by Cotton, L A
“This is wrong,” I said. “Kawinski is done.”
“He is? But isn’t that for me to decide?”
My eyes narrowed as my muscles tensed and I spread my feet slightly, moving into a defensive stance. Vinnie was to my side, Balor and Mac hovering around Zac. I could probably take three of them. Any more and the odds wouldn’t be in my favor.
I didn’t want to fight. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. But I couldn’t stand by either. I was better than that. Better than Zac and this twisted game.
“I’ll take his place.”
The room fell silent, anticipation crackling in the air, and a couple people sucked in sharp breaths.
One beat passed. And another. While everyone waited to see how things would play out. And then the King spoke. “That’s honorable of you, Prince, real honorable. But that’s not in the rules. Your punishment will come. All in good time.” He grinned, shoving Kawinski at me. I caught him before he went down again. The guy was out of it; his eyes rolled into his head, the bitter smell of whiskey leaking from him.
Darnell and Jamie appeared at my side and helped me with him. I flicked my head to the back of the room, but Darnell didn’t budge. He looked me dead in the eye asking me a silent question. But I mouthed, “go,” and reluctantly, he helped Jamie carry Kawinski away.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Prince.” Zac closed the distance between us but stayed out of arm’s reach. Why wasn’t he biting? I was certain this was what he wanted. Me in Kawinski’s place, fighting Vinnie.
And then it hit me.
He didn’t want me to fight.
Fuck.
I’d played right into his hands. But Zac had underestimated one thing. There had been a time when I’d thrived on the feel of a stranger’s knuckles crushing into my face, my chest, my ribs. The soft tissue around my kidneys.
I’d lived for the flash of pain. The deep burn and teeth-rattling agony.
Five-minutes on the clock. That’s what he’d said. Vinnie had a similar build to me. Five-minutes. I didn’t doubt in that time, he could do some serious damage. But I knew how to protect myself. I was quick on my feet and my pain threshold was higher than most.
“I won’t fight back,” the words poured out before I could talk myself out of it.
Zac’s brows hit his hairline. “Say that again.”
“You wanted Kawinski to take a beating, right? Well I said I’d take his place and I will. Five-minutes on the clock.” I didn’t wait for a reply, turning to face Vinnie. His eyes blazed fire and thirst. I’d seen the same look enough times right before I went fist-to-fist with my opponent.
But he didn’t pounce. Instead, he looked right past me, waiting for permission.
“What the Prince wants, the Prince gets. Five-minutes. Vinnie, do your worst.”
With a twisted smirk, Vinnie stalked toward me. Light on his feet, I tried to mirror his stance. Predicting his movements. Everything in me roared to attack, to jab my fists high and wide, but I kept my hands close to my chin, adopting a defensive stance.
“Keep your hands up.” I barely heard the words, but he had said them. There was something behind his wild stare and I inclined my head trying to decipher his meaning. Because if I had heard right, something didn’t add up. No way his words married up to his blood-thirsty expression.
With a small nod of his head, he lunged, clipping the side of my cheek. My head snapped to the side, pain exploding up my face and into my skull, and I started a mental countdown in my head.
Four-minutes and fifty-five seconds.
I only had to survive another four-minute and fifty-five seconds.
Chapter 18
Lo
“KYLE?” HIS NAME PIERCED the air; and when he turned slowly to meet my wide gaze I knew.
“What is it? What’s—”
“Rick, he...”
I lurched forward, snatching the phone from his hand. “Hello, who is this?”
“Lo?” An unfamiliar voice said. “This is Darnell, Maverick’s—”
“I know who you are. What happened?”
“He’s okay, but I didn’t know who else to call.”
“Darnell.” I inhaled a shaky breath. “What. Happened?”
“He took a beating. Shit, I should’ve stopped it, I should have...”
“Where is he?” My voice sounded so calm as if it was detached from the rest of me. As if I was hovering over myself watching the scene play out.
