RAMSAY.

You feel good about your showdown?”

I was in seventh period, study hall in the cafeteria when someone tossed two books onto the table beside me. Scout folded down in the seat, an eyebrow raised for me to respond to his question.

I bristled, hearing his judgment. I rolled my eyes. “Spare me your condemnation.”

“I didn’t tell you that shit for you to go off on her. I told you so you’d stop and think before you did.”

“What’d you think was going to happen? You told my cousins. You were there with us. You followed us to the cafeteria.”

“I told you as my apology for my part in it. I never meant for it to get out how it did.”

That was his apology, and it went a long way. “Don’t think Amalia’s getting a pass. I don’t know your relationship with her, but she had a hand in it.”

His gaze sharpened. “She didn’t mean to do what she did. She doesn’t know you. Stay the fuck away from Amalia.”

I didn’t respond, and he knew that was my way of telling him to fuck off.

“Ramsay,” he warned in a growl.

I changed the subject because we’d be at an impasse, but Amalia was a delicate topic between us. “Are you good with my cousins now? Also, what are you doing here? Have you been skipping this whole time?”

“Your cousins and I are getting there.” He opened one of his books. “And I switched so I can take off for training an hour early if I need to.”

“I was told that this wasn’t a skip hour.”

He motioned to the table where the teacher had been, but wasn’t anymore. “Jeffries never comes back after roll call, and he’s friends with my uncle. I get special privileges.”

He was totally serious as he said that, and suddenly I’d had enough—enough of him and enough of this day and its rollercoaster of emotions. I grabbed my books and stood.

“Where are you going?”

“Not here,” I said. “I’m done with this day.” I wanted to say I was done with the place, but I couldn’t because I wasn’t. No matter what, my cousins were here, and I’d felt the first remnants of happiness these last few weeks. I hadn’t felt that emotion in so long.

It wouldn’t last. I knew this as I went into the hallway and to my locker. I opened it and began pulling out what I needed.

A shadow fell over me as Scout leaned against my neighbor’s locker.

I stifled a slight scream as I glared at him. “What are you doing?”

He shrugged, watching me put things into my backpack. “This is more entertaining than studying, I guess. And I don’t want to go to training yet.”

“We’re not friends. Remember?”

“I’m aware.” His eyes darkened, looking me up and down before meeting my gaze. He smirked. “Wanna do what I offered last night?”

“Are you kidding me?”

The smirk transformed his face again. It was a whole different vibe than when he’d smiled at lunch, but again, I wasn’t ready for the way my body reacted. Did I want to indulge in him? Yes. Lots and lots of yesses, but I squashed that.

“I can’t.” I shut my locker, swinging my backpack on.

“Why not?”

“Besides how many times we cursed at each other today? Or threatened each other? Right. I can’t think of one good reason why not?” Sarcasm. I was laying it on as I began walking out the door.

“Our version of foreplay.” He pushed off, coming with me.

I stopped, my mouth almost falling down at his response. “Are you for real?”

He stopped and shrugged. “I’m hot for you, Williams. No matter how much I dislike you, I want that body.”

“Fine. Want another reason?” I retorted before turning and walking again. “How about because the last guy whose dick was in me beat me up and killed my dad. You want to be the rebound dick after that sort of baggage?”

He had stopped at my words, his face darkening.

“Guess I’ll have to find someone else to fulfill that need for me,” I told him. “Thanks for the offer, though.” I gave him a two-finger salute before shoving out the door. It was only then that I remembered that my bike was in front of the school because, for some reason, I had the great idea to park it there instead of in the back.

Talk about a bomb deflating after what I thought was an epic drop-the-mic comment.

The door opened behind me a minute later, and I heard his laughter. “Come on. I’ll give you a ride. You can’t grab your bike from in front of the office. They’ll know you’re ditching.” He strolled around me, whistling all cocky-like as he tossed his keys in the air and caught them on the way to his truck.

Walk? That’d take forever. Or stay? Wait for my cousins?

Gah. I went with Scout.

I climbed into the passenger side and ignored the cocky chuckle. “Shut up.”

He laughed again before he raised an eyebrow, reversing and heading for the road. “Back to your place?”

I was restless. If I went home, I’d sit there and feel all my emotions. I’d try to study, but it wouldn’t work, and I didn’t want to think about what I’d do not to feel those emotions. I sighed. “What do you usually do after leaving school and not wanting to go train right away?”

