by K. Webster
“Of course,” Penny says in a sugary sweet voice. “Because that worked out so beautifully for Charlotte.”
Garrett’s nostrils flare. She’s right. They tried to do shit the legal, correct way and the Cunninghams kept fucking with Charlotte until she almost died. Attempted murder and rape. They tried to burn us all alive, for fuck’s sake. Police reports don’t do shit but piss the bad fuckers off.
Nah, when it comes to these pricks, we need to do it the Cal Hutton way.
A big, painful proverbial fuck-you thumb up the ass.
“What did Samantha say?” Jace asks, frowning. When he scowls, he looks just like Roan. Roan still has bad blood with his dad, but he tolerates him since his dad went and became besties with his husband’s father.
“She thinks she’ll get that shit pushed through faster with Zella potentially being in danger, though we have no proof.” I scrub a palm over my face and glance at Garrett. “We have to find Lacey.”
Penny tenses, her lips thinning out into a line. Nervousness glints in her blue eyes. I want to pull her into my arms and assure her I don’t want Lacey back. Just Penny. But, with her dad and brother within punching distance, I don’t go to her like I want. Instead, I try to reassure her with a smile. She flinches, darting her stare to her lap.
“I think Lacey is scared. Maybe hiding from Jack,” I tell him. “Back when we were together, she had scars. Like that fucker burned her with cigarettes.”
Penny snaps her head up, fury blazing in her blue eyes. “You think he’d do that with Zella?”
“If you saw Vicki’s bruises,” Jace reveals, “you’d have your answer. Fucking waste of breath is what he is.”
Garrett’s face reddens as he glowers at Penny. “And you went over to this motherfucker’s house?”
“I was there to protect her,” I remind him. “Plus, Jack wasn’t there. Penny won’t have to ever see him. It’s fine.”
“We need to get Zella out of there,” Tierra chimes in. “Can’t we just go get her?”
“Not if we want Terrence to legally get custody. Unfortunately, we have to do this the right way,” Garrett says, running his fingers through his dark blond hair that’s now messy from stress. I guess your children always getting attacked by psychos will do that shit to you. “I’ll press on Samantha until she gets shit done.”
“Press.” Jace snorts and Penny smirks. “Does your girlfriend know you want to press on your attorney?”
“His girlfriend hates Samantha,” Penny says with an evil glint in her eyes.
“Focus, children,” Garrett growls, pinning Jace with a glare.
“I wanted to hire a private investigator to find Lacey but…” I trail off. “It’s expensive.”
Garrett nods in silent understanding. “I know someone. Don’t worry about it. I’ll get him on it.”
“I can…” Pay you back.
“I know.” Garrett smiles. “It’s okay. We’re going to get her back for you. Terrence, you just keep yourself out of Hoodlum trouble. Don’t be a Cal.”
Cal laughs, flipping us off from the dining room where he has Charlotte in his lap while he talks to Roan and Hollis.
“We will get her back,” Garrett assures me. “I’ll make sure of it.”
Penny
I stare at a text from Jack for the millionth time, wondering how to respond.
He needs me to sit for him tonight. But ever since Friday night where he put his hands on me and threatened me, I’m afraid to. That, coupled with what happened on Saturday night at the party, has me never wanting to leave my bedroom again. Yesterday, after breakfast, I went back home because I needed to shower and put on real clothes. I needed normalcy.
I wanted to drag Terrence along with me, but he was buzzing with worry over Zella. Since we couldn’t exactly make out in front of everyone, we sneaked in a quick kiss when he walked me out to my Jeep. We texted a bit, but mostly, I stayed in my bed trying to replay the good times I had with Terrence rather than obsess over the horrible ones at the party.
I could just ignore it.
Quit.
Never step foot in that man’s house again.
But what about Zella? That’s basically leaving her with the big, bad wolf. I can’t do that to her. I can handle myself. I’ll just keep my Mace handy. I can’t, however, abandon that little girl. Not now knowing what he did to Lacey and Zella’s grandma, Vicki.
Quickly, I reply back to Jack before I lose my nerve.
Me: I can do it. You’re not going out drinking, are you?
