Boys of Brayshaw High

by Meagan Brandy

  I don’t miss the way Maddoc slyly cuts his eyes to me as he looks down to wipe his hands on his shirt.

  I laugh to myself.

  I saw, big man.

  They high five then continue. After a few minutes, they break up into smaller groups and start working position-based drills, so I close my eyes and pretend this is my life.

  “Hey.”

  Fuck.

  I pull myself into a sitting position. “Hey.”

  “So ... you’re still here.” Vienna eyes me.

  I push the glasses on top of my head. “Still here.”

  “You really staying with the guys?”

  I ignore her question and she nods.

  We sit and watch the guys together, turning to each other with grins when a few shirts come off.

  “Hot damn. And I thought football made you ripped.”

  “Right?” I look around, counting abs and comparing builds.

  “Madman, let’s go!” Royce shouts and I pull my eyes from a fine specimen to look over. When I do, my stare meets a deep glare.

  “Oh, girl...” Vienna teases through closed lips. “Somebody doesn’t like your eyes roaming.”

  “Maybe if he took his off, they wouldn’t.” I pop a brow at Maddoc, even though he can’t hear me.

  Vienna laughs at my side.

  And then he does. His hands find the hem at the back of his neck and he pulls, and fuck me if that slight bend doesn’t set him up real fucking nice.

  Sweat shines against his tanned skin, rolling over every curve of packed muscle. I have the sudden need to know how his body feels when covered in hard work like it is.

  “Damn,” Vienna breathes in awe and I nod along, my eyes locked on his small dark patch at the edge of his shorts.

  “Think he’d hook up with me?” she whispers, and I frown.

  “I don’t know. Maybe.” It’s the truth. I turn to her. “Think I could kick your ass?”

  “I don’t know.” She finally looks to me with a grin. “Maybe,” she mocks.

  It’s a lie. We both know I could, which is why when she starts laughing, I do too. But when I turn back to gawk at big man some more and find him staring, yet again, I realize what just happened.

  He knew Vienna would say something and I’d react.

  He baited me, the conceited shithead, and it worked like a damn charm.

  “So he’s off the books ... but what about the other two?”

  I look to Royce, then Captain. With a sigh, I turn back to her. “Yeah,” I sigh, “They’re mine too. You want one? Earn him.”

  She starts laughing good-heartedly, and I grin, leaning back on my elbows.

  “All right, fellas,” the coach calls out. “Twenty suicides then you’re good to go. Tonight’s assignment: one hour of game film. As always, wear your jerseys to class tomorrow with pride.”

  All the players call out “yes coach” then do as they’re told.

  “I should go.” Vienna hitches her backpack over her shoulder. “It’s cool you’re still here. Wish I could knock the shit out of Victoria and stay.” She grins.

  “Trust me,” I laugh. “It was the last thing I expected.”

  “Look, if you find yourself between a rock and a hard place, needing to throw blows or something, find me. Don’t ruin what might be a good thing.”

  “What makes you think I would?”

  “That punch had nothing to do with Victoria. You self-sabotaged.” Her eyes bounce between mine before shifting the three heads our way. She looks back to me. “I do it too. It’s natural for girls like us.”

  Girls like us.

  Royce throws himself beside me and looks between me and Vienna.

  Captain glances my way but drops his frown to his gym bag when he sees me looking and Maddoc glares over his water bottle.

  “See you later, Rae.”

  She turns and walks off but I call out, “Wait!”

  Maddoc’s eyes flick between mine.

  “We’ll take you home.”

  The corner of his eyes tighten, but before he looks away, I spot the slight grin he tries to hide.

  I step in front of him, slipping my hand in his gym pocket as he looks down his nose at me. I slowly pull out the keys he just stuffed inside.

  “We’ll be in the car.”

  I catch up to Vienna, ignoring the laughter behind me.

  A few minutes of us bullshitting in the back seat pass before the three slide in, Royce, of course in the back with us.

  “I think I should sit in the middle.”

