by Rebel Hart
Rupert’s eyes widened. “How the fuck did I forget about that?”
John groaned. “Do we even know how the fuck he blew that car sky high?”
I shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. What matters is that even if I’m involving Benji on a ‘trial basis,’ I know where he is and what he’s doing.”
John nodded. “Until now.”
I pointed. “Exactly. He was much too relaxed in my garage when he was talking with me. And he didn’t ride up on his bike, either.”
Rupert blinked. “What?”
“Yeah. That was weird to me, too. I chased him off once he started mouthing off at me, and he ran down the road until he was out of sight. He wasn’t on his bike when he came to visit.”
John snickered. “Well, how the fuck did he get here?”
All of us fell silent, and I knew they were thinking what I was.
“No,” Rupert said.
I shrugged. “It’s all very fishy. Even for Benji. You have to at least admit that.”
John shook his head. “I’m with Rupert on this one. I mean, this is Benji we’re talking about. Do you really think he’s got something to do with all of this?”
I reached for some pizza. “If anything, that’s what my gut’s been telling me this entire time. I’m sure of it. Somehow, Benji has gotten himself involved in some shit. I mean, when he was in the garage with me, he kept talking about how he didn’t need the Red Thorns anyway. How he had his own plans. His own time now to make his own moves. I thought he was just mouthing off after I told him the reasons why he’d never be inducted into the crew. But now?”
John and Rupert looked at one another as I took a massive bite of my pizza.
“Now I’m almost certain he’s involved somehow.”
Rupert chuckled. “Come on. Do you really think Benji is heading all of this up?”
John nodded. “Yeah. Benji’s not known for his organization. Or his thirst for revenge.”
“See, that’s what I can’t put together. My guess is that he’s gotten in over his head with someone else. Maybe, in the heat of some moment, he entangled himself with someone else to piss someone off that pissed him off. Benji might not like revenge, but he doesn't like feeling like an idiot.”
Rupert shrugged. “Then he needs to stop being an idiot.”
John chuckled. “Well, outside of all that, that theory sounds more plausible than Benji coming out of the woodwork and being a plotting mastermind.”
I sighed. “If I run with the theory and how Benji’s mind works, I’m thinking that someone’s convinced him that he could do better with someone else rather than with us.”
John paused. “You mean, used the fact that we won’t induct him to show him that we don’t care about it.”
I snapped my fingers. “Bingo.”
John sighed. “As much as I hate to admit it, it makes sense.”
I shook my head. “Trust me, I don’t get any fun out of it, either.”
Rupert reached for more pizza. “The kid never could see past the end of his fucking nose.”
“That doesn’t matter,” I said as I grabbed my beer. “What matters is that he knows things about us that he could pass along to the wrong people. People like my father.”
Rupert coughed. “Wait a second.”
John held up his finger. “Hold on. You think Benji is working with our father?”
I snickered. “Your guess is as good as mine. All I know is that there’s been a little too much beating going on in my life, and those two enjoy dropping in on me in my garage at inopportune times. And think about it. The two of them together? Dad with his manipulative ways, and Benji being as gullible as he always is? That’s a disaster waiting to happen.”
John grimaced. “I don’t like the sound of any of this.”
Rupert put his food down. “So what do we do about it? If all of this is true, where the fuck do we go from here?”
I paused. “As much as I hate to admit it, I think I have to pay him a visit.”
Rupert’s eyebrows rose. “Your father? You, go to him? Without him summoning for you like some warlock?”
I nodded. “I think it’s the only way. Lay down my theories. See how he reacts. Even my father isn’t infallible when it comes to involuntary twitches of his face.”
John cleared his throat. “Well, I’m going with you then.”
“No, you’re not.”
“He’s my father, too. I don’t want you doing this alone.”
“And I don’t want you getting hurt any further than you’ve already gotten hurt.”
John rolled his shoulders back. “Max, you’re not going to bench me because I’m damaged goods. Got it? I’m going with you. And that’s fucking final.”
I sighed as I looked over at my brother. He was the strongest man I’d ever known. After he pulled through all of his surgeries, he’d swallowed his pride long enough to step back and let me have a crack at the show. It took a lot of guts for him to step down like that. Usually, presidents tried to make a comeback after injuries like the ones he sustained. But it just wasn’t possible. With the permanent damage and never being able to ride a bike again, it took a great toll on his ability to govern.
I still respected him for approaching me the way he did and passing the torch. And I needed to treat him as such.
“Fine. You ready?”
John blinked. “What?”
I stood up. “Let’s go. You said you wanted to go with me. No time like the present.”
Rupert choked on his beer. “Wait, now? You’re going now?”
I nodded. “Yeah. We’re going now.”
I stared at John and waited for him to stand. Even with his cane, he walked tall with pride. I threw back the rest of my beer, knowing damn good and well I’d need the courage in order to face my father with something like this.
I turned to Rupert. “Keep your wits about you while we’re doing this. I want you to call around and see if anyone’s heard from Benji lately. I mean, anything. A text. A drive-by. Him yelling at them from across the street. I want to know if he’s been spotted by any of us lately.”
