I pointed at her. “Exactly. I don’t belong here. I didn’t ask for any of this. I didn’t appear one night in Alexander’s dream and tell him to fuck my mother and get her pregnant.”

  Rosemary’s eyes widened. Her chin quivered. Her eyes glossed over.

  Here we were… enemies… for what?

  “You may not realize it, Rosemary, but I hate everything,” I said. “I hate that I’m here. I hate Alexander. He’s not a father to me. I hate whatever he did to Ryland that put Ryland in a position to get hurt. And I hate that you’re blind and just take it.”

  My mind suddenly thought about Nova’s mother.

  The years she had to deal with her husband doing what he did.

  What if it was the same for Rosemary?

  Maybe there weren’t physical marks on her skin, but what about her heart? Her mind? Her soul…

  Rosemary covered her mouth. “I hate you, Elijah.”

  “I know you do,” I said. “I’m sorry that you do hate me. But I know you secretly hate Alexander more and you won’t do anything about it. Losing Ryland must have been hard, but you didn’t just lose your son. You lost your excuse to stay. And now I’m just a reminder of that.”

  I stuck my hands into my pockets and walked to the door.

  Rosemary was quiet.

  Holding things together.

  I got to the doorway and looked back at her.

  Every single thing she ever said to me floated through my mind. Or the times she and my father were talking and they didn’t know I was listening. Or when she had too much wine and told my father to just write the fucking check. Do it, Alexander. Do it. Make him go away for good. And if his mother won’t take the money, then give it to him. Or better yet… make him actually disappear…

  The night I heard that and I left the house, a cop found me sitting on a curb.

  He knew who I was and he said he was taking me somewhere safe.

  He took me to Cherry’s.

  And instead of eating some fancy shit dinner and drinking sparkling mineral water, Cherry made me a grilled cheese and gave me a can of soda.

  “You know what?” I asked, grinning. “I kind of like this room. I might crash here.”

  “The hell you will,” Rosemary said.

  “Why not? It’s not like Ryland’s coming back, right?”

  I shut the door and grinned, knowing how fucking evil that was to say.

  A second later I heard Rosemary burst into tears.

  Then I heard something hit the wall.

  And then something shattered.

  That would be good therapy for her.

  Plus, I had already gotten what I wanted out of the room.

  * * *

  I hung around Tech with Nero, Lars, Paxton, and Turner.

  Killing as much time as I could, waiting to head down to HCH and get my hands on Nova.

  I showed them the picture of Ryland and they didn’t recognize the other dudes in the picture. I took a chance and sent a text to the number.

  Hey - sorry I never got back to you - what’s up?

  I figured that was something good enough to get attention.

  But no response came through.

  I sat on the sink in the bathroom and put my head back, making smoke rings.

  “Lars tell you about the crazy chick?” Turner asked me.

  “What about?”

  “He got his shot,” Turner said.

  Lars leaned against a bathroom stall, his tree trunk forearms flexed with his arms folded.

  “Oh yeah?” I asked. “Good for you. She bend into a pretzel and you eat her up?”

  Paxton snorted. He turned his head and covered his mouth.

  “What’s so funny?” I asked.

  Nero looked at his black eye in the reflection of the mirror. I guess last night things got hectic with Walker and Ryker again. I missed out on the fun while getting jumped on the fucking beach with Nova.

  I looked at Lars and he looked away.

  Nero turned his head. “Two words. Whiskey. And…”

  “Dick,” Turner said.

  Lars elbowed the bathroom stall and started to pace.

  “Hey, it’s okay,” I said. “Shit happens.”

  “I didn’t know that was the night,” Lars said. “I was taking the night off. Burning off steam. Plus, I had… something earlier.”

  Paxton leaned toward me. “His hand and a sock. Blew that load too early.”

  “Shit,” I said.

  “Just a life lesson,” Nero said. “That’s all. Keep your loads full and the whiskey moderated.”