“We took him back his dorm room. We didn’t want to—”
“You did the right thing. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” A violent shudder rolled through me as I remembered another time. Maverick at the warehouse bloody and broken. It has been one of the worst moments of my life.
And now I had to do it all again.
I ended the call and thrust the phone at Kyle. “Lo, I—”
“Not now. I need to go. Are you coming or staying?” All I could think was I had to get to him. I had to get to Maverick.
“As if you even need to ask. Let me find Laurie and ask her if she can make sure Kiera gets home.”
“I’ll take them,” a voice said from the shadows.
“Trey, man, what are you doing back here?”
“I saw you take the call. Had a feeling it would be Maverick. Is he okay?”
Kyle raked a hand through his hair and released a shaky breath, his concerned gaze sliding to mine. “It’s not good but he’ll live.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah.” He turned his attention back on Trey. “You sure you're okay to take them home?”
“Consider it done.”
“Thanks, man.”
“We need to go, now,” I said, digging Kyle’s key out of my purse.
The two of them spoke some more and then Kyle slipped his arm around me, steering me away from the house and toward where he’d parked the Jeep.
“I can’t believe this is happening again,” I said, my teeth chattering. It wasn’t cold, but I couldn’t stop them.
“He’s okay, Lo. Darnell said he’s okay.”
Now.
He was okay now.
But how far was Zac Lowell going to take this hazing thing?
I went around to the driver’s side and yanked open the door when Kyle’s voice stopped me dead. “Cous,” he said. “For as much as I don’t want to get a DUI, you can’t drive.”
Shit. He was right. But my brain went into autopilot the second I realised the call was about Maverick. It didn’t consider how I would get to SU, just that I had to get there.
“Keys.” He held out his palm waiting for me to relinquish them.
“Are you sure you can—”
“I had two beers. We’re good. Besides, he needs you.”
I swallowed over the lump in my throat and went around the passenger’s side. Once inside, I gripped the seat belt until my knuckles turned white. It was all too good to be true. Maverick getting into SU and escaping his father’s toxic ways. We’d already survived too much. I didn’t know how much more we could take.
I could take.
Basketball was everything to Maverick. Playing college basketball was all he’d ever wanted. And he had a real shot at going pro. But at what cost?
I’d googled hazing... and quickly wished I hadn’t. I read story after story of cruel pranks gone wrong. Of college freshman who ended up severely injured, or worse... dead.
I couldn’t imagine a scenario where any sport was worth that. Worth your life.
“Lo, you’re shaking; maybe we should—”
I snatched my hands back and rubbed them together. “I’m fine. Can we just get going?”
Kyle gave me a tight nod and started the engine. We would be there in forty minutes tops.
But it would the longest forty minutes of my life.
WE RODE IN SILENCE. The fear of what we would find when we arrived at Maverick’s dorm weighing heavily on us both.
I didn’t wait for Kyle to cut the engine. Th
e second he pulled into a parking bay, I was out of there. Jamie was pacing outside the door and when his eyes found mine, I felt winded.
“I was waiting, Darnell said—”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
Kyle caught up to us and the two of them exchanged fist bumps. “How bad is he?”
“He’ll live,” Jamie answered Kyle. “He wouldn’t go to medical. We tried our best.”
“Rick’s as stubborn as fuck.”
“Yeah, I’m getting that. Come on, he’s waiting.”
That was good. If Maverick was waiting it meant he was awake. It meant he was lucid.
We followed Jamie inside. The dormitory was quiet except for a couple of students milling around the ground floor kitchen. They paid us no attention as we made our way to Maverick’s room toward the back of the building. Jamie didn’t bother knocking, walking straight inside.
“Holy shit...” Kyle’s voice was drowned out by the blood pounding in my skull when my eyes landed on Maverick laid out on his bed. He looked up and attempted to smile but the tender swelling around his lip made it look more like a grimace.
