My dad. All this time I’d used his name to protect me and now, it was going to be used to harm him. I shook my head, unable to focus on any one thing. “Is that all of it?”
Stryker glanced at Brock, standing from his crouched position as if to give the spot to his cousin.
“Gray, we think… we’re not sure yet, but we think you’re being set up.” Brock’s voice took on a comforting lilt, almost as if they’d practiced the handoff. Stryker had been calm, filling me in on the information, while Brock would ease me into some kind of comforted state. What would Gunner do? What would he possibly say to me that would make this okay?
That’s when I started to get really angry. I pushed up from the cold guard rail and brushed past them, leaving Sara where she’d been sitting beside me. I turned, my arms akimbo and feeling more powerless than I’d ever felt in my life. “What do you guys think you can do? Huh? They’re the Russian Mafia. There’s not a lot you can do from your thrones in school.” I lifted my chin and crossed my arms over my chest.
After a long second, I bit out, “I should just let them catch me. Then all of this will be over.” And by all I meant everything – the pain of being at school, the feeling of loneliness, the uncertainty and doubt around my mom leaving me, the hunger for Stryker and the conflicting emotions around him and his cousins, my worry over Sara’s situation, everything.
Stryker stepped closer to me, reaching up with both hands to cradle my chin in his grasp. “You’re not giving up, Asher. It’s not in you.” Something in his eyes held me captive and I realized just how much he’d done for me by challenging me. The part of me that wasn’t as understanding wanted to lift my knee and plant a good blow to the crotch – and not in a good way.
“If you would have listened to us about The Pike and fought at Curly’s instead, you wouldn’t be in this situation.” Gunner spoke up, almost as if he didn’t want to say it, but did it anyway.
Stryker dropped his hand and looked at his cousin, then back at me. “He’s right, you know?”
Right then was not the time for an I-told-you-so.
Gunner avoided my gaze, drinking from the red cup he held of his own. Brock drank out of a bottle while Stryker’s hands were clearly empty with his warm touch still imprinted on my face.
I swallowed and tilted my head, keeping my arms where they were. “For your information, I can’t fight at Curly’s. I’m underage and while Idaho is a little more lenient than Washington in some things, they don’t tolerate everything.”
Brock scoffed and shook his head, sipping from the bottle and staring out over the group.
“What? You haven’t found that to be the case? I had to divert cops from whatever it was you guys were doing last night. What would have happened, if you’d been caught doing whatever it was you were doing?” Throwing the fact that I’d saved them from discovery was a low tactic on my end, but I didn’t care. Someone else needed the attention on them and if I didn’t redirect for just a few minutes, I was going to bend over again and throw up the nothing that was in my stomach.
Gunner moved closer, keeping an eye on Stryker as if the darker haired guy had a say in what or who I was close to. Reaching out to set a comforting hand on my shoulder, Gunner ducked his head to see me more clearly as he spoke. “We can pay off some cops, but mostly it’s a bidding war between the different legalities. The state police are more fickle than local jurisdictions, usually because they aren’t a constant fixture in our lives.” He dropped his hand and then folded his arms over his chest. “You don’t need to know what we were doing to have our gratitude for pulling the cop away.” He inclined his head. “You have our thanks.”
That was it? That formal speech was supposed to be enough to convey their gratitude? I glanced at Stryker. I didn’t want to hear from Gunner or Brock, I wanted to hear something from Stryker. He just stared at me, the muscles in his jaw ticking with some kind of pent up energy.
What would he do, if I rested my hands on his face like he’d done to me? I had a feeling he wouldn’t be as receptive as I’d been.
Then it hit me. What they’d just warned me about hit me like a right cross to my jaw. I inhaled sharply and stared wide-eyed at Stryker. I didn’t even seek Sara out. For some reason, I didn’t think she could save me. Not from what they’d said. Without thinking things through, I reached to the side, my hand falling on Gunner as I leaned. I was going to fall and he caught me, even as he shot a worried glance at Stryker.
I looked up at Gunner, my voice as weak as my knees. “The Russian mob is seriously after me and my dad?” What had I done? I was going to lose the last parent I had and all because I had to protect my precious name for scholarships. I wasn’t even sure I would be able to fight again which left my dreams in a shattered mess at my feet.
The muscles of Gunner’s forearm flexed as I held on for what felt like my life. What if I let go? He was steady and safe and while I found him attractive, I was fast becoming aware that no one sent my muscles into spasms like Stryker or burned me from the nerve endings inward like him either.
Gunner was hot in more ways than one and he was an excellent kisser. There was just something about the way Stryker’s silver eyes watched me, catalogued me, owned me that kept me from being interested in any one else.
“Yeah, they’re after you, Gray.” Gunner’s soft tone pulled me from my jumbled thoughts. He reached up, carefully taking my elbow in his hand. “You’re okay. We’ll do what we can. You might need to call home and warn your father. We can take you home after a bit, but right now, we think…” He glanced at Stryker whose face had taken on a dark and stormy expression.
Moving up beside me, Stryker jerked me his direction as he growled, “You’ll stay with us until we get this figured out. Warn your dad, then drink something.” He stared at Gunner as if challenging him to do more, but the words never came. Gunner didn’t back down from whatever it was he was doing and Stryker didn’t push.
