CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

COLE

“Cole?”

I look away from Austin first to glare at Shane. “What?”

“Did you hear anything I just said?’

“Yes.”

“Then what did I say?” he questions with an arch of his brow.

“That you didn’t find much on the laptop.”

Deke shakes his head. “I thought for sure we could use something on there.”

“Well, there is some stuff. He’s got accounts we can drain.”

“He’s still looking for him,” Bennett chimes in.

I snort. “He won’t give up because without Jeff, the business will plummet.”

“Do you think he suspects us?” Shane asks.

I shake my head. “We made sure to cover our tracks. Why would he?”

He runs a hand through his hair. “Because we are the only ones who knew what he really did to Aimee.”

“He has no proof that we knew,” I argue.

“What if he found the cameras?” Shane continues.

“You’re reaching,” I growl, tired of talking about this shit.

“I’m trying to think of every angle so if something comes back to bite us in the ass, I can cover it,” he snaps.

I turn and step up to him, my chest bumping his. “Drop it, Shane. You’re making a problem where there’s not one.”

His brown eyes narrow on mine. “No, you made a problem when you decided to continue what Eli had started.”

“We all moved forward,” Deke corrects him.

“I owed him that.” My hands clench. “I …” A hand lands on my arm, and I jump back in surprise. Looking over, I see Austin standing beside me, her green eyes full of worry as they search mine. Her hand runs down my arm, and she unclenches my fist, then laces her fingers with mine.

“Hey, babe,” Deke says, lightening the mood by pulling Becky in for a kiss.

“Everything okay?” Austin asks softly, still searching my eyes.

I put that mask over my face that I learned to do so long ago. Who knew it would become useful the older I got. “Fine.” I release her hand and drape my arm over her shoulders, pulling her close to me.

“So …” She looks at Deke. “Why a party?’

He smiles at her warmly, and she eyes him skeptically. She doesn’t trust him. I told her earlier at her house that he was harmless, and he is. As long as you stay out of his way. He never doubted me for a second when I told him what I wanted to do to Jeff. I’ve never questioned his loyalty and the need for revenge. He was best friends with Eli, too, along with Maddox and Landen. But with Austin—he would have killed her without thought that night in the cemetery had I not stopped him. He may fuck with her here and there now, but he would never put his hands on her because he knows she belongs to me. I decide her fate. If I told him to kill her, he would. If I told him to protect her with his life, he would. And I would do the same for him. That’s what a brother does. They have your back. No matter what.

“Because you completed your first dare. And I’m not gonna lie; you impressed me. Just like I knew you would.” He takes Becky’s cup and places it in his empty one, tilting it to me. “He doubted your potential.” Then he takes a drink. “I did not.”

She scoffs. “I’m insulted.”

Everyone laughs, including me. I lean down and kiss her hair, letting everyone out here know she’s still mine. For those who are here and don’t already know. “I was impressed. Pissed, but impressed nonetheless.”

“Yeah, pulling that fire alarm was not the smartest move.” Bennett laughs.

She shrugs awkwardly with my arm over her shoulders. “My only option was to do it during the day while he was at work.”

“And you took my car. I’m keeping my keys on me at all times from now on.”

“If you would let me drive myself, I wouldn’t have had to take yours.”

“Not gonna happen, sweetheart.”

_________________________________

We’ve been out here on the beach for two hours now. The guys and I stand by the bonfire. People litter the beach—some stumbling and some already passed out up by the tree line. No one talks to me because they know unless they’re my friends, I have nothing to say to them. Deke is a social butterfly online, but he, too, keeps to himself at school. Bennett and Shane are friends with everyone. Kellan stays to himself. He’s only been this way for the past six months. I think some of that had to do with the wreck. The other, with Celeste.

I look over my shoulder to see Austin and Becky standing by one of the folding tables, and Austin’s pouring herself another drink. It’s her fourth. I’ve kept count. And I also know that she keeps adding alcohol to the ones I’ve made her.

“I thought Kellan would come out tonight,” Shane says, getting my attention.

I knew he wouldn’t show up. I bet my ass he’s at Bruce’s house fucking Celeste. Bruce is out of town, and Austin is here. That’s what I would do, if I was him. “Maybe he didn’t feel like getting his ass kicked tonight,” I offer.

Shane sighs but doesn’t say anything. He knows I’m not in the mood to be tested.

“I said stop!”

I spin around at the sound of Austin’s voice. Their backs are to us as they face a guy. A guy who I fucking hate—Bryan!

“Go away, Bryan,” Becky snaps, and then she shoves him.

The girls spin around and start to walk toward us, and I don’t miss the way they link their arms together and stumble. They’re drunk.

All four of us reach them before they can even take another step.

He and his friend Christopher laugh.

“What the fuck was that about?” Deke demands, looking down at Becky.

