Hannaford Prep: The Complete Series

by J Bree

  I clear my throat, “Thanks.”

  Ash shrugs and Blaise nods, a little distracted.

  “What, no smart ass comment?”

  Ash stares back at me and then shakes his head slowly. “No. I don’t have anything left to say.”

  I don’t know how to answer that so I don’t. I let my eyes fall shut and I start to plan out the rest of our evening. Get to Doc’s, lose the van, find a hotel to stash the rich kids, keep Harley out of sight as much as possible, get Blaise’s Maserati to the hotel to get us back to Hannaford, find clothing because at least three of us are covered in Joey’s vomit, the list goes on and on, endless and exhausting. I check Joey’s pulse again. Still alive.

  As we get to the city limits Harley breaks the silence.

  “How much will this cost?”

  I shrug. “Nothing, I’ll call in a favor.”

  Harley snarls and rips his body around to snap at me, “Fuck no. You’re not using up a favor for this fucking murderer. It’s bad enough you spent one on me. Get a price and we’ll pay it.”

  Fuck. I forgot he knows about the diamonds. “Not one of those favors. The Doc owes me for some work I did for him last year. It’ll be fine.”

  Avery looks between us both and then raises an eyebrow at me. I nod sharply. I’m going to have to sit them both down soon and tell both of them… as close to everything as I’ll ever get. Then Avery won’t have to guess at how much Harley knows and he can protect himself from what being mine entails.

  We pull up in front of a quiet suburban house in a shitty neighborhood. The house is the nicest on the street, the grass green and trimmed to perfection. I tell them to wait as I scramble out the back door and up to the house. The front door opens before I can knock. A short, elderly Vietnamese man frowns at me as he takes me in.

  “Aren’t you off at school, my girl?”

  I grin at him and nod. “I’ve got a patient for you. It’s really important that he lives, Doc.”

  He sighs and waves me in. I motion at the van to get the others to join us. Ash and Blaise carry Joey across the grass and into the medical room Doc has set up. It’s well-stocked, sterile, and ready for massacre victims at all times.

  Doc gets straight to work on his patient and I step out to wash my hands. Ash follows me and stands at the kitchen sink scrubbing the bile from his skin with me. I finally take a shaky breath. If anyone can fix Joey it’ll be Doc.

  When we get back to the room Harley is glaring at Doc like he’s planning to stab him and Avery is tucked up in Blaise’s arms. Her shoulders are shaking but her eyes are dry, this is pure panic at the thought of losing Ash.

  “Friend of yours?” murmurs Doc.

  I don’t ever lie to this man, he can smell it. “No.”

  Doc raises an eyebrow at me but his hands don’t falter as he puts an IV line into Joey and starts him on some fluids. “Why bother bringing him in then? Just dig a hole.”

  Ash stares at Doc like he’s a bug he’d like to squash. I try to keep the old man busy instead. “He’s worth saving. How’s Maria and the kids?” Maria is Doc’s granddaughter, his pride and joy. She’s eighteen and has three kids already, a typical Mounty girl. She’s sweet enough and good to the old man so I always check in with her when I’m in town.

  “She’s pregnant.” He says with a sigh. He moves to start taking down Joey’s temperate, heart rate, lord knows what else, to try and assess how bad the repercussions of this episode will be. This is not my first OD rodeo.

  “Fuck,” I reply and he gives me a dry look.

  “I’ve tried to get her on the stick but she insists on taking the pill then forgets to half the time. I’ll be building an extension on the house by the end of the year.”

  “Maybe tell her to stay away from cocks for a while instead,” I say with a grin and he roars with laughter at me. I’ve seen him carve up a guy’s face with a scalpel for saying less but I guess I’m just special like that. Doc knows I say it with love and experience. I know exactly what life is like around here for poor Mounty girls. The conversation is a good distraction for everyone. I can see Avery is slowly collecting herself, the unaffected, cool mask slowly sliding back into place.

