing to me that the four of us could be so close and could share so much without anything getting in the way.

  I’d never experienced this with anyone before, and to have this closeness and affection with three of the hottest guys I’d ever seen? Well, I didn’t know how I’d gotten that lucky, but I sure wasn’t going to complain. There was something about just being near the rogues that made me incredibly happy, and I didn’t want to give it up.

  As long as I was out there in the woods with my rogues then I could easily pretend that we didn’t have to worry about anything from the harpies. We could all just be happy and enjoy our time together without worrying about the fact that we did, eventually, have to go back to Taylor Prep.

  A thought of Amelia and the other harpies threatened to dim my happiness, but I pushed the thought away. I was with my boys, the harpies were nowhere in sight, and there wasn’t anything that could ruin my time with the three of them before we went back to school.

  “So, what’s the plan? What’s first?” I was itching to get started and to do something with my boys. Luckily, I’d worn jeans and sneakers today, so no matter if we were going to go hiking or not, I was totally ready for the day.

  “I get you first.” Jackie walked up and took my hand, pulling me out from under Kaleb’s arm. My heart skipped a beat at the way he claimed me in front of the other two. “You and I are going to go on a little hike, Rosita, just the two of us.” The way he was looking at me made my heart flutter and I swallowed hard, my body already aching for his touch.

  “I love hiking.” Linking my fingers into his, I smiled at Brett and Kaleb. “See you guys in a bit.”

  “Enjoy.” Brett raked his eyes over my body and I shivered. “Can’t wait for my turn with you, Rose.”

  Before I could respond, Jackie pulled me away, gently leading me across the parking lot to a small trailhead. It had a yellow marker and I stopped to glance at it. Moderately-strenuous. “Did you bring water?” Jackie didn’t have on a backpack and wasn’t carrying anything, but I was worried that we would get caught out in the woods and suddenly need something to drink.

  “No, don’t worry, Rosita. I’ve got everything covered.” He ushered me ahead of him and I started down the path. It was so narrow that the two of us had to walk in a line, which was disappointing, because I wanted to hold his hand. Just knowing that he was right behind me, though, gave me comfort.

  The path was well-worn, and as soon as we were out of sight of the parking area, I felt like we were in the middle of the woods. We could be on the side of the mountain hours from civilization for all I knew. It was incredibly gorgeous here, and I slowed my pace, enjoying listening to the birds sing in the trees. A breeze blew through, rustling leaves, and making goose bumps pop up on my arms.

  We went around a small bend in the path and then it opened up into a clearing. There was tall grass here that swept up around my knees and, off in the distance, I could hear water.

  “This is gorgeous. Do you know where we are?” Stopping, I turned around to face Jackie. He had so many secrets that I still didn’t know. I never would have thought that he would look this comfortable out in the woods, but he seemed relaxed and totally at home. It made me smile when I realized that I was going to get to learn even more about him right then.

  “I used to come here all of the time with my dad when I was a kid, back before the company really took off and he kinda got married to work. I haven’t been here in probably…seven years or so, but it used to be one of my favorite places to come. What do you think?”

  I spun in a slow circle, my head tilted back, trying to take it all in. It was really gorgeous, with enough space between the trees in the clearing to see the bright blue sky. A fluffy white cloud slowly moved across the sky, casting a little shadow on the two of us.

  “I can see why you’d want to come here all the time. Do we keep walking or is this where you want to stop?” My legs ached to hike, but I also wanted to pull him to me, to feel his hands on me. We were magnetic and I didn’t feel like I’d spent enough time with him to really get to know him. The woods may not have been the place where I wanted to spend time with him, but right now…I didn’t care. I just wanted him.

  “We could stop.” He traced a finger down my cheek before dropping his hand to my shoulder. “But there’s something else I want to show you, Rosita.”

