by Angel Lawson
“You’re right, riding my ass all the time about football and college isn’t enough. Harassing my friends—telling the girl I like that she’s not good enough for me? If that’s you trying, no thanks. I’d rather be on my own.”
His eyes widen. “You’re talking about Kenley? She’s a sweet girl, but the last thing you want to do is get tied up with a girl like that. She’ll want something you can’t give her. Trust me. I know.”
I hate hearing her name come out of his mouth. I snarl, “You know nothing about her.”
He laughs. “I know she’s smart, relentless, pestering. She’s not the kind of girl that takes no for an answer and that’s the kind of girl that’s good in bed. She’s fun. Exciting. A little mysterious and other than a good fuck, absolutely nothing but trouble.”
Something in my brain snaps, all sense of control, and I punch him. My fist connects with his jaw, snapping it back. Pain shoots through my hand but it’s overtaken by adrenaline. I lunge for him. He catches me mid-lunge and we fly across the desk, crashing off the other side. His chest heaves as we squabble, and he gets me pinned to the ground. I wait for the beating, but he just holds me there, face red and angry.
“Ezra! That’s enough!”
We stare at one another for a long beat. If I wanted to take him, I could, but I’m not going to jail for assaulting my dad. When he thinks that I’m calm, he lets me up. I shake out my arms and step over the mess on the floor.
“This can’t happen again,” he says. “You’ve got to get a handle on your temper.”
“Then keep your damn mouth shut. Don’t you ever talk about her again. Don’t breathe her name or look in her direction.”
“Fine, but you may want to tell her that she needs to stop nosing her way into the affairs of the adults in this town. You saw what happened to Jacqueline and Rose. There’s only so much you can do to protect a girl that’s determined to get in trouble.”
“Is that a threat?”
“It’s a warning, son, one I’ve been trying to make loud and clear for months now. You’re just too ruled by your cock to see what’s really going on. For her own good, tell her to drop this and if you’re smart, you’ll drop her.”
I stare at him, sensing his sincerity—the truth behind his words. Rebelling against my father is my norm—it’s how I live—but this is different. This is about Kenley and keeping her safe.
17
Kenley
Dave’s party is in full swing by the time we get there. We rode separately, me and Ozzy, Finn drove his dad’s truck.
“Do you think he’ll come?” I ask Finn. It’d been his idea to come to the party, which lately hadn’t been our thing. We’d rather hang out at Ozzy’s without having to worry about slipping up with our classmates. But Ezra needs a distraction and in a small town those are hard to come by—the party seemed like a good option.
“He said he would.” He checks his phone and shrugs.
Waiting on him is why I have my eye on the front door, checking each guest to see if it’s him. Thirty minutes pass and he doesn’t arrive, but unfortunately someone else does.
Alice.
Fortunately, she doesn’t seem interested in getting into it with me tonight. She crosses the room and gets a cup of punch before striding across the room.
“It’s so weird seeing her like that,” Ozzy says.
“Like what?”
“Confident?” Finn says, but it’s more of a question. “Like, she’s never been shy or anything but now she has like, an attitude.”
I can’t help but wonder what put that swagger in her hips.
I’ve felt that confidence. It’s how I feel after Ozzy and I make love. Or when Finn makes me see stars. It’s knowing someone worships your mind and body.
I don’t want to think about who’s worshipping Alice’s body. I notice Juliette watching her as well, our eyes locking briefly. What does she suspect?
I could ask her but that’s risky. We’re barely on good terms ourselves. I don’t need to stir that pot.
“Hey,” Ozzy says, head jerking toward the driveway. Over the music the rumble of Ezra’s motorcycle echoes against the hills, announcing him long before he actually arrives. I feel a sense of relief knowing he’s here.
Finn wanders off to talk to some teammates, while Ozzy and I stay put. We’re in the kitchen when Ezra strides in wearing his snug, black leather jacket and carrying two bottles of vodka in each hand. A cigarette dangles from his lips.
