I hadn’t seen it for myself yet, but I would. I would join ranks with those who worked the shifts in the basement, as Markus said I would. I never once cared about my future or what it held.
Now…now I was starting to. Now I wondered what Jaz would do, after Midpark High. Where would she go? What would she do? Would she go to school somewhere, enroll in college and take new classes and meet new people?
Call me selfish, but I didn’t want her to meet anyone else. Why bother meeting strangers when she’d already met me?
I spoke with Markus over the weekend, told him I’d need to use the family’s connections to dig up dirt on one particular person. Jaz and I would take them down, one at a time, knock them down like dominos and watch them fall with smiles on our faces.
Well, she could be smiling, anyways. Me? I’d be content to watch her satisfaction.
Things were rolling now, and I knew it wouldn’t be long until I had something concrete. Everyone had secrets in Midpark. You didn’t live here and not have something buried in your backyard, so to speak. Everyone had money, so everyone thought their dirty little secrets were hidden away, tucked safely in the darkness where no one could find them.
Those people would be wrong.
When Monday morning rolled around, and I stepped foot in Midpark High, I found things had changed. Not much, but the rumor mill was going, and it took me until third period to put the pieces together, to have the whole story.
There was new blood in Midpark High, someone who was a bit frightening to the other students, if the way they gossiped about him was any indication.
I was not curious about most things—Jaz, mostly—but I would be the first one to admit, the possibility of another unknown did draw my attention. What were the odds that Midpark had acquired two new students in less than a month? Things like that didn’t happen around here. Not at all.
Not ever.
So, after third period was over, I stalked the halls. I didn’t particularly care if I was late to fourth; I did what I could to pass my classes, but nothing more. Hell, at this point, since I was eighteen, I could drop out and work for the family—but Markus had a thing about finishing high school. No stupid family members. At least no stupid family members who were also important.
And, even though I tried not to care much, I did want to become an important Scott. Like Travis, or Lincoln. Or our resident Butcher.
I walked the halls, quickly scanning as I went, looking for a new face, a face that would bring fear or uncertainty into the hearts of the more typical Midpark populace. I was about to give up and head back to fourth period, when I found him bending over a water fountain to get a drink, something I couldn’t remember ever seeing anyone else do. Everyone brought their own bottles, most electing for those reusable ones.
And half the time I doubted it was just water in those bottles.
He wasn’t carrying any books, his jeans torn just below the knees, scuffed-up, flat-soled shoes on his feet. A leather jacket hung around his shoulders, even though the halls of Midpark were comfortable. That would be enough to earn the disdain of any group of Midpark students or teachers, but that wasn’t all.
The sides of his head were shaven, thick tribal tattoos curling around most of his skull. A few inches of brown hair sat atop his head, hanging off and over his forehead.
Hmm. Must be the tattoos. Everyone really hated tattoos around here, it seemed. Midpark was stuck in the olden times, viewing tattoos as something only lesser people got, things only the poor would waste their money on.
I was intrigued by the newcomer, I’d admit.
I watched him straighten his back, run a hand through the hair left on the top of his head—he had muscles underneath that leather jacket. He was strong, and he looked a bit older, like he’d been held back or something.
When he turned away from the fountain, he locked gazes with me. Two blue eyes stared back at me, an icy threat radiating from them. It was not the gaze of someone who was nervous, not the kind of stare anyone who was anxious would wear. He was comfortable here; that, or he didn’t care.
He headed straight for me, smirking as he passed me, and I watched him go, wondering why I had the notion that I’d be seeing a lot more of him.
I returned to my fourth period class, making it back to my seat mere moments before the bell rang.
I was unfortunate enough to sit beside two best friends, who constantly chatted, even during class. As the teacher fumbled to get the computer hooked up to the projection screen, I overheard their conversation.
“Did you see the new kid?”
“Yeah,” her friend eagerly whispered.
“His name is Dante. I hear he’s in a gang.”