“I usually get food at Carby’s with Alex and Cohen.”

We had a Carby’s back at Cedra Valley. It was one of my favorite places to go with my friends. “I heard about Louie’s? What’s that place like?”

He stared at me for a moment before hitting his turn signal and wheeling down a side road. “You don’t want to go to Louie’s.”

“Why not?”

“It’s a social scene. Garcia and Kira both hold court there every day.”

“Who’s Garcia?”

He slid his eyes my way. “Her cousin is your only female friend here.”

Theresa Garcia. Got it. “What’s she like?”

“Your friend?”

“Are you trying to be annoying?”

He laughed. “Kinda. I’m finding it’s fun to piss you off. You get hotter.”

Oh, good God. I ignored how that affected me. “What’s Theresa Garcia like?” I asked again. “She’s the leader of that group?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know her really. She keeps to her friends. Cohen knows her and said she’s okay.”

“Super helpful of you.”

He cracked another grin. “You being bitchy just makes me want to fuck you more. What’s your favorite position? Reverse cowgirl? I can see you getting off on that.”

My body was getting heated at just the image in my head. I let out another frustrated growl. “You’re twisted”

“When it comes to sex, fuck yes. When it’s everything else, I’m just enjoying your attitude.”

“Agh!”

He laughed again. “It’s making you hot too. Don’t think I don’t know that. You like being able to express your inner bitch. You also like me.”

“I don’t. I don’t like you at all.”

“Your body does. Everything else, no. Again, we’re on the same page. Also, you know we’ve got this weird annoying-as-fuck connection between us.”

I fell silent.

He snorted. “Can’t even acknowledge it.”

“I should’ve waited for my cousins.”

He sighed. “No, you shouldn’t have, and you know it. If you had, who knows the trouble your cousins would’ve gotten into. Clint’s going to get in trouble. It’s what he does, it’s what he’ll do with or without you, but Trenton’s different. The sight of you would’ve reminded him of what happened, and he hates that your mess got here—they all do. You not being there will give Alex time to talk Trenton out of doing something stupid and going to their football game tonight instead. He will be able to take his anger out there instead of in the back of a squad car. That’s why you’re here with me, and we both know it.”

“His game. I forgot that’s tonight.”

“You want to go?”

I thought about it, then shook my head. “Not after today. Next week, though.”

He turned onto a side street that went up a hill. We’d gone through the houses in town and were moving up and away from the town center. My phone buzzed so I settled back, responding to texts as Scout drove.

Clint: Where are you?

Me: Honestly, I don’t know. I’m with Scout.

Clint calling.

I silenced it and texted back.

Me: Don’t make it weird. He’s in the truck with me. I skipped out, and he came with. I didn’t want to go home because I knew you’d come over and we’d get in trouble.

Clint: Not cool.

Alex: You’re okay?

Me: Yes. I’m with your bestie right now, steering clear of Clint.

Alex: With Scout?

Me: Yes. Are you guys good?

Alex: I think so. What he did today said a lot. He’s on our side, and he feels bad at his part. Are you okay being with him? That’s weird af, Rams.

Me: I know. I needed to get out of school and get away. Do me a favor? Make sure Trenton goes to his game and doesn’t do something stupid with Clint? I know he’s in the mood.

Alex: Yeah. I’m already working on both of them. Not sure about Clint, but Trenton is starting to see reason.

Alex: It’s weird that you’re with Scout. We all saw how you both were in the locker room. Is there something going on between you two?

Me: No. Just . . . he’s brutally honest, and right now I need that around me. The Max stuff makes me have trust issues with people.

Alex: Kinda feel you’re lying to me, but Gem’s worked up about you. Are you not responding to her texts?

Her texts? I checked my phone, and saw thirty-eight of them.

I cursed, but went back to Alex’s number.

Me: I’ll text her now. If you see her, can you cover for me?

Alex: Yeah, but for real, is something going on between you and Scout? He’s my best friend.

Me: Nothing is going on. I mean it.

Alex: If you’re lying to me, that’s not cool. You’re in his truck. Scout does not befriend girls unless he wants to fuck them. I know him. I know this.

Shit, shit, shit.

Me: I don’t like him. He doesn’t like me.