  Doc starts to hook Joey up to all sorts of noisy machines. “You know, if she finally has a girl I’m going to get her to name it after you. You’re a good girl, we need some of that in this house.”

  I blanch and then sputter out, “Fuck no! Don’t traumatize the poor spawn. It’ll be bad enough not knowing who the daddy is.”

  Doc grimaces. “Oh, I know who the daddy is. Maria will be lucky to get to keep the baby.”

  “Why? Who knocked her up?”

  Doc surveys the room before he speaks. “Matteo.”

  My stomach drops.

  Fuck.

  That’s really, really bad.

  “Doc. Doc, do not let her tell him. Fuck, send her away.”

  “I’ve tried, she won’t go. She’s got it in her head that they’re in love.”

  I grab his wrist and give him a shake. “I’ll give you the money. I’ll pay to get her away, Doc.”

  “I’m not stupid. I know she’s going to be forced to abort the baby.”

  She’s going to be killed. It won't matter that's she's Doc’s family. The Jackal will plunge a knife through her heart and then he’ll bury her somewhere she’ll never be found again. Doc will lose her too.

  I can’t argue with him without privacy so I shake my head and try to figure out how to help Maria. Poor, stupid, gullible Maria. Taken in by the Jackal’s handsome face.

  After another tense minute of silence Doc looks up and smiles at me. “He’ll be ready to go by midday. Stop worrying about my problems and go get some sleep, my girl.”

  Avery books us into the same hotel as the last time we were here.

  When Harley pulls into the parking I wait until the others are out and then try to get Harley out too.

  “I’ll help you ditch it.”

  I scowl at him. “I don’t want to get you into any trouble. Just go with the others and I’ll be back in an hour.”

  He stares me down until I give in. I direct him from the passenger seat until we pull up into a chop shop owned by the Bear. Gordon, the guy running it, takes one look at me through the window and waves us through into the garage. “Not a single word.” I whisper in what I hope is an authoritative tone to Harley. He just nods and we get out.

  “Price?” says Gordon.

  I look over the van and glance back to him. “I need it gone and I need a ride back to a hotel. Nothing else.”

  Gordon grunts and flicks a hand out at one of the guys who darts off to get us a ride. Then he gives Harley a good, long stare. “I’ll get the boss to call if there’s anything he’s got questions about.”

  Fucking perfect. I nod and then follow Gordon out to the awaiting car at the curb. Harley goes to get in the back and I discreetly push him to the front. Protocol, that he knows nothing about, says he gets in the front. I’m supposed to be safely stashed in the back. He eyes me and gives me a tiny nod, opening my door and shutting it behind me. I hope it’s enough.

  The car ride is mostly quiet. Harley tells the guy the address and I text Avery to tell her we’re on our way back. The guy seems nervous, he’s practically shaking, and his eyes keep darting to the rearview mirror to watch me. Harley crosses his arms and glowers at him.

  “A lot of interest about you, man,” The guy says and I tense.

  Harley shrugs and plays along. “I’m sure there is.”

  “My boss said he never thought he’d ever see the day she accepted someone. A lot of people want to know what’s so special about you. Can’t just be the pretty face or who your old man was.”

  Nope. Not going to let this go on.

  I lean forward and put a hand on the guys arm. He nearly runs us off the road before looking back at me. “Are you trying to dig for information on me?”

  “Oh, no! Absolutely not! I was just curious, I would never�
�“

  “Then shut up.”

  He nods and then drives in silence, sweat dripping from his face and his hands are slick on the wheel. When we pull up, I wait for Harley to get out and open my door. I don’t say a word to him or the trembling driver. The tires squeal as the car takes off and the guy flees from us.

  “Is there anyone in this city that isn’t afraid of you?” Harley drawls and I shrug at him. “Are you ever going to tell me how it is a little Mounty girl can get grown men to fucking shake in their boots with barely a word?”

  I start walking to our rooms and say, “You’ve gotta be all in to know and you’re not all in.”

