by L A Cotton
“So that was fun, we should totally do it again. Round two, anyone?” Elena smiled directly at me like she was issuing me a challenge.
“Can I try it without the shoes this time?” I objected and the group exploded into fits of laughter. Relaxing on the plastic bench, Ana laid her head on my shoulder and I realized that maybe this was exactly my kind of scene after all.
With the cabin off-limits to me now, I arranged to meet Dennis at Blacks.
“Good to see you, man.” Dennis slid into the booth opposite me. “Shit just isn’t the same without your ugly face around.”
“Nice one, and here I was thinking you’d missed me.”
I caught Otis’ eye and flicked two fingers in the air.
“Coffee’s coming.”
“Coffee? What are we, forty?”
“I need it. My head is pounding.”
“Long night?” The glint in his eye was so far off the mark.
“Not what your dirty mind is thinking. We went into Tillamook, bowling with her friends, and ended up at some local bar.”
Dennis slammed his hand down and exploded with laughter. “Bowling? I would have paid to see that shit.”
“Here you go, boys. On the house.” Otis slammed down our coffees and a plate of V’s homemade cake.
“Cheers, Mr. Black.”
“Nice to see you round these parts, Dennis. Don’t you go being a stranger now,” Otis grumbled as he padded back to the counter.
“So?”
Dennis leaned back and his face scrunched. “It’s weird, man. Braiden hasn’t mentioned you. It’s like business as usual. Kyler is even further up his ass, but other than that, nothing seems off.”
“Which means something is definitely off.”
Dennis nodded. “Exactly what I was thinking...”
I took a chunk out of one of the slabs of cake, letting Dennis fill me in on things. Training had recommenced and Coach was riding them hard. And, although I wasn't off the team, I hadn't turned up for practice yet—and Coach was losing his shit about it.
"Dude, did you hear me? I asked if Marcus had been in touch yet?"
At the mention of my uncle's name, I grimaced. I hadn't been back to the house or spoken to him since before the holiday. Which was unusual. Even when he went away on business, he called to check in.
"I heard Braiden tell Ky he's still out of town. Braiden was bitching like a pussy about having dumb and dumber babysitting him and Briony."
That meant he’d been out of town for over five weeks. Something was definitely up.
“We’ve managed to avoid them, but we can’t hide away in Ana’s dorm forever. She’s already falling behind with classes.”
We agreed that missing class was a last resort, but we had already skipped the first few days of classes, and neither of us was in any hurry to deal with the fallout.
“Maybe it’s time to step out of the shadows, man? What’s the worst that could happen?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. That very question had been playing on my mind since Braiden called me out. “I guess we’re about to find out.”
I met Ana at the steps to McGinley. We both agreed it was time to go public. Ana had said she didn’t want to keep hiding, but I could see the fear in her eyes every time we talked about it—and I hated myself for putting it there, so we'd been avoiding it.
“Morning, you.” I stalked toward her, not giving her chance to respond, and pulled her to me, claiming her lips with my own.
She moaned softly into my mouth, melting into me as I swept my tongue into her mouth.
Heads turned, and I was pretty sure I heard someone gasp behind us, but I shut it all out. Ana had that effect on me.
“Jacks- Jackson,” she murmured into my mouth. “If we don’t go now, I might run back into the dorm.”
Shaking my head, I laughed and pulled her into my side, shielding her from the gawking faces. “Come on, let’s get you to class.”
It worked so that we both had Peterson's class first thing, so at least I could keep an eye on her.
“Why do I feel like I have a million pairs of eyes on me?” Ana whispered, her eyes fixed firmly on the ground.
“Because you do.” I felt her stiffen next to me, and I leaned down to reassure her. “Just breathe. We got this.”
I shot a few glares at a couple of guys looking in our direction, but I kept my head held high. No one knew the whole story, and I could imagine the rumors that would be circling campus by the end of the day. But they could all fuck off because the only person I gave a shit about was walking beside me, shrinking further and further into herself.
