by Dean, Ali
“He couldn’t stay away from Hazel for more than one night. He claims he’s coming for the parties too, but it’s really to see her.”
That was not how I would have phrased it. “Bodhi,” I half-growled, “you make it sound like we’re incapable of functioning without each other. Can you just, not talk?” Now these girls were going to have all these preconceived notions about me, most of which I did not like. But at least they knew Cruz was taken. Now all eyes were on me even as I heard Spike and Bodhi chuckling.
I shot the girls a weak smile. “So, cafeteria?”
We walked to the athletes-only cafeteria. They invited the guys but my death glare must have gotten through because Spike and Bodhi said they’d see us later.
It would have been weird if they’d come along to hang with the women’s soccer team. I was relieved they didn’t think it was necessary. But I was also on edge. This was Malone territory, and we still hadn’t been given an answer.
Jada swiped her card for a double door and we went inside. It was on the fourth floor of one of the more modern buildings, and the far wall was floor-to-ceiling glass. I had to pause to take in the view. You could see the soccer fields from this spot.
Jada stood beside me. “Wait until you taste the food. You’ll be ruined.” I glanced to the serving line and the menu above it, which could have come straight from a five-star restaurant. My mouth was watering, and I wasn’t even that hungry a minute ago. As I was loading my tray, I eyed the tables filled with student athletes. It was crowded and loud like any school cafeteria, but that’s where the similarities stopped. Even the tables and chairs were nice. The biggest distinction between high school and here though wasn’t the smell of decadent food or the expensive décor. No, it was the students, and not only because they were older. I knew this was the athletes’ cafeteria, so I guess it shouldn’t have been a surprise that everyone was fit too. But it was more than that. I felt like I was in a bubble of beautiful people. I kept looking around for someone who wasn’t incredibly good-looking and really wasn’t having much luck. No one was scruffy around the edges either. Yeah, most had come straight from practice and were in workout gear, but they still looked clean cut.
As I followed Jada through the tables, I sensed eyes on me. Was it because I was new? No, surely not. This school was big enough that new people wouldn’t attract attention. Plus, there were other recruits here too.
I turned in the direction of the gaze and was met with Neil Malone’s stare. The sick feeling in my gut at his appearance came on strong and I quickly broke eye contact. If I couldn’t get a handle on my reaction to the Malones, I might not be cut out for Harvard after all.
Chapter Nineteen
Cruz
We should’ve rescheduled her recruit trip. What were we thinking? We weren’t. There was too much at play. Too many moving parts. Jeremy was glued to computer screens, monitoring police reports and the information triggers, keeping Moody in the loop on everything. He’d barely come up for air to eat dinner with Hazel each night.
It was on me. I should’ve realized this was too dangerous, but I hadn’t wanted to rock the boat with Hazel. We were in this honeymoon phase I guess. So good. Everything else around us was a mess, but we were solid. If I’d told her we were rescheduling her visit, she’d think I was stripping her independence or something. I wanted to keep her life normal and rolling forward like it usually did. But that was why I’d stayed away in the first place, why I’d left her years ago. Now, everything was different. The stakes were higher.
Dad wasn’t having a good day. He struggled to keep up with our conversation at dinner, and that made him agitated, which made it harder for him to focus. It was a downward spiral when this happened, and it was occurring more often. I was reminded why I’d been avoiding daily interaction with him. It was painful in a way I couldn’t handle. Not now. Not with everything else I had to stay on top of. It made it hard to breathe, watching the man I’d looked up to my entire life struggle like this. He’d once been decisive, energetic, hardworking, and stern with me. I’d enjoyed seeing him soften a bit over the years, give in to his emotions more easily, but now it felt as if he was losing himself. Instead of glimpses where he appeared confused or lost, that was becoming the status quo, and it was only glimpses of the dad I knew that came out.
But Hazel had wanted me to come home for dinner every night, even if it meant being in pain. She thought it was important. That I would regret it if I didn’t. I didn’t know if she was right, but I was willing to do it for her. Gramps was with us tonight, and it helped knowing this was as painful for him as it was for me.