  Harley grunts and walks ahead of me. I stop at the door of the suite and pull out my phone to text the Jackal. If he hears about me being here without checking in with him he’ll get suspicious and start looking into my life at Hannaford. No way I’m letting that happen.

  In the Bay. Had to get Joey patched up.

  I fidget while I wait for his reply. My head is pounding and I’d kill for ten hours of sleep right now. My phone pings.

  Stop off and see me. We can discuss your favor and I can meet the O’Cronin boy.

  Fuck no. My hand trembles as I reply.

  No time, school tomorrow. I’ll bring Harley to a meeting over the summer break.

  I can picture the Jackal’s face so clearly in my mind as he reads the message. I know he’s twitching to punish me, to bend me to him and force me to obey his every command. If I weren’t a member of the Twelve I think he would be finding me tonight. I’m not sure how much longer being the Wolf will keep me safe.

  I will see you both soon.

  I let out my breath and head into the suite.

  The shower is running, Harley must be cleaning the vomit off of his legs, and Avery is in one of the rooms talking in a stern tone down her phone. Clean up for the evil Beaumont child is well underway. The other two are out on the balcony. Blaise is smoking a blunt and Ash has a glass with whiskey over ice. I step out and join them. I don’t want to be alone with the swirling panic in my mind. They’re talking shit about some sporting thing I have no idea about and even less interest in learning. I just sit and stare blankly out at the city I’d do anything to get away from.

  I can’t think about anything but all the evil that’s creeping up on us. The Jackal wants Harley dead. He’s knocked up Doc’s little Maria and now she’s going to die. Ash’s head is on the damn chopping block and his life depends on Joey breathing. Fuck.

  Eventually Blaise gets up and walks back into the room, hesitating before squeezing my shoulder as he moves past me.

  “Drink?” Ash says as he holds out the bottle to me. I take it a drink straight out of it, fuck glasses, and he quirks an eyebrow at me.

  “I need a hell of a lot more than a glass can hold right now.”

  “Not happy to be home?”

  I scoff at him. “Cut me some slack. I just found out Doc’s grandkid is going to be brutally murdered just because she can’t remember to take a damn pill.” I groan and hang my head. It’s an utter waste and a fucking tragedy and I can’t do a thing about it.

  “This Matteo will kill her instead of just getting rid of the baby?”

  He'd kill her just for the fun of listening to her beg for mercy. “He doesn’t exactly value life, in any form.”

  Ash nods and looks back out over the city. “I’ll pay. Get her out and I’ll pay for the costs.”

  I stare at him in shock. He gives me a sidelong look and takes Blaise’s blunt from the ashtray. He offers it to me but I wave him away. “I’m not a fan of domestic violence or women being killed. Besides, you just saved Joey. I owe you.”

  I take another swig, long enough that I can feel the heat of the liquor pooling in my stomach nicely. I’d like to get drunk. I’d like to get absolutely fucked up but now’s not the time. “Thanks. I’ll reach out to her.”

  I hand him back the bottle and he shrugs, drinking straight from it then his tongue darts out to swipe across his lips. My stomach heats for an entirely different reason. He’s just licked the taste of me off of his lips. I wonder if he remembers the taste of me as clearly as I remember the taste of him. Doubtful.

  I stand up and as I step back through the door I turn to look at him. “You don’t owe me. I did it for Avery and if you’d just stop hating me, I’d do it for you, too.”

  His eyes don’t waiver from the lights of the city but he nods at me.

  I don’t know if we’ve made any progress but I go to sleep easier that night.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  I find myself, terrifyingly, only one week ahead in my studies.

  We’re down to the last month of the school year and yet with all of the tutoring, singing practice, babysitting, scheming, self-defense lessons, and family dinners I’m now behind. Well, okay, not behind but if I get the flu now I’m fucked academically. Avery rolls her eyes at me and tells me she would never let me lose my scholarship or my place at Hannaford which is reassuring but it doesn’t stop me from turning into a crazed insomniac hell-bent on finishing every assignment I have left in three days or less.

