Sara’s house was always our top pick to treat as home base because of its location. Central to The Pike, the Valley Mall, multiple restaurants, and the river.
The weather wanted to take on a crisper feel that late at night and I shivered in my halter top. I obviously hadn’t been thinking when I got dressed.
I checked my phone for the time. Just after one in the morning. If my dad made it home, he wouldn’t even check on me. I had until morning before I needed to start stressing out.
Tucking the phone in my pocket, I rubbed my arms briskly and picked up my pace. I wasn’t quite running, but I was close as I stuck to the shadows of the trees and houses lining the streets heading toward Sara’s neighborhood.
She wasn’t in a good part of town or even a crappy part. She was just… in a neighborhood that had peeling paint and chipped driveways on single family homes whose yards were smaller than lunchboxes but the back yards opened up to some vacant property so any kids were usually found running around on the land.
I skipped over the curbing with chunks of cement missing, relaxing into my pace when my feet fell on the wet grassy ground.
Glancing up at the sky, I breathed in deep. I hadn’t even noticed that the clouds covered most of the stars and parts of the moon. Maybe it had rained while I was in The Pike. I couldn’t help wondering what else I was missing while chasing the distractions that went by the name of Jameson.
Goosebumps rose on my flesh and I hit the last yard before Sara’s with caution. The neighbors on either side of Sara had Trump signs in their yard and I knew for a fact they both harbored guns. They’d shoot me on sight and ask questions later, if they didn’t bury my body in their backyards first.
I all but held my breath as I avoided the spots where the motion lights on their back yards would pick up my movements. Once I hit Sara’s yard, I exhaled. Her parents didn’t bother with that kind of security. They simply expected the neighbors to protect them. It wasn’t something I understood, but I exploited it every chance I had.
At least I used to. When I thought we were so close.
Why hadn’t she told me her uncle was back? The bastard was nothing if not predatory. He probably went straight to Sara’s house to see what opportunity he had to take advantage of his nieces. Maybe he didn’t know that Sara’s older sister Stephanie had already moved out. Maybe he didn’t know that I had no problem beating the ever-loving crap out of him. No problem whatsoever.
Sara’s one-story home had a cement foundation that hid a basement complete with a creepy wooden set of stairs.
Sara’s room hid in the back of the house. Her window stood mere feet from the ground. Her light was still on as I rounded the corner and crept up to the unopened pane. The slow steady thump of music pulsed through the glass but something wasn’t right. I wasn’t entirely sure she was in there. The music was rap with a rough beat and Sara hated rap. Her music interests rested mostly in classic rock like Pink Floyd, Metallic, Queen, and even some scant Madonna.
I stood on tiptoe to see through the crack in her hot pink curtains.
I narrowed my eyes at the sight of her Uncle standing in her room with nothing on. He rubbed a pair of her panties along the length of him. I had to double check it was her uncle. The man I’d met before had been wiry – not thick like this guy with a belly hanging where his waist should be.
I searched as much of the room as I could see with the bare glimpse that the part in the material gave me. I couldn’t see Sara. I had no idea where she’d gone to or whether she was in there or not.
Suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed my shoulder from behind, spinning me around and slapping a free hand across my mouth. “Sh.” Sara’s wide gray eyes stared at me. I nodded to indicate I’d heard and she motioned me back to the vacant lot.
Releasing my mouth, she dropped both hands and turned, leading me away from her house and the yard. We stepped carefully in the shadows, as if the uncle would look out the window and see us escaping Sara’s personal nightmare. A nightmare I had no doubt I would be welcomed into by her perverted relative.
The thought gave me chills. I followed behind Sara as she ducked under cover of a leaning fence.
We crouched there together, hanging our hands between our knees as we searched the dark of the woods and between the cracks for any sign of danger.
Our breathing was ragged and I glanced at Sara more than once, unsure how to start a conversation with her and even more unsure how much longer I would be able to stay out there in my scant outfit. I glanced enviously at Sara’s jeans, raggedy hoodie, over her long sleeve tee. She finally looked directly at me and I paused.