  “Stay where you’re at.” Maddoc glares in his mirror at his brother, who sits beside Vienna.

  Vienna, who says not a word the entire drive – not even sure she breathes – and only waves when she gets out at the house.

  Maddoc continues down the dirt road, parking right in front of the porch as we pull up.

  Together, the four of us head inside.

  “One of you mind doing dinner tonight?” Captain asks, already headed for the stairs.

  “I got it.” Maddoc nods, then looks to us. “Lemme shower then I’ll start.”

  Royce and I shrug, and I follow him into the kitchen, watching him wash his hands and start pulling out shit for Maddoc to cook with.

  “What’s up with Captain?”

  “What makes you think anything is?”

  “He seems off.”

  Royce turns to me with a scowl that quickly grows into a grin. “You’re starting to see through our masks, RaeRae. Careful, you might actually be forced to admit you like it.”

  “Whatever.” I push off the counter and start walking away.

  “Raven.”

  I look back to Royce.

  “Go ask him.” It’s almost a plea, like he knows what it is and thinks I can fix it.

  Unsure why, I head upstairs and knock on Captain’s door.

  He doesn’t say anything, so I walk inside anyway finding him sitting at the edge of his bed, looking out the window.

  “What’s up, Raven?”

  “How’d you know it was me?”

  “You’re the only one who’d knock in this house.”

  We both laugh lightly, but my chest feels tight at how hollow his is.

  I move around the room and climb on to the bed, sitting against the headboard. “What’s wrong?”

  He hesitates a minute before speaking. “If I ask you something, will you tell me the truth without needing to know why I need to know?”

  “Honestly?” I ask, my face scrunching. “Probably not but try me.”

  He chuckles and looks my way. With a deep sigh, he shifts on the bed to face me.

  “Why did Perkins call you into his office?”

  “That’s what you wanna know?”

  “Come on ...”

  “Easy.” I shrug. “He wants me to leave Brayshaw.”

  “He say that?”

  “Painted a real pretty picture for me.”

  Captain nods with a frown, but it’s not for me. “Yet here you are.”

  “I’ve got my own crayons, packman.”

  He studies me. “You don’t trust him.”

  “You don’t trust him. Neither does Royce, Maddoc. How am I supposed to?”

  His eyes soften the longer he stares and then he looks away. But something’s plaguing him.

  “Pretty sure he thinks the longer I’m here, the tighter we’ll get and he doesn’t want that,” I tell him.

  “He thinks you’ll make us stronger.” His eyes bounce between mine. “He’s right. You will. You are.”

  I look away. “I’m just ... the girl living across the hall, Cap. And who knows how long that’ll last.”

  He scoots closer. “That’s not true and you know it. You fit. And Maddoc—”

  “Is like a puzzle missing key pieces.”

  “Yeah.” He nods. “Think there’s a perfect five six, hourglass cut out that needs filling.”

  “Ha! Funny guy.”

  Cap laughs lightly, dropping bac
k on his bed, so I move to lay my head near his.

  “You want the exact details, Cap?”

  He’s quiet a moment and then his head shakes against his comforter. “Is it a one-time offer?”

  “No. When you’re ready, we’ll talk.”

  “And you’ll still be here?”

  I nod for his sake, knowing it could be a lie.

  “Why aren’t you asking me questions, Raven? Why you willing to tell me what I wanna know without answers?”

  “I don’t play eye for an eye.”

  He takes a deep breath, and his hand finds mine on the comforter. He gives me a light squeeze before pulling away and sadness fills me.

  For him and whatever he’s going through.

  These boys are ... more than I was ready for.

  We both look to the door when the rattle of a doorknob catches our attention, but it is open, so we stifle our laughter as we watch Maddoc at mine. When he opens it and walks in to find it empty, he frowns and glances off ... right inside Cap’s room.

  He freezes when he spots us, and we start cracking up.

  He gets a look at his brother. “You good, man?”

  Cap nods and Maddoc looks to me, concern lining his brow.

