Bryce (Scandalous Boys #1)

by Natalie Decker

  At lunch, I sit at the table and start researching some of the schools using my phone. Bryce sits down beside me, and Emily soon joins. She looks a little annoyed at me. “What?” I ask, lowering my phone to the table.

  “Locker time?”

  “Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t need anything from mine. And I, uh … I wanted to, um … get my list together.” I show her my college list.

  She raises a brow. “Didn’t you apply to the ones you wanted already? Are these like fallback schools or something?”

  “No, um … I, uh … didn’t apply any.” I bite my lower lip.

  “Shut up! Seriously? We had a plan, Maddy. I can’t believe you’re telling me this crap now.” She stands up. “Best friends for life, my ass!” She marches off.

  “Em! Em, come on!” She keeps walking but not without flipping me off.

  “Hey, Mads, look at me,” Bryce says. He grabs my right hand. I turn to him and sigh. “It’s going to be okay. She’ll get over it.”

  “Will she? She seems pretty ticked off. Maybe this was a bad idea.”

  He shakes his head. “Babe, it’s not a bad idea. Can I see the list?”

  I show him, and he smiles. “Mostly art schools?”

  “Yes.” I say it like I’m unsure because I kind of am.

  He squeezes my hand again. “They’ll be lucky to have you. Any one you choose.”

  Will they? I can think of at least one school I can see myself at that will probably think differently. I frown. “I want this one.” I turn my phone to Bryce. “But I think I messed up. I mean, I didn’t mess up, but someone made sure that I’d screw my chances.” I cast a look over to Sarah.

  He follows my stare. “If someone were to talk to Ms. Dyson—”

  “No, Bryce. Don’t. I’ll apply, and if they accept me, great. If not, it’s fine, it wasn’t meant to be.”

  He nods. I have a feeling, though, that he’s not going to listen to my request. We get through lunch without much more drama. Bryce walks me to class holding my hand, and when we get there, Graham glares in our direction. “Did I call this, or did I call this?”

  “Knock it off,” Bryce growls.

  “No. I’m not going to knock it off.”

  Bryce drops my hand and takes a step toward Graham. “Knock. It. Off.”

  “No! Does she know what you plan on doing this weekend?”

  I blink at Graham and then glance at Bryce. He’s breathing hard and flexing his fists. “Aren’t you going to Michigan to visit Hailey?” I ask, confused.

  Graham shakes his head. “Bryce here is planning on saying fuck this to his probation and getting thrown in jail. Tell her now, so someone can talk sense into you.”

  “Bryce?”

  Bryce looks back at me. “It’s not what you think. We’ll talk about this later. I promise.” He glares at Graham. “You should have stayed home, buddy.”

  “She needs to know. You’re doing something stupid!”

  Bryce slams into a seat, and I slowly lower myself into mine. Graham doesn’t say another word, and Bryce just looks angry the entire time. When the bell rings, he plows his way out of class. At the end of the day, he’s not even in the parking lot. I look around for him, but he’s gone. Em is still mad at me and left already, so that just leaves me with three options: the bus, which is currently making its way down the road, walking, or finding a ride with one of my classmates.

  I’m about to walk. I’ll curse Bryce with each step too. How could he just leave me? I’m mad at Graham too. If he hadn’t ticked Bryce off, then I wouldn’t be walking. However, what if what Graham said is true? Would Bryce have ever told me? And what the heck am I supposed to do with that information?

  I start down the sidewalk, gripping the straps of my backpack. My thoughts are so jumbled, I don’t notice the gray Chrysler following me until someone shouts, “Madison! Hop in.”

  I glance over at Graham and flip him off. “This is all your fault!”

  “Madison, be reasonable. I’m trying to be nice and give you a ride home.”

  I stop walking and grumble, “Fine.” He opens the passenger door, and I slip into the seat. “I’m still mad at you.”

  “That’s fair. Buckle up.”

  I do. “Why did you tell me about Bryce?” I’m kind of glad he did, but I wasn’t too crazy about the way he told me.

