that fucker what the Raiders are really about,” Asher said around a shit-eating grin.
I cut him with a hard look, but Jase surprised me when he said, “Nah, Chase is right. Although I’m ninety-five percent sure it was him or one of his guys, we can’t hit back. Not yet. Not with Finnigan breathing down our necks.”
Asher grumbled under his breath but didn’t argue. Jase’s word was final, it always was.
“Doesn’t mean I still don’t need to get Hailee back though.”
“Now we’re talking.” Asher rubbed his hands together, mischief dancing in his eyes. “Can we play with Felicity too?”
Jase’s expression hardened; only for a split-second, but I saw it.
Interesting.
“Nah, Hailee is right, this is between me and her.” Except he was all too happy to get us to do his dirty work now and again.
Asher shrugged. “Yeah, whatever, man.”
“I’m going to get another beer,” I said. “You guys want?”
They both nodded and I left them to it. I was right to lie to Jason. If he knew Hailee was the one behind what happened to his car... well, I didn’t want to think about what he would do. But I realized now he wasn’t ever going to give up this game of cat and mouse with her. And if he misdirected his anger at Thatcher toward her, things could still get ugly.
Unless Hailee was put in her place once and for all.
Monday rolled around and everyone was talking about the upcoming pep rally. It was always a big deal with the whole school showing up to support the Raiders and welcome this year’s Varsity team. Khloe had been blowing up Jase’s cell phone all day wanting to know when they could get together to plan our grand entrance. Eventually, she’d pinned him down during his free period, but I’d left him to face her alone, saying I needed to show up for class. He’d pointed out that I was already late, but I’d just grinned and got the hell out of there.
I hadn’t expected to walk straight into Hailee as I rounded the empty hall. “I need to talk to you.” She grabbed my arm and yanked me into the janitor’s closet.
“Hello to you too.” I glared down at her, confused about how I felt about her manhandling me. On the one hand, my dick liked it. If the hard bulge in my jeans was anything to go by, it liked it a whole lot. But my head knew it was a dangerous game she was playing.
“Why didn’t you tell Jason it was me?” Her eyes narrowed with suspicion, but I didn’t blame her. How could I when she had every right to be wary of me?
“So, you heard the rumors then?” A slow smirk tugged at my lips. “About how Rixon East snuck across the river and tagged our captain's car? Tsk, tsk.”
“Cameron...”
“Sunshine...” My smirk grew.
“God, you’re infuriating.” Hailee backed up, putting some space between us but it was the janitor’s closet so there really wasn’t much.
My brow quirked up. “Me? I’m infuriating? You might want to take a long hard look in the mirror, Suns—”
“Stop calling me that,” she snapped, before releasing an exasperated breath. “Why did you do it? Why did you protect me?”
“You think that was me protecting you?” My gaze hardened as I folded my arms over my chest. “Sorry to burst your little bubble, but that wasn’t me protecting you. That was me protecting my best friend from himself. From doing something really fucked up.”
“He’s a grown man,” she scoffed. “I’m pretty sure he’s quite capable of bearing the consequences of his actions.” It was Hailee’s turn to raise a brow.
“You don’t understand.”
How could she?
“Ha, football.” The word was wrapped in bitterness. “It all comes back to football, doesn’t it?” Hailee shook her head with incredulity.
“Jason has his whole career ahead of him. He doesn’t need to be distracted by you and your inability to know when to quit.”
“I…” Her expression slipped and a bolt of guilt went through me, but it was quickly followed by something else. The thing living inside me that had gotten used to watching Hailee battle with Jason. That enjoyed her smart mouth and reckless actions.
That craved them.
Shit, I was so messed up when it came to her.
“Admit it, Sunshine. You’re just like him. You can’t stand the thought of losing to him.” I lowered my face to hers. “I think you like these games. Like all the attention we give you. The attention I give you.”
Her eyes flared