But the moment I got the call from Spike, I was saying goodbye and getting on my bike.
I sped down the freeway, thankful Friday night traffic was headed out of the city in the opposite direction. Hazel had only been on campus a couple of hours, and already the Malones were messing with her. They’d managed to get the women’s soccer team on board with going to a party at the hockey frat. The same frat that was home base for all the Malones on campus. It wasn’t only Neil who would be there, but his cousin Keegan and likely a half dozen other cousins currently at Harvard too. I knew who they were, what role they played or were slotted to play upon graduation. Hazel probably had no clue who they were. She’d figured something was up when the girls told her which frat they’d be headed to later, and she’d texted the guys to let them know.
Parking on campus wasn’t always easy but Moody had managed to snag us all permits for the best spots through some hacking efforts last year. I’m sure we could have dropped the Donovan or Braven name and gotten the same result, but we didn’t want to inadvertently alert the Malones that we were hanging around. Up until now, the only reason we’d had to come on campus was to track their activity. Now that all our evidence was organized and ready to launch, the permits weren’t as crucial. Still, I was thankful to get a spot right outside the dorm where Hazel was staying. It was perfect timing too, because I watched a group of at least ten women flood out the door. I was about to take off my helmet, but left it on in an effort to stay unnoticed. It was already getting dark out, and the girls were headed in the opposite direction. I recognized half of them as freshmen or sophomores on the women’s soccer team. The other half must have been recruits. Hazel wasn’t with them.
I checked my phone. No updates from the guys. Minutes ticked by and my heart thudded in my chest as my hands gripped the bars of my motorcycle. Of all of us, Hazel was the most obvious target for the Malones. She was Jeremy’s daughter, the one person they’d used all along to get him to do their bidding. They’d hurt her and he’d come at them with an ultimatum. But now? Now they knew he wanted out, and he’d bring them down if they didn’t let it happen. The Malones had everything to lose by hurting Hazel, but they’d never responded well to threats. They were so accustomed to having the power, they might just underestimate how much Jeremy had.
Right when I was ready to barge into the dorm, another group came out. There she was. Hazel didn’t look worried. No, she was laughing at something the girl beside her said. It was Jada Miles, her host for the weekend. It looked like the rest of the recruits were with them, along with a group of guys I recognized from the men’s soccer team. The men’s fall recruit trip was next weekend. It didn’t surprise me they were with the women’s team though. When we visited last spring, the two teams spent a lot of time together.
I held my breath when Ashton Gaines touched Hazel’s arm to get her attention. He pointed in the direction the first group had headed and Hazel gave him a dazzling smile. I knew it wasn’t intentional on her part. All her smiles were dazzling. But I gritted my teeth at the smug look on Ashton’s face and the way he moved in, blocking another girl. Everyone wanted her attention, and I’d gotten used to that over the years. When it was guys, it stung, but I’d known I couldn’t do shit about it until the time was right. Sure, I’d jumped the gun and this would’ve been a hell of a lot smoother if I’d waited a little longer, but
I didn’t regret it. She’d forced me to make a choice that night at my party, and I hadn’t hesitated.
Now that she was mine, watching another guy try to get her attention made me want to punch something. I’d done it already to Kai and I had to chill out if I didn’t want to end up with a criminal record for a different reason.
Hazel must have sensed me because I saw her slow and look around as the group walked away from the dorm. She glanced behind her shoulder and spotted me. I didn’t move. The others hadn’t noticed yet, and making my presence known wouldn’t help. Not at this point. They were going in the opposite direction from the hockey frat house. Maybe they’d changed plans. Maybe they wouldn’t make it to the Malones after all.
Hazel turned back around without acknowledging me. I knew why she did it but it still didn’t sit right.
My phone buzzed and I checked the text. It was from Bodhi, telling me to meet him at a park between the dorms and off-campus housing.
