A smile curled Damon’s lips as he lifted his finger and wagged it at me.
Kai saw him, breaking out in a laugh as they disappeared through the door, and I didn’t think I blinked for a solid minute.
Shit!
• • •
As soon as class ended, I didn’t turn right like I was supposed to, I didn’t go to my locker to pick up my chem book, and I did not pass Go. I charged into the front office, tempted to go for the front doors instead to check for a police car, but I was already here.
“I need to speak with Mr. Kincaid,” I told the secretary as I placed my hands on the long counter.
She glanced up from the stack of packets she was counting out. “About?”
I opened my mouth, but someone spoke up first.
“She’s not getting in until after me.”
I spun around, seeing Trevor Crist’s hair dripping wet as he held tissues to his nose.
“I’ll wait,” I told the secretary.
I looked over at Kincaid’s door, seeing shadows move behind the frosted glass as my stomach rolled at all the possibilities happening inside. I sat a couple of chairs down from Crist, trying to eavesdrop, but all I could hear was mumbling.
I was tempted to let them take the fall if they offered, because they’d get out of it, and I wouldn’t, but I wasn’t that person.
“Aren’t you going to ask me what happened?” Trevor asked.
I looked over at him, a molecule of sympathy coursing through my body.
But it was just another day in Thunder Bay.
“I don’t really care,” I said. “Sorry.”
I heard him scoff as I watched the shadows move, barely listening as he went on and on.
“Someday, all of this is going to catch up with them,” he spat out.
He was talking about the Horsemen. I guessed it was them—or one of them—whom he got into it with.
“Everyone says that,” I sighed.
Even me at one point.
“It’ll happen,” he argued. “And I won’t be the only one laughing when it does.”
I turned my gaze on him, seeing his jaw flex, big anger on him for a freshman.
Part of me admired the kid. He hated his brother and made no show of anything else. I understood it when maybe not everyone would.
The door to Kincaid’s office opened, and I stood up, a slew of people walking out, including my brother.
He saw me, and I straightened, racking my brain for any excuse.
“You boys get back to class,” Kincaid told them. “I’m letting you practice during seventh period, so you can cut out early for festivities tonight. Don’t make me regret it, and I mean it, Torrance.”
Damon chuckled as Martin stood off to the side, eyeing me with fire in his eyes.
“What are you doing up here?” he asked.
“Picking up college fair information,” I said, shifting on my feet before finding the brochures on the wall.
I grabbed one.
What happened in there? What were they talking about? Did Martin know?
“Trevor,” Kincaid said. “Come on in.”
Trevor stepped toward the dean’s office, coming up chest to chest with Damon and looking really brave like he wasn’t a foot shorter than the senior.
“You know, someday I won’t be a kid,” he gritted out, “and you’ll be fighting someone your own size.”
“It still won’t be a fair fight, princess,” Damon told him, getting in his face, “but you’re welcome to try. Just bring yourself some lube.”
Will laughed a little, and Michael pushed Damon away from his brother. “Enough. Let’s get to class.”
The two just stood there, neither one wanting to give in first.
“Everyone to class…now!” Kincaid barked.
The boys moved away from each other, maintained eye contact for a few extra seconds for good measure before they started to filter out of the front office. I stood there for a moment, trying to figure out what had happened.
They weren’t in trouble. Okay, that was good.
Should I still fess up? I paused, waiting to see if my brother would leave, but Will just nudged me out the door.
“Don’t say anything,” he whispered so Martin wouldn’t hear.
My words, apology, and explanation lodged in my throat, and I gave my brother a tight smile as I left to get back to class. But the look in his eyes told me he knew I was up to something.
We left, Damon hitting lockers and making a ruckus as we all trailed down the hall.
“I’ll see you in economics,” Will told Michael as he held me back and everyone else went ahead of us.
We stopped in the empty hall, second period already begun and the others disappearing around the corner or up the stairs.
“Does he know?” I asked quietly. “Kincaid?”
“Yeah,” he told me, nodding. “I mean, he thinks it was the guys and me. He can’t prove it, but he has no intention of trying to, either.”
So they all just let him believe it was them? Why would they do that?
“I guess it’s good to be you,” I said, pretty grateful.
Will came in close, looking down at me. “They’ve filled McClanahan’s grave back in. The family has had a change of heart.” He cleared his throat, reciting the news. “‘It’s become a landmark.’ Which basically translates to they don’t want to deal with constant vandalism, so they’ll leave him where he’s always rested.”
So, it worked.
It actually worked.
“Everything is real,” he stated.
Huh?
“That’s what you said last night as you were climbing into your bed,” he pointed out. “Everything is real today. Am I less real at night? Is that why you’re pulling away this morning?”
Yes. I swallowed over the pain in my throat.
I mean, it was fun. I would love for it to happen again, but…
“Who’s doing that to your body?” he demanded.
I tensed, taking a step back.
“You have bruises everywhere.” His eyes trailed up to my brow and the small cut I’d covered with makeup. “Is it your brother?”
My hands trembled.
He was figuring it out.
I knew he would. I blinked away the sting in my eyes.
“Emmy, stop lying to me,” he said softly. “I know something’s wrong. I know it. Tell me.”
The lump in my throat stretched. God, I wanted to tell him.
I didn’t want to lose this. I wanted to let him hold me and protect me. He cared.
As much as I wanted to pretend that he didn’t, I knew he cared.
And my heart that ached to keep him hurt worse than anything Martin had ever done to me.
But I couldn’t tell him. If I let this go on, he’d interfere. He’d make trouble, stand up for me, and I could be separated from her.
I could be sent away. I didn’t want my grandmother alone.
My chin shook, the words on the tip of my tongue. It would feel so good to dive into his arms and look forward to more with him. I wanted to tell him everything.
But I just clenched my teeth so hard my jaw ached and backed away some more, forcing a scoff. I shook my head, my bitter smile fixed on him.
I looked at his mouth and then his hands, remembering how all of him was mine last night.