Before she can answer, Bryan and Christopher join us. “Hey, Austin?” he looks at her, and her green, glassy eyes are narrowed on him. “Bryan dared me to fuck you.” He looks her up and down, smiling like the drunk he is. “Where do you want it …?”

My fist connecting with his face interrupts whatever he was about to say.

“Dude!” Bryan calls out, jumping back while Chris falls to the sand.

“You dared him to fuck her?” I shout at him.

He places his hands up in front of him and flinches. I wrap my hands around his wrists and yank him forward. Once his chest bumps mine, I head-butt him. He falls next to Christopher, and they both roll around moaning.

“Get your ass up,” I order, already feeling that adrenaline that comes with a fight. My head pounds, and I clench and unclench my throbbing fist.

“Cole?” Austin calls from behind me. I spin around to face her. Those green eyes are now wide with fear. She looks at the guys on the ground for a second and then at me. “Let’s just go.”

“Not yet.” I look at Shane. “Take the girls to Deke’s SUV.”

“No. Cole …” Bennett grabs Austin’s arm and pulls her away as Becky clings to Deke. He shoves her off to Shane, and she fights him as he takes her to Deke’s Range Rover.

Kids start to circle us, and I remove my black zip-up hoodie but leave my shirt on. Deke comes up beside me, and we turn around to look down at the bastards. “I’ll take Christopher,” he says.

“I got Bryan.” At the mention of his name, Bryan gets up on his hands and knees, trying to crawl away. I grab his ankle and yank, flipping him onto his back. I stand over him, reminding myself that I can’t kill him here with all the witnesses, and of course, they all have their phones out recording us.

“It was just a joke,” Bryan says as blood runs down his face. He jumps to his feet, lifting his hands.

Deke is already on top of Christopher beating the hell out of him. I’m gonna take my time with Bryan. He deserves that.

“Fucking with what is mine is no joke,” I tell him.

“Cole …” He growls my name as if his tone is gonna get me to back down. I’ve beat his ass before, so you would think the bastard would have learned his lesson.

I lift my fisted hands and smile at him. “I’m gonna kick your ass, Bryan.” He swallows nervously. “I dare you to fight back.”

AUSTIN

Becky and I sit in the back seat of Deke’s Range Rover when we see the guys walking toward us. She opens the door and runs to him. I get out a little slower, knowing Cole and I aren’t like her and Deke.

“Baby,” she cries out, placing her hand on his face. He has a cut across his cheek, and his shirt is stretched out at the collar, but that’s all.

“I’m fine,” he assures her.

Cole’s eyes meet mine, and I glare at him. He ignores me as he climbs into the driver’s seat. I jump into the passenger side as Deke and Becky climb in behind us. They start panting as she crawls into his lap and straddles him while they make out.

I look straight ahead, trying to sober up. I drank too much. I added extra alcohol to every drink he made me plus took a few shots when he wasn’t looking. Now I’m regretting it.

I look at Cole’s hands as they grip the steering wheel. The skin broken and blood smeared on them. His black hoodie sits in his lap so I can see his toned forearms are also covered in blood.

“Did you kill him?” I can’t help but ask.

“What do you care?” he replies; his answer clipped.

“Why are you mad at me?” I demand.

He takes a quick look over at me. His eyes run over me before they go back to the dark road.

“It’s not my fault.” His hands fist the wheel, tightening his bloody knuckles. “I didn’t do anything …”

“I know,” he snaps. “I didn’t say you fucking did!”

“Then why the hell are you acting like it?”

Becky moans, and I don’t dare look in the back seat afraid her jeans may be off.

“Just stop it,” he snaps.

“No. I won’t.” I turn in my seat, the seat belt making it hard, but I yank on it, giving me some slack. “Why did you hit him?” He ignores me as he drives down the dark, two-lane road. “Because you needed the fight?”

“Don’t,” he growls.

“I may be a little drunk—”

“That’s an understatement.”

“But I saw you. You were pissed off before we ever got there. You were looking for a fight.”

“Shut up, Austin.”

“No, I wanna know why—”

“Because I’m not gonna let some punk-ass bitch speak to you like that,” he shouts, interrupting me once again.

“Like you speak to me any better?” I snap. “I may not be a dare, but I am just a fucking game.”

“What you are doesn’t matter,” he says simply.

I hear Becky gasp. “Cole …”

Her words are cut off, and I take a quick look to see Deke has his hand over her mouth and his lips by her ear. She still straddles him, but they’re both clothed. He pulls his hands away, and her narrowed eyes go to Cole.

I look back at him as well. “If I don’t fucking matter, then why didn’t you just let him fuck me?”

He pulls the car over to the side of the road and slams on the brakes. My hand goes to the dash while my seat belt locks up.

He turns to face me. Those clouds rolling in his blue eyes. “If that’s what you want, then go ahead.” He shrugs carelessly. “Walk back to him and kiss his wounds, Austin. ’Cause I fucked him up good.” Then he gets out, slamming the door behind him.