Reckless bastards of gro.., p.1
Reckless (Bastards of Grove Hill Book 1), page 1
To the founding families of Cypress, TX for inspiration the Bastards of Grove Hill.
You have worth.
They laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at them because they're all the same.
-Heath Ledger, The Joker
Reckless follows Francine and Finn on this dark, taboo, suspense-filled romance. This book is full of triggers for PTSD, attempted sexual assault of a child (nothing graphic), murder, depression, suicide, cheating, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and mental health recovery. This book is sexually explicit in nature intended for those over the age of eighteen. Read with caution.
"Come on down, little girl!"
"Yeah, we just want to talk to you!"
No, they don't. They’re the same mean bullies who chase me into this tree every day. I'm a good climber, and I'm small so they can't follow me into the same spaces as they might others. I'm flexible as any ballerina should be, but it's hard to get high up in a tree when I'm forced by Mommy to wear silky dresses and girly shoes.
They want me to come down so they can pull my hair and push me in the mud. Maybe even rip my dress like they did the first time they came after me.
I'm smart.
I know what they really want, and I'm scared I'll be stuck in this tree for hours. My legs are already sore from squatting in this tree.
I won't cry, though. That's what they want. They want me to cry and beg for my mommy, but I won't. I’m not just smart. I’m strong.
"Hey, shitheads!"
I look up and see through the trees a boy approaching. He's tall with thick black hair and he wears a leather jacket that looks too big for him. He's not huge, but he's way bigger than me—about the size of the big kids trying to hurt me.
"The fuck you want?" the biggest kid, Kyle, snaps at him but the strange boydoesn't cower.
He doesn't answer at first, his eyes following the length of the tree until they settle on me high up, clinging to the trunk so I don't fall.
Blue. His eyes are blue. Somewhere between icy and sky blue. It's a shocking contrast to his hair.
"Now, why would you be chasing a defenseless girl into a tree? Does she tickle your fancy?"
This makes the bullies mad. They scream lines of curses at him, but he doesn't flinch or back down.
One of the bullies—Kyle, the biggest one—runs at him, mad about him coming to my rescue. Kyle tries to punch him, but he ducks out of the way before hitting the bully in the stomach so hard he falls back to the ground. He's stunned, but my savior stands tall, giving him a menacing look.
Instead of them fighting my savior any further, all five of them flee away like mice.
I'm frozen in awe of this strange boy. He saved me from those mean bullies, but a part of me is cautious. Something about him screams danger, but I don’t think he wants to hurt me—just the mean bullies.
"You can come down now," he says, shoving his hands in his pockets. He arches his eyebrow at me as I still cling to the trunk. "They're gone now, Princess."
Princess? Why is he calling me that?
"I'm not a princess," I retort as I carefully step down the big branches, holding my dress against my legs.
"You certainly look like one up in your tower,” he teases with an amusing smile.
I get it now. He's making a joke comparing me to Rapunzel. It's not surprising given my long, golden locks and pretty dress. I guess I do look a bit like a princess up in this tree.
As I reach the bottom branch, he extends his hand to me, helping me down.
"Thank you," I say.
The strange boy grins at me. "No problem, Princess."
"I'm not a princess. My mommy makes me wear these dresses," I frown, pouting a bit.
"So you've said. They shouldn't bother you anymore. Just don't tell anyone I did that. I have a reputation to uphold." He smirks at me with a devilish look on his face.
"Why wouldn't you want people to know you helped me? Those bullies try to hurt me every day and no one ever helps, but you did," I say nervously.
His smile falls as his eyes search my face. Whatever he's looking for, he finds it somewhere in my eyes. His smile returns as he tucks a stray strand of my curly blonde hair behind my ear. "I'll let you in on a little secret, Princess. When people see good, they expect good. When all they see is bad, they never know what to expect. If they see good, they are disappointed when you do bad things for the right reasons."
I understand his logic. It makes sense, but I want everyone to know about the dangerous boy who protected me.
"You haven't disappointed me," I confess, worried about how he will take that. I'm not disappointed in him for punching that bully to help me. You're not supposed to hit people, but he helped me and that makes it a good thing.
"Francine!" my mommy yells from down the street. I know she's looking for me. She always does when I don't get home before the bullies find me.
"Francine, huh?"
"I hate my name," I complain.
He laughs. "It’s a big girl name. Way better than mine. Finn. Sounds like I'm an old man."
I giggle at his words.
Finn. I like his name. It's perfect for my hero, who wants everyone to think he's a villain.
"I like it," I admit.
He stares at me for a while before my mommy yells my name again.
"I should go before she comes for me."
"Sure, Princess."
My heart skips a bit. The nickname is growing on me, and I want to hear him say it again. It's a sweet endearment, even in his dangerous voice. He's either a sweet villain or a dark hero. I can't decide which.
And now I have a crush on him. Isn't that just swell?
"Will I see you again?" I have no idea where he lives or if he's just passing through, but I hope he comes back.
"Doubtful, but who knows? Go on home, Princess, back to your castle and away from your tower."