When had she taken off her makeup? Her eyes were bloodshot and shadowed. A split and swollen lip gave away the truth.
I leaned forward, pulling her into my arms. “What happened to ride or die?” We weren’t really like that but we also didn’t mess around when we’d promised to be there for each other no matter what. I felt like she’d doubted me the minute she needed me.
Her sniffle warned me true tears were coming, if not already there. “Mom and Dad didn’t even warn me. They’re gone for the week and he’s supposed to be there to watch the place and me. I have no idea what to do. Any time I go in there, he’s on me.”
I clenched my jaw, letting her pull back from my tight embrace. I nodded. “You’re not going back in there. You can come stay with me.” It didn’t matter that I lived almost an hour away. It didn’t matter that we hadn’t spoken in a few days. Nothing but keeping her safe mattered and it didn’t need to be defined between us.
She nodded, wiping at her cheeks. “I don’t have my clothes or anything.”
I shrugged and left the protection of the overhang. “Come on. Let’s order an Uber and get to my place. You fit my clothes, just wear those until we figure this out.”
If I had my choice, she wasn’t going back to the mess of her house. We didn’t have long before we were old enough to leave our homes.
Maybe Sara and I would actually do what we’d always dreamed – get studio apartment together while we worked as waitresses and saved up for a backpacking trip across Europe. Anything was possible if we could get rid of the baggage our parents had become.
“We’re just leaving? You don’t have a car, Gray.” Sara, queen of the obvious.
“Nope, still no car. We’ll just Uber it. Dad left some cash before he left for wherever he goes and I had some cash left over from the fights at The Pike.” I didn’t look back at her place or the neighborhood. We had to get out of there and looking back wasn’t going to do us any favors.
“Are you mad at me?” Sara stopped walking, her shadow from the moon disappearing from my view.
I stopped, facing away from her before I turned. I nodded. “I was, but that’s what happens when you don’t text me or call me back. It’s only been a couple days but they’ve been hell – for both of us. Don’t you think it would have been easier, if we’d talked everything through?” I shook my head and waved my hand in the air. “Forget it. I’m not mad anymore. I just didn’t understand. Let’s get to my place and get some sleep.”
She searched my face and I did the same. She had no idea what I’d been through the last few days, but then again, I had no idea what she’d been up against.
“Can we just go back to The Pike and have someone give us a ride?” She furrowed her brow and frowned, always trying to make things easier for me.
I gave a tight shake to my head. I wasn’t ready to talk about the Jameson boys or the fact that the three of them together made me feel intimidated and empowered all at once.
She’d never let me live it down that each one left me sexually confused and more than a little bothered in their own way – Stryker the most. In fact, if there was a barometric scale attached to my nerves, each would have their own score while Stryker would be off the charts.
Her question hung in the air between us and I was taking too long to answer. “No. It’s a territory thing. I’m Jameson now.” I sw
allowed past the lump in my throat. That phrase hurt me more than I wanted to admit. I liked being a Timbercreek Bear. Yet, there were things in motion that I couldn’t undo. I had to fight. I had to get into that college. Plus, I couldn’t “unmeet” the Jameson cousins. A girl didn’t forget a connection like that.
I pulled out my phone and connected to the Uber app. I just had to get one to come pick us up at a random place on a street. It didn’t have to be The Pike. What if the Jamesons were watching for me? I was suddenly nervous. What if they were still at The Pike, waiting for me to come out? I had no idea what was possible with Stryker.
“You’re going to spill whatever has you spooked.” Sara nudged my shoulder with hers. I nodded but blinked back tears.
She had no idea what I’d missed or what I’d been through. I didn’t want to dump on her with her danger still fresh back at her house.
She saw something in my face though and she shook her head, reaching out and pulling me into her arms. “Gray, what’s going on?”
