CRUDE: Breaker Heights (Book 1)

Chapter 1

My phone vibrates and I lift it from my lap to see the incoming text.

Deacon: Tell your aunt to piss off and come back home.

Coop: Ray, baby, come on you can’t leave me alone with this brooding asshole. He’s sooo unbearable.

I can’t help the smile that starts to invade my face. My boys always know how to make me feel better, even if they aren’t trying. Cooper Perez, my bestest freaking friend. Unremarkably handsome and the reason any light shines in my life. The person I share all my life with, someone I lean on for support. Things are just easy with Coop.

Deacon Garcia, well, things with Deac have always been a little more complicated. His protectiveness is fierce, and a possessiveness that’s raw. We were forced to create some boundaries between us due to crossing them one to many times. Deac once owned my heart, and a part of me still thinks I own his. We would have been perfect together, hell, we were perfect together. Unfortunately, his future doesn’t have room for me and vice versa. He will be the next leader of the Southside Scorpions. His father, Koa, will step down one day and Deac will take his place. The Scorpions are a part of me, they’re my essence, but they’re not meant to be my future. They can’t be my entire life. I have to get out of Breaker Heights and if I mark myself as a Scorpion that will never happen.

My Aunt Cora convinced her boss to let me move in and stay with her. Afterall, she is my legal guardian now since my father died. No–after my father was murdered.

Two weeks ago I walked into my house after a long night out with the boys when I found my father lifeless, on our living room floor. A bullet through his forehead, his tongue lying beside him, and a big ‘V’ carved right into his wrist. The signature move of the Hurst Valley Vipers. Removal of the tongue–the symbolic sign that someone is a rat. It just doesn’t make sense though. Jesse Moore, my dad, was one of the good ones for the most part. He stayed away from the gangs, refusing that life for us. Koa and dad were best friends, and grew up in the same foster home–practically brothers. Koa supported dad’s decision on staying out of that life, and always considered dad family nonetheless. Since my dad wouldn’t concede to gang life, we struggled just like everyone else in the south side but we survived. We had a roof over our head and most of the night's food in our bellies. The ultimate basics were the only things that mattered. My father did better than most on our side of town, but we weren’t well off by any means.

Aunt Cora keeps telling me that moving here will change my life and give me opportunities that Southside never could and never will. She is forgetting that even if I live here, no one will forget where I come from. Making any opportunity still just as difficult. Personally, I came here because she is the only blood I have left. I am coming here because since dad died the bank will be taking our trailer. It was either this or live on the street’s. I don’t want to be here, I have to be here. Sure, I could go back and stay with Deac or Coop, but the fact of the matter is, my father never wanted that life for me. I promised him I would never succumb to the Scorpions, and I won’t let him down now.

The car starts to slow as we enter the gates of the place I will now call home. The Conway Mansion. The Ritz-f*****g-Carlton of houses in Breaker Heights. The Conway’s go back generations and have more money falling out of their ass than the government could print in a single day. Pathetic. They own the majority of the town and have businesses flooding the United States and other countries. To say I am out of my element is an understatement. They walk around in prada while the most I could ever do is walk around proud. As the driver pulled up out front he assured me that my possessions would be taken to my “new room”. I now stand at the front door taking a deep breath before I knock. This is it. The new beginning to my end. Just as I go to rap my knuckles across the door, it swings wide open.

A short, pudgy man stands before me. His face looks like it’s set in a permanent scowl. He means business. Like a little puppy protecting its chew toy. I wonder, if I pet it, will it bite?

Tempting.

“You must be Ms. Moore, we have been expecting you. Come in.” Short man steps aside, his distaste not going unnoticed.

“Ugh… okay, and you are?”

“Griffin.” I raise an eyebrow telling him that doesn’t explain s**t. “The butler.” He adds impatiently.

I study him for a second, looking over the 3 piece suit he wears perfectly. Not a wrinkle in sight. His etiquette and demeanor are perfectly proper.