When we finally reached Pauling, Ana wouldn’t raise her head.
“Ana, look at me.”
She shook her head, her wavy hair tumbling over her shoulders and covering her face.
“Hey.” Sweeping away the hair, I tucked it behind her ear and lifted her chin with my finger. “You got this. I’m right here with you, okay?”
Her eyes flashed with resolve. “You’re right, sorry. I’m freaking out over nothing. Let’s head inside.” She ripped away from me, but I caught her wrist and tugged her back to me.
“Not before I do this.” Cupping her cheeks with my hands, I smiled at the shocked expression on her face. My lips slanted over hers and I tried to tell her everything there wasn’t time to say in that one kiss.
We would get through this.
Everything would be okay.
It has to be.
Dumping my books in my locker, I slammed it shut. Classes were just about bearable. The whispers didn't bother me, but I knew they would bother Ana. She had lived this once before, and I was eager to see her and know she was okay.
“Pierce, a word.” Coach’s voice boomed from behind me and I cursed under my breath. I had managed to avoid him all week, but it looked like my time in hiding was up.
I turned and nodded at him.
“My office,” he barked.
It wasn’t a question, and instead of causing a scene in the hallway, I followed him the short distance out to Kingman Gym and into his small office tucked at the back of the locker room.
“Sit,” he commanded when I closed the door behind us.
“What’s up, Coach?”
Coach scrubbed a hand over his jaw and hesitated. Whatever was coming wasn’t good and I leaned forward onto my knees, waiting. “Care to tell me where the hell you’ve been the last two weeks? Practice resumed and I find myself without my star linebacker and when I ask where he is, everyone just looks at the ground like someone has them by the balls.” His eyes cut right through me and I leaned back.
“Got stuff going on.”
“Stuff? That’s all I get?” He studied me, clutching his jaw. “It got anything to do with that clusterfuck at the game before the holidays? Word is it has to do with your boy.”
“My boy?” I cocked an eyebrow, not appreciating his accusatory tone.
“Don’t play games, Pierce. I will not have that jackass ruin the reputation of this team. And I will not let him drag this school into some kind of gangbanger war.”
I stifled my laughter and said, “Maybe you should be talking to my boy then, instead of hauling me in here?” The bitterness in my voice was obvious.
I was pushing it, I knew that, but Coach didn’t know shit. And I was done cleaning up after Braiden.
“You two have a lover’s quarrel or something? Do I need to book you in to see Mrs. Rems for a little guidance?”
I clenched my fist, trying to rein in my anger. Coach was pushing my buttons right back. “Something like that. Can I go now?”
He nodded and then said sharply. “I expect you on that goddamn field after classes. No excuses. Or I’ll be hauling both your asses in here tomorrow and I will get to the bottom of this.” With his threat issued, he dismissed me, and I stalked out of his office.
I exited the gym and almost walked straight into Ana. “Shit, what are you doing here?”
She poute
d, her bottom lip begging to be kissed. “Nice to see you, too.”
“Fuck, sorry. You caught me off guard is all. Come here.” I pulled her into my arms and brushed my lips over hers, backing her up against the wall.
Panting for breath, she broke away from me, holding me in her concerned gaze. “What happened? I came to meet you like we agreed and saw you following Coach out here?”
I tapped her on the ass and said, “My little detective.” Slinging my arm around her shoulder, I started to lead us back to McGinley. “Coach wanted to know why I haven’t been at practice.”
“And what did you say?” Ana nestled further into me.
“Nothing. But he knows something is up. Said when he asked the team, everyone pulled the silent treatment. Braiden has them in his pocket. Well, most of them.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I have to go practice later. If I do—”
Ana froze and shrieked, “You can’t. Braiden will be there. What if he does something?”
“Hey, listen to me. He’s not going to try anything in front of the rest of the team or Coach for that matter. Coach was asking all kinds of questions. He’s looking for a reason to bench Braiden. I can’t be that reason. I have to go.” Brushing the stray hairs from her face, I looked into Ana’s eyes trying to make her understand, but she didn’t move.