Rupert nodded. “I’ll put out feelers and make some calls.”
I drew in a deep breath. “Good. After you’re done with that, warn the rest of the crew that Benji can’t be trusted any longer. No one is to speak about business with him. No one is to inform him about meetings. Nothing, until we can get this sorted out.”
John piped up. “Are you going to warn Dani about Benji, too?”
I reached for my jacket. “I think Dani knew he was untrustworthy before I did, to be honest.”
I shrugged it on and took one last look around the backyard before I turned to my brother.
“Ready to go?” I asked.
He held his arm out. “Lead the way.”
Rupert stood quickly. “Max?”
I peered over my shoulder. “Yep?”
He sighed. “Just--would you try not to get yourself killed? Okay?”
I sighed. “Yeah. I’ll do my best.”
21
Dani
I groaned as I rolled over. My arm fell over my eyes as I tried to shield myself from the light. I felt the morning sun against my body as it slowly woke me from the temporary death I called ‘sleep.’
Get up. You’ve got class.
I sighed as my arm fell away from my face. I had plenty of time to get to class. Especially since they weren’t until the afternoon, anyway. I wasn’t worried about that. But it did tickle my funny bone that I’d woken up in the same position I fell asleep in last night.
“Must’ve been tired,” I murmured.
I pushed myself up in bed and stretched out my arms. Slipping off my leather jacket, I hung it up on the post of my bed and slid to my feet, making my way over to the small coffee maker in the corner. After pouring some of that hot honey in the bottom of my mug, I slid it onto the small platform.
“Come to mama,” I whispered.
I pressed the �
��brew’ button before it started blinking at me. Right. My roommate hated me. Usually, after she used the coffee maker, she’d leave it prepped for me. And vice versa, if I was the first one up. I stumbled around, trying to prepare the small device. I poured a bit of the coffee grounds onto the floor at my feet and cursed underneath my breath. I needed this coffee more than I could stand. Especially if I wanted to get some last-minute studying completed.
And get this paper touched up.
“Thank fuck for groveling,” I murmured.
After practically begging my professor, he’d given me an extension on the paper. It wasn’t the best thing to do to try and build rapport with my professors, but at least it gave me some breathing room. I didn’t want to take advantage of the man’s time, either. I wanted to get this paper done, succinct, and perfect well before the end of the extension date.
But, when my eyes found the digital clock on Hannah’s desk, they bulged.
“It’s already one-thirty!?”
Holy shit. If I didn’t hustle, I’d be late for class. For my afternoon classes, of all things! I took a few hot sips of my coffee and drew in a deep breath. I looked down at my outfit and groaned to myself. My clothes were wrinkled. But at least I had them on. All I had to do was wipe my face down, gurgle some mouthwash, and I’d be ready to go.
Get to it. Class is in half an hour.
I scooped up my shower caddy and made a break for the bathroom. I washed my face and brushed my teeth, deciding to take my coffee with me. I slid back into the dorm room with only twenty minutes to go. I dumped my coffee into a thermos my father had bought me during my freshman year, then gathered my things. I put my laptop in my backpack and picked up my books. I rushed out the door, almost forgetting to close it. I locked it up so Hannah didn’t have anything to bitch about, then I ran down the hallway.
With only ten minutes to get to class.
Even though I felt like a badass since running with Max, that didn’t mean I wanted to flunk out of all my classes. School was still important to me. Even if something else had also become important. And as I booked it to class, a terrifying scenario crossed my mind. One that had me clinging to my things for dear life.
“All right, class. Today’s lecture in on--”
“Yes! I made it!”
I walked through the doorway and every head in the classroom turned to face me. My jaw fell open as my professor looked at me down his nose. Beyond his glasses. Completely unimpressed with my outburst.
“Or maybe not?” I asked softly.
“Are you going to take a seat? Or do you want to give the lecture today?” he asked.
I was so wrapped up in my biggest fear coming to light that I wasn’t paying attention. I leapt up the steps two at a time and slammed my shoulder into the door of the school building. I needed a clock. I searched the walls for a clock. I couldn't be late. The universe had to have mercy on me at some point in time.
And in the process of searching for a clock, I walked around the corner, running straight into someone before my things went tumbling from my arms.
Including my coffee.
“Shit, shit, shit, shit. I’m so sorry. That was totally me.”
“You’re right. It was totally you.”
I slowly looked up from my crouched position and watched Benji’s face come into view. Every muscle in my body locked up as he grinned down at me. My eyes rolled down his body. I saw the coffee that had splattered all over his pants. His boots. There were even a few speckles on his leather jacket.
A sin that I knew wouldn't go unpunished.
“You don’t happen to have any napkins on you, would you, Bambi?” he asked.
I swallowed hard. “Nope. Can’t say I do.”
He crooked an eyebrow. “What are you still doing down there, Bambi? Care to stand for me?”
I sat on the floor. “I’m good. Thanks.”
I gathered my books and my notebooks and shoved them into my backpack. I wanted him to go away. All I wanted was for him to disappear into nothingness. I zipped my backpack up before I reached for my thermos. I outstretched my hand, easing myself forward to get it.