  I glance at Cap and he winks. He’ll tell him all about it later if he doesn’t already know, so I smooth it over for the time being. “We ... decided to watch a movie and veg tonight. Anything we can maybe pop in the microwave?”

  Maddoc runs a hand over his mouth, nodding. “Lemme go figure something out. We’ll meet you guys in the media room.” He looks to his brother again before walking off.

  Maddoc ends up frying some burgers quickly and we pair it with chips and salsa, also homemade – another thing to thank Maybell for, I’m sure.

  Once everyone’s done, I offer to collect the plates and run downstairs for snacks to give the three a few minutes to talk in case they need to.

  With everyone's shit in hand, I snag the blanket off my bed on the way back.

  I pass everyone their stuff, then drop beside Maddoc.

  “Ew, get your nasty ass feet off me,” I laugh, shoving Royce away.

  “I have socks on!” he defends.

  “So, feet nasty.”

  “Not mine, look at these babies?” He wiggles his toes and I cringe.

  “You’ve got some big ass feet.”

  “And a big ass dick.”

  I laugh, rolling my eyes and Maddoc throws a pillow at him.

  He reaches in his bowl, then cuts me a glance my way.

  I wink, turning back to the screen. I sneak my hand into his bowl and stuff my mouth.

  Cheese on popcorn isn’t half bad.

  Everyone is standing, biting at their fingernails as the final seconds on the clock tick by. The boys are up by one, but the other team has the ball and there’s still seven seconds on the clock – seven seconds is a lifetime in basketball.

  The play gets down the court and Maddoc goes on the attack, but the one with the ball throws an elbow and he’s jarred to the side, an angry growl leaving him, but he starts running after the guy in the next second.

  The guy rounds the court, hopping up to attempt a shot, but Royce flies up behind him, his vertical jump a little better, his reach a little longer, and he smacks the ball away. The final buzzer sounds and the crowd grows wild, celebrating yet another win for the Wolves.

  But I keep my eyes locked on Maddoc who shoves his face in the guy who fouled him and didn’t get called on it. Their foreheads are touching and Maddoc drives him back with his.

  The guy doesn’t want none. He takes it.

  Maddoc gives him a hard shove and he flies back into his teammates. They don’t dare step closer.

  In fact, they hold their hands out to shake his in apology, but he gives them his back.

  Some might call it bad sportsmanship, but they did him dirty first.

  They don’t deserve his hand.

  With a grin, I make my way out of the gym to wait for them to get cleaned up.

  Fifteen minutes or so pass and almost all the cars are out of the lot when a blue Jeep pulls up in front of me. The window rolls down revealing Collins and a few of his Graven buddies.

  “Rae. How you doin’?”

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Like that now, huh?” He attempts a grin but his tone is laced with malice.

  I scoff. “What, you thought different?”

  “Still mad about that little incident?” He smirks like a dick.

  I ignore him.

  “That’s a damn shame, Raven. Damn shame.” The window rolls up slowly and they take off.

  Not a minute later Royce’s loud ass is yelling behind me.

  I spin around with a grin.

  Running full speed at me, he swiftly dips down and lifts me up. “How’d you like that ending, RaeRae?” He drops me to my feet just as quick, planting a sweaty kiss to my cheek.

  I laugh and look to Captain who has his phone to his ear, he smiles my way then goes back to his conversation.

  Maddoc steps right in front of me.

  “Good game.” When he doesn’t say anything, I tease, “You waiting for a reward for all your hard work, big man?”

  He pushes against me now, so my head has to fall back on the hood in order to look him in the eye. His hands find my hips and slowly slide up the curve of my waist to my ribs – something he seems to love doing. Those full lips of his tip up in satisfaction when a shiver runs through me. He knew it was coming. He was waiting for it. “That all it takes to get those lips on mine, a good game on the court?”

  “Hmm.” I try to grin, but my body’s so heated it only holds for a few seconds. He knows it, senses it, and his tongue runs along his bottom lip. “Only one way to find out.”