I left my bike and trailed Hazel’s group from a distance. They walked right by the park, and I stood on the corner until I saw them go inside one of the houses I was pretty sure the upper classmen soccer girls lived in.
“You got here fast,” I heard Spike call from the other end of the park.
“You told me they were going to the hockey frat. What’d you expect?”
We walked toward each other and I glanced around. “Where’s Bodhi?”
“With Ruby. Come on, let’s meet with them while Hazel’s at the soccer house thing. I think they’re doing some get-to-know each other games and shit. It’ll be awhile.”
Spike led us back the way he’d come, and I followed. “Why were the guys on the team with them?” I asked. I must have sounded pissed about it because Spike shot me one of his single-eyebrow raises.
“Why do you think?” he shot back, all sarcasm. “Same reason the women’s team hung around on our trip.”
“They better not try anything with Hazel.”
“Man, the soccer guys are the least of our worries. Hazel can handle them fine on her own. You’re gonna have to push this jealous boyfriend shit down.”
Was Spike Matlock lecturing me? “Jealous boyfriend shit? Are you kidding me, Spike?” My anger was rising, and it was about so much more than another soccer player getting a flash of Hazel’s smile. I didn’t know how long I could hold off on retaliating against Sean and Branden. It was brewing inside of me, making me want to snap at the smallest infractions.
Spike stopped walking. “No, man, I’m being real. We got why you flipped on Kai. We had your back there. But you can’t knock out every guy who hits on her, all right? First, it’s gonna cause us all trouble we don’t need to be dealing with. Second, it’ll piss off Hazel. She’s a tough girl. Let her handle shit herself when she can.”
He was right. I knew it. Still, I punched him harder than necessary on the shoulder before turning to keep walking. “The Malones don’t fall into that category. Tonight, we have her back. Where are we going, anyway?”
Spike pointed to one of the academic buildings. Economics, the sign said. The front door was locked but a moment after we got there it swung open. Bodhi was there, and the dude looked like he’d just been through a hurricane. Eyes wild, hair askew. I could only guess.
He led us around the corner to a seminar room, one of the smaller classrooms. Ruby was in there, frowning as she stared at nothing in particular. It took her a second to realize we were there.
She let out a shaky breath when she did and stood up. “Neil knows these two are on campus.” She got right down to business, as was her usual protocol. “He’s been pretty MIA all week. I haven’t seen him and he’s only replied to half my texts. Said emergency family business.”
Ruby looked down. “I actually think now would be a good time for me to break up with him. I could claim he’s been distracted, doesn’t seem into me or us, that we’re not a priority. Whatever.”
I nodded, trusting her instincts on this. Sure, once she broke things off we wouldn’t have the intel from her, but I’d rather she get out smoothly and safely. If she thought there was an opening, I wanted her to take it.
“So, how’d you find out Neil knew about us on campus?” Spike asked.
“I went over to his place tonight. I knew Hazel was on her visit this weekend and wanted to be around to see if I heard anything useful. He came back from the cafeteria talking with some of his teammates and I overheard they’d invited the soccer girls to their frat later.”
“Don’t tell us the details about that conversation unless absolutely necessary,” Spike warned. The guy knew me too well. My mind was immediately imagining that conversation, especially the trash talking and what they might have been spewing about Hazel.
Ruby cleared her throat. “When we went up to Neil’s room, he got a call from his cousin Keegan. I only heard one side of it but pretty sure the jig’s up. The Malones know the guys are here to watch out for Hazel. They still think it’s possible she’s in the dark on everything, but they aren’t buying that you guys are just hanging around looking for college parties. They know you’ve been on campus before, and that it was always right around when some Malone deal was going down.”
“You got all this from one side of the conversation?” I clarified. I wanted to keep our involvement hidden or at least uncertain for as long as possible. Once they knew we were involved, they’d get curious and start digging. We’d covered our tracks but I didn’t want them anywhere near our security firm, the Spot, or my dad’s illness. As long as they thought Jeremy’s link to Donovan was strictly a strategic business move on his part, a play to get out of illegal activity, this would all be much cleaner.
