Always Crew

by Tijan

  I got under the covers and something settled in me, settled in my chest.

  I was home.

  I don’t know why I felt it now, but it was a wave and I knew—everything would be fine.

  I nodded. “He did it for Drayana and he said he’s going to look out for me when he gets out of prison and joins the Red Demons full time.”

  “Hmmm.”

  I was waiting, expecting.

  Cross didn’t say anything.

  “You’re not going to ask why?”

  He looked up, meeting my gaze and there was a knowing in his gaze. It took my breath away. He said, a sad smile pulling at his mouth, “I already know why, Bren. We loved you at the same time.”

  “I love you.”

  Another smile, but less sad. “I know that, too. I’m the one who got you.” He leaned forward, his forehead coming to rest against mine, and he said softly, tenderly, “I’m the one you’re going to call husband. I’m the one who gets to call you wife. I’m the one who will have children with you. I’m the one who gets your forever. And he knows it. He’s always known it, just like I’ve always known it.”

  Not letting me respond back, he touched under my chin and dipped his head.

  His mouth found mine, and he didn’t let me speak for a long time.

  BREN

  Years later

  To say that I never saw my dad after the Red Demons came to our house would’ve been a slight exaggeration, but the truth was that I didn’t see him much after that. Over the next weeks and months, I went back to working for Coug r Lanes, passed my test, and became a full-acting bounty hunter.

  I saw my dad a few times.

  It was on my end. I reached out, asked if he wanted to do dinner.

  He was still in Cain, and was working at a local garage repair shop on the outskirts. After I got more familiar with Cain, and more specifically, the underbelly of Cain, I knew that shop was one of the businesses owned and ran by the Red Demons.

  Still.

  It was clean, or that was the rumor.

  A few times we had to hunt down one of their workers, guys who weren’t a Red Demon, and on those occasions, we went to the shop. I saw my dad. Pleasantries were exchanged.

  He’d ask how I was doing, how Channing was doing. I answered, and reciprocated.

  It was surface talk, nothing deep. I knew he wanted a closer relationship, but I couldn’t.

  I just… I couldn’t.

  After working through my self-imposed guilt over what he did, thinking he did it for me, thinking he did time for me, I didn’t harbor any resentment toward him. I was more ‘nothing’ toward him. There were some good memories, but not many. I loved my mom. I missed my mom, but I had Channing. Channing was my blood family, and once I came to that decision, I decided I was okay not having dinner with Derrick so much.

  I was told recently that he took a job promotion within the same franchise to a shop closer to Roussou. And I adhered to what I promised Maxwell. Any time a Red Demon member popped up on our grid, I recused myself from the hunt. Brock was fine with that. So was Gramps. Hawk too. They all understood, and once that member was apprehended, I returned to the fold.

  I got a lot of hours manning the bowling lanes, which Trundle loved. He kept asking me how to get ‘the Jessie girl,’ or ‘those other three chicks who come in with the Tree Willow Girl’ to give him a chance. I told him to focus on girls his own age, but he was ambitious.

  That was his response every time.

  As for those girls mentioned, all of them had stints in our house.

  Zellman dated Angeline for a year. They broke up, got back together, broke up, and we were experiencing déjà vu from his relationship with Sunday. They were currently on a break, but that’d last till tonight. Party. Booze. And the heated looks both were giving the other when the other wasn’t looking told us that Z would have a girlfriend again, only to break up probably the next day.

  The whiplash was real from them.

  As for Jordan, he got a little bit more diverse.

  He and Tabatha tried, and they lasted for six months.

  They genuinely grew apart.

  Tabatha got more ambitious in her sorority, and she started dating a pre-law guy, or so we were told through the sorority/fraternity gossip mill that was named Zeke. Tabatha’s new guy was rumored to have a high potential to run for Congress one day, and Tabatha seemed happy. Her dad’s loan went away with the disappearance of Harper, Sr., and I never heard another word about either Harper again.

