by Cotton, L A
Maverick wrapped me into his side and shrugged. “I’m going to give them the tour and then we’re heading down to the beach.”
Awkward silence descended over us and I elbowed Maverick in the ribs. He spluttered out, “You can come with, if you want?”
“Nah, it’s cool. I need to get ahead with some reading and I think Darnell said something about hitting the gym. I’ll catch you later though?” There was something in the way he asked the question that had me on edge.
“It was nice to meet you Lo. Don’t be a stranger.”
I gave him a little wave, watching as he went inside, then I turned to Maverick. “What was all that about?”
“I didn’t want to have to share you with anyone else. It’s bad enough I have to share you with them.” He motioned to where our friends stood.
“I’m not talking about that, Maverick. What did he mean, ‘he’ll catch you later’? What’s later?”
“Nothing for you to worry about. Come on, we should probably go keep Kyle out of trouble.” He went to move, but I grabbed his arm.
“Maverick, no secrets.”
He raked a brisk hand over his head and let out a long sigh. “There’s another initiation thing tonight.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
His brows shot up, and I mumbled something under my breath.
“It’s nothing, I promise. Come on, Lo.” He looped his arms around me, drawing me close. “I don’t want to spend the day fighting. I’m not worried about whatever that douche has in store for us, and neither should you be.”
Staring up at Maverick, I was unable to shake the bad feeling in my chest. But he was right. I wasn’t here to fight. I was here to spend time with him and our friends. Leaning up, I pressed a quick kiss on his lips. “Okay, no fighting. Besides, I have a surprise for you.”
“Oh yeah?” His husky breath danced over my face.
“Yeah, but you can’t have it until we get to the beach.” I curled my hands into his jersey, anchoring us together.
“I hate waiting.”
“Me, too. But some things are worth the wait,” I whispered, and Maverick pressed a kiss to my hair before dipping his mouth to my ear.
“I will always wait for you.”
His words sent shivers up my spine. So much had changed in such a short space of time since he came to SU. But I guess some things never changed.
And that eased the constant ache in my chest.
“SO ARE WE GOING TO pretend Maverick doesn’t look like he got beat on by Deontay Wilder, or am I the only one brave enough to ask?” Kiera popped a fry into her mouth and stared at the rest of us. Maverick went tense beside me and I slid my arm over his.
“Sis, I think you and me need to have a little talk about some things.”
Kiera shot Kyle a look and said, “Like you’re not thinking exactly what I’m thinking.”
“True.” Kyle sighed. “But the thing with Rick is, well... seriously, Cous, help me out here?”
“I—”
Maverick yanked his arm free and rose from the bench. “I need to get a bit of air.”
I could tell it was on the tip of Kyle’s tongue to crack a joke about already being outside, but he didn’t. And I was grateful.
“I didn’t mean to scare him away.” Kiera gave me an apologetic smile. “It’s just no one was talking about it and shit, that’s some bruise.”
“It’s not you, I promise. We’ll be back.” I got up and went after Maverick. He didn’t wander far. Just over to the fence separating the perimeter of campus and the world beyond. “Hey,” I said moving up beside him as he stared out at nothing.
“Hey.”
“Maverick.” I wrapped my hand around his arm and tugged gently. When his eyes slid to mine, my heart cracked in two. “Talk to me. What happened? And don’t say nothing because I know you, and this isn’t nothing. Did something happen at the initiation?” My gut instinct had told me something was wrong when we talked about it, but I didn’t push, because pushing Maverick only made him pull away all the more.
“Zac Lowell.” The name hung between us like an invisible force.
“He...” I swallowed. “Hit you?”
“Yeah.”
“But why... I don’t understand.”
“The initiation was a lame paintball thing. I was the only person who avoided taking a hit. I guess this was my reward.”
“Maverick, that’s assault.” My stomach sank.
He gave me a pointed look. “It’s his word against mine. Besides, I can’t rat him out. He’s the captain. And he’s well connected, Lo. His dad is an alumnus, and a donor here.”