“Makes sense.” I nod at him stepping through the front door and into the lavish mansion. “Woah. This s**t’s crazy.” I say looking around. Everything is in perfect condition, not a single thing out of place or a speck of dirt to be found. I start wandering around the foyer into what I assume is a living room off to the side looking at all the shiny things. I slowly start sliding my hand over a large glass stand that has all kinds of crystal fixtures on it. All the stuff on this desk alone probably cost more than our trailer back home.

“Please Miss, don’t touch anything.” Griffin, the stick in the mud butler snaps at me.

I scoff at him. Annoyed. “Seriously, what is-” I start to ask him what his issue is but get cut off by the sound of hurried feet across the marble flooring and my name being called.

“Raylee!” I turn quickly trying to find the voice. Stumbling over my feet, the stand and I both almost tip over. I make quick work of catching it before everything falls to the ground in shatter. I hear a breath of relief being released once the table is balanced in place and notice Griffin practically perspiring with anxiety.

I let out a quiet chuckle at the sight, but when his eyes meet mine they’re shooting daggers. Secretly, I was sweating it also, short man. I won’t tell him that though.

“It’s so good to see you. I am so happy you made it. Any trouble getting here?” I hear the feminie voice talking again. This time when I turn around I have my bearings and see Aunt Cora walking directly at me. I examine her, it’s almost as if she hasn’t aged at all. Her long black hair is slick and straight, her green eyes shine with happiness. I meet her half way and we wrap our arms around each other in a warm embrace. I have a few inches on her now, then again the last I saw her was about two years ago for christmas.

“If you call threatening to shove my leather boot up your driver's ass normal, then no, I didn’t have any at all.” I pull away and smile at her.

“Ray!” She tries to quiet me. “Language. Please.”

“I said ass, oh no, we're all going straight to hell!” I pulled back from her with a mocking gasp.

She bats me on my arm. “You're more like your father than I care to admit sometimes. Still, I love you the same.” She grabs my arm, inspecting it. “Although, what is this ink all over you? Dear lord. Let’s hope Mr. Conway doesn’t go into cardiac arrest when he sees the heathen I have brought into his home.” She shakes her head, turning to walk down the hallway.

“Heathen?” I skip up next to her and throw my arm over her shoulder. “So, Aunt Cor, what's all this?” I make a disgusted face and wave my hand over her uniform.

Her face flushes slightly, “This is my uniform, Ray. I’m the Head housekeeper for Mr. Conway. You should know that.” I crinkle my nose at her. She stops abruptly placing her hands on my shoulders so we are face to face. “Ray… I really need you to behave here, okay? This place is… different then what you're used to.” I scoff. No s**t it's not what I’m used to. This place looks like they wipe their asses with one-hundred dollar bills, while I steal toilet paper from the ninety-nine cent store down the street. We. are. Not. the. Same. “I can’t lose this job Ray, and you can’t lose out on the opportunities here. We need this, or we will be on the streets by sunrise. Got it? I need you to behave yourself. Promise me you can do that, Ray?”

Seriously? Behave myself? She’s acting like I just go out of my way to cause problems. I don’t start s**t, I just finish it.

She notices my hesitancy. “Ray.”

I sigh, “I promise I won’t go out of my way to cause any issues for us. If trouble comes flying my way, which inevitably it will, I will push back though. I won’t go looking for it but I won’t back down either. That’s what I can promise.”

Cora pulls her lips into a thin line and studies me for a moment before giving a firm nod. “That will have to do for now. We can discuss it further later.” she takes off down the hall again. I almost have to run to catch up to her.

“Where are we going?” I ask.

“Mr. Conway is waiting for us, he would like to welcome you personally into his home.”

“What?! Mr. Conway, as in, Mr. Roman Conway wants to give me a welcome home meeting?” Well s**t, I guess there might be a committee afterall, I just didn’t think it would come from the big man himself.