“Hi,” I said closing the distance between us, forcing down the tears burning my throat and the backs of my eyes. I’d seen Maverick like this before. Cleaned the blood from cuts and grazes. Watched as the clear water ran red as I dipped and wiped. But this wasn’t supposed to be happening, it wasn’t—
“I’m okay.” He held out his hand, and I slid mine into it, letting him tug me down beside him. I gasped when my eyes found the bruising around his ribs.
“Maverick, you need to tell someone. Right now, we need to go tell—”
“Ssh,” His voice cracked with pain. “I’m fine. I promise. Jamie is an excellent bed nurse.”
Jamie didn’t seem to see the funny side, glaring at us. “You’re lucky to be standing after what Valenzi did to you.”
“Technically,” Maverick spluttered as he tried to sit up. I quickly checked him over. He didn’t sound okay. He sounded broken, and not just physically. “Technically, I’m not standing, and you and D had to carry me back here.”
I stifled the cry building in my throat as I smoothed my hand over Maverick’s, reminding myself this was just some stupid game. One guy’s attempt to break the new recruits.
“What happened?” I said, flicking my eyes to Kyle who looked as sick as I felt. He hadn’t spoken another word which wasn’t like him. At all.
“I need air,” he declared. “Jamie, what does a guy have to do to get a soda in this place?”
“Follow me. You guys want anything?”
“No, thank you,” I answered for us, running my eyes over Maverick’s face.
As soon as they left, he reached for me. “This was not how I imagined the next time I saw you going.” His fingers brushed my hair from my face as I stared down at him.
“This isn’t supposed to be happening. Not again.”
“I already told you. You don’t need to worry about me.”
“Maverick,” I sighed, leaning down and touching my head to his. “I’m your girlfriend, it’s my job to worry.” My hands ghosted over his abs, avoiding the tender spots. He winced, half-groaning as I traced his skin. “I want to kill him.”
“You’d do that for me?” Amusement laced his words but failed to reach the anger simmering in my veins.
“This isn’t a joke,” I scolded, easing back to look him in the eye.
“I know.” The humour in his voice was gone, and I saw a glimpse of the Maverick I’d first met when I arrived in Wicked Bay. “He baited me.”
“Maverick—”
“Wait, hear me out. Kawinski, the guy who pissed himself in the test, they got him drunk. Totally wasted. Then Zac had his guys debag him and put him in a giant diaper and gloves. He was going to let Vinnie beat the shit out of him.”
“You think he would have done it?” My stomach knotted.
“I couldn’t take that risk. Kawinski could have ended up badly hurt.”
I raised a brow. “And you didn’t?”
“This is nothing.”
“It’s not nothing,” I whisper-hissed. “This shouldn’t be happening. You shouldn’t have to jump through these hoops. It’s getting dangerous, Maverick. I really think you should tell someone.” My gaze dropped as I tried to rein in the emotion storming through me. If I had my way, I would have packed up his things and made him come back to Wicked Bay with me, where he was safe. Where I could keep an eye on him.
“Lo, look at me.” His voice was a caress, reaching that place deep inside me. And even though I felt sick to my stomach, even though on the inside, I was breaking; my body ignited at the need in his voice.
“London,” he whispered, running his thumb along my jaw, grasping my chin between his fingers and tilting my face down to his. “It’s done,” he said. “Zac wanted my submission and he got it. I didn’t fight back. I let him break me. That’s what he wanted.”
“So that’s it? You got the shit beaten out of you and now you’ll all become best buddies?”
A low growl rumbled in Maverick’s chest. “Me and Zac will never be friends. But it’s true what they say: keeps your friends close and your enemies closer.” Something flashed in his eyes. Something wild and cunning. I groaned under my breath.
“Maverick, what are you planning?”
“Right now, I’m planning to kiss my girlfriend, and fall to sleep in her arms.”
He wasn’t going to tell me? Fine. I’d let it go, for now. But I knew that look and I knew Maverick.
