𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐀𝐓 / / 𝐉𝐉 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊

CHAPTER 31

She could hear three sets of voices as she stood outside the chateau, three sets of voices that Stella knew all too well, but her mind was briefly preoccupied by memories that came flashing back to her. Memories of her childhood, when she spent time here with her family, with Big John and JB. Countless cookouts during the warm North Carolina summers, playing tag in the back garden, climbing that damn tree and falling from it more times then she would ever care to admit. Those memories where precious, back when things where easy, and it dawned on the Swayer girl that nothing would ever be as simple as way back when.

With a deep breath, she wasted no further time, marching round the side of the house and following the sound of her friends. Much to her annoyance, they sounded happy, and it made her twisted mind sick with rage. How could they be happy when she felt like this? It wasn't fair.

They didn't even notice her at first when she rounded the corner, the sight of them laughing together almost made her freeze as she had the night before. Almost being the definitive word, as her feet carried her further into the opening and closer to the group.

It was Pope that noticed her first, and god was that boy bad at masking his emotions. His eyes widened slightly whilst sucking in a breath as he took in the girls appearance. She looked tired, sick and warm out, but there was no denying that she was here for a fight.

It wasn't until Kiara and JJ noticed Pope's silence that they turned to face the blonde girl, and Stella couldn't help but revel in the way their smiles slid slowly from their lips. They where shocked for sure, and maybe a bit cautious too, because who wouldn't be? Stella Swayer was a loose cannon, she was known for it. A ticking time bomb if you will, and right now she was ready to fucking explode.

"Stella, I—"

JJ's sentence was cut short as her palm smacked against his cheek, his head spun to the side whilst she glared at him with such venom he never thought he would be on the recieving end of. He held his jaw as he stared at her in shock.

"Pope, please leave." Her voice sounded, yet she refused to break eye contact. "And Kiara if you don't get the fuck out of here in the next 10 seconds I will drag you by your fucking hair."

"What?" Kie looked on with confusion, even looked to Pope for some guidance, but he simply shook his head and motioned for her to follow him. She scoffed at Stella, but did as instructed whilst the blonde girl dug her heels into the ground, stopping herself from charging after her.

Once the two where out of earshot, JJ finally spoke. "What the fuck, Ella?"

"You gonna fucking explain this all to me, Jay?" She asked, holding her arms open as she gestured around at the generator and the hot tub, the mess of alcohol bottles and litter that covered the floor. "Explain why you blew all of my brothers cash and ruined our fuckin' relationship in the space of a day?"

His muscles tensed and his jaw ticked, mannerisms she associated with his anger, but she was far from afraid. "Barry had it comin'."

"Do you fucking hear yourself right now?!" She shouted, scrunching her face up. "You've known Barry for years, you know what he's like and you've seen it first fucking hand the lengths he will go to get his money back. Don't you remember when your dad tried to get away with a missing payment?"

JJ bit his lip hard and narrowed his eyes as he cantered his body to face her. "I'm not scared of your brother." He said confidentially.

"Well you fucking should be." Stella snarled, pushing him away. He stumbled slightly but remained rooted as she got into his face. "You know exactly what he is capable of. What, you think you get a free pass to rob us of $25,000 because your my fucking boyfriend? That's not how this works, JJ!"