  Regret poured through me when he stepped away, and I considered reaching for him and pulling him back, but I knew that I had to let him go right now. He took my hand and pulled me along behind him. Across the clearing from the trial that we had been on, there was a wider trail and we took that, finally walking side by side.

  After a moment, I noticed that the sound of running water was getting louder.

  “Are we going to the stream?” My curiosity was definitely piqued. If I had had all day on the mountain with Jackie then I would have loved to explore every nook and cranny that the woods had to offer, but I had a feeling that I was getting the highlights tour right now.

  “You’ll see. Watch your step.” Jackie pointed to a huge root that I would have tripped on if he hadn’t said anything, and smiled when I snuggled in to walk closer to him. “I’m really happy that I get to show you this place, Rosita. You have no idea what it means to me to be able to bring the girl I love here.”

  There wasn’t anything for me to say. Jackie knew how much he meant to me, even after all that we had been through the past year. There really wasn’t anything that could tear him away from me now, no matter what happened. He was funny, and kind, and always made me laugh, which is not something that anyone else was able to do on a regular basis.

  I also knew that he was going to need some time to get his thoughts in order and figure out what he was going to say to me. I wanted to push him but knew that waiting was the best option if he was really going to let down his guard of being funny and finally let me all the way in.

  While I waited, we walked, going deeper and deeper into the woods. Suddenly we turned around an old dead tree and were standing on a huge outcropping of rock. Water roared below us as it tumbled and fell over a waterfall. I gasped, grabbing tightly onto Jackie’s arm to steady myself. I didn’t normally get dizzy because of heights, but there was something about the movement of the foam and the loud sound of the water that threw me off-balance.

  Before I could steady myself, Jackie wrapped his arms around me, pulling me back a bit from the edge. We could still see the water rushing and pouring over the sharp rocks, but there, in his arms, I felt safer. When, just a moment before, I felt dizzy, and liked I could easily tip over the cliff into the water, as soon as he held me, I knew that I was perfectly safe.

  I wasn’t in any danger when I was with Jackie. He loved me, and he would do anything that he could to make sure that I was going to be okay. Not only out here, in the woods, but also once we got back to school. That realization gave me a peace that I didn’t realize I’d been lacking.

  “What do you think?” He had to talk louder than he had on the trail in order for me to hear him over the sound of the rushing water. In response I turned in his arms, reaching up to cup his cheek in my hand.

  He was gorgeous.

  He was also incredibly funny. He always knew how to diffuse a situation and how to make me laugh, even when everything seemed dire. Even when I was being hunted by the harpies, the way he looked at me during homeroom and the sly smile he gave me was enough to make me feel better about myself.

  But I wasn’t sure that there was any way that I could tell him that. How could I explain to him that, even when I felt like everything was falling apart, knowing that I was going to get to see him and have his smile turn on me was enough to make the day better?

  There wasn’t anything for me to
say, and even if I tried, I knew that I would fall short. He was smiling at me, his grin taking up his whole face, his eyes crinkled as he waited for me to respond.

  “It’s gorgeous. It’s perfect. I love being here with you, and I love you, Jackie. You always make me laugh and smile, and knowing that you’re around makes everything better. Thanks for being the one to make me laugh, even when things were horrid.”

  “I’m sorry they were horrid.” He reached out and lifted my chin so that I was looking at him. “I’m sorry that I was one of the reasons that everything was so bad for you and that I just sat by while the harpies took it all out on you. I promise you, Rosita, I’m not going to sit by any longer. You have me on your side now, and I’m never going to watch from the sidelines. I messed up, bad, and the fact that you forgive me is…well, it’s incredible. I can’t believe it.”

  “Believe it.” I closed the gap between us and reached for him, pulling him closer to me. I could listen to his voice all day long, but right now there was something else that I wanted from him.

  No, needed.

  I needed to show Jackie that I felt the same way about him. We’d kissed before, but there had always been this undercurrent that something was wrong between us. Something was unsettled, and we had to figure it out before we could really come together, but here, in the middle of the woods, that had finally happened.

