Pregnancy, on the other hand…
Mackenzie had assured me that she was on the shot because she had really believed as she and Brayden had gotten more serious that things would escalate. They hadn’t, but she kept up on her birth control anyway. I had silently thanked God that one of us was being responsible enough.
The other first would be anal. I’ve never cared enough about a girl to take the time and consideration it would take for anal sex to be pleasurable for both parties, so I never bothered. But I wanted it all with Mackenzie. I wanted to experience everything with her. And my first thought this morning, when she answered the front door wearing a skirt, was that we were going to have another first when I fucked her at school because I wouldn’t be able to take it.
Her wardrobe all made sense when I had opened the car door for her, and I caught her wince when she sat down. Mackenzie was sore and jeans would have been too restricting.
The ride to school had been silent, but comfortable. It felt as if we’d been doing this forever and being in each other’s company was enough. We didn’t need to engage in banal chitchat to fill any awkward silence.
It had felt fucking great.
When I pulled my car into my designated spot, I turned off the ignition, got out, and walked around to open the door for Mackenzie. She grimaced in a silent thank you for my help and I smiled. I loved that she was sore and tender because of me.
I grabbed her hand and we walked over to where Charlie was screeching at Raiden. “I just don’t understand why not?”
“What’s going on?” Mackenzie asked.
Charlie looked over at her. “I came up with this great plan of loaning my car to Ford while all of this is going on. That way, he can pick me up every morning and take me home. Duke can go about his business and Raiden can go about his.” Everyone went silent at the announcement of her plan. She was basically telling everyone she’d rather give up her car to Ford than ride with Raiden every day.
Ouch.
After a few awkward seconds, Mackenzie cleared her throat and said, “How ‘bout you just ride with me and Samson? And…and if-”
I looked over at Raiden, and even if I didn’t know what was going on between the two of them, I was on Raiden’s side. “That’s not going to work, Mackenzie,” I told her.
She looked over at me “Why not?”
All conversation stopped when Raiden pinned Charlie up against the passenger side of his car. He had her chin trapped between his fingers, and he looked pissed. “I’m getting really tired of your shit, Charlie,” he snarled down at her. “I’m your ride until I decided otherwise. And if you think a ride to and from school is bad enough, keep it up, and I will become your fucking shadow.”
“Get your hands off me, Raiden,” Charlie bit out.
And then, in front of us all, while still holding Charlie’s chin in his right hand, he ran his left hand down her neck and over her chest until it rested on her hip. “Tell me to get my hands off you again, Charlie,” he taunted.
“Ooooooooooookay,” Duke jumped in, wiggling his way between Raiden and Charlie. “No time for possible sexual assault charges this morning. We got to get to first period.”
Raiden smirked, but picked his backpack off the ground and headed towards the building. Ford just shook his head in either amazement or resignation, I wasn’t sure. But he, too, headed to class. Duke glanced my way, but then followed in Ford’s wake.
When it was just me and the girls, Charlie looked over at me. “What is his problem, Samson?”
I shrugged. I wasn’t going to speculate or speak for Raiden when I wasn’t sure what to say. Raiden was his own man. Instead, I asked, “Why do you dislike him so much?”
She let out sigh. “I don’t…dislike him, per se,” she grumbled. “I just don’t…we’re not friends, Samson. We’ve never been friends,” she corrected. “I don’t think I’ve spoken to any of you more than a handful of times since we’ve been going to school together.” I tried not to wince. “Suddenly, you’re all loved-up with Mack and I’m supposed to pretend we’re friends of some sort. I’m supposed to let Ford make jokes at my expense, let Duke walk me to classes, and let Raiden run my life?” Charlie shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
“Charlie-”
“Mack, I’m not trying to be a dick,” she said, interrupting. “I’m really not. I’m happy for you if you’re happy with Samson.” Charlie looked at me. “I’m not trying to bad-mouth your friends or…sabotage what you have going on with Mackenzie. But I’m also not going to let Raiden Cruz play with me because I’m in convenient proximity.” I did wince this time. She made it sound so bad. “And that’s exactly what he’s doing, Samson, and you know it.”