Jackoff Henderson: No, sweetheart. Friday I was out of line. I apologize.
Whatever, creep.
Me: It’ll have to be after basketball practice.
Jackoff Henderson: Thank you.
I shove my phone into my hoodie pocket along with my keys, wondering if it’s time to leave this hell hole yet. Finally, my teacher gets cut off by the sound of the last bell of the day. Snagging up my backpack, I haul ass out of class, eager to get to practice. I keep my head down and my pace quick, ignoring all the loud chatter around me.
“Get her.”
The voice is my only warning as I pass the boys’ bathroom. Hands grab me, yanking me inside. A shriek escapes me before a hand clamps over my mouth.
“In here, Grayson,” Eli barks out from the handicapped stall.
I struggle, but Grayson is too strong. He easily rips away my backpack to get a better hold on me. My heart is thumping so hard, I think I might have a heart attack. I kick out, trying to reach anything with my feet, but only manage to get air. He rounds the corner and I get a good look at Eli.
Man, I fucked him up.
The side of his face is stitched up. His skin is black and blue. Satisfaction chases away the terror. I shove my hand into my hoodie pocket, grabbing hold of my keys.
“An eye for an eye, bitch,” Eli growls, cracking his neck and curling his hands into fists.
Grayson laughs from behind me.
It’s clear Eli is going to hit me…or worse, and Grayson is going to help.
Fuck them.
I jerk my hand out, my finger on the Mace trigger. This is going to suck for me, too, but at least I’ll get to douse this asshole. It sprays out, shooting Eli right in the face. I’m aiming for his stitches. He roars in horror, clutching his face and choking. Grayson releases me as we both start coughing. Tears burn from the terrible spray, but it gives me my out. My eyes and nose and throat feel on fire, but I still manage to stagger my way out of the bathroom.
I crash into another guy.
Without looking, I nail him in the balls. I’m not going to let Paxton finish whatever those two assholes were starting.
But it’s not Paxton.
Cal groans and then curses. “Fuck, Penny. What the fuck?”
“Cal,” I choke out, tears rolling from my eyes. “T-They’re in there and t-they were g-gonna hurt m-me!”
He recovers quickly from my assault and pushes me aside. Just as he opens the bathroom door, Eli and Grayson come stumbling out. Eli is in bad shape, gasping like a fish, his face bright red.
“Get him to the nurse,” Cal snaps to Grayson.
Grayson helps Eli toward the stairwell. Cal reaches inside the bathroom to grab my backpack and then puts an arm around me.
“You okay, kiddo?” he asks, now sniffling from the pepper spray.
I’m shuddering, but safe, so I nod. He guides me downstairs and to the office. Once I’m seated, he texts someone on his phone before stalking into Aunt Karen’s office. The door slams hard enough pictures slide off the walls, crashing to the floor.
I shove my keys back into my pocket and grab my phone to text Terrence.
Me: I won’t be at practice.
Smash: Don’t be a slacker, slacker.
His playfulness has emotion overwhelming me. I want to pretend with him. That everything is fucking normal.
Is this how it was with Charlotte?
Ryan was hurting her and threatening her, but she would
just put on that famous cheerleader smile to protect those around her from her problems.
I feel guilty for not understanding her before. How she wouldn’t just seek help or confide in us. It’s overwhelming when people are trying to hurt you and all you want to do is protect the ones you care about.
Jack.
Eli, Grayson, Paxton.
I want to deal with them on my own, but I feel outnumbered.
“Hey, Zero,” Liv says, peeking her head in the office. “Heard you got in a fight with boys and were sent to the office. I had to see for myself. I tried to tell Ericka you don’t fight with boys. You just let them tag team you at parties, but she didn’t believe me.” She holds up her phone and snaps a picture. “Now I have proof.”
I hiss at her. “Keep taking pictures of me and I will shove your phone up your ass.”
“You let them take pictures on Saturday night,” she sneers. “Just like your whore sister. Heidi told me all about what skanks the English sisters are.”