My castle is just as lonely as my tower, but I know I'll visit my tower for more than safety from bullies. It will be a place I can go to remember my sweet villain.
"Goodbye, Finn," I say before turning to walk away from the tree.
"Later, Francine."
Years have passed, but with every one of them, I still find myself looking towards my tower, hoping my dark prince will come back. But he never does.
His actions at least kept the bullies away, and one day I would like to thank him for that—for protecting me.
Sometimes, I find myself wondering about my prince—how he's doing and if he's okay? I wonder that for years on end until the day I finally see his handsome face again on the first day of my freshman year of high school.
Finn O'Reilly, one of the Bastards of Grove Hill. How the hell was he ever my prince?
Prince?
I can't believe that's what I've called Finn O'Reilly all these years. Truth be told, I was quite naïve as a little girl, but technically, he was my savior.
His treatment of other people is another story.
Finn and his posse, the Bastards of Grove Hill as the town colorfully dubs them, scare everyone. He doesn't scare me, though.
I've seen the good in him even if it's become lost in a sea of bad.
A part of me is sad that he doesn't seem to notice me. We don't have classes together—haven't since high school started, and we don't have the same friends. Still, I pass him in the hall. He's either hanging with his gang, I assume that's what they are, or he has some slutty dressed girl on his arm. They always change—never the same girl twice.
I'm not surprised. Finn is very attractive, but even his attire screams future prison inmate. Shaggy ebony hair, icy blue eyes, a sharp jawline, and a killer smile make him undeniably handsome. But the leather vest he always wears with Bastards of Grove Hill embroidered on the back along with a skull and crossbones screams stay away. Yet, some girls are too naïve to listen to the warnings whispered in their ears.
I avoid him like the plague, which makes my boyfriend, Duncan, very happy. He hates the Bastards like most others, but his hatred is on another level.
"Hey, baby," Duncan greets me as he pulls up outside my house.
We've been together since middle school, and we never have problems. Duncan is on the same level as me and he's safe—unlike Finn O'Reilly.
I really dodged a bullet with that one. Who knows what would've happened if Finn came back like I hoped for all those years?
No, that's wrong. I know what would've happened. I would've been so dazzled by my prince returning that I might've made a terrible mistake—like trusting him. He would've either broken my heart or made me another notch on his constantly expanding bedpost.
I'm not like that. I haven't even slept with Duncan, and he's such an amazing boyfriend. I feel bad that my hesitance has left him a virgin as well, but he's understanding.
There's just not that... lust I want. Duncan is just as attractive as Finn, but it's in a boy next door, good guy kind of way.
Then, there's the voice in the back of my head always nagging me about dragging Duncan along, when I can't say honestly that I'm in love with him. I love him as a person and he makes my heart flutter from time to time, but it's not... all-consuming.
Am I crazy for wanting a love that drives me insane? Maybe.
Which is why I push those thoughts to the back of my head and stay the good girl I am.
I, Francine Gray, am a good girl who gets good grades, has good friends, and a good boyfriend. I don't do drugs, I don't d rink, and I've remained a perfectly respectful, well-mannered southern belle.
I don't even curse.
"Hey," I say as I get into Duncan's car. He presses a soft kiss on my cheek, a big smile across his face.
"You look beautiful as always."
God, he's so sweet.
"Thanks."
He puts his car in drive and takes my hand in his, squeezing it softly. "What's on the agenda today?" he asks.
"I have a quiz in Trig, a project to complete after school for Economics, and a Sociology paper I need to finish. Can you help me study after practice? I need to get an A on my Physics test tomorrow."
Duncan laughs as he squeezes my hand. "Babe, you'll do fine. You're already in line to be valedictorian." He tries to calm me, but I'm anxious about these tests. The school year just started, and I need to keep my grades up.
"I need to be valedictorian, Duncan. I want to get into a good college on my own. The only way I'm going to do that is if I get the Valedictorian grant the mayor gives out. My family makes too much money for financial aid, and scholarships aren't enough."
I know this whole thing is ridiculous to him. He doesn't understand that I want to be successful without my parent's help. They've never been interested in my future, anyway.
My parents packed up and left six years ago and left me to fend for myself. Sure, they paid for my groceries and paid all the bills, but other than that, they’re deadbeats. They left me alone and I still haven't recovered from the abandonment.
My parents don't call me. Once a week, I'll get a text from my dad asking if I need anything, but other than that, it's radio silence. It took some adjusting, but I've become used to being alone.
"Your parents will pay for your college, but if it's that important to you, I'll help you study. Maybe we can order a pizza and I can finally meet your parents?"
This has increasingly become an issue. Duncan wants to meet my parents. He's been on me constantly about it for a year and it's getting exhausting. I never told him my parents abandoned me and that I live in a big, empty house all by myself. I use it to my advantage a lot.
If we start making out on the couch and Duncan gets a bit handsy, I pull away and say that my parents will be home soon. It's a lie that avoids arguments. If I was completely honest with Duncan, our relationship wouldn't be so perfect. I know that, and maybe I'm scared of it changing.
But that's okay. For now, at least.
Duncan pulls into a parking spot before squeezing my hand.
