Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 111038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Oliver nodded.
Both seemed resigned.
Well. Fuck.
I shook my head. “We’re almost out of here. It’s too late to change anything. This ain’t worth it for you guys.”
Oliver grinned.
Jamie laughed. “Exactly.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
He kicked up from the vehicle and shrugged, glancing back at the school, which was starting to empty of students. “Zeke might’ve done something if you’d pulled this at the beginning of the semester. You pushed back against him. He doesn’t forget that shit—or he doesn’t with us. You might be different, but you got pull. I mean, we’re here. We’ve never backed anyone else, and he knew that’s what we did today. We were backing you. He ain’t going to do shit because it’s almost the end of the year, but man, we got summer left. There’s parties to be had, to throw, to crash. Zeke loves you, and he ain’t ever gonna let you go.”
I grunted. “That makes him sound creepy.”
Oliver shook his head, shrugging. “No offense, but Allen is a bit creepy with you. He always has been. He really does love you, and not like he wants to fuck you. He’s got unconditional, agape-type-shit love for you. He won’t do anything to you, but us he might’ve fucked over. He won’t now. We’re heading into party season. He just wants to go along to get along, ya know?”
Party season. Summertime.
“I’m heading to New York.”
They both laughed. “Then we’re either all coming with you or you ain’t going to be there long.”
I studied them. Zeke had said the same to me a month ago, and my mom had laughed when I told her about my summer plans this morning. Why did everyone doubt that I was going to New York?
“I have to,” I told them. “My non-bio dad is being an asshole to my mom. I need to go make sure he’s not going to mess with her.”
Jamie held his hands up. “Whatever. We’ll come with you for that too.”
“You know Allen’s with you, no matter where you go,” Oliver added. “You won’t be able to get rid of the asshole.”
And as if to prove his point, Zeke came out of the school just at that moment. I noted neither Brian nor Branston was with him, which meant he’d specifically told them to steer clear. He walked across the lot, slowing when he was within talking distance. He kept some space between us, eyeing Jamie and Oliver.
“Hey, man. What’s the deal tonight?”
I let out a breath. I’d not realized I’d been holding it, but it didn’t seem Zeke was going to hold this morning against me. “I’m supposed to do a family dinner. You up for helping me with some distracting?”
His eyes lit up. “Your sister-in-law going to be there?”
Jamie and Oliver started laughing.
I rolled my eyes. “Shut up, douches.”
He was talking about my half-brother’s girlfriend, who was not someone to mess with. My half-brother wasn’t either, but Zeke already knew that. He’d gone against them earlier this year and gotten his car exploded because of it. He’d let bygones be bygones once he found out about my relation to them, but he knew things were dicey between my half-brother and me.
Zeke’s grin turned wicked. “What about your sister? You think her boyfriend will be there? He’s a nice little fighter dude to fuck with. Gets all hot and bothered if he thinks we’re flirting with his woman.”
“Don’t fuck with Taz.” Or her boyfriend, but I held that back because that would ensure Zeke would fuck with him. I was picking my battles here, and I was tired. Maybe that burst of anger this morning, whatever it’d been, had been enough for me? Got some of my demons out or something? Who knew.
“Yeah.” Zeke laughed, rolling his shoulders back. He was settling in, which meant he was feeling good about how things were going between us. His grin was easy. “I’m down. I can distract anyone you want me to distract tonight. I love these family dinners. Drop the word pussy a few too many times and everyone’s all up in arms.”
I grinned. For a while, that’d been Zeke’s favorite word. Pussy this, pussy that. Literally every other word was pussy. That’d been an interesting month.
“You want in too?” I asked the others.
“Hell yeah,” Jamie answered.
Oliver nodded. “Count us in.”
Maybe dinner wasn’t going to be too bad. I’d never brought these guys to the house before, just Zeke.
I pulled my keys out. “I can drive.”
Zeke got shotgun. “Have I mentioned how I’d love to make love to your G Wagon, B?”
“Fucking Mercedes too.” Jamie whistled under his breath as he climbed in.
I shot them a look, snorting. “Right, because your BMW is so low class?”
Jamie just smiled. Cocky fucker.
8
Aspen
I needed to camp. Stat.
Now.
I would break out in hives if I didn’t get my camp on, and I had a plan formed before I’d driven Maisie all the way home from school.