“I mean, they don’t know for certain. Neil might not be as much of a hothead as his younger brother, but he’s not about to let a group of guys from his generation – younger than him, even – get something this big past him. He won’t take that chance.”
Until recently, I’d had the impression the younger Malones still thought the fight was between our parents and grandparents. From their perspective, we’d kept things neutral in our generation. I’d played nice enough, letting the Malones do their thing at Mayflower and staying out of their scene, off their turf. That all changed the night they came to my party. They pushed me with Hazel, tested me. And they found out where my loyalties lie.
“So, they know we’re around, keeping an eye on our girl,” Spike said, “and they already set it up to have her show at their place, before they knew that. What’s the deal? They just toying with us? Trying to show Jeremy that Hazel’s on their turf when she’s at Harvard? A little chest-puffing thing?” Spike was getting himself riled up; he wanted to fight these assholes, and he was almost hoping they’d do something stupid.
“Or are they planning to make a move tonight?” Bodhi asked.
Ruby shook her head. “I don’t know. But you need to be ready for anything.”
Chapter Twenty
Hazel
I was trying to figure out how all five guys would get on the Harvard soccer team. There was space for about seven freshmen each year, depending on the outgoing senior class and other factors. I’d heard about two people from the same high school ending up on the same college team. But five? Even with Moody’s apparent hacking skills and the Donovan and Braven connections, that seemed like a stretch. Not to mention the Malone factor. Most of all, it would just look strange, and in the Ivy League, appearances were a big deal. But as the night went on, it became apparent to me that others were already thinking all five of them might come here next fall.
After an awkward dinner at the cafeteria where Neil Malone came over to invite us to his party later, we’d gone to the dorms where the freshmen and sophomores on the men’s and women’s teams lived. I was already getting way more attention than I liked at that point. I was used to being in the spotlight -- I’d been the only girl on boys’ teams until I was eleven, and then I’d demolished everyone on the field once I’d switched to the gi
rls’ soccer teams. This kind of attention was different. It was foreboding.
Neil had taken the opportunity to let everyone know that we were from the same town and he knew exactly who I was. It became instantly clear he was the head honcho amongst the athletes, likely amongst the entire school by the way people seemed to revere and fear him. Anyway, that was what the stares were for. Oh, and the two guys from the Cruz Donovan entourage who had dropped me off. This kind of attention sucked because really, it wasn’t about me. I once again had the sensation of being a pawn in a game, only this time I knew what was going on; it was the people gawking at me who were trying to figure it out.
We’d moved from the dorms to the girls’ off-campus house, and the guys were kicked out for an hour so that the women’s team could do a get-to-know-each-other game. That had been the best part of the night. I hadn’t exactly let my guard down, but the women players saw me through a different lens, and I liked that. They saw me as an athlete first, curiosity about everything else came second. That alone made me like them.
Still, I was in my usual surface-only zone, the one I’d been in for years if I wasn’t with family. It was funny how I recognized the shift in myself, when I hadn’t noticed it before. I’d been myself for weeks with Cruz and the guys and now it felt like I had armor on. Until I could trust these women, I wasn’t going to let them see anything I didn’t want them to see. The next layer of armor came back on when the men’s team arrived, and then I was full-on bulletproof when we made a mass exodus for the hockey frat. By then, it was nearly midnight. I thought about begging out, telling my host for the night I was beat. But that felt cowardly.
I’d never been to a frat party before. All of my partying experience had taken place at the Lake, which meant twice total. When we got there, I was a little disappointed by its predictability. Loud, jam packed, and a lot of excessive drunkenness. These people were supposed to be the next leaders of America, and it looked like most of them were competing to embarrass themselves. Defiance Falls High students partied better than the Ivy League, from my limited experience, I concluded, especially after I got stuck between a few drunk people. When I finally pushed my way through, I couldn’t find the others. A small bead of panic rippled through me. Bodhi, Spike and Cruz would never find me out here. I kept pushing forward until I got inside. That’s where everyone had been headed.