  I laughed. “That should be hung right in the main lobby here.”

  “Fuck yeah,” Turner said. “Then again, it don’t matter how drunk I am… it’s always going to rise to the occasion.”

  Lars looked at Turner and curled his lip.

  Nero stepped toward Lars. “Breaking balls, brother. That’s all.”

  “Listen, Lars,” I said. “You had her built up too much in your mind. There were only two things that would happen. You’d either pop like a water balloon to jagged rocks or forget how to use the damn thing.”

  “I’m not talking about it,” Lars said. “Ever.”

  “It wasn’t like she ran away crying,” I said. “Right?”

  “She sort of flopped it around and then left,” Paxton said.

  “Ouch,” I said.

  “You’ll get her next time,” Nero said. “Surprise the hell out of her.”

  “Just hope she doesn’t tell anyone,” Turner said. “That shit spreads fast.”

  “But her legs won’t,” Paxton said.

  Lars growled and took a step.

  “Change of subject,” Nero said. “Not having you guys tear each other apart over some whore and whiskey.”

  The bathroom door opened and two guys walked in.

  They were rough and tough looking.

  Hands dirty. Clothes dirty.

  “Get the fuck out of here,” Lars said.

  “Make us,” one of them said.

  I put my cigarette to my lips and watched as Lars went after them.

  The guy on the left took a backhand from Lars and stayed away. The other though was stupid, he tried to fight Lars.

  It took two punches to get the guy to calm the hell down.

  But Lars wasn’t done yet.

  He grabbed the guy by the hair and slammed his head against the wall.

  I counted three times and stopped.

  Nero finally stepped in and pushed Lars away, leaving the guy in a pile on the floor.

  “Point made,” Nero said.

  I jumped off the sink and left my cigarette burning in the sink.

  “Guess we should get back to class,” I said.

  Nero grabbed the other guy by the shirt. “You don’t know what happened. Right?”

  “Right,” the guy said.

  We left the bathroom and walked the halls like outlaws.

  Lars was still fired up.

  Rightfully so.

  I kept thinking about the picture and the phone number I found.

  And, of course, thinking about Nova.

  When that last bell finally went off, I ran out of Tech as though it were on fire.

  I got into my car and blasted my way down to HCH.

  I didn’t get a chance to sit on the railing and look cool as I smoked a cigarette, waiting for my Surfer Girl to walk out of the building.

  That was okay though.

  I stood at the bottom of the steps, taking up space, making everyone go around me.

  Except for Nova.

  When she saw me, she jumped from the third step and I caught her.

  I spun her around and put her down.

  It was almost as pathetic as watching Wes and Aira.

  They weren’t all that far away either.

  Neither was Kailey, Charlotte, Emma, Flynn, and Leo.

  We didn’t need to talk to each other. But at least we could breathe the same air for a minute.

  “Hey, babe, can I show you something?” I asked Nova.

  “Right here?” she asked, gasping.

  Her eyes seemed bluer for some reason.

  I loved when she flirted.

  “You can look at that later,” I said. “I found something in Ryland’s room.”

  “You were in Ryland’s room?”

  “Had no choice, Nova. That’s why I left Cherry’s. I have to get answers.”

  “What did you find?”

  “Other than the final proof that my brother really was a rich boy douchebag… this.”

  I showed her the phone number.

  “I don’t know that number,” she said.

  “Can you check your phone?”

  “Yeah. Sure.”

  “We’re going to hit Zen’s,” Wes said as he passed us by. “You should tag along. Both of you.”

  “Hold up a sec,” I said. “Do you know this number?”

  Wes looked at it. He shook his head. “Doesn’t look familiar. That’s not even our area code.”

  “He found it in Ryland’s bedroom,” Nova said.

  That got everyone’s attention.

  I reached into my pocket and took out the picture.

  “There was this too,” I said.

  I held the picture by the top and moved it left to right in front of everyone’s eyes.