  I made peace with what I knew.

  Back to Jordan.

  He dated Jade and they lasted longer. A year and a half. They seemed happy-ish. Jordan didn’t talk much about Jade. She was nice, but quiet toward the end, and it wasn’t long after they broke up that we realized why.

  He and Jessinda Hinckley got hot and heavy, almost immediately.

  They’d been together since and were now on their second-year anniversary. And the two were dynamo, almost literally. Jordan never moved out from our house, so Jessinda was over, a lot, and the two fought, a lot. They also made up, a lot, and the heavy pants and wall thumping (even from the basement) became like background noise at times.

  But Jordan was happy.

  Spying Zellman and how he was grinning at Angeline, or Angeline’s ass, he seemed like he was going to be happy tonight.

  Everyone was over at the house because they were graduating. We were having an out-and-out rowdy party. Sometime during the summer, Jordan and Jessinda were planning on moving to where she was going to law school in Los Angeles. Zellman hadn’t talked about the future with Angeline, but it was known that he’d be going wherever Jordan was going.

  As for Cross and me, we were following right behind.

  My brother had a solid network of bounty hunters, and with my own reputation expanding, I got a job down there. Cross was going to attend graduate school. Turns out, he enjoyed architecture, and was heading to get a masters in the field.

  Jordan got a business degree, so he’d be getting a business job and starting the advancement process in whatever company he applied for. He decided not to join his dad’s company, instead letting his sister take the reins for after their dad retired. It seemed to make everyone happy.

  As for Zellman, he got a communications degree, though he was going to study for his fugitive apprehensive licensing test.

  Yes.

  He was going to be a bounty hunter right alongside me.

  BREN

  “Bad news.” That was my greeting from Hawk the second I walked into work, as she was holding out my coffee.

  I took a breath, just inhaling and had to decline. “Not today.” I eyed her warily as she frowned before handing off the coffee to Bonbon. Yeah, that’d been a shock to me, too, when we learned our new employee had passed her test. She was a certified bounty hunter, and I’d never been more terrified in my life, for the bail jumps.

  “And what’s the bad news?”

  “We got a Red Demon on the boards today.”

  I groaned. That meant I was staying in the office, and seriously, not today. I was needing some action.

  “But,” she piped up, smiling, and after working with Hawk for this last year, that smile never got old. She was my second or third type of family. I didn’t want to decipher the different groups, but I knew Hawk would take a bullet for me and the feeling was reciprocated. “We got a call from your brother. The guy they’ve been chasing popped up down here. They’re heading down, but wanted to see if a couple of us could help out.”

  “That’s more like it.” There was a whole blooming feeling in my chest.

  Hawk’s smile just got wider. “I thought so. Also, your brother said since he’s sending Congo. That you’re more than able to call in some of your own crew members.”

  The door opened. The sunlight flared inside before a silhouette blocked it, shading us. As soon as the door shut, I saw Zellman heading our way with his own special glower on his face, but I alre
ady knew it was him because he pulled into the lot right after me.

  He was still texting when I walked past his truck and rapped on his window.

  “Fight with Angeline?” Please. No more. I thought they got their shit together, finally.

  The glower turned into a scowl, which was totally different from Zellman. He growled. “Not because of why you’re thinking. She just texted, said Veronica needs a place to stay. The Nut Buster is going to be staying with us for the next two months. I’m going to go crazy. I’m going to turn into Bonbon.”

  She breezed past us, saying, “White van. Offer is always there.”

  His head reared back as she went into the bathroom and he visibly shook. “Will she ever stop with that?”

  Hawk shook her head. “No way. Not until someone actually takes her up on the offer. Then she’ll probably hump them from happiness.”

  “Can’t your man take her back?”

  A snort/grin was his response. “Brock ordered a new champagne bottle to be brought to the office when she announced she was coming to work with us, for an entire two weeks. Two weeks. And Brock doesn’t drink.”

