Cruel Boy Page 21

  I chuck the bottle away and then disconnect his laptop and take it with me.

  “Wait, don’t leave me here!” he groans as I open the door.

  One final glance and I take the key from the door and lock it from the outside. That’ll teach him. It’ll also give me enough time to get out of here with all the proof before any of his buddies try to bail him out. Because he sure as hell didn’t do this all on his own.

  He has accomplices. And judging from the admission about the drugs, I have a pretty good idea about who it could be.

  I immediately march toward Kevin, ignoring everyone looking at the blood on my pants and hands. I grab him by the shirt and shove him against the wall.

  “Whoa, what the h—?”

  “Shut up. You fucking helped him, didn’t you?” I growl.

  “What? What are you talking about?” he scoffs. “Who?”

  “You know goddamn well who. Robby. You helped him get those girls.”

  “What? No,” he says, frowning.

  “You gave him the drugs,” I say.

  “So? I give everyone drugs,” he replies, holding up his hands. “I don’t know what you think I did, but I had nothing to do with it.”

  “The cameras in his room. Do you know what he does with them?”

  “No,” he says, raising a brow.

  “But you knew they were there,” I say.

  “Yeah, he asked me to install them for him.”

  My jaw drops, and I point my finger at his chest. “So you did know.”

  “No, Robby never said what he did with them. I knew he was a perv. Everyone did.”

  I make a face, and say, “Don’t you fucking get it? Nina.”

  His eyes widen. “Oh … shit.”

  “Yeah.” Man, I thought these boys knew shit, but apparently, they’re that stupid.

  “Fuck, did he—?”

  I rub my lips together. “I’m pretty sure he did. That’s also why she died.”

  “Wait.” He leans in, and whispers, “But everyone says she was killed by Nate. Is that true?”

  “No,” I say. Even though I wasn’t sure before, I am now.

  “Well, fuck,” he says. “If I’d known … shit, I would’ve never given him the drugs if I knew what he was gonna do.” He rubs his forehead. “Man, I shouldn’t have listened to Layla.”

  I frown. “Layla?” What does she have to do with this?

  He leans in, and says, “She was the one who asked me to give them to Robby and Nina.”

  Why would she do that?

  Unless …

  Nate.

  My eyes widen.

  This was all about him.

  Chapter 32

  Sam

  It’s all starting to make sense now.

  “What?” Kevin mutters.

  “Nothing,” I say. I don’t want to tell him because he could tell someone else, and I’m not sure yet. There’s only one way to be certain.

  “Is she here?” I ask.

  “Yeah, she’s out somewhere near the pool,” he says.

  “Thanks,” I say, and I go in the opposite direction toward the wardrobe area.

  I search through the coats on the racks until I find one I recognize. One that belongs to Layla.

  “God, please, let it be in here,” I mutter to myself.

  I fish in the pockets and take out a phone.

  Fuck, yeah. I already noticed at school that she had two of them—one she brings everywhere to do her thing, and the other … I’m gonna find out.

  I pull it out and click. There’s no password on it, so I check the text messages, opening a conversation with Kevin. I scroll back to the day when Nina died.

  Layla: You have the pills?

  Kevin: Yeah.

  Layla: Give them to Robby.

  Kevin: Why?

  Layla: Just do it.

  Kevin: What will I get in return?

  Layla: I’ve got plenty of cash. Meet me outside.

  That was it for that night. I don’t see anything else that matters there. Except … there’s also a conversation between her and Robby, and they’re pretty recent too. This is from hours ago.

  Layla: Do you have the camera footage? I want it.

  Robby: You know it’ll cost ya.

  Layla: I’ll get u another girl.

  Robby: Deal. I <3 brunettes.

  Layla: Fine. Just send the video.

  Robby: Y do you want it so badly?

  Layla: None of your business.

  Robby: Fine. I’ll get you what you want as long as I get mine.