  Wes, Leo, and Flynn were stone faced while the girls just shook their heads.

  “Ryland is such a fucking tool,” Kailey said.

  “Don’t talk about dead people like that,” Charlotte said.

  “Why not? It’s Ryland…”

  “True,” Charlotte said. She looked up. “You’re a fucking tool.”

  “You think he’s up there?” Emma asked. “He’s under us.”

  “Figures,” Kailey said. “So he could look up girls skirts.”

  “What about you?” I asked Wes.

  Wes looked at Leo. Leo looked at Flynn.

  “What?” Nova asked out loud.

  But I knew the answer.

  Wes finally looked at me and nodded. “Yeah, I know who they are.”

  * * *

  I wasn’t in the mood for pizza at the moment.

  But I was outside Zen’s, sitting on a table, smoking a cigarette, waiting for Wes to hurry the fuck up.

  Everyone carried out food.

  I got the picture out again and slammed it down to the table.

  “Talk,” I ordered.

  I pointed to the picture.

  Nova grabbed the picture again and held it up to her face. “Oh… shit…”

  “What?” I asked her.

  “I didn’t… see it…”

  “See what?” I asked, getting louder and more irritated.

  She put the picture down and stood up. She pointed to the guy on Ryland’s right.

  “You know him?” Wes asked her.

  “Not really.” She looked at me. “That’s the guy I kicked in the balls, Elijah. I swear I recognize his eyes.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked.

  “You kicked someone in the balls?” Emma asked.

  “When?” Aira asked.

  “These were the guys then,” I said. “Someone tried to come after me on the beach. When I was with Nova. Two guys. I held my ground and one got away and went after Nova. She held her ground too. They took off to someone waiting in a vehicle.”

  “Three people,” Nova said to me.

  She looked at me and shut her eyes.

  I pulled her close and let out a breath and shook my head.

  “Why would they come after you?” Leo asked.

  “Paying for my brother’s sins,” I said.

  “Bullshit,” Wes said. “What were you tied into with them?”

  “I don’t know,” I said. “That’s the damn truth, Wes. I don’t know what Ryland did. Or why. Or how. And I’m next.”

  “Next?” Emma asked.

  I made a gun out of my fingers.

  Emma turned her head.

  “This is all so fucked up,” Nova said.

  “Just tell him what you know,” Flynn said.

  He stepped up behind Charlotte and put his hands to her shoulders.

  Everyone was in protective mode.

  That didn’t make me feel any better at all.

  “I don’t know a lot here,” Wes said. “But I know those faces. Don’t have names though. Other than BC.”

  “What the hell is that?” I asked.

  “Fuck,” Kailey said. “That’s the bad… the really bad stuff…”

  “What stuff?” I asked.

  “Elijah, listen to me,” Wes said. “Take it for what it’s worth and let shit go. You’re not going to get revenge for Ryland’s death, okay?”

  I didn’t say a thing about me not giving a damn about revenge.

  “If they sent these guys to rough you up, it was a message,” Leo said. “Take the message and walk away.”

  “Nova…,” I said. “She has nothing to do with it and now she’s tied into it.”

  “You can’t fight with BC,” Wes said.

  “Coming from the guy who fights anyone and everyone,” Aira said.

  “What is BC?” I asked.

  “Brooks Crest,” Emma said. She swallowed hard. “I’ve… known people from there…”

  “You’ve slept around there,” Charlotte said.

  “Are we here to discuss my bedroom life?” Emma snapped.

  “You fooled around with guys up at BC?” Leo asked.

  “Oh, please,” Emma said, “should we talk about the long list of whores you’ve been with? You should be a fucking walking pharmacy by now.”

  “Okay, we get it,” Kailey said. “Emma and Leo are sluts. Good for them. What do we do to help Nova?”

  “Nothing,” Wes said.

  “Thanks,” Nova said.

  “Not like that,” Wes said. “Just let it go.”