If I could’ve rolled my eyes at that, I would’ve. Just because he wore leather and had tattoos didn’t automatically mean he was in a gang. Could these girls mind their own business?
“He’s kind of hot, isn’t he?” the first girl asked. I thought her name was Laura, but I wasn’t sure. Frankly, I didn’t pay too much attention to anyone before Jaz had strolled along. Just enough to get by. “Pretty sure that bike outside is his.”
Her friend hummed. “He could ride me any day.” She and her friend laughed, and thank God the teacher had finally fixed the connection, so class officially began soon after.
My mind zoned out during class. I took no notes, which meant I’d have to go through the book myself and pick out what I thought was important. Oh, well. I was too busy thinking about the new kid, and about Jaz. Something told me the two were connected, somehow, a pit in my stomach that just wouldn’t settle.
When fourth period let out, I was measured in getting up, the last one out of the room. I took my time in going to my locker, even slower to put in the combination and shove my books in. Normally I was in and out, moving quickly through the halls because I didn’t care to linger. Usually I headed straight for the kitchen in the cafeteria, got in line before most, and bought my lunch—not that I often ate what I bought. Midpark might be a school for the rich and fancy, but their lunches were just as gross as anything else.
Really, I should be happy that it was lunchtime, because that meant I’d get to see Jaz. Jaz was really the only person I looked forward to seeing, the only person in this entire school I cared to focus on and listen to, should she choose to speak.
And she usually did. She was quite talkative, always finding something to say. I liked her. I guess Stella was right: when it was right, you just knew.
But then I stepped out of the kitchen, holding onto my tray of chicken nuggets and fries, and I spotted my table. Our table.
Currently our table was being taken up by Jaz and someone else. The new kid in question.
What the utter fuck was this?
I allowed myself only a moment of shock before I walked closer. All the while, I actually fumed. It was like I was hearing Jaz tell me she went home with her private investigator, Jacob Hall, like she was telling me she hooked up with Archer Vega all over again—only this time, I was able to see it for myself.
The bastard was sitting next to her, entirely too close to her, giving her a look that most definitely meant he’d seen her before.
Did he know her? I’d known Jaz had a life before Midpark, but I never thought I’d see it.
I didn’t like feeling jealous, but I could not fight the warring emotions inside of me. A frown sat on my face as I headed to the table. I made more noise than I normally would’ve as I sat down, causing both Jaz and the new kid, Dante, to look at me.
“Dude,” Dante spoke, trying to wave me off, “this is our table. Scram.”
Jaz glared at him. Her icy glare did make me feel better, and her words to him made me crack a smile, too: “Dante, this is technically Vaughn’s table. If anyone should leave, it’s you.” Her dark brown eyes, warm and welcoming, turned to me, softening immediately. “I’m the only one welcome here.”
“The fuck?” Dante questioned. When he realized she wasn’t kidding, he folded
his arms across the table and stared at me. He didn’t have a lunch before him, unlike Jaz, who had her usual bagged lunch. “There’s only room for one badass at this table, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see who that is. What kind of name is Vaughn, anyway?”
“I could say the same thing about Dante,” I muttered, holding back a sneer. I was not one to puff up and protect my territory, but maybe that was because I’d never had something to defend before.
Someone.
I wasn’t one to talk needlessly, but I had to find out all that I could about this guy, had to gauge what level of threat he was. If he was indeed as tough as he looked, or if his tattoos and leather were all for show.
“Why’d you move to Midpark, Dante?” I practically growled out his name. The chicken and fries on my tray would go cold. I wouldn’t eat anything for lunch today, wouldn’t even pretend to. My focus was solely on the new kid before me and how he sat dangerously close to Jaz.
He best be careful. If he moved an inch closer to her, I’d lunge over this table and tackle him to the ground.
“Ah, you know,” Dante spoke with a smile, “had to be close to Jaz.”
“You two know each other?”