  “That’s exactly what you want, isn’t it?” he whispers, his thumbs moving to skim beneath my chest. “Me to take what I want. Me to bite into that lip you keep sucking between your teeth. Me pullin’ on this hair.” He slides his fingertips into my hair at the base of my neck and my core muscles clench. He tugs too gently on purpose, and a harsh breath leaves me. “Me all over you.” He leans forward and my eyes close when he blows against the hollow of my ear. “Me in you.”

  I’d swear my eyes rolled back if they weren’t already squeezed shut.

  “It would be so good,” he breathes and fuck, my toes curl in my boots. But in the next second the warmth of his body slips some and my eyes peel open. “But not until you stop trying to convince yourself it ain’t you and me.”

  His bottom half is still locking me in, but his torso has lifted a bit, so my lungs are able to capture more than just his scent and some of the fog clears as his words register. I swallow.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I croak out, turning my head, but pulls my eyes right back with a grip to my chin.

  His eyes slice between mine. He’s almost unhinged, thoroughly horny and pissed off about it. “Yeah, you do. And you’ll pull the trigger.”

  “If I don’t?”

  “Someone else will.”

  My eyebrows involuntarily snap to the center and a deep chuckle makes its way up his chest, causing his body to vibrate against mine.

  “Imma let you sit on that.” He leans forward. “And maybe later,” – he moves my hand, sliding the back of it against his hard-on– “you’ll be sitting on this.”

  My eyes must have closed again at some point because when a gust of wind hits me and they pop open, I see nothing but a dark parking lot.

  I jump when the horn blares.

  I glare at the dark windshield. I can’t see shit, but they see me, saw all that. Their laughter floating out the sunroof confirms it.

  Maddoc is in the passenger seat, so when I reach his door as I walk around, I lift up on the sidebar and stick my upper body inside. I quickly bring my lips to his, right fucking against him, but I pause there. I lick my lips, and I’m so close my tongue touches his.

  He growls and I grin,
slip out, and into the back seat.

  Royce gives high fives, Captain shakes his head with a grin, and Maddoc? Well, he adjusts himself where he sits, slamming his poor head against the seat.

  Checkmate, big man.

  I grab two beers from the fridge and move to the couch, dropping beside Maddoc. We ran home for them to change, then came over to the West Main house they use as their kickback zone – the place people are allowed. Well, their people.

  “Yo, Raven!” Royce calls from the other side of the room.

  Maddoc said when they started using it as a party pad, they had two walls knocked out so the den, living room, and kitchen area all become one wide open space. He said they wanted to be able to see every corner so they were always aware of what was happening around them.

  Royce lifts his hand, three darts slid across his palm, he nods. “Bet I can whoop that ass in darts?”

  “You won’t be whooping her ass at anything.”

  I turn to Maddoc. “Neither will you, big man.”

  He turns to me with a brow raised making me laugh.

  “All right, I’ll rephrase, let me metaphorically spank that fat ass ‘til it leaves a perfect imprint of this big ass hand so everyone knows who laid it on you...in darts...metaphorically.” Royce crosses his arms proud, but can’t hold it in and starts laughing and I join in.

  Maddoc throws a bottle cap at his brother who dodges it.

  “I’m gifted in the art of a target. I’d embarrass you.”

  “Get out—”

  “For real, man, Raven’s got some serious aim.”

  All eyes jerk to Leo.

  “Oh yeah...” Royce drags out, slow and looming.

  Leo stares at me and I force myself not to narrow my eyes.

  I know what he’s doing. He’s testing the situation, looking to see who, if any, I’ve got wrapped up like he assumes – his motive is still in the air.

  I said I’d let him run this show.

  We’ll see if he buries himself.

  “Hell yeah.” The bastard licks his lips, holding his eyes on me a moment longer before looking to Royce. “At the cabins, she ...” He trails off, wiping at his mouth with a grin. “She put on a good ass show. Proved she could hang.”

  “The fuck?” Maddoc questions, sitting forward with his elbows on his knees, but he glares over his shoulder at me.

  In my peripheral, Royce’s glare hits me just the same, but I don’t look away from Leo.