Clint: What the fuck is going on? Alex just took off and said he’s texting you.

I cursed, and Scout glanced my way.

“What’s going on?”

I ignored his question.

Me: Alex, don’t go down this rabbit hole. Please. I can’t handle it.

Alex: He hurts you, and I’m going to have to fuck him up. I’m sending him texts too. You and him, fuck no. I’m telling my brothers.

“No!” I jerked forward, hitting the call button until Alex answered. “Don’t say anything!”

“Put him on the phone.”

“Alex—”

“He’s not answering his phone, so you put him on your phone instead.”

“Alex, come on.”

“Hit speaker, now!”

My head fell back against the headrest, but I hit the speaker button.

“Scout!” Alex barked.

He cursed. “What?”

“Do not fuck my cousin.”

There was a slight pause before, “Are you kidding me?”

“I know you. I know my cousin. My guess is that both of you have been aware of this from day one. Am I right?”

I sighed. “You’re making this really uncomfortable.”

“I don’t care. I’m not saying this just to Scout. I’m saying this to both of you because I know you, Ramsay. You do what you want to do, but don’t do this. He’s my friend. You’ve just been through the wringer. I—if he hurts you. If you hurt her, Scout!”

“Jesus.” Scout plucked the phone from my hand and brought it to his mouth, speaking into it as he continued driving. He didn’t look my way. “She’s been through hell today. She was taking off, and she couldn’t get to her bike. She and I have a weird thing going on. I enjoy pissing her off, and she likes it. It takes her mind off her normal shit going on. Relax, bro. We’re going to my house until I have to go to training.”

Well, when he put it like that . . . Alex had to be rethinking things now, but he wasn’t wrong.

“Oh.”

“I’m not going to fuck her at my house. You don’t have to worry.”

I locked eyes with Scout as we got to the top of the hill and he turned into the very last driveway. He was lying to my cousin. Or was he? He seemed angry now, so maybe not.

“Bring her back when she wants to come back,” Alex said.

“On it.” He ended the call, tossing my phone back to me. “Was that necessary?”

I flushed, anger flaring bright in me. “You’re blaming me? For my cousin knowing us? Are you jerking me around now?”

“I wasn’t jerking him around.”

We pulled up to a seriously nice house. It looked like three stories with brick all over. I was speechless as he parked and turned the engine off.

“I like your cousin, but I thought they’d be cool with a casual arrangement,” he said. “Learning you all are fond of emotions and shit, that’s annoying. Not touching you now.” He got out on his side of the truck, and I got out on mine.

He stalked off, going inside the now-opened garage.

He was right. Riling up the other person just made them hotter.

This wasn’t good. Not good at all.

When I got to his garage, he had his shirt off and was wrapping his hands. A punching bag hung in the middle with a mat spread out on the floor. He’d kicked off his shoes. He nodded to me, chucking the roll of tape my way. “Get comfortable and wrap your knuckles. Wrap your whole hand, and go around your fingers and thumb. I’ll be right back.”

“What are we doing here?”

He paused at the door to the house, nodding to the punching bag. “What do you think? You’re going to work off some steam.”

I dropped my backpack to the floor and rolled up my sleeves, but that was all I could do to get comfortable. I had a tank under, but I wasn’t stripping down to that. He came out in sweatpants, and I let out a myriad of curses because that wasn’t fair. The guy was ripped all over, and he even had the penis muscles, the V that went down under his sweats.

Plus there was a tattoo of an octopus on his left side. A skull was in the place of its head. The tentacles dipped down so I couldn’t see under his shorts, but it stretched to his other side.

Holy shit, what that must look like with those shorts gone?

I was salivating.

“Put clothes back on.” I pointed at him.

His eyes flashed. “No.”

“Yes.”

He got behind the punching bag and held it against his chest. “You need to warm up?”

My mouth dried. He was serious. “I don’t want to work out.”

“Sweetheart.” He straightened.

I didn’t like the way he said that. I didn’t like how I reacted to it.

“You’re hitting a bag,” he said. “If you want to work out, that’s a whole other ordeal and not something you can handle. Trust me.”

I glowered at him. “You’re a dick.”

“And you being a bitch right now is making me hard, so hit the bag.”

I hit the bag. Then I hit it again and again.

Pretty soon, I couldn’t stop.

Scout held it for me the whole time.