It was Jaz who answered me, “No, we don’t. I met him last week. No matter what Dante says or how he pretends we’re best buddies, we’re not.” That was mainly said toward Dante himself, whose smile did not waver at her bold declaration.
If what Jaz said was true, then who the fuck was this guy? Why was he here, and why did he act like he knew Jaz?
Both Jaz and I stared at Dante, waiting for his reply. Dante must’ve figured she would say something like that, for he didn’t even blink. He shrugged, still smiling that hollow, vacant smile. The smile of a psychopath. The smile a man wore right before he tried to tear your face off.
He obviously wasn’t from around here. If he was, he’d know not to mess with me or anything that was mine. I was a Scott, and unlike him, I knew how to play the game.
And Jaz? She was mine.
“Well, sure, we just met last week, but that doesn’t change the fact that we should’ve been in each other’s lives all along,” Dante spoke, only having eyes for Jaz. My stomach curdled at that. I hated watching him stare at her so possessively. “You and I, Jaz, are meant to be together. It’s just going to take some time for you to realize it.”
Jaz opened her mouth, probably to tell him off, but I spoke first: “I think Jaz can make her own decisions when it comes to who she wants to be with, and it looks like she’s already made up her mind about you.”
He turned his icy blue stare to me, a frown tugging at his lips—though he kept trying to smile. It wasn’t a good look. “I don’t think I like you very much, Vaughn.”
“The feeling is mutual,” I whispered, wishing I could take my spork and stab him in the eye with it. I’d get expelled, maybe arrested, and Markus would never trust me to complete any jobs for the family, even the ones in the basement.
No. I had to be smarter about this.
Jaz coughed, causing both of us to look at her. “I think,” she stated loudly, “both of you need to calm down. I don’t want to see any pissing matches between you two, and I don’t want to hear of any fights.” Those brown eyes bore into me for a few moments before moving to Dante. “Is that understood? No more attacking anyone else.”
Anyone else? Had Dante attacked someone before now? I wondered. Maybe I didn’t have the whole story.
“What’s my reward for being good?” Dante asked, and again, it was like I had ceased to exist.
Before she could respond, I spoke assertively, “Jaz, I need to talk to you. Alone.” I made it a point to emphasize the word alone and glare at Dante as I said it. He was an unknown, and he did not seem like the predictable sort, which made him dangerous. Plus, with his apparent fascination with Jaz…I couldn’t be too careful.
“I’m not getting up,” Dante spoke with a shrug.
Jaz stood. “That’s okay, you can stay here.” She moved around her seat, and I got up, following her to the edge of the cafeteria. The strange part was, we were mostly ignored as we went. Even the teachers who were in charge of keeping watch over the lunch periods were gossiping among themselves, and I wondered if they were talking about Dante.
Dante. Seriously, what the fuck was up with him?
Once we reached the outer edge of the cafeteria, where the tables abruptly stopped and gave way to a hallway full of lockers, I watched as Jaz’s eyes darted back, toward Dante. For someone who she had allegedly just met last week, she seemed to be eyeing him up an awful lot.
She didn’t like him, did she?
“I can’t believe he’s here,” Jaz muttered. “I thought…fuck, I don’t know what I thought.” She ran a hand through her hair, causing its long, black lengths to tumble over her shoulder.
“How do you know him?” If I understood that, maybe I could understand why he seemed to be so obsessed with her.
Granted, I was kind of obsessed too, but that was beside the point.
“Remember last week when I wasn’t here?” Jaz asked, crossing her arms over her chest. I tried not to stare, because I didn’t want to ogle her like Dante had been, but it was difficult. She was…she was frankly the most beautiful person I’d ever seen, everything about her drawing me in like no one else ever had.
I would do anything to keep Dante away from her. Anything.
After I gave her a nod, she whispered, “Well, Dante showed up before school that day, caught me just outside the building. He said he’d go after my mom if I didn’t go with him. He knows where I live—he’s been watching me.”
The more she spoke, the angrier I became. Who the fuck did this guy think he was?