“I don’t know that,” I said, correcting her misconception.
“Regardless,” she said, not really caring about my opinion, “Raiden Cruz has fucked damn near every girl at this school without even looking at me twice before now.” She tightened her bag strap over her shoulder. “He can continue to just keep doing that.” She turned and headed towards class before either me or Mackenzie could comment.
“Wow,” Mackenzie mumbled.
“Yeah. Wow,” I agreed. I looked down at her and she was looking at Charlie making her way towards the building. I put my arm around her and said, “How about we agree to mind our own damn business where those two are concerned?”
“I couldn’t agree more,” she replied. “I’m slightly confused on who to root for, anyway.” Then she looked up at me and grinned. “I mean, of course, I have Charlie’s back, but…I’m thinking her speech might have been a little harsh.”
“She’s not necessarily wrong, though,” I pointed out.
“No, but…”
“But what?”
Her smile fell, and she looked a little forlorn. “I see the way Raiden looks at her sometimes. I think he might really like her.”
I already knew he did, but he just didn’t know what to do about it. It was our year to start making plans for the future. I could see Raiden being uneasy about starting something serious with someone who he’d might have to end up saying goodbye to when we graduated. The only reason that hadn’t been a concern for me was because, if Mackenzie couldn’t follow me to my college of choice, then I had no problem following her. I was already in love with Mackenzie, so the choice was easy. Raiden still had time to save himself. Although, from the way he had her pinned up against the car, I’d say he was losing the fight.
“Come on. Let’s get to class,” I said, kissing Mackenzie on her head.
“Yeah. Let’s,” she sighed.
Chapter 19
Mackenzie~
The rest of day sucked.
Charlie was tenser than a tightrope, and Raiden was radiating anger in waves. Samson had told us during lunch that there was no practice after school today because the J.V. team was going to scrimmage and they needed the entire field, so we were going to have to witness another blow up between Raiden and Charlie again when all three boys would be available to drive us home. And when Samson had found us during P.E. to tell us the coached called for a quick fifteen-minute meeting, Charlie had just rolled her eyes and walked off. Now I was hanging out by her locker, waiting for her. When my phone rang and I saw her name flash across the screen, I braced myself for her sour mood.
“Charl-”
“Here’s what you’re going to do-”
My body froze.
“Br…Brayden?”
“Hi, Mackenzie,” he said, his voice oozing with malice. “Miss me, darlin’?”
“What’s going on? Where’s Charlie? Why do you have her phone?”
“It’s simple,” he replied. “Your cousin is keeping us company. For how long, depends on you.” It felt as if I’d been sucker punched. A part of me wanted to call his bluff, but he was calling me from Charlie’s phone.
“What is wrong with you, Brayden?” I hissed. “Have you lost your mind?”
“The day you left me, Mackenzie,” he
snapped into the phone. “Now, here’s what you’re going to do. Do you know where the March cutoff is leaving Eastwood?”
“No,” I bit out. “I…I don t have a car, Brayden. I’ve never driven around the town.”
“Well, you have GPS on your phone, so that works just as well,” he replied flippantly.
“Did you hear the part where I said I didn’t have a car?”
“I don’t give a fuck!” he yelled into the phone. “But you better find one, Mackenzie, or so help me God, I’ll turn this sweet thing over to the entire football team.” My hands began to sweat, and bile threatened to rise from the pit of my stomach. “I want you here in twenty minutes, Mackenzie, or your cousin will be split from pussy to asshole.”
“Brayden!”
“Come alone, Mackenzie.”
“Brayden, I need more than twenty minutes,” I pleaded, panic threatening to take over. “I…I need to find a car I can borrow if you expect me to go alone.”