“My God, it’s happening again.” I cried, unable to tamp down the emotions rising in me. “How do we always end up in these ridiculous situations?”
“Hey.” His strong arms wrapped around me, tucking me underneath his chin. “It’s just a bruise.”
I pulled back, craning my head to meet his eyes. “It is not just a bruise. Can you be sure this is the end of it? That he won’t pull another stunt like this? You already told me there’s another thing tonight. What if he does something like this again... or something worse?”
He mashed his lips together, and I had my answer.
“Fuck.”
His brows quirked, and he dipped his head, “Say that again,” he breathed against my lips.
“What?”
“Fuck. Say it again. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say it.”
“Maverick.” I curled my hands into his tank. “Be serious.”
“Oh, I’m being totally serious. I haven’t seen you for three days.” His mouth moved to my ear. “Haven’t felt you under me. On top of me. It’s killing me, Lo.”
I gasped, trying to drag air into my lungs. He felt it too. The pain of separation. “It’ll get easier,” I whispered, not sure who I was trying to convince—him, or myself.
We stood there a couple more minutes. Not talking. Just soaking in the closeness. Then hand-in-hand, we made our way back to the others. Neither of us spoke, the weight of things lingering in the space between us. But something about the way he held me, how gentle he kissed, told me he knew how serious this thing with Zac Lowell was.
But if I’d learned anything from being with Maverick, it was that he needed to process things in his own way. He wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise his place at SU, he had worked too damn hard.
“Motherfucker,” Maverick hissed as we approached Kyle, Laurie, and Kiera.
“Who is...” the words died on my tongue as realisation hit. “It’s him, isn’t it?”
Maverick went rigid beside me as I held onto him, squeezing his hand to let him know I was right there.
“Prince, get over here,” Kyle piped up when he noticed us, hovering a few feet away. “Zac came over to introduce himself.” His eyes flicked to mine and then back to Maverick, and something passed between them.
“Prince.” Zac clipped out and turned his attention to me. “And you must be the girlfriend.” His gaze swept over me but not in a lingering way. He almost looked disgusted, and I resisted the urge to kick him in the balls. “So, what, you got a golden pussy or something, keeping our guy away from the first team meet?”
My eyes narrowed in disbelief and three things happened at once. Laurie sucked in a sharp breath. Kiera gasped. And Kyle was off the bench flanking Maverick’s other side.
“Not cool, dude,” he said. “That’s my cousin you’re talking about.”
My grip on Maverick tightened as his body trembled with fury.
“Hey, it’s all good.” Zac smirked. “I’m just saying, Prince should get his priorities straight.” The two of them were locked in a stare-off. It was obvious Zac was baiting Maverick, trying to get a rise out of him. I knew Maverick well enough to know it was taking everything for him not to engage. Zac knew it too. His smirk morphing into smug satisfaction. He exuded cockiness and entitlement. I instantly hated him.
“Well, this has been... enli
ghtening.” He inclined his head, his gaze remaining on me. “But I have shit to do. Lo, Kylie, it was nice to meet you.
Kyle’s jaw dropped open and Laurie went to him, sliding her arm through his and holding tightly.
“And Prince.” Zac wasn’t done. “Don’t be late.” He sauntered off as if he hadn’t just offended at least half of our group.
“So that was Zac Lowell?” Kyle ground out as we watched him walk away. “What a cocksucker.”
No one replied, the tension still crackling around us. I slid my fingers into Maverick’s and glanced up at him. Jaw clenched, eyes set into thin lines, he was one second away from chasing Zac down and doing something that could jeopardise his college career before it even got started.
“Who is he anyway?” Kiera’s question cut through the silence like a knife.
“SU’s very own Caitlin Holloway,” Laurie said.
I flinched, and Kiera frowned. “Who?”
“Don’t worry, Sis. You’ll have the pleasure of meeting her next week.” Kyle clapped Maverick on the back and it jolted him into the present. “I don’t know about anyone else, but I need a beer,” he said. “Laurie, can you drive my Jeep back?”
