“Mac stays,” Royce adds, knowing Leo was about to call on him.
Leo gives a tight shrug before walking off, his grip on the strap of his duffle bag real fucking tight.
My eyes follow him and every rigid step he takes, so do Mac’s.
Only once Leo is far enough away does he move closer.
“Something I should know?” Mac asks in confusion.
“No.” Maddoc’s hold on me tightens. “Any word on if Collins talked?”
“Nah, man. He’s a dumb fucker, but he’s not stupid enough to run his mouth at Brayshaw.”
The guys don’t say anything, but their silence is enough for me to know they disagree. It isn’t something to be spoken out loud for another ear to hear, though.
“Let’s get in there,” Captain says and he, Mac, and Royce all move to grab their bags.
Maddoc buries his face in my neck and presses his lips right against my pulse there. He makes no other move, but it kicks harder from the simple contact and as if he was waiting for it, his lips stretch into a smile against my skin.
I roll my eyes even though he can’t see me and push off him right as the others step back around with his bag also in hand.
We only get a foot through the door before we’re rushed by their coach and shoved through a side door leading to an empty locker room.
Coach Brail grips Maddoc by the collar and shoves him against the cool metal.
I jerk forward but get yanked back by Royce.
“I told you to keep your fucking cool!” he shouts in his face.
Maddoc makes no sound, but quickly dislodges himself and in an instant, he’s flipped it, and the coach is slammed against the lockers.
His eyes widen then narrow.
“Watch your fucking hands, and your mouth while you’re at it.” He jerks him forward, slamming him again, then steps back.
“Your dad—”
“Isn’t here,” Captain supplies easily.
“Time you realize that.” Royce steps forward.
A chill runs down my spine and a smirk finds my lips.
I fucking love this shit, when they power up and the front line grows stronger, their reach further.
“We respect you, Coach,” Maddoc tells him. “We work our asses off and listen to what you have to say and perfect what you tell us to. We listen to every fucking word you say ... on the court. Not fucking off it, and not when it messes with my family. We did what you said, what he told you to tell us, and that didn’t work out well for any of us. No fucking more. From now on, you will do as we say, when we say it.” The coach’s features tighten, and concern fills his eyes.
“You won’t be seen as going rogue. He’s on board,” Captain speaks of their dad, letting the man know he can breathe a little easier.
Coach Brail’s shoulders relax some and he gives a very reluctant nod.
Maddoc backs away, shrugging. “It’s nothing personal. You know we’d take a hit for you, but Raven will take no more from any-fucking-body. No one gets a pass, it’s the only way to fix this mess. The leash needs to be tightened.”
The coach looks ready to argue, but instead a tight chuckle leaves him, and I tense when he steps forward. He smacks a hand down on Maddoc’s shoulder giving him a little shake and walks out.
What the fuck was that?
“Respect.”
I jump when Royce answers what I thought was an inner thought and the guys chuckle around me.
“Let’s go, we’ve got a game to play.”
Coincidently, Collins is a no-show to the game, but Perkins is front and center looking far too disappointed when his school’s team plays one sick ass game of ball and takes the win in the end.
“You ever gonna talk to me or you forever pissed?” Bass drops down beside me.
“Depends.” I tilt my head. “Can you be honest?”
“Ask your questions, Carver.” His grin’s easy.
“Why’d you come to me over them? Why not go direct to your bosses with the video news or tell them about it the second I went off the wall and tried to fix it?”
“Because you didn’t demand it. You earned it.”
“You saying they haven’t earned it from you?” I grow defensive and he chuckles lightly.
My shoulders relax a little.
“They’ve earned every fucking bit of my loyalty, but they demanded it first, earned it later. With you though.” He shakes his head and looks away. “Man, Rae, you came up in here and threw their order into the shredder. Everyone watched in shock as it quickly went from them wanting to toss you in the grinder to tossing you in a fucking Brayshaw sized bubble.”
My forehead wrinkles and I look back to the now near empty court, the teams having cleared to change and shit now that the game is over.
“You had no agenda or hidden reason for anything you were doing, unlike most people.”
“So a girl you hardly knew does some stupid shit to piss off the guys you say have all your loyalty and you give her info over them?”
He’s quiet a minute, so I look his way again, finding him staring.
“I don’t do much that feels right, Rae. In fact, not sure I’ve ever done anything that has, but for whatever reason, putting you first that night did.” He looks away. “I’m not even sorry I did, despite all the fucked-up shit that followed.”
My eyes are pulled back to the court when I feel him.
Maddoc doesn’t bother looking at Bass until he’s standing right in front of me.
“All set?” he asks him.
“Always,” Bass coolly responds.
“Good. You can go now.”
Bass pushes to his feet and walks out, throwing “Later, Rae” over his shoulder as he does.
Maddoc gauges me with unsettled eyes and a deep wrinkle on his forehead.
“What?” I ask.
He licks his lips and looks off. “Let’s go.”
Okay then.
The boys are extra peppy tonight, which is a solid fuckin’ change from the last few days. They’re fired up and ready to party.
We make a quick stop at the house to drop off their gear and then go to a small pub on the town strip.
The waitress’s eyes light up the second we walk inside, and I want to vomit.
“Long time no see.” She grins at each of them, her smile faltering slightly when she spots me in the mix. “You’re Raven Carver.”