After a long walk and a few turns we stand outside two huge oak doors. This must be his office. I watch as Cora raises the silver door knocker and bangs it three times before taking a deep breath, uncertainty radiating off of her. Well crap, if she’s this worked up about me meeting him maybe I should pull back a little bit. I don’t want her to stress or worry. I already shouldn’t be her responsibility but she went out of her way to bring me here and keep me off the streets. Cora reaches to push the door open when we hear a booming voice holler ‘come in’ from the other side.

Well, here goes nothing. Best behavior Ray. Fake it till you make it or you’ll break it.

We step into the office and my gaze immediately takes in the customary furniture of the office. Everything around here looks like it cost thousands. Damn rich people.

Aunt Cora stops walking and stands behind the guest chairs in front of Mr. Conway’s desk. I have to quickly put my breaks on before I smack into the back of her and embarrass us both.

“Mr. Conway.” She greets him.

He slowly lifts his head, removing the glasses that sit low on his nose. Dang, Mr. Conway looks killer for an older man. Strong jaw line, broad shoulders, short auburn hair that looks good against his tan skin and navy blue suit. He gives a smile, but it's too soon to tell if it's fake or not.

“Cora, what have I told you about formalities, please, just Roman.” His voice is stern and not matching the easiness of his words. She gives a tight nod, and then his attention turns toward me. “And you must be Ms. Moore… Raylee Moore.” he studies me, causing me to gulp. It’s as if for the first time I am realizing exactly how much I look out of place in this world of his. I could personally give two shits about it, but now knowing how much I reflect on my Aunt… I really hope he isn’t disappointed, too much. Every square inch of the man is done up perfectly. While I stand here with my long auburn hair that has split ends and unstyled. My skin-tight skinny jeans that have a few holes, scuffed up leather boots, and an old graphic tee that I may have cut up to give more style. He studies me as if unsure that he made the right decision of allowing me here. Surely the man knew where I came from before making the decision to have me move in, that’s on him then. I refocus myself to not feel bad about what I look like or where I come from.

“Please, just Ray, Mr. Conway.” I give an uneasy smile. Uncomfortable with his gaze that still lingers.

“Well you're certainly more eccentric then I imagined.” eccentric? The f**k? My jaw visibly clenches, and I swallow down the word vomit that creeps up my throat wanting to tell this guy exactly where he can go. He must notice my struggle of restraint because I watch the corner of his lip tip up in amusement.

“Thank you, Mr. Conway.” Yep, that’s all I got.

“Ms. Moore, Please, take no offense to the comment. I’m just not used to a woman so brazen. Clearly, where I come from, there’s a different… criteria expected.“

I give him a forced smile, my jaw still locked tight. “Obviously.”

He studies me once more before returning to his side of the desk. He places his glasses back on his face. “Sorry to cut this short ladies, I must get back to work. I assure you, Cora is capable of showing you around, Raylee. You will start school on Monday with the rest of the students. I have taken it upon myself to enroll you at BHA.” I don’t miss the way his eyes flick over to Aunt Cora with those words. “Unfortunately, since you will be here long term, I don’t have any rooms available in the staff’s wing of the house. I had some of the maids clean out our pool house for you last week. No one really uses it anyway. You should find everything you need there.” He gives a nod which I take as a cue to leave. We turn around and head for the door. Just as I am about to slip through its opening Mr. Conway's voice booms, making me pause. “And Ray, I assume you will stay on your best behavior. I wouldn’t have to remind you that this is your only option, would I?” I walk the rest of the way out the door. Cora looks over at me with wide eyes, clearly hearing what money bags just said to me. Knowing full well how irritated I was by the encounter, she tried to assure me he was just being pleasant and didn’t mean anything by it.

That’s okay, Roman Conway can fool my Aunt all he wants. I made a promise to her that I would try to stay on my best behavior while I am here and I intend to do just that. At the same time I will take Roman’s words for what they were exactly, a threat.