Remi's Choice: The De Luca Boys Read online

  Magic's a high school dropout—doesn't even do the online thing like I do. But the pills and other shit he deals, earns him enough money he at least has wheels. We stop at a liquor store we know will sell us beer and pick up a six pack. I'm not big on drinking but do enjoy a cold one when I'm smoking out and I need to tonight.

  The only reason I agreed to come to this thing with Magic was one, because I'm hoping there are no kids from Warren Central here tonight. And two he said we wouldn't have to go in. We'd hang out outside where there's enough action from the kids hanging out by their cars and shit. He said he'd text her and she'd come looking for us.

  My only hope that I won't see Remi here tonight is my mom mentioning she was calling Remi to watch my brothers again. I haven't heard from her since the last text she sent me today but I'm assuming she'll be there. My plan is to duck out earlier than usual tonight because despite how pissed I am at her I'm dying to see her—kiss her and taste her again.

  Not five minutes after we get there, Magic's girl Cindy, and her friends are out by his car hanging with us. She introduces us to her friends Eve and Monique. I immediately get the vibe that these girls are not as nice as Magic thinks. They're young and still in school unlike most of the chicks we usually hang with. I'll give him that. But they're not dressed like your typical good girls. Like Remi and the girls I've seen her hang out with. These girls may still be young and in school but I know the type. They don't suck dick or put out in exchange for drugs. They do it because like Layla, they just like it. Also the moment they get a whiff of my weed their eyes go all bright.

  "Are you sharing?" Monique, the big breasted blonde is the first to ask.

  "Maybe," I say checking her out from top to bottom.

  I already got laid tonight before Magic picked me up at Layla's earlier and the thought of getting home to Remi beats taking Monique from behind like I'm already envisioning. So I'll share but sparingly.

  I pull out my wooden cigar I'd just packed hard before they got there and hand it to her. Both she and Eve take a hit but Cindy passes. Magic pulls Cindy too him against the car and they start sucking face and giggling. Their conversation is hushed so obviously we're not included and I'm stuck talking to Eve and Monique. As expected Monique is an outrageous touchy-feely flirt. And it's not that I mind hanging out with two somewhat hot chicks who are making it pretty obvious they're game for a lot more than standing around smoking. It's just hard to concentrate knowing Remi is probably at my house that very moment.

  A minivan pulls up and like all the other cars that have pulled up so far and dropped people off we all glance over to check them out. This one drops off three girls and two guys. The moment I spot Remi in the group just dropped off, I straighten out. It doesn't appear any of them are coupled off because no one's holding hands or anything but one of the guys is walking with her. Now I know my decision to not go any further with Remi last Saturday was a good one. Just watching her laugh with this guy has me hot.

  I swallow hard unable to take my eyes off her until Monique nudges me and I turn to her. "I'll take that as a yes," she says with a teasing smile.

  Eve laughs and I shake my head. "Sorry. I didn't even hear what you said."

  "I asked if you knew them." Monique says with a playful pout. "I was getting jealous for a moment there."

  I shake my head and lie. "No I thought it was someone I know but it isn't."

  Monique hands me back the cigar, then touches the tattoo on my forearm. The one I've been working on getting finished little by little. "Are you getting your whole arm done?"

  I take a puff nodding then hand the cigar to Eve.

  "Nice," Monique says tracing it with her finger.

  I glance at Remi and her friends again. The group hasn't gone in. They stand outside by the driveway as if they're waiting for someone. Remi spots me just as Monique inches her body closer to mine and the smile on her face goes flat. Monique's hand is on my shoulder now as she compliments my muscle. Remi stares at us for a second then turns away abruptly. If she's mad about Monique's hands on me, I can't say I blame her. The guy she's with hasn't even touched her and my jaw's been locked ever since they arrived.

  It could be that that her seeing me there with two girls is why she's suddenly laughing even more with the guy closest to her, the one who's been paying her the most attention since she got there. Then he reaches out and pulls a strand of her hair away from her face and it's all I can do to keep from walking over there and pulling her to me. Making it clear to every fucking guy here she's with me. But I don't. Instead I do something even stupider. I slink my arm around Monique's waist and instantly her body's slathered against mine.