  He sighs. “Because he wouldn’t. Look, Bryce has done things. Not necessarily himself. But he has a tendency to stick up for or take the fall for others. And he can’t afford any more strikes on his record. You’re probably the only person who can talk some kind of sense into him. He’s not a superhero.”

  “What exactly is he going to do?”

  “You met Hailey, right?” He glances at me and then back at the road.

  “Yeah.”

  Graham’s jaw tightens. “Her ex-boyfriend beat her. A lot. One time so bad she was in the hospital. What’s really fucked up is she wasn’t dating him anymore. He just jumped her as she was walking to her apartment. The cops put him away, and she has a restraining order against him. Anyways, the dude got out and has found strategic ways of stalking Hailey.”

  I cover my mouth. “Oh my God! That’s awful. Are the cops not doing anything about it?”

  “They do what they can.” He shrugs. “Bryce knows, and he plans on beating that asshole into a coma, or worse. He’ll do anything to protect the people he cares about.”

  “But … if he’s on probation, and he beats that guy up or worse …” I shudder thinking about it.

  “Exactly. I like Hailey. She’s a cool person. But even she can’t talk Bryce out of hunting that guy down. I think you can, though. You’re the something he’s afraid to lose.” Graham pulls up to my house, and I thank him as I get out. I glance over at Bryce’s house and notice his car in the driveway, but I refuse to go over there. Yeah, Graham says I should talk to Bryce, and I should. But I can’t.

  I stroll into the house and up to my room. I pull out my books and work on my homework. After homework, I start on more college applications. After the eighth application, I look up from my laptop and over to Bryce’s window.

  He’s pacing, staring at something in his hand. The pain in my chest deepens. Why isn’t he calling me to make sure I got home okay? Why isn’t he telling me he’s not going to do anything crazy?

  I slam my computer shut and close my curtains as he looks over at my window.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Bryce

  What’s wrong with me? Everything! I left the girl I’m falling for at school without a freaking ride. That’s a dick move on my part, and I know it. I’m surprised she hasn’t posted a sign on her window that says, “Burn in hell, fucker,” or, “I hate you, prick!”

  When I look up from my phone and over at her room, I notice her staring out at me. I’m about to call her right then, but she slams her curtains shut. Damn it. I ruined it. My chance with her just went straight down the toilet. And for what?

  Freaking Graham couldn’t keep his damn mouth shut. I notice he gave her a ride home. My blood boils at the thought of her sitting in his car. It shouldn’t because it’s my own fault she had to fetch a ride with him in the first place. Still, that doesn’t make it any better.

  I pace my room some more. If only there were a way to keep Hailey safe and that asshole behind bars, I’d do it. But because of overcrowding, they let Darren Hicks out. For assault, stalking, and harassing, he should have been in there for five years. That little shit got six months. He’s also supposed to follow the restraining order my cousin put out on him, but it seems that punk found a way around it.

  So of course I want to go up there and teach him a lesson. One that will require him to be locked up—in a hospital, in a coma, or six feet under. There is no reason a piece of garbage like him should be allowed to walk the streets. Hailey is scared to death to leave her dorm room.

  I just wish Madison would understand. Yes, I should have told her, but I was worried she’d react just like
she did. I don’t want to lose her.

  Skimming the numbers in my phone, I push down on one and listen to it ring.

  “Hello,” Hailey says in a low tone.

  “Hi. How are you holding up?”

  “Okay.” I can tell she’s lying. I clench my jaw.

  “Screw break. I’m coming early.”

  She pauses. “Bryce, promise me you won’t do anything stupid.”

  I pace my room, snatching up my bag from the floor and setting it on the bed. “I’m not going to do anything that little shit doesn’t deserve.”

  “Damn it, Bryce! I know you want to protect me, but you can’t do it if you’re hauled off to jail. Threaten him if you want or punch him a few times but don’t do anything too rash. I’m serious. I can’t lose you. And think about Madison.”

