Chapter 46
" Karma really is a bitch. "
Rochelle Quinn POV:
-Warning: Abuse is implied-
" Where're you taking me?" Kenzie's quiet voice spoke up from next to me.
I smirked as I noticed the look of confusion on his features, "I'm taking you back to my home."
His brows furrowed, "Your home? I thought you didn't have one?"
My grin dimmed slightly at the blunt words, but I tried to not let it show. "Of course I do. The southside has always been my home."
Looking out the car window, his eyes narrowed as he saw the amount of little on the street. Hooded teens lurked eerily on street corners, waiting for customers with eagerness.
A fight had broken out just a couple of yards down, two kids fought relentlessly in a bid to overpower the over. I could sense Kenzie's surprise and fear at seeing that sort of violence from little kids.
"No wonder you're so angry and cold." He muttered under his breath, not intending for me to hear.
Tightening my grip on the wheel, I gritted my teeth, speeding past the kids within an instant. "You don't survive round here if you're soft."
"Sometimes being soft is a good thing though," He argues back softly. "Have you always been like this? Distant and cold?"
I shook my head, "I never had the chance to be soft, Kenzie. It was always bloody knuckles and pieces of shattered glass." I slow the car down, making sure my gaze was locked with his so he could see the brutal honesty in my eyes. "A long time ago, I used to think I was tough. But then I realized I wasn't, I was fragile and I just wore thick fucking armor to protect me. I hurt people so they couldn't hurt me, I wanted people to be afraid of hurting me. I guess I am just as fucked up as you are."
He shook his head this time, scoffing slightly. "Kace used to tell me that cruelty and pain is deprived from fear. Who are you afraid of, Rocky? "
I chuckled, yet it sounded more dark than humorous. "I'm not fucking scared of anybody. I don't even give a fuck if it's 20 on 1. I'm gonna throw down whether I win or fucking lose. I want people to be scared of even looking at me, never mind touching me."
"Is that what Bulldog made you think?"
I froze, the name sending shivers down my spine.
How does he know?"
He continued quickly before I had the chance to ask him, "I was speaking to Alec on your birthday, some things got mentioned."
"No." I might as well talk if he knows. I shook my head, a small chuckle escaping my lips. "I taught myself that, before the group home. Stuff happened before then as well."
"Did they.." He hesitated for a moment, questioning his words. "Did they ever hurt Rowan?"
" No!" I didn't even think twice before answering, the amount of anger built up in my tone made him flinch. "I would kill anybody who even thought about harming him."
"Even if it was someone you care about? Like Alec? Or your Mom?"
"I know Alec wouldn't even touch Rowan...And for the record, I don't give a fuck about my Mom but yes, I would kill her if she ever hurt him more than she already has."
"Fair enough." We sat in polite silence after his reply, I continued driving until we reached the familiar house.
Parking the car, I gestured for him to exit.
We stood outside the house in which I met Alec and the others.
We stood outside the house that Bulldog reigned in.
I studied the window's, searching for any sign of life.
Jessica Parker had been killed here, just like her husband was. Raine killed her, I killed him.
I guess Karma really is a bitch.
"This is the group home." I spoke quietly when Kenzie didn't offer any further comment. I never explicitly told anyone what happened in that building, but I knew it wasn't hard to guess. Keegan had commented on the scars covering my body after having to deal with my drunk self, they knew they must've come from somewhere or someone.
The tone of my voice basically told Kenzie that this was the place it happened.
"Why have you brought me here, Rocky?"
I pause, trying to find the right words. " I....I can't exactly ask you to face your demons if I'm not prepared to face mine."
I don't want you to suffer alone.
"What happened to your demons then, Rae?" He questioned carefully, gazing at the house with curiosity.
"They died." I answered simply, not offering any more information. Kenzie looked at me then, properly looked at me.
He knew what I did.
"Come on." I instructed gently, jogging to the side of the building and pulling myself up on the pipe. I could feel Kenzie's shocked gaze locked on my back. Considering I haven't done this since I was 13, I'm pretty damn proud of myself for still being able to get up it. I jumped through the open window easily, recognising Reagan and Bodhi's old room instantly.
Grabbing the rope lay discarded on the bedroom floor, I checked whether it was still attached to the wall hook. I threw it out the window.
"Hold the rope, Kenz, I'll pull you up." I demanded, securing the remainder of the rope in a tight grip. I pulled Kenzie up until he was hanging off the window ledge, offering his my hand so I could pull him in.
"I'll show you around." I grabbed his hand without looking at him, a soft smile playing on my lips as he stared at me.
"Well this is, was Bodhi and Reagan's room. I'm sure you could've guessed that by the...inappropriate posters." I coughed, trying to ignore the pictures plastered across the walls.
I pulled Kenzie into the next room, grinning to myself as I spotted the photographs scattered across the bedroom wall.
We moved towards them, my fingers skimmed across the faded memories. A picture of me and Alec stood out. I remembered it like it was seconds ago. My first street fight, I was so scared Alec would get hurt but he fucking slaughtered that motherfucker in front of everyone.
I was so proud of him.
I bit my lip again, looking at Kenzie with sparkling eyes. "This was Alec and Sky's room. They used to share it with Lana but she left about 18 months after I got here."
Kenzie's brows furrowed, "Why'd she leave?"
I contemplated how to answer the question, the truth or a lie? I swallowed, deciding to tell him some of the truth so I wasn't exactly lying. "An incident occured that landed me in some bad trouble. Lana defended me and things escalated. She got arrested and sent to Juvie."
"Oh." I shrugged at Kenzie's reply, quickly releasing his hand to collect the remainders of the pictures and put them in my bag.
I took his hand again, sensing his disappointment. I pulled him into another room, sitting us both down on the bed and looking around. It was only small, barely a quarter of my room at Kenzie's house.
" This was mine and Ivan's room." I whispered, remembering all the events that had occurred here.
The memories were far from pleasant.
"It's so small." Kenzie exclaimed quietly, gazing around in room in confusion.
We stood up and walked in the hallway. The dark door loomed down the hall, glaring at me with a unknown hatred.
I turned away, refusing to look at it. I used my free hand to point to the rest of the rooms.
" That's where Bulldog and his wife used to stay. That's Raine's room and that's Sto-" I trailed off, widening my eyes.
The door to his room was open and I hadn't noticed. A figure stood dormant in the centre of the doorway, staring at me demurely.
"Storm's." His name left my lips softly, regret lingering in my tone. I noticed his wrathful eyes and tired expression. I knew what he was going to do before he knew himself.
The look in his eyes was too familiar to me. When every single thing you love has been taken from you, you feel like the only thing you have left is revenge.
I was twelve years old when I last saw Storm Parker. We left on good terms, despite his father being the abusive bastard he was. I couldn't even comprehend how he would've felt when he found out I, his friend, killed his father.
He might have been a monster, but he was a good father.
I noticed a metal reflection come from his waistband.
An AMT Automag V.
I put my arm out, pushing Kenzie away and standing in front of him. I'm not letting him get hurt.
I move my arms up, preparing for Storm to attack me.
Biting my lip, I shook my head at him. "Don't do this, Storm, I don't want to hurt you."
He visibly swallowed, but the rage never faltered in his eyes. He whispered, "You killed my father."
"You know what your dad did to us. He wasn't a good person, Storm." Monsters can be good.
He laughed darkly, a sound I was unfamiliar with. "You really are the Devil in Disguise aren't you?"
He moved forward with almost unnatural speed, hitting me instantly.
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What do you guys think of Rocky's past so far?
And what about Kenzie and Rocky???
Thank you for reading this chapter!
All my love,
Laska xx