  To be honest, I never would have thought that it would be like this when Jackie and I finally connected, but it didn’t matter. I poured all that I felt for him into that kiss, letting my tongue fight with his, feeling the desire in me come flooding through to the surface.

  He reached up and cupped the back of my head, and I imagined him wrapping his hands in my long hair. A pang of regret shot through me. I missed my hair, but that that would come in the future, I had no doubt. Jackie was mine, and I was his, and there was nothing that could come between us now.

  Chapter 3

  “That was…wow, Rosita.” Jackie finally pulled back from me when we were both almost panting. Biting his lower lip, he reached out like he was going to tuck my hair behind my ear, but his hand fell to his side.

  My stomach dropped with the motion of his hand. I didn’t have any hair for him to brush back from my face any longer. The motion that I had grown so fond of was gone, and I wasn’t sure if I would ever get it back. At least, not until my hair grew back, and everyone knows that that can take forever.

  It was just one more thing that the harpies took from me. They may have only meant to shave my head and take way my gorgeous locks, but they took much more than that. They took away a beautiful connection that I had with Jackie, and I hated them for that.

  It just made me more sure that Jackie and I had to find other ways to connect. I wasn’t about to let something like this drive a wedge between us, not when he was so special to me.

  “Jackie, I can’t thank you enough. You mean so much to me. You always make me laugh and know just what to do to make a bad day better. Knowing that you want me makes me…” I faltered for words, trying to find ones to tell him exactly how much he meant to me. There was something amazing about Jackie that I’d never be able to put into words, but all I could hope was that he felt the same way about me.

  Now that I had him, I couldn’t imagine ever living without him, so I needed to make him understand. Taking his hands in mine, I gave them both a tight squeeze. Kaleb was the one out of us who was good with words, and I wished that I had his talent right then. Being able to explain to each of my rogues what they meant to me would allow me to hang onto them without fear.

  Clearing my throat, I tried again. “I just don’t know how to make you understand how important you are. You’re just…you mean so much to me, Jackie.” Everything I said sounded lame, but he just laughed and looped his arm around my waist, pulling me close to him again.

  “You don’t have to act like you know how to tell me how you feel, Rosita. You mean the world to me and the fact that I get to have you is incredible. I think I understand what I mean to you, too.”

  “You do?” My heart soared when he said this. If he really understood what I felt for him and I didn’t need to explain it then this could work. He could accept me like I was and we would be fine.

  “I promise. We’re fine.”

  I swear, sometimes it felt like Jackie read my mind, even though I knew that was impossible. “Good.”

  But it was better than good. Jackie and I had a connection that I’d never imagined we could have. From the first time I saw him, I’d wanted to get to know him better, and suddenly he was mine. It was a great feeling, and one that I knew I’d need to hold onto if I were going to make it through my senior year without going crazy.

  Right before I was going to say something else, his watched beeped and he scowled at it, a dark look flitting across his face and disappearing when he looked at me again. “Bad news, Rosita. Kaleb wants to spend some time with you this morning, too. As much as I’d like to keep you to myself, I have to let the other boys spend time with you before we go back to school.”

  Taylor Prep. I couldn’t believe that we were really going back today, but at least I wasn’t going to be alone. I had my rogues, and my friends, and I knew that this year was going to be worlds better than the last. It just had to.

  “Okay. Let’s go.” Leaning up, I kissed his cheek and then squeezed his hand. We walked back to the clearing together, neither one of us talking. Normally, Jackie had something to say in every situation, but we were both too happy to speak.

  In the clearing we paused for a moment then continued down the path, Jackie walking behind me as I led the way. All too quickly, we were back in the parking lot. Kaleb and Brett were leaning on the trunk of Brett’s car, and they both looked up when we walked onto the gravel.