  “What if it’s too late?” I asked.

  Wes swallowed hard. “Think about the worst fucking rich kids you can imagine. Think about people who make Ryland look like Santa Claus. That’s what BC is. That’s where the bad kids go. We always said it that way. The bad kids. But it’s for those who need help. I’m talking… just crazy shit.”

  “Are you afraid, Wes?” I asked.

  “No,” Wes said. “I’m just not that stupid.”

  “And what if these assholes came after Aira?” I asked.

  “Then I would be that stupid,” Wes said.

  He pushed the picture toward me.

  “BC,” I said. “They’re that bad?”

  “They are,” Charlotte said.

  “No lie,” Kailey said.

  “A baseball bat wouldn’t be nearly enough,” Emma added.

  I folded the picture and tucked it into my back pocket.

  I walked away and went down to the beach for a cigarette and to try and clear my mind.

  Things were falling into place, and maybe not the way I wanted.

  Ryland had done something shady with these BC guys and after taking him out, they were coming after me. They sent me a letter. They got me to HCH. Now they were making their attack.

  “Elijah?”

  I looked over my shoulder and saw Nova approaching. Her hands fighting with her hair as the beach wanted its breeze to play. Sending racing feelings through my body. Reminding me of so many damn memories of her.

  When she was close enough, I slipped my arm around her.

  “Still glad this all happened, babe?” I whispered.

  “Yeah,” she said, hugging me. “It has you here.”

  “You trust me that much?”

  Nova looked up at me. “It might be the biggest mistake of my life, but I do trust you that much, Elijah.”

  I laughed.

  Then I stared out to the water.

  It was a fucked up thing going through my mind at that moment…

  I could deal with breaking Nova’s heart.

  But I couldn’t deal with breaking her trust.

  Chapter 14

  Nova

  Wes, Leo, and Flynn went to Tech.

  That in itself left me nervous.

  They were meeting up with Walker and Ryker.

  That made me even more nervous.

  I knew how tense it was up at Tech.

  Elijah’s new friends had a big problem with Walker and Ryker. And if you asked me, with myself and Aira not around Elijah and Wes, then that just opened the door for the two of them to beat the hell out of each other.

  I stood at the end of the deck and tried to hide everything I was feeling. Normally I was a pro at it. But ever since Elijah showed up and I started letting myself become more vulnerable, it was harder to do.

  “You know, if you break the deck, Julia will get pissed,” Aira said as she stepped up next to me.

  She smiled, a cigarette in her right hand, looking stunningly beautiful as she smoked.

  “What?” I asked.

  Aira kicked my right leg.

  I didn’t even realize how much my leg was shaking and bouncing.

  I quickly stopped. “Shoot. Sorry. I’m just… uh…”

  “Yeah, I know,” she said. “A lot at once. That should be the slogan for HCH.”

  I laughed. “No shit. I can’t get my thoughts straight. I mean, one second we’re sitting there and Cherry is legit drunk. I mean she’s giggling, falling over… like nothing I ever saw. I’m looking at Elijah, flirting with my eyes, thinking about all we can do when Cherry falls asleep…”

  “You dirty slut,” Aira said with a wink.

  “Oh, and I’m sure you and Wes haven’t painted this deck yet?”

  Aira smirked and shrugged her shoulders.

  “Anyway,” I said. “How did we go from that to getting attacked on the beach? All because…”

  “What?” Aira asked.

  “Because of Ryland,” I said.

  Aira frowned. “I know.”

  “I mean, Elijah did his part too. It’s not about revenge. Okay? Elijah and Ryland talked a lot. Especially after summer.”

  “I could never figure Ryland out,” Aira said. “He caused so many problems. And in a way, I sort of let him.” Aira looked around. “In a way, I liked the attention. There was this small sliver of me wondering just who he really was. And if he did like me. Or love me. Or how I was supposed to feel.”

  I touched Aira’s back. “That means him dying must have hurt.”

 

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