Before I could, Benji kicked it over into a corner.
“Oops.”
I scrambled for it. “Shit. Come on, seriously?”
Benji snickered. “Why don’t you try getting up? Unless Max has you conditioned to be on your knees.”
I snatched up my thermos. “Max doesn’t have me conditioned for anything, asshole.”
He chuckled. “Whoa, ho, ho! Look who’s finally sticking up for herself. I give it a four for execution and creativity.”
“Do you even know what those words mean?”
“I’m in college, Bambi. Of course I know what those words mean.”
I stood, walking back over to my backpack. But, Benji snatched it up. I tried to take it from him. Mostly because I felt time passing us by much too quickly. I needed to be in class. I needed to be in my seat. I didn’t need to be out here, fielding Benji’s insane bullying tactics.
“Give it to me,” I said.
He grinned. “I don’t think Max would approve of that.”
I lunged for it. “Give me my stuff, Benji.”
He held it higher. “Or you’ll what?”
I stood on my tiptoes to try and reach my bag. And the second I felt a pressure against my stomach, I went tumbling backwards. I slammed straight into the wall, cracking the back of my head against it. And as Benji’s laughter filled my ears, something hard got tossed against my chest.
“Not so tough without your boyfriend, are you?”
I blinked. “He’s gonna kill you when he finds out what you’re doing.”
Benji snickered. “What? You think he doesn’t know? You should know Max better than that right now. He already knows, sweet cheeks.”
“That’s not true. You’re lying. I know how he operates. If he knew what you were doing--”
“He’d what?”
Benji took a step toward me and my vision finally focused. He was close. Much too close for my liking. I felt his breath against my neck. I felt the toes of his boots touching my own. I licked my lips, pressing myself further into the wall. Hoping the damn thing would swallow me whole.
“What the hell does Max see in a chick like you anyway?”
I winced. “What’s it to you?”
His finger crept up my arm. “No ass. No tits. No curves. Barely anything to grab on to.”
I shrugged off his touch. “Don’t you dare touch me again.”
His smile was wolfish. “No nothing. Just a plain face and a nose that’s always buried in a book. You’re so… bland.”
“Get the hell away from me.”
“Know what I think?”
“I don’t give a shit what you think.”
He chuckled. “I think your pussy’s tight, and that’s why he keeps you in his bed.”
I tried not to let him ruffle my feathers. “At least I have more going for me than a handful of STDs and an inferiority complex so obvious anyone with half a brain could spot it.”
He arched an eyebrow. “What did you just say?”
“I thought you were smart enough to be in college. You don’t know what I just said?”
He snarled. “What did you just say to me, you bitch?”
I lifted my chin. “I’m not afraid of you. And no matter what you do to me, that isn’t changing.”
“You should be, little one. You should be very, very afraid.”
“Well, I’m not. You don’t make much of a formidable enemy. Plus, you can’t touch me. Max is going to beat you to a pulp anyway when he feels the knot on the back of my head. He’s going to ask me where I got it, and I’m going to be completely honest with him.”
“Oh, I’m really hoping you will be.”
I blinked. “What?”
He chuckled. “I like it when you challenge me, little deer. Makes my days more interesting.”
I felt his hand gripping my for
earm and I shook him off.
“Put your hands on me again and see how loud I scream,” I hissed.
He smirked. “Oh, I bet Max’s entire block already knows that sound.”
I wouldn't let his quips get to me. No matter how frightened I really was of this asshole, I wouldn't give him the pleasure of seeing it. I held my ground, locking eyes with Benji and refusing to look away. This little dickhole needed to be taught a lesson in the consequences of being a bully. He wouldn't get away with it when it came to me. I’d stand up to him. I’d give him a taste of his own medicine so he knew he couldn't intimidate me. He moved closer to me. My back was flush with the wall as I pressed my palms into the cool surface. And when Benji’s pelvis fell against my own, I wiggled my hands between us.
Before I planted them on his chest and shoved him away.
He stumbled backward as laughter fell from his lips. I glared at him with wild eyes as he slouched against the wall on the other side of the hallway. He licked his lips and blew me a kiss before running a hand through his hair. And as I watched him walk off, his voice hit my ears again.
“You got lucky this time, Bambi. But I wouldn't count on it for next time.”
22
Max
I stared at my brother John as he shrugged his shoulders. Rolling my eyes, I settled my ankle against my opposite knee and leaned back into the plush leather chair of the fireplace room. A room that had held many murder plans and money laundering issues and other ‘business decisions’ my father made on a weekly basis. This place was my father’s true office. Not the one down the hall with books and a desk that never got used. This room was where my father built his empire. At the back of the house, in the shadows, without a place for anyone to hide and eavesdrop.
Just how my father liked it.
John’s good leg jiggled up a storm. I could swear I felt the foundation of the house wobbling with every jerking movement. He kept looking around, as if he were expecting some sort of a surprise. I needed him to calm down, though.
He’d never been good at covering up his emotions.