  I take refuge in the library, texting everyone to tell them I’m skipping dinner, and I slip Blaise’s iPod into my ears to block out what little noise there is. I plow through all of my history, literature, biology, and math like my life depends on it. I wince at my now stone cold coffee, completely forgotten about and now I’m mourning its loss.

  When I stop to glance at the clock and stretch my arms and fingers out I find it’s almost nine and the library is empty. I only have a few minutes before I’ll be kicked out and the curfew is only thirty minutes after that. Not that the curfew means anything to me, teachers now turn and run if they see me in the same way they do if they see Avery. It’s hilarious.

  I’m shoving my textbooks into my bag and yawning when the earphones are yanked out of my ears with enough force that the iPod goes flying. I clench my fists but I recognize the perfume. Annabelle freaking Summers.

  “Does Blaise know you’ve stolen his music? He’ll drop you if he finds out you’ve got this, you dumb Mounty slut,” she hisses and I stand up, slinging my bag over my shoulder. When I bend to pick the iPod up she snatches it up first.

  “Hand it over or I’ll break every finger on your hand. One warning, that’s all you’re getting,” I say, holding up a finger and giving her a menacing look. She’s sneering back at me and looking nothing like the stunning girl I first met last year, draped around Blaise and giggling prettily. I do a full assessment of her while her lip curls at my slow perusal. Nothing seems out of place except her roots are showing, a cardinal sin amongst the affluent, bratty girls here. Ah, her nails aren’t done either. Her eyelashes are thinner, lighter, and her eyebrows look good but not perfect.

  Her parents have cut her off. Whether they’ve run out of funds themselves or she’s pissed them off, I don’t know but I also don’t care. I think she’d fuck me for money at this point, the desperation is seeping from her pores.

  I hold out my hand for the iPod and raise an eyebrow at her.

  “I’m not fucking giving it back to you. He doesn’t even let Ash touch it! I’ll be walking it back up to his room and telling him—“

  “That you’ve stolen my iPod from my friend? That you’re a jealous, desperate mess and instead of doing your own work you want to trap me and leach off of me? That you’re hung up on Harley and hoping you’ll be able to get him back into your bed once you’ve secured eighteen years of child support from me?”

  Annabelle’s lips drop and her eyes are peeled and wild as she whirls to find Blaise glaring at her, dressed in his sweatpants and an old band tee. He doesn’t pause in his scathing rant.

  “How about you tell me all about how you manipulated your way into my room to steal my fathers letters and post them for the whole fucking world to see? Or how you’re still posting daily about Rory trying to rape Avery? How about you tell me and the Mounty about how you help
ed that sick freak Lance steal her underwear and you tried to break into her room to let him mess with her shit?”

  “Blaise, I—“

  “Hand Lips my iPod. I gave it to her.” She smacks it into my hand and steps toward him, tears streaming down her face and I decide to get the sweet fresh hell out of the library and away from the drama. I’m allergic to this shit and yet I keep finding myself in the middle of it. Blaise slings an arm around my waist as I try to move past him.

  “I’m here to walk you back to your room, don’t run off without me,” he murmurs into my hair as he drapes himself over me. I will not blush. I will not crumble; I’m not some desperate groupie. If I keep telling myself this maybe it’ll miraculously come true.

  “You know she spent the night with Harley while you were at Avery’s recital. You blame me for loving all three of you but it’s okay for her play you all off of each other!” Annabelle wails at us.

  I tense up but when I try to shift away Blaise just holds me closer. I swear I can feel the ridges of his abs where I’m pressed against him. Sweet lord.

  “Nice try, Summers, but we all know what’s going on. Harley has not been discreet and, like you said, I don’t give my music away to anyone. C’mon, Mounty. Avery will have my balls if I don’t get you back soon.”

  Annabelle calls out to him but he ignores her, grabbing the iPod from me and handing me one of the earphones. When the music starts I don’t know if he’s picked the song, ‘Iris’ by the Goo Goo Dolls, or if he hit shuffle but it’s an old favorite of mine and my chest always aches when I hear it.