“Borrow your boyfriend’s,” he said snidely. “I’m sure he’d be more than happy to lend you whatever he has.”
“Samson will ask questions,” I reasoned. Think Mackenzie. “I…my friend Amelia has a car. Let me…let me find her. But…but Brayden I need more than twenty minutes.”
He was silent for a bit, but finally relented. “Text this number when you get your hands on a car and we’ll go from there.”
I let out a painful breath. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I couldn’t believe Brayden has basically resorted to abducting my cousin to gain my attention. This crap didn’t happen in real life. I knew in the end I was going to have to call the police, but until then, I needed to make sure Charlie was safe first.
“Let me talk to Charlie,” I insisted. “Before I do anything, Brayden, let me talk to Charlie.”
“Sure,” he easily replied, and that worried me.
The second Charlie’s voice came over the phone, relief threatened to buckle my knees. It wasn’t until she spoke that my heart felt lodged in my throat. “I’m so sorry, Mack,” she rushed out. “I…I…”
“What happened?”
“I…I convinced Alistair to give me a ride home,” she cried. “I’m so sorry. They…were waiting on Sycamore, right before we turn to go home, and there was a…nails-”
“Charlie, are you okay?”
She started quietly weeping. “They jumped Alistair,” she whispered painfully. “I…you have to check on Alistair, Mack.”
“I will. I promise.”
“Mack, he…fought,” she rasped out. “He tried… he tried so hard…”
My heart was racing a mile a minute. I was in over my head. Images of a beaten Alistair had me fighting for air. Then guilt was there to take me under when it occurred to me that his wouldn’t be happening had I called the police on Brayden back in May.
“I’m coming, Charlie,” I promised. “Put…put Brayden back on the phone.”
A few seconds later, Brayden’s voice echoed in my ear. “You have fifteen minutes to get your hands on a car, Mackenzie. Not a minute later.” He hung up on me, and I knew I hadn’t a second to spare.
I ran to the boys’ locker room. This wasn’t a Lifetime Original Movie and I wasn’t that stupid woman who went off by herself, against the odds, because she thought she was a badass ninja or superhero. But I also didn’t want to get the grownups involved until Charlie was safe.
I pushed the door to the Eastwood locker room open and ran inside. My sudden appearance had boys crying out like virgin maidens all over the place.
“Holy shit!”
“What the fuck?!”
“Girl!”
“Incoming!”
“Maddox!”
My head was whipping back and forth through the aisles until I saw Samson, Ford, and Raiden. Samson had just turned his head when someone called out his name. Thank God they were all clothed.
His eyes bugged out when he saw me. “Mackenzie?”
“Oh, thank God,” I rushed out as he reached for me.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
I was trying to catch my breath, but fear, anxiety, and lack of exercise had me damn near ready to pass out. “Samson…”
His hands tightened on my arms. “Mackenzie, what’s wrong?”
“Mackenzie?” I glanced at Raiden saying my name, and my knees almost buckled.
Raiden.
My eyes squeezed shut and I shook my head, trying to collect myself. When I opened them, I looked up at Samson, and said, “Brayden’s got Charlie.”
All three males froze.
“What?” Ford asked. “What did you say?”
I looked up at Raiden as I answered Ford. “Brayden has Charlie with him.”
“Baby, what do you mean?” Samson asked.
I finally tore my gaze from Raiden’s. I glanced around but saw nothing but half-naked boys. “We need to go talk somewhere.”
The guys gathered their things and lockers slammed shut before ushering me out of the boys’ locker room. Once we made it outside, Samson led us towards the back of the gym. As soon as we had some privacy, I took a deep breath and composed myself enough to tell them what happened. “I was waiting by Charlie’s locker for her when my phone rang with her caller I.D.,” I rushed out. “I answered the phone and…and it was…it was Brayden on the other end.”
“Motherfucker,” Ford bit out.
“What else?” Samson prompted. “Tell us exactly what happened, Mackenzie.”