  I stop grabbing clothes from my closet. “Don’t bring her into this. She’s already pissed off at me, and I’ve probably lost her for good.” I turn from my closet, my arms full of clothes, and just about jump straight out of my skin. Madison is standing in the middle of my room with her arms folded, glaring at me.

  “Jesus, Mads, what are you doing?”

  “Oh, is she there? Go talk to her, Bryce. I’ll talk to you later. Tell her I said hi!” Then the line goes dead.

  I lower the phone and slowly make my way toward the bed. “I’m an asshole. I know. I shouldn’t have left you at school like I did. I just … Madison, please stop looking at me like that. I’m trying to apologize.”

  “I don’t want an apology. I want to know why you’re doing this. Any of this. We were supposed to be honest with each other, and everything would be fine. You said that! Yet hiding things like this is the exact opposite of honest. You need to tell me this stuff.”

  I drop the clothes and hug her. I kiss her forehead, then say, “I’m sorry. I really am. You’re right. I should have told you the moment I knew. But I was scared. I can’t lose you, Madison. I’m in love with you.”

  She backs up and stares at me. Her arms drop to her sides, and she’s trembling. “What?”

  “I love you, Madison. It scares me because I know eventually this will all end. It scares me even more that you might not feel the same way. But you have to know.”

  “Bryce, I’m not sure what I’m feeling anymore. I’m mad you left me, but I’m more upset and hurt that you kept this from me. You told Graham but not me. Why?”

  I look down at our feet and glower. “Graham was in the car when I got the call Friday. He overheard me say, ‘Don’t worry about it, Hailey. I’ll take care of it.’ He knew I was going to Michigan and knew you and I were spending a lot of time together. Especially when he asked if I wanted to come hang out over the weekend. I told him I couldn’t because I was taking you out.” I glance up at her. “He told me to tell you, and I said I would. But I didn’t.”

  “So he told me instead. And now you claim to love me. Is that supposed to make me forget?”

  I take a step closer. “No. Madison, I really do love you. I’ve loved you since kindergarten. I loved you when you pricked your finger on that stupid rose bush your mom has on the side of the house and you practically fainted at the sight of your own blood. Do you remember? We were five. I rushed inside and grabbed a Band-Aid, and you said I was your prince.”

  “But then you stuck gum in my hair.”

  “Because when I told you I liked you, you screamed that I had cooties and ran away.”

  One side of her lip quirks up. “I’m sorry.”

  “Madison, I swear I was going to tell you. I mean it. There are three things very dear in my life: you, my family, and Graham. If anyone harms or threatens those things, I will not stand around and watch. You asked me not to, but I did it anyway. I told Ms. Dyson to call her friend and get you another interview. You were still sick from that snakebite, and that’s why you missed. Yes, I lied, but it was better than the truth and more logical.”

  Her eyes widen. “Bryce. I …” Tears form, and I gently wipe one away. “Don’t go. Please don’t go without me.”

  “Madison, I’m leaving tomorrow. I don’t think your parents would be very pleased about you leaving with me. I know your dad would hunt me down and kill me.”

  She rest her head on my chest and whimpers against the fabric. “I don’t care what they think. I’m not leaving you. I love you.”

  This time I pull her back slightly and stare at her. Tears still stream down her cheeks, and I ache for it to stop. I kiss her mouth, and at first, it’s gentle and light, but she deepens the kiss. I moan against her mouth and guide her to the bed. In one fluid motion, I shove my bag and clothes to the ground to make more room for Madison and me.

  My fingers roam her body without removing any of her clothes. I swore I would take things slow with Madison, and I’m keeping that promise. She presses her lips to my neck and exhales against my skin. God, I’ve never been so turned on in my entire life.

  I break away from her. “Sorry. We … have … to … pause.”

  “Why?” she asks all breathy.

  “Because I don’t want to break any more promises.” I get up and stride across the room. I stand near my dresser, giving us ample space.

  She straightens her shirt as she sits up and then says, “I’m still going with you.”

  “Babe, you can’t. I need you to stay here.”

  “Because you’re going to get into trouble?”

