Vincent (6 page)

Chapter Ten

The Story of Vincent and Lake

The next few months felt almost as if someone was flipping through the pages of a book, skimming to the end.

Each chapter became a month. Then, before they knew it, they were six chapters in and finally at the month of June.

However, the story of Vincent and Lake had only just begun.

Chapter Eleven

A New Beginning and A Happily Ever After

Lake tapped her finger on the desk as she stared down the clock.

“Earth to Lake, are you even listening?” Adalyn snapped her fingers in front of her.

“What?” She turned her head away from the clock, only to look right back at it.

“You
do
know we have a whole hour left, right? And we need to discuss our plans for this weekend.”

That time when Lake turned her head, she kept her focus on Adalyn. “Okay. I’m sorry. So, what are the plans for this weekend that I am sure I will have no say in?”

“Oh, Lake, you know me too well. All right, so tomorrow we go to our graduation, of course!” Adalyn began clapping her hands together with a cheesy smile on her face. “Then we sit through Vincent’s graduation and go to Nero’s party. Okay, good talk.” The last sentence came out fast in an attempt to distract Lake from her words.

“Yes, no, and no.”

“Really, Lake? What the hell happened between you and Vincent? And don’t tell me nothing for the billionth time. I
know
something did.”

We made out.
“Adalyn, I’ve told you nothing happened. The reason why I don’t want to sit through his graduation is because it’s going to be hard enough to sit through ours. I also don’t want to go to Nero’s party because I don’t even know him or anyone else who is going to be there, for that matter. Since when have I even gone to a party?”

“I’ll be there, and that’s exactly why we have to go. We haven’t been to
one
party, and this is our last chance to go to one together.” Adalyn made a pouting face.

Ugh!
“I’ll think about it.” She watched Adalyn smile at her before she began to stare at the clock again.

Her friend had started to make her feel guilty as soon as Lake had received her acceptance letter to the university two hours away. Sure, there was the one in Kansas City, but she had made up her mind long before that she wasn’t going there. Picking the next closest university kept everyone happy and, most importantly,
her
happy.

Being only two hours away would give her the chance to visit her mother while not having to stay at John’s house ever again. Then there were the added bonuses of being able to see her father and Adalyn whenever she pleased. Oh, and being far enough away from the mob.

But Adalyn was trying to force her into going to Vincent’s graduation. She was certain it was going to be an absolute nightmare since graduations lasted a million years and were completely boring. She pretended the fact that she hadn’t seen Vincent since she had gotten out of his car didn’t play a role into why she didn’t want to see him walk or go to Nero’s party. Lake knew, without a doubt, Vincent was going to be there, and the last place she wanted to see him was at a party.

She had been successful in pretending Vincent was dead, choosing to only remember him up until the day he had kissed her. Truthfully, Lake was scared of seeing him again, and she planned to avoid what it felt like to be in his presence forever.
Okay, now quit thinking about him already.

Lake drew her attention back up to the clock, not able to believe it was real. Any second, she should hear…

Tinng.

That was it, the victory bell she had been waiting for. She had imagined the sound to be way better than that.
But who cares!

“So, Lake, how does it feel to officially be a high school graduate?” Adalyn asked, getting up from her desk.

Smiling, Lake stood up. “Pretty damn good.”

Lake was determined it was going to be a new beginning and a happily ever after from there on out.

*  *  *

Would they fucking hurry already?

Vincent waited down the hall from the art room with Amo and Chloe. The two were arguing about God only knew what.

“I’m going to hurry their asses up,” Vincent mumbled, knowing they wouldn’t hear him.

He started the walk down the hallway, wondering how the fuck one semester could change everything. All throughout high school, he had fucked almost every girl in Legacy Prep, but he hadn’t fucked one in months. Vincent had one girl to blame all that on, too.
Elle Buchanan
.

Honestly, it was a whole other story, but the short version was she happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Then the boss had given Nero the job of finding out what she knew. Along the way, Nero had needed his and Amo’s help and lucky for them, Elle had come with a best friend.
Chloe Masters.
They had found out the two friends were sickeningly bullied at school, and instead of fucking all the girls his last months in high school, he had been paying them back for every fucking thing they had ever done to the two girls. Admittedly, he had enjoyed it, a lot.

It wasn’t like his balls were blue; he merely started proudly fucking public school girls, instead. Despite his lack of blue-balls, he definitely wasn’t getting off like he used to. Vincent fucked longer and harder, and still he was hard. He began to fuck more and more girls, trying to satiate his appetite, but sleep ended up coming before satisfaction. Then Vincent had begun to prefer fucking them from behind so he didn’t have to look at their face. He decided to blame Elle for ruining all high school girls for him. One thing was for sure—his last semester had taught him something: high school girls are fucking bitches.

