Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
"I refuse to believe she never told you. All that time running and you never asked why?"
Neil gave Riko an incredulous look. "Have you met my father? I didn't have to ask."
A door banged open down the hall, and Matt called Neil's name. They only had seconds before he found them, but that was enough time for Riko to lean in. He kept his voice down but packed a world of venom into his words.
"You were not running from your father, Nathaniel. You were running from his master."
The thought of anyone keeping the Butcher on a leash was insane. "He didn't have one."
Riko pushed back, putting space between them right before Matt rounded the corner. Matt leveled a furious look at Riko as he moved up alongside Neil. "What is going on here?"
Neil ignored him and insisted, "He didn't have one."
Riko pointed a finger up at his own face and waited. Neil stared back as his brain refused to put the last pieces together. What Riko was suggesting was impossible. The Butcher was one of the biggest names on the eastern seaboard. He made Baltimore his home, but his territory extended from D.C. to outer Newark. He had a fiercely loyal syndicate and a penchant for grotesque executions. No one told the Butcher what to do. But Riko's incensed reaction didn't seem like an act and he had nothing to gain by lying to Neil, especially considering how easily Kevin could set things straight.
Kevin was going to say yes to all of this. Neil knew it, and he wasn't ready to hear that yet. If the Moriyamas really were powerful enough to keep a man like the Butcher under lock and key Neil was so far in over his head he might as well be six feet under.
"I don't believe you," Neil said, but even he heard the dread in his voice.
"Denial is more infuriating than ignorance," Riko said. "You will speak to Kevin at the next available opportunity and have him explain this to you in little words your small mind can understand. Learn your place. I will never tolerate this level of disrespect from you again. Do you understand?"
Neil was already in his coffin. He might as well nail it shut. "Yeah, I understand you're a complete asshole."
Riko took a step forward, expression murderous, but Matt put an arm up between them. "Leave my team alone, Riko. You pick another fight here at banquet and we'll make sure the ERC suspends you. Have fun telling the press why you're benched for a couple games."
Riko didn't even look at Matt. He stared at Neil for half a minute as he got his temper under control. The violent gleam never left his eyes, but his voice was calm and sure when he spoke. "Later you will come to me on your knees, begging for my forgiveness. I cannot wait to deny you."
Riko turned and left. Matt didn't drop his arm until the door slammed closed behind Riko. Then he wheeled on Neil, expression tight with equal parts anger and concern.
"Neil?"
Neil was cold and shaken all the way to the core but his voice stayed steady. He stuffed his hands in his pockets in case they were shaking and held onto his phone for dear life. "I don't think Riko likes me very much. Should I be disappointed?"
Matt looked skyward as if searching for patience. "Coach is going to kill you."
"What he doesn't know won't hurt me."
"This is serious," Matt said. "Riko's got it out for you."
"He's not after just me," Neil said. "He tried getting Dan, too."
The dark look on Matt's face said he wouldn't forget that anytime soon. "He can try all he likes, but he'll piss only me off. Dan's not ashamed of the choices she made. This is different," Matt said, pointing at Neil. "I don't know what Jean said to you, but Kevin had to get shitfaced to deal with it."
"It's not what Jean said that upset Kevin," Neil lied. "It's what I said. I told Riko Kevin and I mock him all the time and wouldn't let Kevin explain himself to Jean. I spoke for him and refused to let him back out of this. I've basically made things a thousand times worse for him. I'm not sorry, though."
Matt laughed. "You're a piece of work, you know that? Let's get back out there before Coach realizes we're missing."
They headed back into the stadium to find their team. The Ravens had dispersed, likely relieved from running interference upon Riko's return. Dan and Renee were standing with Kevin and Andrew near one of the walls. Allison had joined them at some point, but Aaron and Nicky were still lost on the dance floor. Neil looked for Wymack and found him talking with Moriyama in the middle of the floor.
"Oh, Neil came back," Andrew said. "I didn't think you would."
Neil pulled his fist from his pocket and uncurled his fingers. Andrew glanced first at the phone in Neil's palm and then up at Neil's face. Neil didn't return the look but said in German, "I made a different call this time."
Andrew laughed and rocked on his feet. His grin was wide enough Neil could see it in his peripheral vision. Neil didn't really expect him to switch languages, because the conversation was likely more entertaining to him when they had an audience, but for now Andrew was willing to play along. "How interesting. How unexpected. Did it hurt a little?"
"Not as much as my next conversation with Kevin will."
"Not tonight." Andrew waved a hand in dismissal. "I'll give him to you tomorrow."
Neil put his phone away and looked up to see the upperclassmen watching them. Neil knew Matt would talk to them later and pass on his vague explanation, so he wasn't surprised when neither Dan nor Renee asked him what was going on. Instead Matt looked from Neil to Andrew and asked, "How many languages do you speak, exactly?"
"A couple," Neil hedged, and distracted them by asking Andrew, "Who is Doe?"