“Yeah, of course.”
Kyle slung his arm around Maverick’s neck and pulled him close, whispering something into his stepbrother’s ear. When he was done, he looked back at the rest of us. “Let’s get out of here.”
And I nodded. Because after that introduction, I wanted to be as far away from Zac Lowell as possible.
Chapter 13
Maverick
I WATCHED THEM PULL away, my chest tightening as Kyle’s Jeep disappeared out of the campus gates. Lo was worried. I felt it in every word. Every time her eyes landed on me. Each time her fingers grazed mine. And she had every right to be. Zac Lowell was a real piece of work, and if I was being honest, I wasn’t looking forward to what the night would bring.
As I doubled back toward my building, my cell vibrated, and I slid it out of my pocket.
Lo: Be safe tonight. Promise me you won’t do anything stupid x
Me: I promise xo
Dragging a hand over my face, I pocketed my cell. Anger still lingered in my veins at what Zac had said to Lo. At the fact that until I figured out his end game, I couldn’t do shit about his freshmen games. That fucker wasn’t good enough to even breathe the same air as her and if he was anyone else, I would have made sure he knew that.
But my hands were tied.
As much as I hated it, for now, I was a pawn in his game.
“Yo, Prince,” Jamie called as I neared the dorm building. He was sitting on the bench, frowning at his cell phone.
“Everything okay?” I flicked my gaze to his hands, and he shrugged.
“It will be. Lo and your stepbrother headed home already?”
“Yeah, my stepbrother’s sister, Kiera, has to get home to her mom.”
“There’s another sister? Geez, you lot are a complicated bunch.”
“You don’t know the half of it.”
“So what do you think tonight is about?” He rose from the bench and we walked inside together.
“Humiliation and suffering.”
“Yeah, I’m thinking the same. Jonas went to medical. He doesn’t have any broken bones, thank fuck, but he’s got severe bruising and the doctor advised no physical strain for a month.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah, I told him to approach Zac for a free pass, but he wouldn’t.”
“Jesus.” I let out a low whistle. The guy had taken the worst of the paintball attack Thursday night. “I just want it over with. It can’t go on all semester. If the administration found out about it—”
“You think they don’t already know?” Jamie scoffed.
Miss Bowman had hinted that she’d heard whispers of hazing incidents, but I couldn’t believe they would openly allow it to happen.
“Yeah, well,” I said. “Let’s hope you’re wrong.”
Because if they did know, it changed things entirely. Not only making Zac a loose cannon but making him a ticking-time bomb.
WE FILED INTO THE DELTA Pi house one by one. The senior players lined the reception area and my eyes immediately went to their outfits. They looked like something straight out of private school with their black blazers trimmed with red. But Zac stole the show in his schoolmaster outfit complete with cap and gown, and thick-rimmed glasses. The thwack of his cane against the wall rattled in my bones and Darnell caught my eye in a ‘what the fuck’ expression.
“Welcome to Scorpion 101. Tonight, you’ll be tested on not only your knowledge of the Steinbeck Scorpions but also your general knowledge of the game. Inside that room,”—he pointed to the door behind him—“There are twelve desks. Choose one and make yourself comfortable. The test will last approximately three hours...” he went on but all I heard was: test and three hours. Everything else drowned out.
Test.
Zac Lowell wanted us to sit a fucking test.
I felt the line of guys behind me exhale a sigh of sweet relief. But not me. This was ten times worse than anything else they could have made me endure.
“Before you enter the test room, a little refreshment.” Some guy wheeled in a trolley holding twelve pint glasses of what I presumed—and hoped—was water.
“Mac, if you will.” Zac motioned for the trolley. “Take a glass, drink it, deposit your cell phone in the box, find a desk, and await instructions.”