I took a deep shuddering breath. “I don’t know. This school is… hell. I can’t fit in.” Can’t was putting it mildly.
“Can’t? You? I don’t believe that. Everyone loves you at Timbercreek.” She brushed my hair back from my face, her blonde hair straying from her ponytail.
How was I supposed to convince her that these three cousins had the entire school in their pocket? I’d never seen anything like it. Even though it was clearly wrong, the entire school did what the Jamesons said. How was I supposed to explain that?
A car pulled up, its headlights bright in the late-night darkness. The description in the app for the Uber matched the Subaru Outback in front of us and I nodded at Sara. “Our ride is here.”
She didn’t say much as we rode back to my place. The entire ride was full of sniffing and sighing and staring out the window at the more and more frequent dark groupings of trees which stated quite clearly that we were leaving the more urban areas of Timbercreek and heading into the woods of north Idaho.
“You guys really did move to the backwoods. Jeesh, it’s like Deliverance out here.” Sara leaned forward as she stared outside for a better view.
I yawned. “Yeah, don’t get too excited. It’s a podunk town with even smaller-minded people.” That was as much as I could say at that point.
We pulled up in front of my new house and I paid the driver before we climbed out.
Nothing looked different from before I left. The lights on the porch hadn’t been shut off. More lights glowed from the living room.
The Uber drove off and I held my breath as we walked closer to the house. At the top of the cement steps, I peeked over the edge of the fence to the modest backyard. My dad’s truck was nowhere in sight. I exhaled and turned to Sara. “He’s not home yet. We can go in and get some sleep.”
Sara nodded, following me inside. She followed me into the bedroom and flopped onto my bed. I moved to stand at the window, staring out into the night. I blinked and pulled back behind the curtain at the sight of a slow-moving black truck moving down the street.
The Jamesons were watching me, but why? Couldn’t they leave their bullying at school? Couldn’t they leave me alone? A wave of desperation coursed through me.
If I couldn’t get away from them at my house, maybe I would never get away.
I forced a smile to my lips before turning back to Sara. She was scared enough as it was. She didn’t need to add my worries to her list.
“Want something to eat?” I walked around the side of the bed. We’d both crash in there. That’s what we did.
“No. I’m just tired.” She tucked her hand under her cheek, shadows under her eyes attesting to more than just her fatigue but also her worry and fear.
“Well, get some sleep. We can catch up in the morning.” I needed something to eat and I needed a chance to calm down. Seeing the Jamesons had spurred on my conflicting emotions and I couldn’t breathe.
How was I going to fight back, when they did things to my insides I couldn’t control?
I moved into the kitchen, watching the blacktop as the truck disappeared around the corner. Okay. They were gone. Maybe I could relax.
The truck lapped my block and the headlights came right back. What were they doing? What the hell was going on?
Anger surged through me. I couldn’t breathe fast enough as I stormed out of the backdoor and across the small cement patio. I was already running by the time I got through the gate and out onto the road. I cut them off, standing in front of the approaching truck with my arms crossed over my chest. If there was some way to get my anger and hate across to them, I hoped my heated glared did some of it.
The truck stopped inches from hitting me, but I didn’t flinch. I didn’t move. I stared at Stryker in passenger seat while Brock drove. Gunner sat in the middle. All of their enigmatic eyes watched me.
I reached out, feeling wild, and slapped my flattened palm on the hood of the truck. “Stop following me!” My yell yanked from my chest with all of my anger. They had no right trying to hurt me. No right turning the school on me. No right telling me what to do. No right. None.
At the loud bang, Stryker jumped from the passenger seat and stormed around the hood to face me. “What is your problem?”
I wasn’t holding back. I slammed my hands into his unflinching chest, over and over. “I want you to leave me alone. I need you to go away. Just leave. Do you understand?”
I ignored my training and lost control. I slammed my hands on his chest and gasped for air as I hit him over and over. After thirty seconds of the barrage of emotion, he reached out and grabbed both of my biceps and pulled me into his embrace. He held me tight against the solid strength of his torso and I hated that a modicum of calm filled my insides even as chaos roared in my gut.
