Everyone lifted their drinks, a collective chorus of, “good friends and future adventures,” echoing around us.
He was a good actor, giving no hint at the real man hiding beneath an expensive suit and fat checkbook.
“You’re all welcome to join us back at the house for a nightcap.”
“Oh, we couldn’t possibly,” Cameron’s mom said. “We have to get this little monster home to bed.”
“Of course,” Mrs. Bennet gave her friend a weak smile.
“Kent, Denise?”
“Not tonight, Andrew. Early start in the morning. But thank you for dinner. You didn’t have to pick up the tab.”
“Don’t be silly, Kent. What’s a little dinner between friends?” They shook hands and Jason’s dad helped Mrs. Raine-Ford into her coat.
I stood too. “I’m going to go,” I said to Hailee and Felicity. The sooner I met with Jermaine, the sooner I could try to put today behind me.
“Thank you for a lovely dinner.” I forced myself to look at Mr. Bennet. His jaw clenched as he gave me a brief nod.
“Goodnight, Mya.” Mrs. Bennet rose, beckoning me around the table. I went to her and she wrapped her slim arms around me. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “But please, don’t give up on my boy. He needs you, more than you know.”
Pulling away, I gave her a tight smile. Asher stood up and for a second my heart soared. He was going to say something, to give me a sign we were still okay. But he wasn’t looking at me, his eyes narrowing dangerously. I turned slowly, the air sucked clean from my lungs at the sight of Jermaine and two of his guys standing in the door of Bell’s.
I felt the weight of the stares of my friends and their families as my past and present collided in a way I never anticipated.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I rushed over to Jermaine, glowering at him.
“Got bored of waiting, baby girl.” He ran his thumb over his bottom lip, smirking.
“You need to leave, now.”
“What? We not welcome or somethin’?”
“Jermaine, please.” I let out an exasperated breath, noticing how out of place he looked, standing there in his baggy jeans and hoodie, his hair braided back in slick cornrows.
“Mya,” it wasn’t the voice I wanted to hear. In fact, Mr. Bennet was the last person I wanted anywhere near Jermaine and his friends. “You should ask your friends to leave. We don’t want any trouble.”
“And who the fuck are you, old man?” One of Jermaine’s guys stepped forward.
“Easy, Shawn.” Jermaine’s hand shot out. “I only want to talk.”
“You should have waited,” I said quietly.
“Well, I’m here now. Let’s roll, unless you want to introduce me to your friends.”
This wasn’t the boy I knew. Jermaine was all grown up, commanding the room with an arrogance that scared me. I knew what it meant to run with someone like Diaz. It’s why I let my eyes run down to the waistband of his jeans, searching for the outline of a knife. Or even worse, a gun.
When my gaze settled back on his face, his smirk melted away, and for a second I saw a glimmer of the boy I’d once loved. “Seriously, Mya, you think I’d come here packing?”
Mr. Bennet cleared his throat, hovering precariously close to us.
“Let’s go outside and talk,” I said, desperate to get them as far away from my friends and their families as possible.
“I’ll come with you,” Felicity appeared out of nowhere, flanking my side in solidarity. It warmed my heart knowing she was willing to take a stand for me, but I refused to drag her into this.
“Wait for me, okay?” I met her concerned eyes. “I’ll be right back.”
I didn’t look for Asher.
I couldn’t.
But as I followed Jermaine out of Bell’s, I was sure I heard his father say, “She doesn’t belong here, Son, let her go.”
“What the fuck, Jermaine?” I slammed my fists against his chest the second we were outside. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Easy, Mya, girl.” He laughed. He actually laughed at me like he wasn’t here to ruin everything. “I needed to see you.”
“See me? You needed to see me?” I yelled, aware that I was losing it. My tight grasp on control was slipping through my fingers. “This is my life, Jermaine. My life, and you shouldn’t be here.”
“We’ll give the two of you some space,” one of his friends said, shooting me an amused look.
“Fuck you,” I growled, feeling the thin rope of my control snap. I knew people like him. Gangbangers who thought they didn’t have to live by the rules of society.
It was a hard to believe Jermaine was one of them now, that he’d chosen them over me.
“Be careful, baby girl.” Jermaine inched closer, looming over me in a way that had once made me feel safe and protected.
“Tell your boys to back off. You want to talk, I’ll talk. But not with them leering at me.”
He gave them a brief look. One look that had them walking away without protest.
“Who are you?” I whispered.
“I grew up, Mya. Found my place in the world.” He tried to touch my cheek, but I turned away. “It’s time for you to come home. I can keep you safe now.”
“Because you’re in Diaz’s crew? Diaz can’t keep you safe,” I snorted. “He’ll only get you killed.” I forced out the words over the giant lump in my throat.
Even now, despite everything that had happened between us, I didn’t want to see the boy I grew up with get hurt.
We were at an impasse again, the same impasse we’d been at too many times before. Jermaine didn’t believe he deserved a better life and nothing I could say or do would change that. He was bound to Diaz’s crew now. Blood in, no out.
“We’re done,” I said, remembering all the pain and heartache he’d caused. “Nothing you say or do will change that.” Stepping back, I hugged myself tight, creating a wall between us.
Jermaine went to close the distance, but I thrust out a hand. “Come any closer and I’ll scream, and someone will call the police.” I was surprised Mr. Bennet hadn’t already.
“You wouldn’t,” he drawled, the surprise in his eyes contradicting his words.
“Try me.”
“Shit, Mya, you’ve changed.”
“Yeah,” I lifted my chin in defiance. “well, so have you.” Turning to leave, I spotted my friends in the window of Bell’s watching through the blinds. I didn’t expect to see them standing there. I didn’t expect Jermaine to grab my wrist forcefully and yank me back.
And I didn’t expect my boyfriend’s friend to fly out of the bar and tackle Jermaine to the ground.
But if I’d learned anything about Asher and his friends in my short time in Rixon, it was to expect the unexpected.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Asher
I hauled ass after Jason but he was too quick. He’d knocked Jermaine out of the way before I could reach them. The two of them started going at it, fists flying and bone crunching. Cameron appeared just as the other two guys pounced. There wasn’t time to think. I’d had enough scuffles on and off the field to know that if a fist was flying at your face, you either ducked and tried to make a run for it, or you hit back. I threw my knuckles straight into one guy’s face and his head snapped back, pain splintering through my wrist.