Always Crew - Tijan Page 0,56
“Are you going to the frat house right now?”
I threw him a frown. “Why would I do that?”
“Why?” he scoffed at the same time a couple girls waved at him, saying hi. He ignored them. “Because your girl beat the shit out of him for your other friend because of his girl. Are you following the dots? You guys are involved.”
“We’re not involved.”
“How do you figure?”
I stopped and let out a breath. “He called a frat meeting. I have nothing to do with his fraternity. Zeke does, so that means you do. I draw the line there. I can barely stand you, but no fucking way am I wading in to help Zeke. No matter what bullshit loyalty he has to you or you have to him, he’s been a pain in my ass and Bren’s ass since before you arrived in town. So, yeah. I don’t give a shit. You go to the frat meeting and do whatever you want.”
I took off, hearing him bite out a growl behind me.
I kept going. I meant what I said.
“I want him out of that house.”
I didn’t stop, saying over my shoulder, “I don’t care!”
“He’s going to be a problem for Zeke if he stays.”
Aaand again, “I really don’t care!”
“Agh! Fine! What do you want?”
I stopped walking, and turned back, my eyebrow cocked up. “Say again?”
“What do you want?”
“Want?”
“Yeah. What do you want?”
I frowned. “Why are you up my ass to do this? What do you think we can do to help with this?”
Blaise frowned at me, his head cocked to the side. He seemed to be thinking, then he held a finger up. “You’re right. I’m thinking of this all in the wrong way. Thank you.” He flashed me a smile before backing away. “Oh, hey. You coming to my soccer game?”
“You play today?”
He dipped his head down. “Seven.”
This was another annoying fact about him. He was fun to watch. Even Bren enjoyed going to the games.
I growled, biting out, “We’ll be there.” His smile was blinding. So was how fucking smug he was. “Sit with Aspen, could you? Some of her friends are heading home for the weekend. They won’t be there.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”
He took off, and my phone started buzzing in my pocket, so I pulled it out.
An unknown number flashed over the screen.
“Hello?”
A voice said from the other end, “This is Bren’s boss. I believe you have something of mine.”
He was waiting by his truck when I pulled into the parking lot.
I didn’t know why he asked to meet here, outside PubTown, but I went. I was figuring not meeting in his parking lot was better odds for me? Either way, I wouldn’t be alone for long. I called everyone, giving Bren the option if she wanted to come and hear what he had to say, or head to the soccer game to sit with Aspen.
She hesitated, and that told me so much.
I wasn’t totally surprised when she said, “I don’t trust Jordan and Zellman with Aspen.”
She hung up and the dread that’d been building since seeing her dad’s face pinned on this guy’s wall just doubled. Bren was choosing to step back, something Bren rarely did. The last time she did it willingly was the night she told me she wanted to be a normal high school senior for a night, not chasing after her drug-dealer ex.
Bren didn’t step back because she was a coward. She stepped back because of the unnecessary pain it’d bring, and I took a look, a good long look, at this guy as I parked and got out of my own vehicle.
He was leaning his shoulder against his ride, arms crossed over his chest, and he was in full bounty hunting apparel. Vest on. All their weapons they wore. His badge hanging around his neck. He had sunglasses on but flipped them up as I came around the back of my truck.
He nodded to me. “I clocked you watching me the other night. Knew you were smart. The others,” he waved a hand in the air, “they listen to you. All of them. You can tell, if you really watch. Bren, she relies on you. She smiles quicker, breathes easier when you’re near her. The others, they do the same. They’re a bit more guarded, then you come back and they all just relax. And you’re the leader. Noticed that, too, from the other night. Could tell because they all had to see you if they were wondering something.