“Ana, we knew we couldn’t stay in your dorm forever.”
Finally, she stepped closer to me, sucking in a breath. “I know, I know. I just- I don’t know how to act here. Braiden is, well, he’s freaking scary, and I saw you get hurt before, Jackson. He hurt you.”
Wrapping her into my arms, I held her tight, whispering in her ear, “I got this. Dennis has my back and Braiden won’t act yet. He’s waiting. It gives me time to figure shit out. I promise.”
I only hoped I was right.
“We need the win next Saturday.” Coach glanced around the huddle, eyeing each of us, hammering home his message: losing was not an option. “No pansy-assed passes, no dragging your behinds, and absolutely no deviating from the playbook, Donohue.”
Braiden grunted something under his breath earning him a couple of snickers.
“Got something you want to get off your chest, Donohue?” Coach pinned him to the spot with his tone.
“No, sir. Just ready to get back out there.”
“Good. Hands in, Fallen on three.”
We formed a circle around Coach and piled our clammy hands on top of each other, following Coach’s lead. As we all roared Fallen, my eyes locked with Braiden’s and a smirk covered his face. I should have looked away, should have conceded, but I couldn’t. It wasn’t in me anymore, so I held his glare and narrowed my eyes slightly.
“Let’s go, Braid.” Kyler broke our stare off, and Braiden joined the guys as they headed into the locker room.
I hung back, helping a couple of the other guys collect up the kit. It had been an intense two hours. Every time I intercepted the ball or ran one of our offense into the ground, I felt his eyes on me. His icy stare biting at the back of my head. But he didn’t utter one word to me.
By the time I got in the locker room, most of the guys had cleared out, Braiden included. I kicked off my cleats and set about peeling off the damp jersey. Unhooking the shoulder pads, I stripped off the rest of the uniform and padded into the shower. As the scalding water washed down my body, removing all of the sweat and grime, my mind went to Ana. She was with Elena at Tyson’s house. I knew she would worry too much being in the dorm alone, so Elena came back to walk her to the house. I was meeting them there after I got cleaned up.
The door to the locker room slammed and I hit the shower button. I was definitely the last person to clean up, so someone had returned. Grabbing the towel and securing it around my waist, I moved quietly to the stalls to remain hidden.
“Coach was riding him pretty hard,” a voice said too far away to make out who it belonged to.
“Yeah, he has a stick up his ass, but not as bad as Donohue. The guy is out for blood. Word has it he’s planning a little trip back up to Reibeckitt after the game,” a second voice replied.
“We in?”
“No, it’s closed ranks only. Which sucks, ‘cuz that shit was a buzz.”
“I don’t know; it got a little crazy. I’m just here to play ball. Sure, I’d heard the rumors, but I didn’t think it would be like this.”
“Pussy.” A locker slammed shut and the laughter faded until I heard the door swing open and closed.
My heart pounded in my ears as I ducked out of the stall and collected my clothes from my bench and got dressed. For as much as I was done with Braiden, I couldn’t help the tiny part of me that wanted to tell him going back to Reibeckitt wasn’t a good idea. He’d been my life since I was a boy. That kind of bond didn’t just die, and besides, there was a reason Marcus wanted him to stay away.
My cell vibrated and I jumped. Get a grip, Pierce. It’s your cell, pussy.
“Hello?” I asked, not even registering the name flashing on the screen, too fixated on the conversation I’d overheard only seconds earlier.
“Jackson, it’s Marcus.”
My heart stalled, and then catapulted into my throat.
“Jackson? Are you there, son?”
Son?
My brain caught up with my ears, and it all clicked into place. He really didn’t know what had gone down in his absence.
“Hmm, yeah. Yeah, I’m here.”
“Is everything okay? You sound strange?”