  Speaking of Brock and how they were more open that he was her man, I asked, “You’re heading back there this weekend?”

  She sobered, nodding. “Yeah. You’ll be okay?”

  “Me?”

  She indicated to me, her eyes darting down. “You know. Today’s your last day for awhile and all.”

  “Oh.” Warmth spread through me, sending little tingles to my toes and all the way to the back of my neck. It sucked today was my last day on the job, but the reason was a whole new chapter in life. “I’ll be fine.”

  Zellman grunted. “Cross redid an entire room for them, just to have sex in. Those two have always been like rabbits once they got together and came out of not-ever-being-secretive at all, but—”

  “Hey!”

  He lifted up a shoulder, throwing his arm around my neck and pulling me in for a hug. “Come on, B.” His forehead rested to the side of mine. “Thick and thin. Crew forever and all that shit. You know I love you, but you and Cross, fucking rabbits. And yeah, that pun is totally intended.” But he hugged me tight for a second and he said quietly just for me, “You know I love you. Always crew.”

  I did. I tipped my head back, letting him see that I was happy. I patted his chest. “Always crew.”

  “Well, now that we’ve had your daily ‘crew’ moment, I’m also letting you know that I put calls in. Suit up and head out to meet your brother’s man, and you’re supposed to pick up your man and Jordan, too.”

  Sometimes they joined in, but only when it was approved, and I was more than down with that.

  Zellman and I went off, grabbing our gear, and he headed out first to the parking lot.

  I was stepping out from the door, checking my phone when a text came through.

  Cross: Old times.

  Me: Old times. Leaving now.

  Cross: Good. I’ll be ready.

  Zellman shot forward in his truck and leaned over to shove open his door for me. “Come on, B. After this bail jump, we’re going bowling to celebrate.”

  Zellman still sucked at bowling. Zellman was also the one who asked to go bowling.

  I got inside. “That sounds good.”

  And because I couldn’t help it since finding out, I moved my hand to my stomach.

  Yes. I was happy indeed.

  We had a baby crew member coming.

  From: Tazsters

  To: Everyone

  Subject: champagne and dancing around holla

  I’M AN AUNT! I’M AN AUNT.

  SUCK IT, EVERYONE.

  I’M AN AUNT.

  The BEST Twin

  They better name her after me.

  THE END

  www.tijansbooks.com

  Oh man. I don’t think there’s anything I can write here to express how I’ve felt writing this series.

  I loved writing Fallen Crest, but there was something about Roussou that pulled at me. I wanted to explore what universe that we glimpsed through Channing and wow, when I started writing the first few chapters, I got chills.

  Bren was such a dark character.

  I’ve written dark before, but I don’t think any of my characters have touched what Bren had. And the love she has for Cross, Jordan, and Zellman. I will truly miss these guys.

  Thank you to everyone who has loved the Crew Series right along with me.

  Thank you to my agent, to my proofreaders, my beta readers. To the admins in my reader group. Gah. So many! Rochelle Paige, Eileen Robinson, Crystal Solis, Amanda Wooden, Christina Santos, Debra Anastasia, Helena Hunting, Ilsa Madden-Mills, Pam Lilley, Elaine York, Paige Smith, Kara Hildebrand, Chris O’Neil Parace, Amy English, and seriously so many. You guys were always around when I either had a quick question or a long voice message, lol! I know there’s so many, but I’m trying to remember who has helped from Crew, Crew Princess, and has still hung with me through Always Crew. The ladies in Tijan’s Crew and Tijan’s Audiomen. You all are seriously so amazing. I’m so extremely blessed to have you ladies in those groups. Your enthusiasm and positivity, it gives me the extra boost of energy sometimes I need to keep writing, keep editing, get one more chapter done on my project. You all have no idea.

