I hop up as Ruella pulls the neck of her hoodie up to her chin, making herself as small as she can, the free hand taps away on her thigh, giving away her discomfort. She is still unsure of this alliance, who she can and can’t trust and I can completely understand why. After starting off in a new place like this, finding some secret files with missing girls names, then an attack while running. Honestly, I would judge her if she wasn’t a little wary.
I open the door to Daylan holding two large pizza boxes and a big shit eating grin on his face before he barges inside and dumps them on the table. He locks eyes with Ruella and frowns. “You look like shit,” He glances back at me with concern. “What happened?”
I open my mouth to answer but Ruella beats me to it, her face pleading from behind Daylan to keep quiet about her father’s abuse.
“I’m not feeling very well, I’ve been ill in bed the past couple days, but thank you for pointing out how terrible I look. Arsehole,”
I smirk, but Daylan doesn’t, he just inspects her. “It’s none of my business, but if you are trying to hide the bruises note man left after attacking you again, you are doing a crappy job,” He opens the top pizza box and lifts a slice to his mouth. “The makeup isn’t doing anything,” Then he shrugs and moves over to the seat next to the table by the window, scrolling through his phone as he finishes his slice. I glance to Ruella where she sits fidgeting, her attention on the hands she twists in her lap.
I fight to keep my tone gentle but fail miserably.
“What is he talking about Ruella?” I place my hands on my hips and shift to her line of sight, forcing her to look at me. “Note man? Has something more happened than the day you were running alone?” I demand an answer while she sighs.
“You didn’t tell him did you,” Daylan snorts shaking his head.
“You told Daylan, and you didn’t tell me?” I ask through clenched teeth.
She stands. “Hang on, it wasn’t like that at all,” She points to Daylan who is still paying us no attention. “I thought he was the one who attacked me, and I confronted him about it at the fundraiser. I accused him of the note that was slipped under my door but he…”
“Why did you think Daylan attacked you?” I growl. Daylan is one of my best friends, but I know he is a little unhinged and tends to do things I don’t agree with. He has his secrets that not even me and Jacob know about, but if he has included Ruella in his business, I will kill him.
She rolls her eyes. “I made a mistake. I saw him in the same trainers as the man that attacked me. I was wrong,”
“She thought it was me because of the sports issued trainers we all have,” Daylan sits back acknowledging us finally. “Every student in a sports team has them, plus the staff,” He looks at me pointedly.
“So, it could basically be anyone then?” Ruella huffs and sits back down on the sofa.
I stroke my fingers through the stubble growing on my jaw, its longer than I usually leave it, but I have too much going on to care right now.
“We will figure this out, I promise,” I try and comfort her, knowing we have little to nothing to go on.
“I hope so,” She leans her head on the back of the chair and closes her eyes.
“What did the note say?” I push.
“Last chance. Leave Marrowton Academy,”
Fuck. Now it’s not only Piper I need to protect, its Ruella as well. They may have taken Piper, but I got her back, they won’t succeed a second time. And if they ever lay a finger on Ruella, I will kill them like I did last term. No one touches what is mine without consequence.
***
It doesn’t take long for everyone to demolish the pizza and chips Daylan brought up, the chatter light and friendly as Piper and Corden filled Ruella in on what she missed when I threw her over my shoulder the other night and kidnapped her. Jacob sits silently beside Piper as usual, only showing a hint of a smile when she jokes along with him. Tonight, he seems a little too quiet though, and his mood is lower than usual. It can’t be the news that my sister is still under threat because we haven’t got to that part of tonight yet. I will have to grill him later about it.
“Why is Deena not here again?” Corden asks as I collect the rubbish and switch the kettle on. I glance to Ruella as she speaks up. “We have things to discuss that I don’t think Deena should be a part of. We don’t want to drag anyone else into this,”
Corden’s mouth opens. “But you will drag me into it?” his eyes widen in fake shock.
Ruella throws a pillow at him. “You are already involved dickwad,”
His brows furrow as he looks around the room. “I don’t understand,”
“You will in a second,” I interrupt as I walk over and hand Ruella the warm mug.
She peeks inside and rewards me with a small smile. “You drink Horlicks?” She asks.
I shake my head as I retake my seat beside her. “I got that in for you little vixen,” I place a kiss on her cheek as her eyes bounce from person to person around the room, a blush working its way up her neck, and it reminds me of when that same pink flush filled her face as she came around my cock.
“You didn’t have to do that,” She whispers.