Vincent went into the art room to find it empty. Looking at the door in the back, he began to smile. He quietly started walking toward it, hearing noises coming from behind the door. Leaning against a table facing the door, he decided to wait.

It wasn’t much longer before the door flew open.

“I’m upset I wasn’t invited,” Vincent said, watching Nero come out of the art supply closet, zipping up his pants as Elle buttoned her shirt.

The strawberry-blonde tried to run back inside the closet, but Nero caught her hand and pulled her toward him.

Vincent winked at her. “No need to be shy, sweetheart.”

Elle covered her face with her hand. “I can’t believe you talked me into that, Nero. I won’t let you do that again.”

“I swear to God, Vincent, I’m going to pay you back for all your bad timing,” Nero said.

He started laughing. “Come on, man; it’s the last day of school. You two aren’t going to see that closet again. There’s a million other closets you two can—”

Nero held up his hand. “Vincent, shut the fuck up. Right now.”

“I will if you two are done so I can get the fuck out of here.”

“Oh, my God,” Elle whispered into Nero’s shoulder as he pulled her along.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart; you weren’t the closet’s first. I was in there freshman year.”

“You’re not helping,” Nero hissed.

Vincent laughed, deciding to stop giving Elle such a hard time. He didn’t have a choice, really. If he kept going, Nero was going to kick his ass.

They had all grown fond of her and Chloe. Hell, because of them, he, Nero, and Amo had all become soldiers. Being a soldier in the Caruso mob was the best and last thing which had changed that semester.

When they reached the end of the hallway, Elle ran to Chloe’s side.

Vincent watched the two girls laugh side by side as they started to walk toward the school parking lot. He knew Nero and Amo couldn’t stop staring at the two, either. The girls had come a long way, and they all felt responsible for them.
What the fuck is wrong with you? You’re being a pussy.

He was done having a moment. “You all need to come to my sister’s graduation tomorrow.”

“Fuck no. I ain’t sitting through two,” Amo retorted.

Nero kept his eyes on Elle. “As much as I don’t want to go, either, we all have to. She’s family.”

“That reminds me, is Adalyn’s friend going to Nero’s party?” Amo asked Vincent.

“I don’t know. Maybe.” He shrugged.

“Fuck, I hope her hot ass will be there. What’s her name again?”

Vincent’s hands wanted to rip his throat out even though he had no feelings toward her.

“Lake.” He wasn’t prepared for it to come out as a growl.

Chapter Twelve

Getting Whacked On Graduation Day Would Really Suck

Lake scanned the bleachers around the whole gymnasium.
Where the hell
is she?
When her eyes met her father’s, he gave her a comforting smile. She desperately tried not to look at the goons beside him, but the whole Caruso mob took up half the damn bleachers on that side. She knew because it was nothing except a sea of black suits.

She looked down at her phone again to see if she had any messages.
Nothing.
Lake went into her messages and sent a text.

Where are you?

When Lake raised her head back up to the man talking on the stage, she had to swipe away the tassel hitting her in the face. The man was about to start calling their names at any second, and it was making Lake even more nervous. She really wished the seats weren’t assigned alphabetically so she and Adalyn could sit together.

She started to almost feel out of place as she glanced around.
I never knew high school gyms like this even existed,
only in college
.

Their high school’s graduation ceremony was always held at Legacy Prep High due to budgeting reasons. The public schools got a free place to hold the ceremony, and Legacy Prep saved money by having it in their gym.
The school system really knows how to go all out…

Scanning the bleachers again, her eyes rolled over the black sea once more, but that time her eyes were caught by a pair of baby-blues she hadn’t seen in six months.

He looked different to her, like he had in that moment when he had rolled up his sleeves in Poison. Vincent had somehow grown more handsome, more mature, and she couldn’t quite put her finger on what was making him look that way.

Her body started to respond to him again as his gaze held her prisoner. She began to wish she was closer to him to see his changes up close.

Buzzzz.

Lake nearly jumped out of her seat when her hand began vibrating. She didn’t think she could be anymore embarrassed, or flustered for that matter.

Why, God? Why did you make him so perfect?
She felt like the whole dead thing was seriously being thrown out the window.

Looking down at her phone, she read her new text.

John got sick. I am so sorry, honey. I’ll make it up to you. I love you.

Lake squeezed her phone as hard as she could, trying to keep from crying. She had known when her mother hadn’t showed in the first five minutes that she wasn’t coming. She had already had a feeling it was all John’s fault. John had no reason to be there since Ashley was a junior, and he sure as fuck wasn’t coming for his stepdaughter.

Lake hit the button to reply.

It’s okay. I love you, too, Mom.

It seemed like, no matter what, she couldn’t help the fact that she
did
love her. Her mother was family. There was nothing else to it.

Hearing the first name read, she put her phone away. As the names went farther down the list, she couldn’t help thinking about how John had managed to ruin one of the most monumental moments in her life. Regardless, she decided to try to push it out of her mind as her best friend in the whole wide world waited on the steps to be called next. Lake was already primed to clap and cheer.