He looks less like the football player of the last three months and back to the Ezra Baxter everyone knew before that. His expensive jeans fit like a glove, his boots are perfectly scuffed. He pulls off the jacket, revealing a tight black T-shirt. His muscular torso is exposed through the cotton.
I’m pretty sure half the girls in the room need to change their panties after an entrance like that.
I know I do.
“What the hell?” Ozzy asks, as Ezra walks right up to the punch bowl and pours in half the bottle. “This may have been a bad idea.”
“Yeah, I’m getting that vibe, too.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I’ll keep an eye on him,” I say, as a group of girls flock over to him and the punch bowl. Ezra Baxter is going to need a chaperone tonight.
“Don’t let him drive.”
“I won’t.” I give him a tight smile. “Go, I’ll deal with this.”
His fingers tug at mine. “I’ll go play pool with Finn. Let me know if you need help.”
I’m not sure what Ezra Baxter is up to, but there’s no way in hell I’m letting him out of my sight.
18
Ezra
“It’s been a while.”
I look up and see Maggie Feeney, junior and former hookup of mine, reaching for a red plastic cup.
“Mags,” I say, forcing a grin. “It has been a while.”
“I thought maybe you really went choir boy on me. Just a phase?”
I fill up her cup and then two more. “My old man wanted a football star, so I obliged.”
“Well, if you ever want to revisit old times, let me know.” Her hand moves to my bicep. I don’t feel it though. The only sensation I have is two blue eyes from across the room pinning me down like lasers.
Tonight isn’t going to be fun.
“It’s the end of the year, Maggie. I’m looking ahead, not behind.”
“Too bad, I kind of like it from behind.”
I smirk and take a drink, hiding my absolute disinterest. I have one goal tonight and that’s to break a heart. Not Maggie’s.
I feel a hard yank on the back of my shirt and look behind me.
“Kenley Keene,” I say. “Want a drink?”
“No, I don’t want a drink.”
I shrug and take another gulp. It burns on the way down. “You should try it, it’s good.”
Her eyes dart over to Maggie, who is watching the whole scene like it’s a soap opera. “We need to talk. In private.”
“Sorry, babe, unless ‘talk’ is code for something else, no thanks.”
Her jaw drops, and I see a lick of fire in her eyes. Jesus, she’s so damned beautiful. I don’t want to hurt her, but if I’ve learned anything the last week it’s that the Baxter men hurt women. It’s better to take care of this now rather than later.
Kenley, of course, has other plans. She grabs me by my arm, sloshing punch all over the floor, and drags me down the hall to a quiet corner. I don’t miss Ozzy and Finn watching from across the building.
“I know you’ve had a hard week, Ez, but talking to me like—"
“Stop,” I say, holding up my hand. “You’re the one that wanted me to come to this party. Now that I’m here and socializing, you’re upset?”
She looks me up and down, hurt and confusion in her eyes. “What’s wrong with you?”
“I’m accepting reality.”
Her hands settle on her hips. “And exactly what is that?”
It’s painful to look at her
, but I know what I’ve got to do. I need to pick a corner and rip this off like a Band-Aid. “To stop playing this game. With you. With my dad. With everyone in this godforsaken town. I’ve been acting the nice guy for a few months, but after…after learning the truth, I figure what’s the point?”
“Ezra, I know this has been hard—”
“You don’t know anything, Kenley. Even though my dad is a grade-A asshole, I thought maybe underneath it all he actually cared about me. That he came back home to be a fucking parent instead of a pussy-hungry womanizer. But now we know that my dad never cared about me. That was just about the legacy and covering his ass after his underage girlfriend went missing.”
“Yeah, your dad is not a good guy, Ezra, but I don’t understand what that has to do with you flirting with other girls and being a dick to me.”
“Because I’ve been thinking about it, and this little arrangement between us needs to end.”