I had an uncomfortable feeling I was the thing they were glaring about, but I was too immersed in the turmoil around my dad’s safety.
Sara grabbed my phone from my truck and pressed it into my hand before taking me by the shoulders and moving me away from the strength and heat of Stryker and Gunner.
Brock had disappeared and I had no desire to seek him out. What if he was doing something I couldn’t unsee later?
I dialed Dad’s number, more aware than ever that he was most likely out gambling again and I wasn’t there to stop him. Not to mention, if he was out playing, there was no way he’d answer his phone. If he was home, maybe he’d answer.
The phone rang and rang and rang, then went to voicemail.
I hung up without leaving a message. He never listened to the messages which meant mine would just sit in the inbox, proof it was a waste of time. I slowly lowered my phone to my lap and hit end, watching as the screen finally faded to black.
Stryker and Gunner moved closer to each other, talking low enough I couldn’t hear but I could see their hand motions and feel their repetitive glances my way.
Of course, I didn’t move from where I’d sank back to the guardrail. How had that happened? How had I come back here? I peeked to the side and saw Sara watching me, tears in her eyes. I tried smiling.
She half-laughed as she shook her head. “Nice try, Asher. That was a horrible attempt at a smile.”
I blinked, tears spilling free. “I… It’s not a big deal about me, you know? I mean, it’s all just consequences for what I’ve done, but my dad… He doesn’t deserve this. Why can’t it just be like I disappeared rather than have to be hunted like this?”
Disappear like my mom did. I could just leave my dad. He’d never have to know about the mafia being after me. He’d never have to know that I killed someone in the ring. My greatest shame was tied to my greatest love.
The unfairness of it all made me reach out against my better judgment and claim the bottle dangling from her fingers. Sara wasn’t a drinker, but she walked around wit
h a beverage as if trying to convince others she was already served.
I didn’t care what was in it. I gulped the contents down and ignored the burning in my throat and the dry hopsy flavor on my tongue.
All I wanted was to forget for a moment, just one brief moment that I was in a whole lot of trouble and no matter how much the hot Jameson boys promised they’d take care of me, there wasn’t a lot you could do against the Russian mafia.
Especially when you were wanted for killing the princess.
Chapter 24
Stryker
Gray gave over to her friend’s pressure to drink. I decided to stay sober.
“You want one of these, man? Not as bad as I thought they’d be.” Gunner brandished a hard lemonade, its black lid already popped off by the guy passing them out.
I shook my head and wrinkled my nose. “Your dad would freak, if he knew you were drinking that… what did he call it? FooFoo stuff?” I grinned to take the sting out of my words, but our dads had never been in favor of drinking anything less than beer and liquor. Even wine was for those who couldn’t stomach a stronger spirit.
Gunner grinned. “It’s giving me a buzz. I think under these circumstances, they’d get it.” He glanced toward Gray who swayed to the music blaring from someone’s car speakers, her eyes closed.
The moon wasn’t sure if it was coming or going as the clouds blew across the sky. I didn’t need a lot of light to see the shape of Gray’s body or remember what she felt like under my fingertips.
I also didn’t need any help remembering that she’d leaned on Gunner when she needed help. She’d kissed him and gone to him for comfort. Could her choice be any clearer? I didn’t want to push her one way or the other and I didn’t begrudge her choice. Gunner was more like my brother than anyone else besides Brock and Gray couldn’t pick a better man.
So, what if I wanted her? So, what if she made me hyperaware of every breath and movement of my heart? None of that mattered when I’d already caused her more pain than she needed to be in.
How dare I try to add to her problems? If my dad were there, his disappointment in me would be crushing. I could feel it like a cape of guilt and every time I glanced at Gray, it heightened, tightening around me like a vice.
I didn’t have the right to keep her suppressed or to try to protect her. But a large part of me also acknowledged the fact that I didn’t need the right to do what was right. She was earning the respect of the students at the school and that was despite my efforts to keep her down and out. Now… She’d made a mistake and I was taking upon me the responsibility of keeping her away from the consequences.
No matter what Dominick said. I didn’t’ even want to tell him about it.
How could her fight at The Pike have anything to do with Dominick Jameson? He didn’t need to know.
I lifted my water bottle and sipped from the mouth, careful to keep up appearances that I was partying. One of us had to be the designated driver and since I didn’t want to be drunk and miss something that might happen to Gray, I had inadvertently chosen the role for myself.
Brock strode by, surprisingly stable for how many drinks he’d had already. He jerked his chin my way and glanced at Gray’s slow dancing form. He arched an eyebrow and sidled alongside her, raising his drink and bending his knees to bump beside her. Was she even aware of him? My chest tightened as my own awareness hummed under my skin.
How had a waif of a girl who was stronger and more solid than she appeared managed to wiggle her way under my nerves? I didn’t appreciate her getting under my walls, but now that she was, I wasn’t going to let her out.
More cars joined the lot, avoiding the circle and pulling into a straight line that blocked the west entrance and exit. I straightened from where I’d lounged against the side of my truck to watch Gray and ignore the rest of the party as it gathered.