  Immediately, Kaleb pushed off of the car and walked over to his, his green eyes fixed on me. I shivered under his gaze and let go of Jackie’s hand as he got closer.

  “Rose.” My name was breathy, like a prayer on his lips. When I didn’t respond right away, he looked at Jackie. “Did you two have fun? Did you talk?”

  “We did. She’s amazing, Kaleb, just like you already know. I’m glad we talked.” This was directed at me, and I turned back to smile at him.

  “Me too, Jackie. Thank you.” Jackie grinned at me and brushed my cheek one more time before walking over to stand by Brett. I watched him go for a second before Kaleb pulled my hand.

  “I think that Jackie showed you the waterfall, am I right?” His voice was soft and soothing. Ever since the first day that I heard it, I knew that I could easily get lost in it, and today was no exception. There was something incredible about Kaleb, and getting to spend time with him after he sent me all of the poetry was…amazing.

  “He did. You have something else planned for me?” I tried to keep my excitement from my voice, but I couldn’t, and he turned to grin at me.

  “Let’s just say that I’m glad you’re a sneaker girl and not one who parades around in stilettos all the time, although I have to admit that I do like it when you do. We’re going somewhere different, and you’re going to have to do a little more work to get there. That okay?”

  Putting in more work to see Kaleb’s surprise was something I was willing to do, and I nodded, but when we walked up to the trailhead marked with a red tag, I paused. “Are you sure that I’m up to this? A red marker means that it’s really hard, right?”

  He squeezed my hand. “Yeah, but I know that you can do it, Rose. And if you run into any problems, just know that I’m right there with you and I won’t let anything bad happen to you, okay?”

  “Okay. Show me my surprise.” I grinned at him, enjoying the way his face relaxed when he smiled back at me. Emotions ran deep in Kaleb, and I was just beginning to understand them. The thought was thrilling.

  The path was long and rock. I tried my best to keep my breathing even, but there was no hiding the fact that Kaleb was in much better shape than I was. He probably could
have scaled the entire mountain without breaking a sweat – something that I thought was a fun surprise about him.

  In the end, it was worth it. My jeans were muddy on the knees from where I’d fallen and slipped, but just as Kaleb said, he was right there with me to keep me from being hurt. We made it to the top of an outcropping and he took my hand, helping me step closer to the edge.

  Just like with Jackie, my heart was pounding hard the closer I got to the edge of the rock. We looked down, right into a field of flowers that were in full bloom. We were so high up that the flowers looked like smudges of bright colors, but the sight still took my breath away.

  “Kaleb, it’s incredible,” I began, but he cut me off.

  “Listen, Rose, I need to tell you the truth. Every single day last year I wanted to stop it, to protect you, but I was scared, and I didn’t. I hate myself for that and I would do anything to go back in time and fix it all. I just…I can’t do that, and that kills me.”

  I didn’t say anything, but I squeezed his hand tighter. Kaleb had opened up to me a lot over the summer in his poems and I didn’t want to do or say anything now that would make him clam back up.

  “What we did to you last year was…” Sighing, he ran his hand through his hair and broke off a piece of dried wood from a limb as we walked by it. “…well, it was wrong, Rose. It was unforgivable, and the fact that you’ve somehow forgiven us and don’t hate us all for it tells me a lot more about who you are as a person than who we are. We were wrong, and yet here you are. It makes no sense.”

  When he put it that way, it didn’t really make much sense, but I didn’t say that to him. I couldn’t, not without tearing him apart, so I just squeezed his hand again and waited for him to continue.

  After a moment during which we both stared off at the flowers, Kaleb cleared his throat. “What do you think?”

  He was so gentle. Kaleb, out of all of the rogues, was the one that I knew would bleed for me. He would be willing to sacrifice himself to keep me from getting hurt, and that alone was pretty amazing. Kaleb felt things deeper than any person I’d ever met before. The others would fight for me, but if something happened to me, Kaleb would never forgive himself.