Her face pales. “What are you talking about?”
I look around and see the closed door a few feet away. I open it up and see that it’s a small, empty room. I grab Kenley’s arm and pull her inside.
“I spent the last few months turning my shit around. Some of it was for my dad, but a whole lot of it was for you.” My heart races in my chest—warning me I can stop now before I go too far. “My family is corrupt, KK. Dirty, through and through.”
“So what? You don’t have to be like your father.”
“What if it’s not an option? Maybe it’s genetic? Maybe those years of rebellion weren’t that—a rebellion—but me coming into my own.”
“That’s ridiculous.” But her expression is scared. Worried.
I rake my eyes over her, head to toe. She’s in a skirt that shows off the length of her toned, strong legs and a sweater one size too small, leaving very little to my imagination. “Really? Because the things I want to do to you can’t be normal. I think I’m just as depraved as him.”
Her breath catches, and her question comes out in a low whisper, “What kind of things?”
I can tell she wants to know, and it’s on the tip of my tongue to reveal my fantasies. How I dream of bending her over the desk in AP Lit every damn morning, and how I think about her lips wrapped around my cock day and night. How even now, in the middle of this, all I want is to press her against the wall, yank up that skirt, and bury myself, my pain, my insecurities inside of her.
But what I learned this week about my father is that he’s a greedy son-of-a-bitch. He wants what belongs to someone else. Even his best friend’s daughter. Even his best friend’s lover.
And Kenley?
If my father is BD, and it sure looks like he is, it’s possible he’s already made his move on her—not because she’s nosing around—but because she’s mine.
Ezra Baxter, Senior, knows no fucking boundaries. Even with his son.
I put her in danger and didn’t even realize it. That’s why I have to let this girl go, she’s too willing, too game, too ready to jump into trouble on her own. I’m trying to scare her off and she’s begging for more.
“It’s over, Kenley. I’m sure Finn and Ozzy are more than capable of taking care of you.”
“Ezra, let’s talk about this when you’re not so upset and thinking clearly."
“That’s the problem, I am thinking clearly, maybe for the first time in my life.” I take a step forward and touch her chin, tilting it upward. “Be careful, Kenley Keene, there are some dangerous men out there. I’m trying my hardest not to be one of them.” I brush my lips across hers, forcing myself to keep it brief, not to smell her, feel her, taste her. If I do, I know I’m a goner.
I push a strand of her hair back over her ear and walk out of the room.
It’s the right, and only thing to do.
19
Kenley
I stare at the door, stunned, trying to process what just happened, but no matter how many times I go over it, I still have no fucking clue.
Ezra just dumped me.
I’d run after him, but I have a feeling if I move, I will fall completely and utterly apart.
The cup of punch sits on the counter behind me and I grab it and gulp it down, trying not to gag. It burns, but it’s better than the hurt I’m feeling.
The knob jiggles, and the door swings open, casting the room in bright light and obnoxious music. I turn away and wipe my face with my sleeves.
“Oh god,” a high-pitched voice says, “you scared me.”
I grimace. Of all people.
“What’s wrong with you?” Juliette asks, sliding her phone in her pocket.
“Nothing. I’m fine.” I peek over my shoulder and the look on her face says she’s perfectly aware that I’m not ‘fine.’
“I have to assume this has something to do with Ezra Baxter storming out of here.”
“Shit, did he leave? He shouldn’t be driving that motorcycle—”
“Chill. Captain America’s on it.”
I exhale and wait for Juliette to leave. She doesn’t.
“Do you need this room?” I ask, not ready to vacate.
“No. I’m supposed to call my dad and check in, but any excuse not to is fine by me. A friend in need is a perfect reason.”
We both laugh—fully aware we aren’t friends, but it strikes home how much it sucks not to have a girlfriend to talk to about all of this.
“I doubt your dad would approve of you talking to me.”