Maverick didn’t break, and although I didn’t want to believe it, I knew letting Zac’s guy hurt him wasn’t just about standing up for Sam Kawinski. Maverick had a plan. Which meant even if Zac did ease off now, the game was far from over.
I leaned down, ghosting my lips over Maverick’s, trying not to put too much pressure on the swelling, but one of his hands buried itself in my hair and he crushed his mouth to mine. It was a silent promise. To me. To himself.
Maverick had a fighter’s heart.
He would always fight for the things he wanted most.
I only hoped he wouldn’t lose himself in the process.
Chapter 19
Maverick
I LIMPED UP THE PATH to the Delta Pi house, swallowing my pride and the lingering pain from Vinnie’s fists. I’d spent all weekend holed up in my room after Kyle finally persuaded Lo to head home Saturday morning. She had work at the bar and I didn’t want to ruin that for her. And I definitely didn’t want her around to see me do this.
I didn’t even get a chance to knock. The huge door swung open and Balor’s brows quirked up. “Prince, this is... unexpected.” He scrubbed his jaw.
“Is Zac around?” I held his narrowed gaze. I might have submitted Friday night, but I wasn’t a pussy.
Far from it.
“Sure, come in.” He pulled the door wider and moved aside, letting me past. “That was a bold move the other night.” His voice was low. Measured.
I looked him dead in the eye as I said, “We both know it was only going one way.”
Zac had humiliated Kawinski enough—hell, Kawinski had done a bang-up job of that himself. He was just the bait. A pawn in Zac’s game.
“Zac underestimated you,” he replied cryptically, flicking his head to the hallway. “He’s in the basement.”
Anger rippled up my spine, but I tamped it down. If I was going to do this, I had to switch off my fight response. It didn’t come easy though. I’d spent years on the offensive. Fighting was my release. The way I battled my demons. But the game had changed and there was more on the line now. So if I wanted to go head-to-head with Zac, I needed to switch things up.
“Thanks.” I took off, ignoring the other guys milling around, some from the team, others I didn’t recognize.
When I reached the door leading to the basement, I paused, the lingering taste of blood in my mouth washing over me. Friday night was hazy, but I had vague memories of Darnell and
Jamie hauling me out of here. My reputation—and pride—left in tatters on the blood splattered floor.
Pushing the door handle, I took the steps down to the dimly lit room. A couple of guys glanced up, and Vinnie elbowed Zac. When he twisted, and his eyes landed on me, I wanted to claw off my skin. The twisted smirk on his mouth and victorious glint in his eye taunted me. Called to me like a red rag to a bull. I wanted to show him exactly how it felt to be powerless.
But I wouldn’t.
I couldn’t.
I wasn’t here to lay down threats; I was here to wave my white flag.
“Prince, this is a surprise.” He yawned as if he was completely unaffected by my presence.
“Can we talk?”
“Have at it.” He leaned back casually, crossing one leg over the other.
“In private.”
“You’re here in my house, and you’re making demands? Do you want a replay of the other night because it can be arranged, right, Vin?”
Vinnie snickered but I ignored him. “I just want to talk. I think I earned it.” I kept my voice level. Trying not to reveal the turmoil knotted in my stomach. Jamie and Darnell didn’t know I was here. They didn’t know that I planned to do this. But the less they knew, the better. In theory, it was a probably a bad idea. No one knew I was here. But sometimes you had to make the hard decisions for the greater good. And whether I wanted it or not, that burden had landed squarely on my shoulders.
Zac regarded me, his contempt for me rolling off him. But after a couple seconds, he looked at his guys and nodded. They hurried out of there like the good little minions they were. “So, you were saying?”
I moved to a black leather cube and dropped down. “You need me.”
“Excuse me?” His eyes danced with an unnerving mix of rage and intrigue.
“You heard right. You need me. The team needs me. I didn’t come here to outshine you or steal your team out from under you. I came to play basketball; to help take the team all the way.”
“Good to know.” His expression was blank, giving nothing away. His walls had slammed up as he considered my words.