  When Eve passes me the cigar I take a long drag and hold it in for a while before releasing the smoke. It calms me a little and I take deep breaths trying to listen to what Eve and Monique are saying. But it's impossible to concentrate because Remi and the guy are now separated from the group. They're sitting on the short brick wall that separates the party driveway from the house next door—chatting alone.

  I force myself to look away and turn to Magic who's making out with Cindy now. "How long we gonna be here?"

  "A while," he says against Cindy's lips without even looking at me.

  "Don't tell me you wanna go already?" Monique asks rubbing her body and big tits against me.

  A car pulls up next to Magic's before I can respond and Eve goes over and talks to the girls in the car. "Nah, I was just asking," I say to Monique but again my eyes are on Remi and the dude she's sitting with.

  Her hand is in his now but he's not holding it. She has her palm out and he's tracing his finger on her palm, or something. Doesn't even matter all I know is my insides are on fire and I don't understand it. I don't understand why I'd been able to see her around guys plenty of times before and while I didn't necessarily enjoy it, it didn't do what it's doing to me now. Then I remember. I admitted to being in love with her and she blew me off all week. She also apparently blew off watching my brothers—a chance to be with me again—to be here tonight with that guy instead.

  Remi laughs at whatever the guy is saying then glances up in my direction again. Our eyes lock for a moment as her smile once again flattens now that I'm leaning against the car with Monique all over me. The guy touches her hair again even as her eyes are glued to me then I turn and I kiss Monique. Deep, long and hard like I would Remi if this was her I was kissing. I even nip Monique's bottom lip, I'm so pissed.

  I know it makes no sense. I know I just had my dick sucked earlier then I went back and fucked her and now I'm kissing this bitch right in front of Remi. But I can't help the fire I'm feeling inside. As passionate as this kiss may look to anyone watching there's zero pleasure in it for me. The only thing it's doing is keeping me from crossing that street right now and making a scene. The kiss goes on much longer than I initially anticipated. Not because I don't want to stop kissing Monique but because I'm afraid of what I'll see when I open my eyes again. Will Remi retaliate? Will she be holding his hand now or worse, kissing him? If she is, she wins hands down and nothing will keep me from going over there and start swinging.

  When I finally do pull away my eyes are instantly in Remi's direction and to my relief the guy's still there but she's gone. Is she upset? Did she leave the party or just walk away somewhere where I'm not in sight?

  I turn to Monique and she's gazing at me with this reverence in her eyes that's so ridiculous if I wasn't so riled up about Remi and that guy still, I might laugh. "I've never been kissed like that before."

  I smirk taking another hit of my cigar again and then I see him. Chaz and four other loud guys get out of a car that drops them off and they join Remi's group. I'm on fire all over again. Only this time it's so much worse. Did she actually plan on meeting up with him tonight?

  Not even seeing the bandage over his nose, his arm in a sling and his still very banged up face cools me down. I search the crowd for Remi. No way is she giving this guy the time of day. Then I
spot her. She's on her way out from the backyard with one of her girlfriends. I see the moment she spots Chaz and to my relief goes over to the opposite side of the crowd from where he's standing with his friends who are obviously drunk and rowdy.

  The guy she'd been talking to earlier walks over to her again and I actually prefer that she does continue to hang with him. Maybe that'll keep Chaz away. All this time Monique's been curled up in my arms and is now kissing my neck. Of course this is when Remi decides to glance up. Our eyes lock again just as Monique licks my neck. I pull away just as Remi looks away. I'm done with this game. "Give me a sec," I say to Monique as I pull my phone out.

  I put together the quick text and send it.

  Travis: Did you know he was gonna be here?

  Of course she doesn't respond but I can see her and I won't take my eyes off her now. "Are you sure you don't know someone over there?" Monique asks sounding a little annoyed now.