Juliette tilts her head. “Yeah and because of that, you may be the only girl in school that I can trust.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah.” She leans against the door. “Just one more confirmation that men suck.”
My gut twists. I can’t believe Ezra walked out on me like that. Dumped me.
Probably enhanced by the punch, I start to cry.
“Oh shit, Kenley.” She awkwardly walks over to me. “Did he hurt you? Any of them?”
Any of them?
How much does she know about me and the guys?
I shake my head. “No, he’s just going through some stuff and,” I wipe my nose, “it’s complicated.”
“It’s pretty obvious that the four of you have gotten close again. You have to know there are rumors about it though. One girl, three guys.”
“We are close,” I admit. “And I don’t really care what people are saying about us.”
“Preach. There’s nothing people in this town love to do more than gossip. Trust me, I get that one.”
“I’m sorry you’re having to deal with all of this with your mom.”
“She made her bed,” Juliette says, indifferently. “At least the bad part is over. Six months, Kenley, and I’m out of here for good, away from all the lies and manipulations. I can’t fucking wait.”
There are so many things in that statement. Things I can’t even start to approach. I don’t want to be the one to tell her that this is far from over. That there may be a worse predator on the loose than her father, that I’m starting to wonder if her mom told the truth in her confession, because after going to that apartment I’m not completely convinced Rose is dead.
There’s a knock on the door and we both look up. I walk over and open it. Ozzy stands in the hallway.
“Hey, I’ve been looking all over for you.” His eyes flick to Juliette. “You okay?”
Tears prick at my eyes, because, no, I’m not okay. I’m devastated about Ezra and it’s obvious he doesn’t know.
“Can you take me home?”
He frowns. “Sure.”
I look back at Juliette. “Do you want a ride?”
“Nah, I told Dave I’d stick around.” She smiles sheepishly. Huh. Her and Dave. Rose wouldn’t approve. “Thanks, though.”
Ozzy threads his fingers through mine and we walk down the hall.
“You and Juliette seem to be, uh, friendly these days.”
“Yeah. We do seem that way,” I reply, grabbing my coat off the couch and sliding it on. As we leave, I can’t hel
p but consider that the reason I don’t have any girlfriends may be as much my fault as anyone’s. I’m going to have to learn to trust again, and Juliette may not be the worst place to start.
20
Finn
“Dude,” I call, running out the double door of the barn. Ezra’s a few feet ahead of me, headed straight to his motorcycle. “Wait up.”
“Not now, Holloway,” he says, fumbling for his keys.
I grab his shoulder, and he jerks back, flinging me aside. Not many guys are bigger than Ezra Baxter, but I’m one of them.
I straighten up and shove him, then grab the keys while he’s off kilter. “You’re not driving home.”
“I’m not drunk.”
I eye him. His hair is disheveled. His eyes tinged with red. I saw him drink a cup of the toxic punch. “Well, you look like shit and I’m not burying a friend.” I jerk my head. “Get in the truck. I’ll drive you home.”
I’m surprised he doesn’t argue, but we’ve all spent too much time mourning a classmate already this year.
He gets in the passenger seat and slams the door. I don’t speak until I stop the car at the edge of the long driveway. “What the hell is going on?”
“I ended my relationship with Kenley.”
I stare at him. “You did what?”
“Had to be done, bro.” He stares out the window. He’d been acting weird for the past few days—ever since we went to the apartment.
“I know this has been a tough week—"
“It’s not about this week,” he says. “It’s about the fact I’m not putting Kenley in danger.”
“I don’t follow.”
He frowns and scratches the back of his neck. “My dad is not a good person, Finn. He’s got no boundaries. He slept with his best friend’s daughter. Your girlfriend. Seduced her on that dating app and god knows what else. We didn’t know about that, but we do know about the stuff he’s sent to Kenley. My father seems to want what doesn’t belong to him. The best thing for all of us is for me to keep my distance.”