I shut my locker in an attempt to break my panic. “Fine. Everything’s good, just finished practice.”
“Ahh, okay. Hope Garrick didn’t work you too hard? Anyway, the reason for my call. Sorry I haven’t been in touch sooner, there were things I had to take care of…” he hesitated.
“Everything okay?”
“Yes. It’s almost resolved. I should be home next week.”
Fuck.
I gulped, just managing to choke out, “Okay.”
“Listen, Jackson. When I get back, there are some things I need to discuss with you.”
He knows. That was my immediate thought. But then I corrected myself. He was being too normal. If he knew, I doubted he would be able to hide his feelings on the matter. Which meant there was another reason he wanted to talk.
“I’ll see you in a week, two tops. Try to keep that son of mine out of trouble. Bye, Jackson.”
Something was in his voice, a hint of sadness or regret that I couldn’t place. Uncle Marcus wasn’t an overly emotional person. He was cold and calculated and a ruthless businessman. But the way he ended the call—I could’ve swore I heard him choke up a little. I hit end call and slammed my fist against the row of lockers. This was the last thing I needed on top of everything else. Because I had no fucking clue what was going to happen when he found out I’d betrayed his family.
My family.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ana
“Bye, Sarah,” I called out into the empty library.
After Jackson returned to training and playing with the team, I realized he was right. We couldn’t stay locked away forever. I’d done that before and it wasn’t a place I wanted to ever end back up in. So, I had resumed my nightly trips to the library while Jackson practiced. Now that I had confirmation from Otis, I wasn’t digging into the Donohue’s past so much, but I enjoyed the quiet surroundings. Something about being among the dusty stacks comforted me.
“See you in a couple of days, Ana,” Sarah replied, not looking up from her indexing.
My phone buzzed and I smiled, anticipating Jackson’s usual call to tell me that he was outside waiting. Only when I pulled my cell phone out of my bag, it was a text.
Got held up, sorry. Go straight to the dorm and I’ll be there asap. J x
Scanning the empty path, I hitched my bag up and set off in the direction of McGinley. My feet moved quickly in hopes of shortening the six or seven minute walk back to the dorm. A sou
nd caught my attention, and I slowed, my memory alerting me to something. A low whistle came from over by the cluster of bushes lining one of the building’s walls, and I narrowed my eyes trying to identify the source, but all I could see was darkness upon darkness.
I sped up, my rapid pulse spurring me to break into a slow jog. McGinley came into view as I rounded the corner, but the whistling followed me. It wasn’t loud, more a faint chirp carried on the wind. Straining to hear footsteps or any other sound that might confirm someone was following me was difficult as my heartbeat pounded in my ears.
Rushing up the steps to the door, I fumbled in my bag for the keycard. My fingers found it, clutching onto it like it was my savior, and I jammed it into the magnetic strip. Relief slammed into me as I pushed open the door and stumbled into the safety of the building, risking a quick glance back into the darkness to see if I could see anyone. There was no one.
A couple of girls peered around the common room door. "Everything okay?"
I nodded, forcing a half-smile before padding upstairs to my room.
Once inside, I kicked the door shut and dropped my bag to the floor before turning on the table lamp. I had definitely heard the whistling. Just like before. Once was surely a coincidence, but twice? Twice was something else entirely.
Rolling the desk chair to the window, I scanned the surroundings again, and my heart lodged in my throat when my eyes landed on a figure nestled among the tall trees lining the wall opposite the dorm building. It was too dark to recognize any distinguishing features, but he was definitely male. Something about their build and stance. It was all guy.
My fingers hovered over the keypad itching to call Jackson, but he was already in full protector mode, and I didn't know for sure that anyone was following me.
Yeah right, my mind protested.
I kept my eyes locked on the figure, who seemed to be fixated on something, but all I could see was his outline and a dark shadow. Nothing to suggest where he was looking. The longer I stared, the more defined his silhouette became, and although I still couldn’t distinguish his face, something about him seemed familiar.