  Layla: Thx

  My pupils dilate.

  Layla … She has a video?

  I frantically search through her files until I find it. The one from the night when Nina died.

  It shows Nina and Nate together on the beach from a totally different angle, definitely a camera hanging from a wall outside. The two are still holding hands, so it has to be that night as I remember that vividly. But this time, it also shows her taking the cocaine. Her whole overdose is recorded on tape.

  Layla got this video from Robby, so Robby knew Nate was innocent. He had this video all along, and he didn’t do anything to stop Nate from being hunted down by the police. Why? Robby was his friend.

  This doesn’t make any sense.

  But I have to keep this somewhere in case it’s needed, so I immediately grab my own phone and record the screen while the video plays. I don’t stop recording, not even as I look further through their messages, trying to understand what happened that night. I don’t have much time because Robby will be alerting people any second now. I scroll down to the night that Nina passed as fast as I can … And what I find in her messages makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

  Layla: Pick Nina.

  Robby: Why?

  Layla: Just do it.

  Robby: Okay. What do I get?

  Layla: Ass.

  Robby: Okay, and how?

  Layla: Drug her. You’ve done it b4. Kevin will give you the pills.

  Robby: Fine but you owe me.

  Layla: Whatever.

  Layla. It was her all along.

  I thought it was just Robby being a filthy swine and forcing himself onto girls … Because of him, Nina overdosed.

  “What the fuck are you doing?”

  I swiftly spin on my heels, hiding the phone behind my back, and tucking my own back into my pocket.

  It’s Layla. She just entered through the door and shut it behind her. She flicks the light on.

  “Sneaking behind people’s back in the dark? That’s just the kind of thing I’d expect from you,” she says.

  “Yeah, well … I guess I’m not the only one stirring shit up,” I say, narrowing my eyes at her.

  While she steps forward, I stand my ground.

  “What’s behind your back?” she asks, nostrils flaring.

  “Something horrible …” I sneer. “But not as horrible as you.”

  She freezes for a moment, staring me down. Then she lunges at me and fights me over the phone. She manages to snatch it from my hand and then gazes at it before slapping me in the face.

  “How dare you search my phone?” she hisses.

  I shrug, trying to hold my shit together. “Maybe you shouldn’t have left it there then.”

  “Can’t trust anyone these days,” she replies. “Fucking bitch.”

  “Says the biggest bitch,” I spit back.

  “What’s your goddamn problem?” she growls.

  “My problem is you and your dirty little secrets …” I say, licking my lips. “Why do you have that video of Nate and Nina?”

  “Duh, I asked him to give it to me,” she answers. “It’s none of your fucking concern.”

  “Yeah, it is. You knew he was innocent. Why didn’t you tell the police?” I ask.

  She makes a face at me. “I told them what I knew.”

  “You knew more,” I hiss. “Robby and Kevin told me everything.”

  Her whole face
darkens, and her muscles tighten into a rigid posture. “What do you mean?” she snaps.

  I fold my arms. “Everything from that night … Nina.”

  Her eyes twitch. “Bullshit. I’m done with you.”

  She turns around and marches off, so I throw my last card into the game.

  “Did you hate her so much for hanging out with Nate?”

  She pauses, and I know I’ve got her attention, even if only for a moment.

  “She was one of your besties, wasn’t she?” I ask. “Was it worth it?”

  Layla glances at me over her shoulder and then struts back toward me. “Listen. Nate’s mine. He’s always been mine. And she came in and tried to swoop him out from underneath me.” She pauses. “You think I’d let her get away with that?”

  I’m trying my best not to punch her right in the face. “He’s not yours. He doesn’t want you.”

  “You think he wants you?” she yells right up in my face. “Wrong. Nate’s just like any other guy; he follows his dick everywhere he goes. And when it landed on Nina, she hungered for it happily.”

  “But you didn’t like that?” I say.