Zac thrived on the power. His eyes blazed with self-importance as he raked them over each of us as we followed his orders to the letter. When it was my turn to drink the glass of liquid, Zac shifted closer. I lifted the glass and looked him dead in the eye as I chugged it down. Thankfully, it was tasteless. Done, I slammed the glass back on the trolley and made my way into the room. It was a vast space, cleared out of furniture to make way for twelve old school-style desks. Darnell and Jamie were seated upfront. I placed my cell phone in the box on the first desk and chose the row behind them.
“This is bullshit,” Darnell whispered out of the side of his mouth as I dropped into the seat.
The other guys filed in, one by one. Jonas was last, and the guy looked a mess. Dark circles shadowed his eyes as he shuffled to a free desk, shielding his torso with his arm. I caught his eye and tipped my head in what I hoped was a silent show of support.
When all the desks were full, Zac came in taking his position at the front of the room. He snatched a sheet of paper off the desk and held it up. “This is your test paper. They will be scored and ranked. The top two will be rewarded. The bottom two however, will be punished. The rest of you will have to live knowing you are completely and utterly average.”
Someone snickered from behind me. Zac’s head shot up and he stalked toward the back of the room. “This is a test. Follow the rules.” He jabbed the cane to the sheet of paper taped to the wall. “Rule one: No one leaves this room until I say. Rule two: No toilet breaks.”
There were a few grumbles at that. But I’d expected it. What else did they make us drink a pint of cold water for?
“And rule three: Keep your fucking mouths shut.”
A male shriek pierced the air, and I glanced back in time to catch one of the guys clutch the side of his head, pain twisting his face. “Anyone else have something to say?” The cane rested in Zac’s palm as he held the other end, tapping it tauntingly.
He was met with silence. My fingers curled around the edge of the desk. Either Zac Lowell knew about my situation or it was a case of bad luck. But one thing was certain, I wasn’t doing the fucking test and giving him any more leverage over me. I could handle whatever he threw in my direction. Even if he made me drink piss or run the length of the football field with a hotdog wedged between my ass crack, I’d do it with a smile on my face. Because karma was a cruel bitch, and I had to believe one day he’d get his.
“Mac is handing out your tests now.” He waited for his right-hand guy to distribute the papers and then
walked to the desk at the front of the room. “Your three hours starts now.” Zac hit the stopwatch and left the room. Mac took point at the door, standing tall, arms folded over his chest.
The rustle of paper filled the air, and I risked a sideways glance at the guy on my right. He jumped straight in, his pencil flying across the paper. I could just make out Darnell and Jamie answering the first set of questions.
“Problem, Prince?” Mac called across the room, his brow arching. I shook my head, slowly turning over the test.
The words danced on the page. Even though I’d had no time to worry about this fake-ass test, it didn’t matter. It was the words and all that went with it. Like a switch in my brain I had no control over. I clamped my eyes shut and counted down in my head, forcing myself to calm down. When I opened them again, the letters were more organized, and I could make out most of the words.
But it didn’t matter.
I wasn’t going to answer a single question.
For Mac’s benefit, though, I pretended to read the questions and mark an answer. The second his eyes looked in another direction, I sat back and waited. The stop clock taunted us. Seconds blurring into minutes, and minutes into an hour. But everyone seemed comfortable enough. Until, somewhere around the seventy-minute mark, noise filtered into the room through a hidden speaker. And not any noise but that of running water. Rainfall maybe, or a waterfall. Either way, its intention was obvious and a couple guys shifted uncomfortably on their chairs. Zac Lowell was a sick son of a bitch. But wanting your new teammates to piss themselves seemed low by anyone’s standards.
Ninety-minutes in, and Zac graced us with his presence; sauntering into the room swigging a beer, the cap gone and his tie hanging loose around his neck. “How are my students holding up, Mac?”
“Good, sir,” he answered.
Sir? Was that fuckwit for real?
“Any accidents yet?”
Mac stifled a laugh and shook his head. “But Jonas’ looking a little uncomfortable.”
“Is that right, Mr. Cleaver?” Zac moved to Jonas’ desk, leering down at him. “Something you’d like to ask me?”