Read Online Embracing Trouble (Trouble Series) by Dee Bridle - Free Book Online Page B

Monica getting out of the car. “Let’s go inside before someone is robbed,” she said glancing over at a small group at the end of the driveway.
    “Beautiful Ava!”
    I turned to see Will heading over to me, looking at Antony and Chad with narrowed eyes.
    “Everything okay?” he asked as he reached us.
    “Yeah,” I said to him as his arm went around my shoulders.
    Antony stepped back a little, seeing that Will was a six-foot muscled guy with a mohawk hairstyle and tattoos on his neck. I hid a smile.
    “I was just talking to school friends.”
    “Sounds exciting,” he said with steely eyes directed at Antony. “Let’s go.”
    He pulled me away, his arm still around me.
    “You scare them,” I declared as we stopped at a group of people at the beginning of Noah’s driveway.
    Will grinned, and remarked, “I scare a lot of people.” He didn’t take his arm away from me. “But not you, for some reason.”
    I looked amused.
    “Well, not all the time anyway.”
    He smiled and grabbed my hand.
    “Let’s get you home.”
    “I’m perfectly capable of walking two blocks by myself,” I laughed.
    “I know that,” he said with knowing eyes. “But humor me,” he said pulling me across the road.
    “Hey, Will! Are you going to the Academy gig tomorrow night?” shouted someone.
    Will looked back but continued walking.
    “Of course.”
    “Who’s the girl?” someone shouted.
    “Nobody that fucking concerns you,” replied Will still walking with me hand in hand.
    “What’s with the midnight stroll? You losing your touch?”
    “You’ve normally got them bent over before you know their name!”
    Will stopped and turned back.
    “Shut it, before I come over there and kick your asses. She’s Zac’s.”
    I blinked up at Will, puzzled at how I could belong to Zac, when he wanted me to stay away from him. How did that work? We were walking again, and I noticed how all the comments had stopped instantly at the mention of Zac.
    We walked a bit more in silence, away from the party, and Will let my hand go.
    “So, why are you leaving the party early?”
    “Zac wants me to stay away.”
    He grinned, and asked, “You always do what you’re told?”
    “Not lately,” I returned with a smile.
    “He’s been like a bear with a sore head, since you appeared out of nowhere,” he muttered looking up at my house and stopping.
    “Who is Academy and can I come?” I asked suddenly.
    Will turned to me.
    “You want to come and see Academy?”
    “Why not? I haven’t been to a gig before.”
    “And you’d want your first one to be a death metal gig?” he asked with his eyebrow cocked. “On a school night?”
    “Yes,” I said lifting my chin.
    “Zac would not like that,” he said.
    “So don’t tell him.”
    He chuckled.
    “You need to be home doing homework like a good girl tomorrow night. Academy is not a band for you.”
    “I’ll get my own ticket then,” I returned.
    “It’s sold out.”
    I narrowed my eyes in frustration.
    “Then I’ll go back to the party and ask if anyone wants to sell one to me.”
    He huffed, “Yeah, sure,” and then shook his head. “He can be bat-shit crazy, you know. You probably do need to stay away from him.”
    “Why, because I’m such a good girl?”
    “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. This isn’t some high school game.”
    “I’m not playing high school games,” I grated.
    Will sighed in exasperation as he looked at me closely.
    “Fine, I’ll get you a ticket.”
    “Just like that?” I asked starting to smile.
    “You’re driving him crazy. It’s kind of fun to watch.”
    I grinned, feeling a newfound confidence that made me a little light headed.
    “Now go inside. The ticket will be in your letterbox by tomorrow afternoon,” he said heading back to the party.
     
    * * *
     
    The next night I sat down at the dining table where there was a lavish Sunday roast dinner spread out.
    “Who else is coming?” I asked my dad