“Adalyn Ricci.”

Yay
—
what the…?

Lake’s attention was drawn to the men in black packed onto the bleachers. They were yelling, clapping, and whistling so loud she thought her eardrums were going to break. She couldn’t help laughing at the goons for making such a scene and clapping along as Adalyn retrieved her diploma.

It wasn’t much longer before Lake found herself waiting on the steps for her name to be called. She honestly wasn’t nervous anymore. Her dad was the only one who was going to be paying any attention to her, so her nerves were finally gone.

The man spoke into the microphone, “Lake…”

She took her first step onto the stage.

“Turner.”

Lake’s walking slightly slowed from shock as she heard another roar come from the suits, so much so she had to keep telling herself to keep walking.

When she took the diploma into her hands, she put on a smile for the camera then went straight back to her confused face.
Why would they do that for me?

Walking to the other side of the stage, she could finally look at the men cheering for her. Every one of them was standing, and every one of them was clapping. A smile began to touch her lips as she watched a couple of them hit her father’s shoulder in congratulations.

When she got back to her seat, she realized she had completely forgotten that someone important was missing when she had been walking across the stage.

Thankfully, the ceremony didn’t last much longer. Before Lake knew it, it was her turn to sit in the bleachers. The day before she hadn’t wanted to, but after seeing them all cheer for her…
It’s the least I can do.

After they hugged their parents, Adalyn started leading her to the middle of the bleachers. On the way, they received many nods from the men. It was their way of congratulating them. One of those nods had her freezing in place, however. She knew exactly who the man was when she met his ice-blue eyes. There was no doubt about it; he was the boss.
Dante Caruso.

The man had an air about him, a don’t-fuck-with-me vibe, while being classy at the same time. He was chillingly dark, yet she found him way too handsome for an older man.

Lake quickly nodded back, though not out of politeness.
Nope. It’s because
getting whacked on graduation day would really suck.

Squeezing through the crowd, Adalyn finally stopped by a girl who almost took Lake’s breath away. The girl was drop-dead gorgeous with shiny gold hair, like an angel or a goddess.
Oh, my God, she is like the girl version of Vincent.

“Congratulations, Adalyn!” The gorgeous girl stood to give her friend a hug. She was even tall, wearing a pale blue dress which showed her perfect body. Lake thought she was going to go blind any second by her beauty.

“Thank you,” Adalyn responded, hugging her back. After the hug, she turned to Lake. “Lake, this is Nero’s sister—”

“Hi, I’m Maria. Congratulations!” She pulled Lake into a hug, too.

Jesus, she’s incredibly nice, too?
Lake gave her a hug back. “Thank you.”

“Maria, when are you going to learn that people don’t like to hug?” a younger male voice said.

“Sorry, I’ve been trying to work on it.” Maria pulled away.

Lake laughed. “No, it’s okay. You shouldn’t stop being nice.”

Everyone went quiet around her and started to stare.

The young male’s voice returned. “Did she say nice? No one has ever called a Ca—”

Maria hit his shoulder. “This is my youngest brother, Leo, who likes giving me a hard time.”

Leo held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Lake.”

Who the hell did these people descend from?

The dirty-blonde boy was already a charmer and way too good-looking for his age. She figured he was early in his high school years, but he was definitely much better-looking than the seniors in her school.

Lake shook his hand back. “Nice to meet you, too, Leo.”

They all quickly sat back down as the second ceremony started to begin. Lake was relieved by the distraction, because she didn’t understand what she had said to make everyone gawk at her.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lake thought someone was still staring at her. Stupidly, she looked at the row behind her to see a man she really wished she hadn’t.

Her head snapped forward as chills ran down her spine.
Fuck-fuck-fuck that guy.
She didn’t know who he was, nor did she ever want to know. Lake was going to keep her head forward; under no circumstance did she ever want to see his crazy eyes again. Surprisingly, she didn’t dare look back throughout the whole beginning of the ceremony.

“I need to run to the restroom,” Maria whispered in Adalyn and Lake’s direction.

As Lake turned her legs with Adalyn’s for her to pass, she saw Maria turn around then whisper to the guy behind her, and damn if it wasn’t the guy who scared her shitless.

As Maria stood up and began to quietly squeeze through, Lake watched two guys start to follow behind. One of them was the scary guy who was staring at her.

Oh, my God, does Maria seriously have bodyguards?

Lake was honestly starting to feel like she was missing something, so she thought carefully about whether a girl really needed a bodyguard.

Pssht! No, that’s crazy. I bet they won’t even come back with her.

If they did, that meant they were her bodyguards.
But they’re not
.

That thought didn’t stop Lake from sitting on the edge of her seat and staring down at the door Maria had just walked out.