Springing from the chair, I rush her, tackling her to the linoleum just outside the office. She screeches when I grab a handful of her hair and smack the shit out of her. This bitch talks a good game, but I am not in the mood to be fucked with. As she squirms, trying to avoid another smack, I grab her phone, throwing it hard against the floor.
“Get off me, you bitch!” she screams.
“Nah, I prefer to see you cry,” I taunt, raising my hand to smack her again.
Strong arms yank me off Liv, who’s now crying. I’m no match for Cal, so I give up, falling limp in his grip. Aunt Karen is furious by the time she makes it over to us and assists Liv to her feet.
“In my office. Now,” Aunt Karen seethes. “I’ll get the boys. We’re going to get to the bottom of this.”
“You’re lucky you’re all under eighteen,” Aunt Karen admonishes. “Every last one of you could get arrested for what went on today.”
Cal shakes his head. “Girls fight. That’s normal. What those two did”—he points a finger at both Grayson and Eli—“is assault. They should go to jail.”
“And you should go to jail for beating the shit out of Aaron!” Eli roars back.
Cal sneers at them. “Aaron who? Never heard of him.”
“Enough,” Aunt Karen snaps. “Liv and Penny, I’m giving you detention this week. Mr. Hutton will hold it in his classroom. I don’t want to hear so much as an unkind word out of both of you or you’ll both be benched for your first basketball game.”
I grind my teeth together, trying to keep my mouth shut.
“Grayson and Eli, you’re both suspended for a week,” Aunt Karen states, her no-nonsense glare pinning them in their seats.
“Objection!” Cal bellows.
“This is not court,” Aunt Karen growls. “I said stop.”
“They dragged her, kicking and screaming, into the bathroom to do God only knows what,” he snarls. “And they’re getting a slap on the hand?”
“My hands are tied here,” she throws back. “There were no witnesses and she wasn’t hurt.”
I meet Eli’s glare, glance at his nasty-ass wound and laugh, the sound bitter and cruel. He rises to his feet, his hands fisted.
“Shut the fuck up or—”
Dad breezes into the office, Samantha on his heels. I’ve never been so happy to see Dad.
“Go on,” Dad clips out. “Finish that statement in front of my attorney.”
“Oh, Jesus Christ,” Aunt Karen huffs. “Who invited you two here?”
Cal flashes me a smirk.
“Liv,” Aunt Karen barks out. “Wait in the office for Cal. Detention starts today after this meeting.”
She sulks but obeys. Good riddance. Dad takes her vacated seat beside me, clutching onto my hand. His eyes are filled with concern as he visually assesses me for damage.
“For the record,” Samantha purrs, “these two men physically dragged my client into the men’s restroom to try and sexually assault her again? Am I understanding that correctly? Because in the state of Oregon, seventeen can still be tried as an adult.”
“You can’t talk to them without their parents here,” Aunt Karen grumbles. “I’ve suspended them both. This is my job and I can handle it.”
“Suspended. Hmm,” Samantha says, a bite to her voice, turning her attention to Grayson and Eli. “Fine, I won’t speak to them, Karen, I’ll speak to you.” Her eyes never leave them. “These boys will be suspended, and it will be explicitly detailed what they did to Penny. That way, if they ever try to hurt her again, we will have something on file so that we can nail their asses to the wall. Understood?”
“Everything will be by the book, I assure you,” Aunt Karen grinds out. “You may leave now.”
Dad reaches for my hand and squeezes it. His voice is pleasant as he delivers his next words to Eli. “If you ever hurt or intimidate my daughter again, you’ll be nursing more than a contusion and bruises on your head.”
“Garrett,” Aunt Karen bites out. “Enough. You can’t threaten them.”
“I didn’t hear anything,” Samantha says, a smile on her pretty face. “Did you, Cal?”
Cal cracks his neck and grins evilly at them. “Nope.”
“Penny,” Aunt Karen says with a sigh. “Take them out of here and then go to detention with Mr. Hutton. Please.”
I rise to my feet and meet Eli’s stare again. “I hope it burns.”