  "I do now, actually," I say without taking my eyes off Remi.

  Chaz and all his football buddies are drinking beers and getting pretty loud. Then Chaz walks over to Remi and I pull away from the car. This guy can't be serious. I see Remi shake her head and then look my way. The hurt and insolence I'd seen earlier in her face is now replaced with worry—or is that fear? Without a word to Monique I start toward them.

  "Where you going?" Magic calls out.

  "I'll be back," is my only response as I pick up the pace. "Remi," I call out as soon as I'm close enough and several people turn including Chaz.

  He takes a step back and away from her the moment he sees me. Another dude walks up to him. "I heard about you getting jumped, man," the guy says to him with a wince.

  "I need to talk to you, Remi," I say but she shakes her head.

  "I'm busy."

  Chaz starts to walk away as I eye him murderously. Smart man. "I just need a minute."

  "Go back to your friend," she says crossing her arms.

  "Remi, I'm serious I need to talk to you."

  "You okay, Rem?" One of Chaz's rowdy friends asks.

  "I'm fine," she says her eyes suddenly glistening over as she glares over my shoulder behind me at Monique no doubt. "I just don't feel like talking to him right now."

  "You heard her, man," one of Chaz's bigger friends says from where he's standing a few feet away from me. "She don't wanna talk to you."

  I ignore him keeping my eyes on Remi. "Don't do this, Remi. I just need to talk to you for a minute."

  "What the hell, man?" another one of Chaz's drunk friends says walking over to me. "Do you speak English?"

  "Get the fuck out of my face," I warn him once as calm as I can.

  Remi's eyes widen with worry. "Okay," she says starting toward me.

  "Nah, nah!" the idiot says reaching out to Remi who's almost there. "You don't have to talk to him—"

  My fist is in his face the moment I see him touch her. If it were just him and me, I'd easily wipe the floor with him. But a couple of his other drunken friends take swings at me and then Magic is there and fists are flying everywhere. With the amount of them going down or backing off you'd think there'd be more than just two of us and a group of them. Then others jump in and it's complete chaos. Girls screaming, people trying to break it up only to get hit with a flying fist or elbows in the face.

  It goes on for a while and even though I'm hit a few times this ain't shit compared to some of the fights and brawls I've been in with real men. Bad guys. Not these pampered drunken high school football players. Then the cops arrive and people start running but too many of them arrive at once. Like someone must've reported a riot.

  Before I can even try to run, I'm tackled to the ground and I have a knee to my back as I get handcuffed. I hear a few girls then guys yelling out "He's the one that threw the first punch!" and I squeeze my eyes shut. Fuck!

  Chapter 5

  Remi

  It's been over a week since the brawl at the party where Travis was arrested. A week since I last heard from him. I knew he wouldn't have access to his phone while in custody. But I still responded to his text that night as soon as I'd calmed enough to do so. I absolutely did not know Chaz would be there that night. I would've never agreed to be there if I had. We have the same circle of friends so it'd be inevitable that he might try to talk to me. But I didn't think Chaz would be in a partying mood so soon after taking such a beating.

  After I talked to Chaz the Monday after the incident at Travis's house, I vowed it'd be the last time I ever would. I still can't believe how in the dark I'd been about the type of person he is. Not only was he capable of attempting to rape me, he and his family are as dirty as they get. It figures his dad would be a sleazy lawyer.

  What I first told Travis about my reasons for not going to the police was partially true. He'd gone to his dad and had no choice but to tell him what happened. His dad being the sleazy lawyer that he is had instantly found a way to turn it around. To make it so I'd have no choice but to want to convince my dad to take the deal. And by Monday his dad had already done enough digging to know what even I didn't know, that my dad was close to losing the house. So he made his offer even juicier.

  The man knew this had the potential to ruin his son's chances of ever becoming a lawyer, at least for a long time. So he pulled every dirty trick in the book and I had no choice but to take the deal. But I couldn't tell Travis all of it. He'd be even more furious than he'd already been. Not just furious but humiliated and possibly in a lot of trouble. Not only that, his world would be turned upside down.