  I don’t quite remember when I first thought of the idea for this book, but I do remember writing it in my hotel room at RT in Atlanta. I believe I had just been playing around with the first chapters and in that hotel room, I had an aha moment where I knew I needed to get serious and really get going on the first Crew book, and now we’re here. I remember picking out the first cover for Crew and I got shivers. I loved it so much, and thank you to everyone who has helped share about these books and have stayed with me during these characters’ transition and changes.

  Love, love, love!

  I’m tapped out with words right now and I’m becoming a blubbering mess, so again-- thank you so much! From myself and Bailey.

  —Tijan

  FOR MORE READING

  Fallen Crest Series

  Crew Series

  The Boy I Grew Up With (standalone)

  Rich Prick (standalone)

  Other series:

  Broken and Screwed Series (YA/NA)

  Jaded Series (YA/NA suspense)

  Davy Harwood Series (paranormal)

  Carter Reed Series (mafia)

  Mafia Standalones:

  Cole

  Bennett Mafia

  Sports Romance Standalones:

  Enemies

  Teardrop Shot

  Hate To Love You

  Young Adult Standalones:

  Ryan’s Bed

  A Whole New Crowd

  Brady Remington Landed Me in Jail

  College Standalones:

  Antistepbrother

  Kian

  Contemporary Romances:

  Bad Boy Brody

  Home Tears

  Fighter

  Rockstar Romance Standalone:

  Sustain

  Paranormal Standalone:

  Evil

  More books to come:

  Cut’s Ryan

  Nate

  And more!

  RICH PRICK

  CHAPTER ONE

  Everyone knew who Blaise DeVroe was.

  It didn’t matter that he’d come to Fallen Crest Academy late in the year—and FCA was not a school you showed up late to.

  I knew this because I showed up shortly after this year—my senior year—began, and no one, I repeat no one, knew who I was. Since my parents decided to have a mid-life crisis and tried to make up for some of their wrongs and bring me back to Fallen Crest, my last year of high school had sucked. FCA was filled with rich, stuck-up people. That meant you had to speak their language to be in their groups, and I didn’t. Not because I didn’t have money. My parents were movie producers and directors. We had money, and I previously went to one of the most exclusive private schools in North America, and a stint in
a boarding school in Europe.

  I could be fluent in stuck-up-ese if I wanted to.

  But I chose not to. I’ve never been that girl.

  I was the library girl.

  I was the book nerd girl.

  I was the wallflower.

  On the whole, I tended to avoid people. I didn’t people well. I had an affinity for blending into the background. It’s a skill. I’d been perfecting it all my life.

  But anyway, Blaise DeVroe was the opposite of that.

  He may have moved to this school late in the year, but he walked in as if he already owned it. And to his credit, he kinda did.

  The guy who ran the school before Blaise showed up was Zeke Allen. He’s this wealthy jackass who’s a bully, a muscular douchebag, and who slept with girls and then talked shit about them. He was king of the school by default, I guess—not because he was anything fantastic.

  Then Blaise DeVroe walked in.

  Guess who gave him a welcome-home hug? Zeke Allen did!

  I was there, just coming out of the counselor’s office, so I saw it all.

  Blaise DeVroe strutted in with that cocky walk all the athletes had, and he was gorgeous. Like, seriously gorgeous. He had the high, arching cheekbones only the prettiest of the pretty-boy models had.

  I knew this too because I’d done some reluctant gigs in the business.

  But back to freaking stunning Blaise DeVroe. He had a chiseled, square jaw. He could have had his own waterfall off that jawline. Dark eyes. His hair was short, but long enough so he could rake his hands through it and let it be all adorably messy. And his body. Don’t even get me started on his body—I was all crushing on it because it was sick and I mean that in the hot kind of sick way, not the real sick way. He was definitely not the real sick way at all.

  He wasn’t as big as Zeke, but he had these big, broad shoulders. Trim waist. And there were muscles everywhere. I swear I saw shape definition in his neck.