“I went with him,” she added. “I think he was supposed to bring me somewhere, but something happened, and he couldn’t, so instead I spent the day with him, and I thought that was that. I didn’t think he’d show up here.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” This was all news to me, and I hated the fact that I’d been in the dark until now.
He kidnapped her? Threatened her mother? And then Jaz spent the entire fucking day with him? What in the hell…how was I supposed to take this?
It appeared as if she took offense to that. “I don’t have to tell you everything,” she told me. “You’re not my boyfriend. You’re not…I don’t even know what you are to me.”
That much was true, I supposed. I wasn’t her significant other. She wasn’t officially mine, even if I viewed her that way. Jaz did not belong to me, but I wanted her to.
“Anything,” I muttered, glancing back at our table, finding that Dante was reaching over and pulling a chicken nugget off my tray. The bastard. I planned on throwing them all away; they weren’t for his consumption. “I’ll be anything you want me to be, Jaz.”
My words hit her like a train, and she swayed on her feet a bit. “I…be careful, saying those things. I might just decide to take you up on it.”
“How do you want to handle him?”
Jaz pursed her lips. “I don’t know. Let’s just…let’s take it one day at a time. I don’t want to focus on Dante, not when there are other students here I’d rather focus on. He might’ve kidnapped me, but he didn’t hurt me.” Her thin shoulders shrugged. “That’s more than I can say for quite a few people here.”
All right. She and I could focus on getting back at the ones who’d hurt her at the party…but I would keep an eye on Dante, because someone like that you just couldn’t trust. Someone who thought they could waltz in and steal what was yours was not the kind of person I wanted Jaz around.
Jaz was mine. Somehow, I’d make Dante realize it.
Chapter Fourteen – Jaz
To say I didn’t focus much on anything else during my afternoon periods would be an understatement. I hardly heard a word any of my teachers said, my mind too focused on Dante and why the hell he was here.
I still didn’t get it, and I wasn’t sure I ever would.
He didn’t live around here, and there was no way he could afford to. I had no idea who he’d threatened to get enrolled at Midpark High, but I knew he didn’t belong here. That much was obvious to anyone who looked at him.
Okay, that was kind of stereotyping based on his looks, which we all knew by now was wrong, but still. The stereotypes of the rich were kind of true; no rich heir would ever shave the sides of their head and get a big, thick, black tattoo on their skull.
Vaughn…well, he was different. He might come from money, but it sounded like his family’s money was of a different sort. Like the Scotts got into the murky waters that was criminality—but I wouldn’t think about his family or his family’s business right now. I’d told Jacob to stop looking into them, and I meant it.
By the time the end of the day rolled around, I was lost in the sea of possibilities. Surely Dante wasn’t here for me. There had to be another reason. He wouldn’t do all of this for me—and if he would, I had no idea why.
I seriously didn’t know Dante. I never met him before last week, but the way he acted, as if we were long-lost friends, finally reuniting…it didn’t make sense. I honestly didn’t get it.
When the bell rang and everyone hurried out of eighth period, I gathered my stuff and headed to my locker. I didn’t ask Bobbi for a ride; I did tell her today that my mom’s car was in the shop, but I was more than okay with walking. Mom had loosened her reins on me a little, though not by much. She was okay with me walking, as long as I texted her when I made it to school. This morning she’d been in a real good mood, which I thought was odd, but as long as she was happy, I was happy.
Plus, knowing Ollie’s sons had left the picture a few years ago made me feel better.
The weather was inching toward spring, anyway. The wind was no longer bitterly cold. Still chilly, but not overly so. A hoodie was usually enough in temperatures like this.
My locker sat on the other side of the school, and since I didn’t have to rush to find my mom’s dingy van in the parking lot, I took my time. With my books close to my chest, I was so lost in my own head that I neglected to realize someone was heading straight for me, and by the time I realized it, it was too late.
Defiant: A High School Bully Romance (Midpark High Book 2) Page 17