Terrence
As soon as practice ends, I grab my bag and limp my ass across the school to Cal’s classroom. My rage hasn’t cooled one bit since I read his text a half hour ago when he left his meeting to head to detention. Not only was Penny not coming to practice, she was going to be in detention as well. All I know is Eli and Grayson attacked her in the bathroom, forcing her to Mace them, and then she somehow ended up in a brawl with one of my other players, Liv. Of all people who belong in detention, Penny isn’t one of them.
Cal’s classroom door is open and I can hear him laughing. I walk inside to find Liv sitting in a desk at the very back of the room while Penny sits up front. Charlotte is perched on the edge of Cal’s desk, grinning at him.
“What happened?” I demand, my eyes locking onto Penny.
Her cheeks are tearstained, and her eyes are bloodshot. Aside from that, she just seems bored.
“She attacked me, Coach,” Liv whines. “And then she broke my phone! For no reason!”
“The reason is on her phone,” Penny says in a cool tone. “Pictures of me. In a state of…undress.”
My blood boils as I snap my attention to Liv. “You have pictures on your phone from when they sexually assaulted her?”
Liv’s eyes widen. “I, uh, they were sent to me. I didn’t take them. I was going to delete them. I swear!”
“Go home,” I growl. “Delete that shit from your cloud or wherever the fuck you have it.”
She flinches at my harshly delivered words. I should feel bad, but I don’t. I don’t have any patience for anyone who actively sets out to hurt my people.
Penny is mine.
As soon as she leaves, I squat down in front of Penny’s desk. “You okay?”
“When I think about Eli’s screams, everything feels better than okay.” She smirks. “Did you miss me, Coach?”
“Not as much as Tierra did,” I tease. “She had to whip everyone’s asses all by herself in practice since you were busy.”
Cal’s hand clamps on my shoulder. “We’re going to dinner at Eldridge’s steakhouse tonight. You two coming with?”
“Yeah,” I say as Penny murmurs, “Nope.”
I shoot her a questioning look. She won’t meet my stare as she stands up.
“We’re going to hang out at Cal’s then?” I ask, taking her hand.
“I have a thing to do. I’ll come over later.” Her lips press together and she fidgets.
I’m not about to press her in front of Cal and Charlotte. With a heavy sigh, I nod. “I’ll be there. Text when you’re on your way.”
&n
bsp; “So,” Charlotte says, waggling her finger between us. “You two are a thing now?”
“Yep,” Penny replies, giving me a rare smile. “And don’t tell our brother. I don’t want my boyfriend to die.”
Boyfriend?
My lips curl into a wide smile. “Did you just claim me, mean-ass?”
“Stop talking,” she says with a cute eye roll, “or you’ll ruin it.”
I bought a car.
After dinner with Cal, Charlotte, and Cal’s parents, I randomly decided it was time to replace the vehicle that had been totaled last spring. A couple hours later and I drove off the lot in a mostly new black Chevy Trailblazer. I was tired of relying on rides or borrowing Cal’s truck.
When I get back to Cal’s, I shoot Grandma a picture of it. She likes when I’m responsible and shit. As soon as she replies, I roll my eyes.
Grandma: Looks expensive. When you go through your mail, shred all the credit card apps.
I dread going through that box, but Grandma will ride my ass until I do. So much for being an adult. I’ll always be the kid she was saddled with when Mom got herself in trouble. I love my grandma, but she’s a major pain in my ass.
As soon as I walk inside, I can hear Charlotte’s whines from in their bedroom. Whatever Cal’s up to today sounds painful. That dude has always been such a fucking freak in the bedroom, but with Charlotte, it’s like she unleashed all the wicked parts of him. They’re in love, so it must work for them. I’m just not into pain and shit. After the accident, I’ve had enough pain for this lifetime and I sure as shit don’t want to inflict any on Penny.
I take a quick shower to rub one out, my thoughts on my girl, before settling in my bed to go through the box piled high with mail. It’s nearing nine and I can’t help but worry about Penny. She’s off doing something secretive and I hate it. I wish she’d just talk to me. Knowing her, she’s probably learning ass kicking moves from Jace so she could beat up Grayson and Eli. That shit would not surprise me in the least.
My box of mail is mostly full of credit card offers. I ignore most of Grandma’s notes she’s written on them, all of which are to help guide me into adulthood.