The door opened to the lead truck, a silver Nissan, and someone stepped out. He climbed into the back of his pickup and called out, “Where’s Stryker?” Blaze roostered his chest as he held his shoulders back in a posturing position.
This I could deal with. This I wanted to deal with. I pushed off the truck, tossing my water bottle into the front seat through the open window. “Yeah, Divers. I’m here.”
Gray stopped her swaying, her eyes coming slowly into focus as she moved around behind Sara and Brock. The fact that she was hiding from anyone or anything worried me.
Just how scared was she?
She pressed her fingers to her forehead, closing her eyes and dropping the drink to her side. She lifted her gaze to mine after a minute and then lifted her jaw. The girl’s indomitable will was addicting to watch.
“Stryker, you came to our side tonight, removed one of our own. There’s a fine for that.” Blaze climbed from the back of the truck, cocky with his entourage of eight around him.
Little did he know eight was nothing to my cousins and me. The rest of the guys hanging out had our backs as well. Even the girls would do what was needed.
But the fact that he claimed Gray as his rankled me and I didn’t care about who would fight and who wouldn’t.
I stepped forward, ready to lay my fist into his face for even showing up and challenging me.
But Gray stepped in front of me, blocking my route with her back to me. She held up her hands and shook her head. “Blaze, I’m not a Timbercreek anymore. I go to Jameson now. You know this. We’ve talked about this.”
Her stance suggested she was comfortable where she was and not looking for a fight, but my experience with the little firecracker was that she could drop into stance in a heartbeat and throw some punches that could flatten people.
Even kill apparently.
Blaze dropped his gaze from my face to hers and his eyes hardened. He wasn’t a guy in love or even territorial, there was something off about the way he looked at her, like she was a meal ticket to the best buffet in the area.
His expression sent chills up my spine and I inched closer to Gray. If I had to, I could toss her out of the way. A fight with Blaze and the other Timbercreek bastards wouldn’t follow any rules and might even break into the illegal realm. Something we were already in trouble for.
“Gray, you need to come with me.” Blaze reached out, wrapping her arm in his meaty fingers. His beady eyes narrowed when she pulled back, but he didn’t let her go.
“Let go of me, Blaze. I’m not going anywhere with you.” She shook her arm, but he was like a dog on the other end of a rope.
“Oh, yes, you are. They’re after you and I’m going to keep you safe.” But the look in his eyes promised something more, something dark. “Get in my rig, Gray, enough of this.”
“Let go, Blaze.” Sara stepped up, gripping Gray’s other arm and pulling her toward the Jameson side.
His eyes flicked to Sara and then back to Gray. “You’re switching sides now, Asher? What about you, Sara? You think this is something you can come back on Monday from and be normal? You’re done at Timbercreek. The only thing you’ll be good for is a fast screw under the bleachers and the random orgy at a party.” He laughed as he folded his arms. “Your uncle will be the least of your concerns.”
Sara reared back, her shoulders tightening as she stepped beside Gray, her knuckles whitening as she gripped Gray’s arm. “That may be, but it shows how shallow and unloyal Timbercreek is. I don’t want to be a part of something like that.”
“Screw you, Sara.” Blaze dropped his hands to his sides into fists and stepped forward, his eyes narrowing in the exact signal I needed that a fight was ready.
I shoved Sara and Gray behind me, thrusting my arms out as I stepped forward. Brock and Gunner fell into place beside me, protecting my flanks and in a position to have my back as well.
We had an unspoken rule that I attacked first. I was the most likely to draw the most attention with my larger size and longer reach. The distraction would garner more of an upper hand than if we worked without it.
Blaze tilted his head ba
ck, as if he were doing it to be stronger instead of the truth which was that I was taller by a few inches and he had to look up to see me more fully.
I leaned over, pushing into his space as I pierced his gaze with mine. “I don’t care what you do, little man. All I know is you better do it before I do it for you.” My gaze was hard and challenging and I wasn’t backing down.
After everything that had happened over the last couple weeks, my tension had hit an all-time high. Nothing but a volcanic explosion was going to help me with this and I needed to hit Blaze. I needed it more than I needed air.
He just stared at me, his eyes flickering like he might have just realized he was in deeper than he’d planned. He moved as if to step back, as if he might renege on the promise of a fight in his stance.
I couldn’t allow that. I couldn’t accept him backing out. Not when I needed it as bad as I did.
Before he could say anything, I reared back and decked the left side of his face with a right hook. The crowd that had gathered around us gave a collective ooh as Blaze stumbled backward.
Two of his backups grabbed his arms and steadied him and he pressed his fingers to his lips. Pure, unadulterated hatred filled his eyes as he raised his gaze to stare at me. He stood, and suddenly the flash of metal glinted in his hand. Brandishing a knife, he strode toward me, his hands out by his sides and the knife blade taunting as it extended from his closed fist.
“Yeah? You want to cold cock me? I’m going to mess you the hell up.” Blaze gritted his teeth, smiling in a way that promised me a good fight.
Her Challengers: A high school bully romance (Bad Boys of Jameson High Book 1) Page 21