  I shake my head. “I don’t exactly plan on it, but if I must to protect Hailey, I will.”

  She frowns. “Okay.” She stands up and heads to the door. She pauses and looks over at me. “Can you promise me something?”

  “Anything.”

  “Turn him in to the police. Let them do their job.”

  I tear my gaze from hers. “You don’t understand, Mads.”

  “You’re right, I don’t. I guess you’ve made up your mind then. Good-bye, Bryce.”

  “Good-bye?” I stare at her. “Are you ending us?”

  “I don’t know. Just … call me when you get there.”

  She doesn’t wait for my answer; she just leaves.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Madison

  I haven’t talked to Bryce since he left. I don’t know what I was thinking, telling him I loved him. Yeah, I do love him, but … he still left. I understand he wants to protect his cousin. Believe me, I get that, but why hasn’t he called me?

  Sarah wanders into our room and snaps, “What?”

  “Nothing.” I slump into my chair and stare out at his window. I don’t know why. Duh, he’s not there. But I can’t stop staring.

  “Boyfriend finally figure out just how nunnish you are and leave you?”

  I swivel in my chair. “Don’t you have a flight to catch?”

  She sneers at me. “No! I’m staying here for Thanksgiving. Got a problem with that?”

  “I don’t know. Do you plan on getting tanked on wine before or after dinner? I’d like to know so I can choose a good time to leave and not stay to clean you up this time!”

  She stalks over to me. “You know what, Madison? I’d watch it if I were you. Pissing me off will not end well for you.”

  I roll my eyes. “Please. What more can you do to me, Sarah?”

  Her grin turns evil, and she strolls over to the door.

  Once she’s gone, worry sets in. Crap. I should watch what I say around that little she-devil.

  Kyle plows through the front door like an oversize caveman Thursday morning. He almost runs Mom over with a heap of laundry that, no offense, smells like it’s been sitting in sewage for months. I plug my nose and make a sour face as soon as he drops the bag beside me and wraps me up in a hug. Oh, sweet Jesus, I think I’m going to die from the disgusting boy odors coming from him.

  “Shower much?” I groan as he puts me down.

  “Yes,” he says and shoves me away.

  “I can’t tell.”

  He mocks me and then says, “I was driving for a while. Cut me some slack.”
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  “Whatevs. Go take a shower. You smell worse than a pig barn.”

  “Bite me.” He finds Dad and hugs him. He hugs Sarah too and then marches upstairs.

  The phone rings. I pick it up since I’m closest and Mom is now busying herself in the kitchen. And Dad, well, he’s flipping to football. “Hello?”

  “You have a collect call from Arizona Correctional. Do you accept the charges?”

  “Yes?” I say, completely unsure if my parents are taking my aunt and uncle’s calls or not.

  A woman with a deep and scratchy voice answers. “Hello?”

  “Aunt Catlin?” It should be her, but it doesn’t sound like her at all.

  “Madison. How are you, honey?”

  “I’m fine. Happy Thanksgiving.”

  She grunts like a truck driver and asks, “Is your mom or Sarah around, honey?”

  “Yeah, hold on.” I clasp my hand over the receiver and yell for Sarah first. I’m sure she wants to talk to her mom. She comes down the stairs and glares at me as I hand her the phone. “It’s your mom.”

  “That’s not my mom!” She knocks the phone away from me, and I pick it up.

  “Sorry, Aunt Catlin. Sarah seems to be in a mood. Hold on, here’s Mom.” I hand the phone over to Mom while taking the spoon from her and stirring the stuffing.

  While I stir, Mom talks in hushed tones. It’s making eavesdropping a lot more difficult. I’m almost about to give up when Mom shouts, “That’s beyond ridiculous, Catlin! I can’t afford to do any more than I already have.”

  My father enters the kitchen with an alarmed look. He studies my mom, and then glances at me. I turn my attention to the stuffing. Whatever is going on is not good.

  A shadow clouds over me. “So, squirt, why are you making the stuffing? And why is Mom crying?” Kyle asks.

  “Aunt Catlin is on the phone.”