His voice came ragged and tight as if he struggled against everything in him not to speak, but he couldn’t help it. “I can’t leave you alone. But you’re not safe here. Don’t you understand? We can’t leave you alone.” He gave me a brief squeeze and then pushed me away. Something like accusation filled his eyes and he shook his head. “I won’t be lenient anymore, Gray. Fall in line.”
The unspoken or else lingered on the air long after the taillights faded into the night.
I was starting to feel like I didn’t belong anywhere and didn’t have a friend in the world.
Chapter 12
Gray
I couldn’t sleep. Where had Dad gone? Why wasn’t he home? Why did I have parents who had no interest in me? At least Dad had stuck around. Sort of.
Morning came like a sneaky thief and my eyes itched and burned from lack of rest. Sara slept soundly. I had to get details out of her, but I had a feeling it had been a few nights since she’d actually had any real sleep.
I padded from my bedroom to the small living room, looking for any sign of my father’s return. But everything remained unchanged.
“What’s going on? Why are you up so early?” Sara leaned on the doorjamb to my room. She yawned, her hair sticking up in spots.
“Is it early?” I shook my head, stealing a peek at the wall clock by the slider. Eight. I guess it was kind of early considering we’d been out most of the night. I shrugged. “I’m not sure. I didn’t sleep.”
“Where’s your dad?” She rubbed at her eyes and squinted at me as she passed, heading toward the kitchen and the coffee maker. Sara had a caffeine problem. I had no doubt she’d curse at my dad’s cheap gross coffee all while she drank three pots.
“I have no idea.” I followed her and claimed a seat at the counter. She’d make herself comfortable in the kitchen and cook for us, if she wanted, or she wouldn’t. I didn’t care, either way. I cocked my head to the side. “You know, the weird thing is, Aunt Danielle works at Jameson. She’s the vice-principal.”
Sara paused as she reached for cups in the cupboard. She turned, eyeing me like I’d been withholding classified information. “She works at the high school that hired your dad?”
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br /> “Yeah, why?” I pursed my lips, gripping the counter as I shifted on the seat. “What does that matter? I asked him if he knew and he said…” I couldn’t remember what he’d said, probably because I didn’t believe him.
Shaking her head, Sara grabbed down the mugs and shut the door on the cupboard. “Look, it’s not a big deal. When your mom left… I saw your aunt and dad leaving the house together. It looked…” She scrunched up her nose. “I mean, it isn’t like I know what was going on, it just didn’t look right. Something about it was off, you know?”
Initially I wanted to balk at what she suggested, bury my head in the already present shame of my mother leaving me. But as I let the possibility climb under my skin, I had to admit that my mom leaving because of something my dad did was easier to accept than continually blaming myself.
I stared at the counter, contemplating the possibilities. Was my dad the type to cheat? I didn’t know how that was possible. It took some kind of audacity to do something you weren’t supposed to. Dad didn’t have a real strength of character in any way – either strong enough to cheat or strong enough to stay faithful. I had accepted a long time ago that he was a weak man. He knew his boxing, could coach like nobody’s business, but he fell short when it came to competing himself.
No follow through. Just like a true coward.
But could anyone really have a thing for Aunt Danielle? She was prudish and pinched and seemingly cold-hearted in so many ways. Trying to see what a man could like about her wasn’t easy, considering I wasn’t a guy.
“I can’t prove it, one way or the other.” I muttered, finally looking up to meet Sara’s eyes.
She watched me, like she expected something like that, but hadn’t wanted to push. “Yeah, I get it. What will you do?”
What could I do? Sometimes I felt the irrationally disabling position of being a teenager. I had power in some things and none in others. The plight of every kid my age. Old enough to drive, but not to smoke the things that would take the stress away.
Her Challengers: A high school bully romance (Bad Boys of Jameson High Book 1) Page 10