  “Of course not,” she scoffs. “Who would? She stole my man. So I had to do something.”

  “And you … told Robby and Kevin,” I say. “Spun them around your finger.”

  “I only planted the idea in their heads. Kevin already gave drugs to everyone. I just gave him more cash to give Robby something extra for Nina,” she hisses. “Like you don’t know Robby wouldn’t have already gotten his hands on her without me. It was only a matter of time.”

  “But you gave him that extra push to do it that night.”

  She shrugs. “I don’t care. Try to guilt me, I don’t mind. She had a good time with Robby.”

  “She overdosed on coke,” I say through gritted teeth. I can’t believe she’s trying to talk this right in her head.

  “She did that to herself,” she replies, raising her brows. “I didn’t give her that stuff.” She sighs. “I just wish I could’ve stopped Nate from going down there with her.”

  Grinding my teeth, I growl, “You’re sick.”

  “Yeah, well, so are you.”

  “A girl died because of you, and they tried to pin it on the wrong guy,” I say. “How can you think that’s okay?”

  “I didn’t kill her,” she says.

  “Everyone thinks Nate did it,” I reply.

  “He carried her into the ocean! Of course they do,” she hisses, and she leans in. “You know what? I’m done with this. I’m done with you. Don’t touch my fucking phone again, or I’ll kill you.”

  When she turns around, I can’t control myself any longer.

  So I jump on her back and tackle her to the ground. She screams as I jerk her hair and push her face down. She spins around underneath me and tries to slap me. Her nails scratch my face, and I slap her in response. She punches and kicks me, and we roll around the floor in a struggle for domination. She attempts to reach for my pocket, but I head-butt her, and she lands back on the floor again. But after a few seconds, she shoves me off her and crawls on top of me. Her filthy fingers wrap around my throat and choke the living shit out of me.

  My neck’s still bruised from where Robby touched me, and the mere memory brings tears to my eyes.

  “Stop,” I gurgle.

  “Fuck you! I hope you die,” she growls, and she continues squeezing harder and harder.

  Suddenly, the door opens, and someone bursts in and throws her off me. I cough hard and breathe in and out loudly while someone drags her off me and shoves her in the corner of the room.

  Other people come in and drag me away to the other corner. I can’t see who it is, can’t focus as my vision is all blurry.

  “Sam? Sam?” Mo’s face appears in front of me.

  I blink a couple of times and then wrap my arms around her. Tears stream down my face as I hug her tight.

  “Mo, oh my God, Mo, I’m so sorry … I’m sorry …” I mutter.

  “It’s okay,” she replies.

  “No, it’s not. I know what he did to you,” I say. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do.”

  Her tears drip down onto my shoulder.

  “I’ll get through this,” she mumbles.

  That’s so like her to say that. Always so strong even when people try to destroy her.

  “I’m sorry, I should’ve been here. I should’ve come with you,” I say.

  “You didn’t know he’d do that.”

  “But I should have,” I reply.

  “Stop blaming yourself.”

  I smile and hug her tight.

  “I’ll be there with you all the way from now on,” I say. “I promise.”

  “I know,” she says.

  I lean back and watch someone tie Layla up against the coat railing. “What the fuck!” she yells. “Untie me right now!”

  “No, you almost tried to kill her.”

  When the guy turns around, I feel relieved.

  “Nate,” I mutter.

  “Sorry it took me so long,” he says as he walks to me. “Are you okay?”

  I nod and shake my head at the same time.

  I’m not fine, but he came back for me.

  “How did you know I was here?” I ask.

  He looks over at Mo, who says, “He found me, and I told him to bring me to your workplace, but you weren’t there. Since I’d already texted you, I figured you’d come here to pick me up.”

  I nod a few times. “We missed each other.”

  “Yeah,” she says.

  “Let me go, you fuckers!” Layla yells from across the room. “Nate? Please, just let me go, okay?”

  “No,” he replies. “Fuck no. You hurt her.”