“He told me I had twenty minutes to get a car. I’m supposed to text him when I have one, and then meet him at the March cutoff. I’m supposed to go alone.”
“He wants you in exchange for Charlie?” Samson asked.
I nodded. “I…I got to talk to her and she told me that she had convinced Alistair to give her a ride home, and she made me promise to check on him because…they jumped him to get to Charlie.” My voice broke with that news.
Samson looked at Ford. “Call Duke. We’ll need his Range Rover.” He looked back at me. “How long did he give you until after you secure a car?”
“Another twenty minutes,” I told him. “Is the March cutoff far?”
He shook his head. “No. So, we’ve got time.”
I grabbed onto his arms. “Samson, he said…he said if I was even a minute late…” I looked at Raiden. “He…he was going to hand Charlie over to the football team.”
And that’s when Raiden Cruz lost his shit.
Chapter 20
Samson~
Ford had dropped his phone and Mackenzie had to pick it up to finished telling Duke that we needed him. It took the both of us to keep Raiden pinned to the wall.
I wanted to kill Brayden Mahoney for what he had done to Mackenzie, but taking Charlie took this fucked-up situation to a whole other level.
When Raiden finally came back to reality, Duke had shown up just as Raiden was telling me, “I’m going to fucking kill him.”
“We need to call the fucking police,” Duke snapped. “This shit is serious.”
“Okay, okay, okay,” Ford rushed out. “Let’s think about this for a minute.”
“Fuck that,” Raiden growled. “We got-what? Fifteen, ten minutes now?”
“Look, right now, Charlie is the priority, right?” We all nodded at Ford’s assessment. “However, the only thing we can get him on is beating up Alistair. And that’s even if he participated. If his team is with him and it was his team and not him, then he’s cleared of that.”
“What about Charlie?” Mackenzie jumped in. “That’s kidnapping.”
Ford looked at her, and though I know he didn’t mean to, he hit her with some harsh truth. “Samson told us what happened between you and Brayden, Mackenzie. And what was the reason you gave for not reporting him?”
Her voice cracked with her answer. “It’d be his word against mine, and he had enough money to make it lean in his favor.”
“But we have Alistair to substantiate Charlie’s claim of kidnapping,” I chim
ed in.
“We do,” Ford agreed. “But are we going to bet Charlie’s wellbeing on the police and that they’ll get to the March cutoff in time?” Everyone was quiet on that point, but our silent answers were unanimous. We weren’t trusting Charlie’s wellbeing to anyone but us.
“Okay,” Raiden said, finally getting himself together. “We can’t let Mackenzie go alone, but we have to make sure we’re not seen.”
“My car is the only car big enough to hide us all in the back,” Duke said. “The windows are tinted, and it has the dash cam.”
Mackenzie looked at him. “Why do you have a dash cam?”
“Last year, some hustler tried to pull Mom into an insurance scam by throwing herself in front of Mom’s car,” Duke explained. “Luckily, there were cameras in the intersection, but Dad had been so pissed, he installed dash cams in all the family cars. Samson’s new car came with one already.”
“Eight fucking minutes,” Raiden barked.
“Let walk and talk,” I said, grabbing Mackenzie’s hand. “Okay. So, we’ll hide in the back, but you have to make sure to park in a way that the car is facing where Brayden and Charlie are, Mackenzie.”
“Okay.”
“When you get out of the car, make sure your phone is on and you have your live video feed going.”
She shook her head. “I don’t have any activated social media feeds,” she said. “I closed all my accounts hoping to avoid Brayden.”
“You can use my phone,” Duke said. “I’ll turn it on and set if for you when we get near the March cutoff.”
We’d just reached the parking lot when Mackenzie pulled out her phone. She looked at Raiden when she said, “We only have five minutes. I have to send the text.” He gave her a tight nod, and Mackenzie fired off a text to Brayden, letting him know she managed to secure a vehicle.
The Eastwood Series Page 10