"Sorry if I'm being pushy. It's just we've been together for almost six years, and I've never met your family. You've met mine, and we have the same friends. When I ask you to marry me—"
Oh God, no! Not that. It takes everything not to cringe. How can I marry someone I can't even bring myself to be physically intimate with past kissing? I can't and it's heartbreaking because I know Duncan will be crushed.
"—someday, I want to be able to ask your father's permission, the way it's supposed to be. I love you and I want us to build a life together."
I can't even force myself to say I'm in love with him. Yet, I do this one bad thing.
I lie.
"Me, too," I mumble.
"I know, baby." He gives me the puppy eyes and I groan in thought. He's never going to let this go.
"I'll talk to them," I lie. I haven't talked to my parents in six years. I'm not going to ask them to come home just because Duncan wants to meet them. I don't even want to see them. From what I remember, they're selfish, materialistic jerks anyway. I don't need that negativity in my life.
"Great!"
No thank you?
A flash of irritation runs through me, and I have to force myself to calm down. This is the real reason why we never fight. I'm non-confrontational. It's only when someone really makes me mad that I explode, which is a rare occurrence.
I open the door and climb out, which ends up being the wrong thing to do because I'm not calm enough to take in my environment or company.
I'm inches from a massive chest and as I look up at the face it belongs to, I realize Finn parked right next to Duncan and dismounted his bike at the same moment that I got out of the car.
Almost as if fate has driven us together again.
His icy blue gaze connects with mine and panic grips me. He does that thing he did once upon a time, where he searches my face for something, but I freeze in place.
I've done everything to avoid him—short of switching schools—and yet he sees me now. Really sees me. There's a sort of recognition in his eyes, as if he knows I'm the girl he protected. It's been a decade, but if he remembers what he did, he should recognize me. I don't look that different.
I can smell him, a mixture of spice and sugar, and the scent is drawing me in—like every other girl at this school.
"What the hell, O'Reilly? Back off of my girlfriend." Duncan's voice snaps me out of my Finn-haze. God, what is wrong with me?
I had a crush on him years ago, but I know better now. He's just an outlaw—a criminal on a motorcycle—and I have to avoid him like the plague.
Finn's eyes move to Duncan before he grins. "I'm not stopping her, Malloy," Finn responds.
I quickly move around his imposing frame. He's so tall and thick muscles cover his massive body. No wonder so many people are scared of him.
Not me though.
"Are you okay?" Duncan asks, as he throws his arm around my shoulder, pulling me against his side.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I didn't see him before I got out of the car. I was shocked is all. Finn O'Reilly doesn't scare me."
"He should. He's a fucking criminal, Franny."
I hate that nickname. Franny. It makes me want to barf.
"Language," I hiss at him as we walk inside.
"I'm sorry, but that guy pisses me off. He freaks everyone out for no reason. Him and his thugs," Duncan growls with anger as we approach our friends.
"Just stop, okay?"
He might be mad at Finn, but now his attitude is affecting me. I'm getting angry and want to slap him.
"Someone needs to teach assholes like him a lesson—"
"Language!" He's really starting to piss me off. I quickly shrug his arm off my shoulder in frustration.
"Woah! What's all the fuss about?" Christian, Duncan's best friend, asks.
"Finn fucking O'Reilly," Duncan growls as the rest of the group looks at me with concern.
My best friends, Willow, Ryleigh, and Nyla, move over to me.
"Language, seriously!" I snap at Duncan, who stares at me with shock across his face. Yeah, that's how rare this is. "He didn't do anything. We just almost bumped into each other when I got out of the car. We were both just a bit stunned."
Ryleigh seems frightened as she squeezes my arm.
"Franny—" Duncan starts.
"Let's get to class." I walk off, and Willow, Ryleigh, and Nyla follow me.
"Are you okay?"
Ryleigh is the only girl who is ridiculously scared of the Bastards as if she was a little girl. Willow is indifferent about them, while Nyla is basically a groupie that's too shy to go near them.
"What was it like?" Nyla swoons.
I gag. "Nothing happened. Duncan is blowing it all out of proportion because of this whole thing he has against Finn." I groan in irritation before taking a breath to calm down.
"Finn, huh?" Nyla teases.
I can't help but laugh. "Stop it."
"Seriously, Nyla! The Bastards are dangerous. Francine could've been mugged, or worse!" Ryleigh complains.
This is ridiculous and hilarious at the same time.
Something in Finn's eyes leaves me with the suspicion that he's not as terrible as everyone thinks. Sure, he's a scary despot, but I saw a flash of my dark prince in his eyes. My savior is still in there somewhere—probably hiding—but he's there. I know it.
If only he hadn't asked me not to tell anyone about his good deed, everyone else would see the good in him, too.
I stay behind in Trig to talk to Mr. Caldwell. He handed out our pop quiz results, and my grade wasn't good enough. I got a B! If that grade remains the same, I'll lose my valedictorian spot and my chance at the grant I need for college.
Luckily, Mr. Caldwell assures me that I’m the only one who passed, so the pop quiz is being kept out of the grades, which is a huge relief.