  Her nostrils flare. “She attacked me! When I get out of here, I’m calling the fucking police.”

  “Yeah, you do that.” My face darkens as I get up from the floor, and I fish my phone from my pocket and show her the recording. I have it all on tape … All of it.

  “Call the fucking police because you’re going to fucking jail, Layla Parker.”

  Chapter 33

  Nate

  When the cops arrive, they question us, and Sam shows them all the footage she’s collected. I’'s the first time I see it, and it makes me feel sick to my stomach. Robby deserves everything he’s got coming for him. And that Layla would go that far just to get to me disgusts me too.

  All this time, I believed she was just a popular girl trying to get her way, but she was sick in the head. Everything that happened between her, Kevin, and Robby is sick, and I’m glad the police are finally learning the truth.

  Watching the police officers handcuff them is a sight to behold. And a relief … because now I finally stand a chance to defend myself. With the video and texts as proof, they’ll be the ones to go to jail.

  And maybe, just maybe, I’ll get off with a warning.

  I know what I did was wrong. When Nina OD’d, I should’ve called the cops, but my judgment got the better of me, and I did something stupid that I regret to this day.

  But as I stand here, staring at that same ocean where her life ended in … Maybe she can finally rest in peace. We all know her story now, and no one will ever forget what happened that night.

  “You know you still have a long way to go, right?” one of the police officers says to me.

  I nod. “I know.”

  “Community service at the very least,” he says.

  “I’ll take it.”

  It’s the least I deserve for trying to bury her body in the ocean instead of calling 911.

  “Hmm …” the guy mumbles. “Well, I’m not allowed to discuss it right now, but I just wanted you to know.”

  “I know,” I say, glancing at him. “Thanks.”

  The guy nods. “Go home. All of you.”

  “We will,” I answer, and he walks off toward his buddies, who are putting the three suspects into the car. I briefly glance at the house behind me, where the l
ights are still on, but there’s not a partygoer in sight. After the whole showdown, everybody went home to avoid having to talk to the cops, and I don’t blame them. I would too if I had a choice, especially after seeing Robby’s condition. He was covered in blood, and I can only imagine what Sam did to him to escape his grasp. She didn’t say a lot about it … just that he tried the same thing on her that he did to Mo, and she wasn’t about to let it happen.

  I’m proud of her for standing up for herself. But I do worry what digging up this truth has cost her.

  Sam walks up to me with a blanket over her shoulders, so I guess the paramedics are done checking her out.

  “You okay?” I ask.

  “As well as I can be,” she replies, staring off at the ocean just like me.

  “What about Mo?”

  “She’ll be all right. She’s a tougher cookie than most of us.”

  I smile. “I hope so.” I shake my head. “I should’ve known about Robby, should’ve—”

  She grabs my arm. “Stop. Stop blaming yourself. You didn’t do this.”

  “No, but I could’ve prevented it,” I say.

  “You couldn’t see this coming from a mile away,” Sam says. “None of us could.”

  “Nina almost told me.” My fist balls. “Almost.”

  “She didn’t want to talk. She just wanted the pain to go away.” Sam goes to her knees and touches the sand. “She wanted to go home.”

  “Home,” I mutter, and I sit down on the beach.

  “The coke was a means to an end,” Sam says.

  “And I gave it to her,” I say, looking away.

  “If you hadn’t, she would’ve gotten it some other way. That, or she could’ve walked into the ocean by herself,” she explains. “And after what happened to her, I understand.”

  I bite my lip and shake my head. “So many should-haves …”

  Sam places her hand over mine. “Her suicide is not your fault.”

  I look at her, forcing the tears at bay.

  “You did your best with what you had. And you kept doing your best to try to find the truth.”

  “I bullied you. I threw you in a pool, threatened you with a knife, hurt you—”

  “You did it to prove you were innocent,” she says. “And I believe you. I should’ve believed you all along …”