Curvy Girls Can't Date Bad Boys - Kelsie Stelting Page 0,70

what we must have looked like—a gaggle of Academy students hightailing it away from the stadium.

“This is it,” Kai said, looking at an app on his phone. “He should be here in two.”

The cops turned, facing the reporters who were now accosting Roy Taylor. Even from here I could hear their shouts, asking him about his relationship with Ronan, how he’d adjusted to having a son. The stutters I heard through the microphone brought me an eerie sense of joy.

My friends stood together discussing what had happened. There was an excited feeling within our group, but I still had an edge of worry. Would Ronan see what I had said? Would it make a difference?

Though I thought it was impossible, something distracted me. I heard the cops say “DP,” and my attention immediately shifted.

“We got intel where they’d be tonight,” one said low. “Can’t believe I got put on the call.”

My stomach clenched. They were going to find Ronan and his friends?

The other lifted his chin. “You’ll be a god if you catch them.”

The first one chuckled. “Yeah, but what’s Chief gonna do without the white whale?”

The limo pulled up, and my friends began climbing in. Beckett glanced back at me. “Coming, Zara?”

I nodded jerkily and let him help me inside. It was nice to be protected—but who would protect Ronan and his friends from the police? It sounded like the cops had a good chance of catching DP tonight, and I worried that they wouldn't be prepared. How would a criminal record look when they were applying for jobs or trying to support themselves? None of them exactly had anyone in their corner, and they didn’t need anything going against them.

“Jordan,” I said across the limo. “Can I use your phone?”

She nodded, handing it to me. “He hasn’t texted back yet.”

I tried to ignore the sting of those words as I typed in his number and hit call. It only rang once and went to voicemail.

Rory looked between us, confused. “Who are you calling?”

“Ronan,” I answered, “but his phone must be off.”

Beckett shook his head. “No, it’s on. He blocked Jordan’s number.”

Every head swiveled toward him.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“And how do you know?” Carson added.

Beckett leaned back in his seat and shook his head. “After I broke up with a certain someone, she tried to call me so many times I had to take matters into my own hands. She was ticked when she found out I’d blocked her number. Apparently there’s a way to tell. If they cancel the call, it should ring twice. If the phone is dead, then it should go to voicemail. One ring is a definite block.”

I’d thought my heart couldn’t hurt any more over him, but blocking Jordan’s number just proved what I’d suspected. There would be no second chances. Not with Ronan. But that meant there’d be no way to tell him about the bust.

Then a memory struck me. Our friend group had known where DP would be once before. We’d watched them stunt outside of the local move theater. And then Beckett had taken Rory to watch them another time...

I turned to Beckett, taking him in. “You know something we don't.” My eyes narrowed, anger flaring within me.

He raised his eyebrows. “What are you talking about?”

Rory even shifted her shoulders, like she could protect him from my obvious anger. But she couldn’t shield him from admitting the truth. “What are you talking about?” she asked, clearly on edge.

I still stared Beckett down. “How did you know that the DP stunt was taking place that night, at that time, outside the theater?”

His eyes darted away from mine. He was caught.

“And why was your dad there today?” I demanded.

Beckett let out a frustrated sigh and hung his head before looking back at me. The entire limo was silent, when only moments before we’d all been buzzing with adrenaline.

Finally, he said, “My dad’s been making deals with Roy Taylor ever since he bought the team, negotiating players’ contracts. After my mom left, I would have to tag along sometimes, and if we were at Roy’s house, I would see Ronan.”

My chest tightened, thinking of Beckett seeing Ronan, knowing him, in the middle of his pain. “You’re friends with him?”

He gave a noncommittal shrug. “Not really. We were never close or anything, but we still talk from time to time.”

Rory's mouth hung open. “You knew Ronan and you never mentioned anything all this time?”

Beckett shifted his gaze between Rory and me. “He's not