  After not hearing back from Travis for days, I was going crazy. I checked online and knew for a fact he'd been released early the next morning. Even after he'd read my explanation about that night. How I didn't know Chaz would be there and how seeing him with that girl had been the only reason I'd refused to talk to him. I'd seen him with girls before and had always been secretly jealous. But seeing him that night especially knowing he was doing it on purpose so painful. He kissed her like he'd kissed me just a week prior. The day he professed his love for me and I'd been daydreaming about his kisses all week.

  I felt like a complete idiot because I'd decided that if he ever said he loved me again, I'd tell him what I was sure of now. That I'm completely in love with him too. Then that night happened. Still as weak as it made me feel I checked my phone all day like a crack head needing her next fix. It's why after a just a few days I cracked and text him the whole ugly truth about why I hadn't gone to the police. Why I'd been afraid to respond to his texts all week and finally got the nerve to Friday morning. Why I hadn't watched his brothers that night instead of going to the party. Why I couldn't despite how much I yearned to be near him again and would've preferred to be there with the chance of more of his kisses than at a stupid party. I was certain I'd hear back from him then and still nothing.

  It's why I'm here now ringing the doorbell to his house again. I'm watching his brothers when my father thinks I'm spending the night at Jenny's. I'd be in a world of trouble if my dad knew the truth. But I can't take it anymore. I need to talk to him. I'm even here fifteen minutes earlier than she asked me to be. I couldn't wait another minute.

  To my disappointment her friend Maggie answers the door. "Come on in, sugar," she says opening the door for me. "Thelma will be right out. She's still getting ready."

  I nod as my eyes meet with Trevor, Travis's youngest brother. He's usually all smiles but he looks sad tonight. "Hi, Trevor," I say smiling big.

  He waves at me but walks off into the hallway. "Okay so the boys have eaten," Travis's mom says still putting on her earring as she walks out into the living room. "I ordered a pizza. Help yourself to it. There's still plenty in the kitchen."

  She goes on about the boys being in trouble tonight. No video games but they can watch some TV. I watch both her and Maggie move about the room and take in their attire. They're both dressed similarly in jeans and long boots and dressy tops. Their hair is kind of on the big side. Like the photos I've s
een of my mom back in the days. But it's not too bad. I've always known Ms. De Luca's parenting skills were lacking given how out of control Travis always seemed to be. Even before I was eighteen she'd stumble in way late from her nights out knowing she had a house full of minors. But it's still hard for me to believe all the ugly things Chaz and his father said about her.

  She gives me the same spiel she always does before she leaves. I'm disappointed that she didn't even mention Travis this time. She usually does. Like, "don't worry about him he'll be out until late or he's in his room sulking as usual." But his name didn't even come up this time.

  My heart speeds up a little wondering if Travis is in his room. Do I dare knock on his door? I glance around the room after dropping my backpack on the sofa and check my phone again. Just like this entire past week—nothing from Travis. I glance in the mirror to see how I look but then decide I'll give it a few minutes. Maybe he's in there smoking still. My heart thuds when I hear one of the bedroom doors open and then footsteps coming toward the living room.

  Trace walks into the front room. My heart deflates instantly. "Hey, Trace," I say.

  "Hey," he says and walks into the kitchen.

  He's usually more talkative. Of the three brothers he's always been the friendliest. At eleven he's still a boy but he's growing fast. I get up and stroll into the kitchen. Maybe I can at least get a clue as to whether or not Travis is even home. He had to know I was coming. My heart aches at the thought that maybe he left before I could get here and doesn't plan on being here at all tonight. Maybe he's with that trashy bitch from the party last week.

  "Did you get pizza?" he asks as he opens the box. "There's still a lot if you want some."

  "Thanks I'll have some in a little while. I'm not too hungry right now." I rest my hands on the back of one of the chairs at the table where he's standing. "So you guys are in trouble?"