He nodded, and I gripped his head in my hands. “Fuck, Levi. Why? I told you never to go down that road. Do easy shit for the crew, that’s fine. But not this! You’re a born wide receiver like me, but you gotta get your grades, focus on school to get in here at UA. The crew, Lev, the motherfuckin’ crew! Gio won’t ever let you leave. Ain’t no way we’re both getting out!”
Levi pulled back and rested his back against the tree, arms folded over his chest in defiance, a scowl firmly on his face. “Mamma’s getting worse, Aust. Medicare ain’t cutting it no more. We wanna keep her pain free, we need to pay for it. She needs a frame all the time now too. She hasn’t left the trailer in weeks. Can’t walk without shaking and falling to a heap on the floor.”
Levi’s eyes filled with tears, and my throat clogged up tight at the sight. The kid was fourteen. four-fuckin’-teen. He shouldn’t be concerning himself with paying for medical bills, selling drugs, or taking care of Mamma.
“And why the fuck has this been hidden from me?” I asked through gritted teeth, my jaw aching from the pressure.
Levi dropped his head. “Mamma never wanted you to know. Said you had enough to worry about. And I knew you wouldn’t approve of me being in with the Heighters.”
And hell if that didn’t make me feel like shit.
“Look, Aust, we gotta make bank somehow. Axel ain’t making enough on his own no more, not now there’s a turf war with the Kings. He’s out all the damn time, trying to make more green. You’re here, trying to make the draft… That only leaves me. I gotta step up, take care of business, be the man of the house. I’m good. The brothers in the crew look out for me, especially Gio. They’re my famiglia, my brothers.”
Christ, if his words didn’t cut right through me. Fuckin’ Gio looks out for no one but himself.
I leapt forward and slammed Levi by his chest against the rough bark. “They ain’t your famiglia, Lev. The cops come for you and they won’t do shit. I’m your famiglia. I’m your fuckin’ brother! I’m your blood! Io sono il tuo sangue!”
Levi’s eyes widened at my pissed-off tone, and I ran my hand over my head, trying to breathe real slow. “Look, it’s not your responsibility, Levi. You’re the baby. You’re Mamma’s pride and joy, for fuck sake. Axe and me, she knows the fuck-ups we are. You. You’re her goddamn favorite. Make her proud! Fuck! Make her proud of one of us before it’s too late, please!”
Nothing but silence stretched between us until Levi whispered, “She’s dying, Austin. I’m not gonna be no one’s favorite before too long. I won’t be making no one proud. I gotta be sure her last days aren’t spent in pain. I can’t bear looking at her screaming in agony for one more day. You’re not around. Axel’s never there. It kills me…”
I set off to take him in my arms when Axel’s loud voice cut into the quiet. “Bitch, you better get to walking if you know what’s fuckin’ good for you!”
“Shit!” I spat out, catching sight of the police’s Ford making its rounds in the distance, heading straight our way. The dean had bulked up the campus PD in the last few weeks.
I poked my head around the tree, only to see Axel crowding some student up against the tower.
Shit, shit, shit!
The lights from the car were growing closer, and I had to get my asshole of a brother out of here. And Levi too. Last thing the kid needed was a record and a stint in juvie.
Turning to Levi, I said. “Go. Get to Axel’s truck. I’ll get Axe.”
His mouth moved to argue, but seeing I wasn’t about to take his shit, he hightailed it across the quad.
Taking a deep breath, I ran out from behind the tree and straight to Axel. He still had the chick against the brick of the tower.
“You haven’t seen shit, right? You’re not gonna mention what you saw tonight to no one. You hearing me, bitch? You need to keep your fuckin’ mouth shut!” he said through clenched teeth.
“N-n-no… I promise… Please… just let me go… I’m begging you.” The chick’s voice was tiny and shaking with obvious fear.
I had to stop Axel before he went too far. Hell, he wasn’t adding assault to his list of misdemeanors too.
Walking behind Axel, I gripped his arms and wrenched him back. “Back the fuck off, Axe,” I ordered as Axel stumbled back. Looking over Axel’s shoulder, a pair of huge green eyes glanced up at me, and I stilled.
Hell. It was that cheerleader. The one I’d spoken to after the game.
I tipped my head up to the sky. Someone up there really fuckin’ hates me.
Axel was suddenly in my face. “The bitch saw too much. She needs to know she can’t talk. I gotta deal with this shit now! Can’t have no loose ends,” he hissed out, his hands fisted at his sides as the cheerleader seemed to sink her tiny body back even farther against the wall, eyes darting everywhere but on us. She was crying, for fuck sake. Her black makeup was all over her pale face.
“She won’t.” I looked at the chick. “Will you?” I practically growled. She was frozen with fear. “Fuckin’ tell him!”