visitor’s information center, spotting Marcus’s Beemer.
He’s sitting in the front, looking down at his phone, his engine running and the windows up. I start to get out and Tanner puts a hand on my shoulder.
“Wait for him to come to you.”
I look at him and raise my brow, but he just shakes his head no . “This body’s a temple, little Jackson, but there are people I know who use this kid’s services. We wait for him to come to us. If he doesn’t, we go to the grocery store on Kings and wait. He’ll find us.”
I’m saved from waiting when I see Marcus’s door open two minutes later. He strolls over, hands in his pockets. I take stock to see what I’m up against. I’m a year younger than he is and just about eye level from what I remember, but this kid isn’t known for lifting weights or taking care of himself. I might still have some growing to do, but I’m reasonably confident that when I tell him to back the fuck off, he’ll hear me.
“Are you fine gentlemen lost this evening?” he asks at the driver’s window. Griff shakes his head no even as I’m stepping out, Tanner sliding through the door behind me.
“Need to talk to you a second, Marcus,” Griff says, pushing the door open. We’re relatively secluded; Griff parked near the old building and the trees lining the street are still thick with growth. I step up, impatient to let this piece of shit know who I am—and just who I’m here for.
“Leave Rachel alone .”
I get straight up in his face. I have to give the guy credit; he barely flinches, and doesn’t step back. He stands nose to nose with me while Tanner and Griff watch from beside the Bronco.
“I don’t know who you’re talking about,” his voice is calm as ice, his dilated pupils almost black, and his narrow face set in amused lines.
“The girl you threatened today? The one you said you’d handle if she talked about your baby again—the one you left bruises on? Ringing any bells?”
My hands are still at my sides, but when a smile spreads smug and satisfied across his face, they clench into fists.
“Ah, yes, Flow. I don’t remember threatening her, but we had a conversation today. Who are you again?”
“The dude who’s telling you to stay the fuck away from her, or I’ll kill you.”
His eyes go flat; so does his face. “Now who’s making threats?”
I lean in and hear Tanner and Griff step closer. “It’s not a threat.” I see he understands. I step back. “Don’t ever touch Rachel again.”
I’m a foot away when he speaks. “We’ll see. It’s hard to let someone so fresh go—especially when they scream like that for you their first time. Makes you want to take them harder and faster…over and over…until they scream for days.”
He tries to step back, but my fingers are twisted into his shirtfront, halting him. My other fist plows into his face again and again. I switch and place the next few hits deep into his stomach. I want to hit him some more—to bloody his face until it’s nothing but a pulverized mess—but I made a promise, and Griff’s got his arms wrapped around me. I let Marcus go, and feel an immense satisfaction when he falls to his knees retching.
“Like I said, it’s not a threat.”
10
Present
I go home after practice to shower and change, but I don’t sit down to dinner with my mom and dad.
“I need to go and see Rachel for a bit,” I tell them and they look up.
“Is everything all right?” Mom asks.
I nod my head, only because if I say no Mom will be coming with me. “She’s having some trouble with Marcus. I just want to go check on her.” And berate her into getting a restraining order.
“Tripp, did something happen?” My dad’s voice is quiet, but the concern is there. We’re sharers in our family—rarely do we keep important stuff from anyone. We understand that being a team and standing together is how we get through unscathed. For a second, my mind veers—the only time I didn’t rely
He’s sitting in the front, looking down at his phone, his engine running and the windows up. I start to get out and Tanner puts a hand on my shoulder.
“Wait for him to come to you.”
I look at him and raise my brow, but he just shakes his head no . “This body’s a temple, little Jackson, but there are people I know who use this kid’s services. We wait for him to come to us. If he doesn’t, we go to the grocery store on Kings and wait. He’ll find us.”
I’m saved from waiting when I see Marcus’s door open two minutes later. He strolls over, hands in his pockets. I take stock to see what I’m up against. I’m a year younger than he is and just about eye level from what I remember, but this kid isn’t known for lifting weights or taking care of himself. I might still have some growing to do, but I’m reasonably confident that when I tell him to back the fuck off, he’ll hear me.
“Are you fine gentlemen lost this evening?” he asks at the driver’s window. Griff shakes his head no even as I’m stepping out, Tanner sliding through the door behind me.
“Need to talk to you a second, Marcus,” Griff says, pushing the door open. We’re relatively secluded; Griff parked near the old building and the trees lining the street are still thick with growth. I step up, impatient to let this piece of shit know who I am—and just who I’m here for.
“Leave Rachel alone .”
I get straight up in his face. I have to give the guy credit; he barely flinches, and doesn’t step back. He stands nose to nose with me while Tanner and Griff watch from beside the Bronco.
“I don’t know who you’re talking about,” his voice is calm as ice, his dilated pupils almost black, and his narrow face set in amused lines.
“The girl you threatened today? The one you said you’d handle if she talked about your baby again—the one you left bruises on? Ringing any bells?”
My hands are still at my sides, but when a smile spreads smug and satisfied across his face, they clench into fists.
“Ah, yes, Flow. I don’t remember threatening her, but we had a conversation today. Who are you again?”
“The dude who’s telling you to stay the fuck away from her, or I’ll kill you.”
His eyes go flat; so does his face. “Now who’s making threats?”
I lean in and hear Tanner and Griff step closer. “It’s not a threat.” I see he understands. I step back. “Don’t ever touch Rachel again.”
I’m a foot away when he speaks. “We’ll see. It’s hard to let someone so fresh go—especially when they scream like that for you their first time. Makes you want to take them harder and faster…over and over…until they scream for days.”
He tries to step back, but my fingers are twisted into his shirtfront, halting him. My other fist plows into his face again and again. I switch and place the next few hits deep into his stomach. I want to hit him some more—to bloody his face until it’s nothing but a pulverized mess—but I made a promise, and Griff’s got his arms wrapped around me. I let Marcus go, and feel an immense satisfaction when he falls to his knees retching.
“Like I said, it’s not a threat.”
10
Present
I go home after practice to shower and change, but I don’t sit down to dinner with my mom and dad.
“I need to go and see Rachel for a bit,” I tell them and they look up.
“Is everything all right?” Mom asks.
I nod my head, only because if I say no Mom will be coming with me. “She’s having some trouble with Marcus. I just want to go check on her.” And berate her into getting a restraining order.
“Tripp, did something happen?” My dad’s voice is quiet, but the concern is there. We’re sharers in our family—rarely do we keep important stuff from anyone. We understand that being a team and standing together is how we get through unscathed. For a second, my mind veers—the only time I didn’t rely
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