Page 30

“Hey, hey!” Detective Reynolds calls out behind me.
The crowd swallows me up, and as a unit, we all start running. The barricade of bodies impresses me. Even more so because they did this without being asked. “Hide,” someone urges.
“Fucking pigs,” another grunts.
To me, running makes it seem like I’m guilty of something. It’s the exact opposite of what I was brought up to do. I should be listening to Detective Reynolds demands for me to stop, but I can’t. Over it all, Oscar’s laugh synchronizes with our feet like he’s our escape trumpet, urging us on.
Before we turn the corner, a louder disturbance erupts behind us. I turn in time to see Magnum Superman punch Detective Reynolds, knocking him to the ground. The angsty crowd cheers, and I raise my eyebrows in kudos. Nice fucking shot. Damn.
Mag looks over the heads of all the students until he spots me. He steps over Detective Reynolds, who he knocked out cold, and strides toward me. The crowd once again parts, leaving me now that the threat is gone.
I want to pout. I’m being taken from school again, and who knows if Johnny will let me come back after this. Magnum puts his hand on my shoulder and rushes me toward a set of side doors. Just before we disappear down that hall, I glance over my shoulder to find Oscar shrugging, his hard mask back over his face. I peek at Mag to ask if we’re going to help him out, but Mag only shakes his head like he knows what’s about to come out of my mouth, and he’s already telling me no. The policeman who handcuffed Oscar speaks into his radio while the principal stares at Detective Reynolds’ slumped form on the floor.
Magnum and I step outside and jog back toward the car. He parked it like he was in a rush. The front passenger tire is up on the sidewalk and the driver’s side door is open. He ushers me inside and then runs around the side of the car to get in himself. “You punched a cop,” I say, as soon as he slides in.
He doesn’t react to my statement. Instead, he says, “I saw the bastard parked around the corner like I wasn’t going to notice. I came back as soon as I could.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re going to be in so much trouble.”
Magnum runs his hand over his scruff as he peels out of the parking lot. He doesn’t look as distressed as I am. Hell, he doesn’t look perturbed at all. I shift back in the seat and blow out a breath.
“There goes going to school.”
Magnum sighs, too. “We can’t keep it from him. He probably already knows.” He gives me a sideways glance as if he wishes we could keep this one to ourselves. “Let’s swing by your apartment. Didn’t you say you needed something?”
I shake my head. “Brawler already got it. Thanks though.”
My phone rings. I pull it out, already knowing who it will be. Except, it’s not who I thought it was. I answer it, and his panicked voice rings through the speaker. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I say, angling my body away from Magnum to make the call as private as possible. “Mag came in.”
“I know. The whole school is talking about it. They’ve already taken Oscar away.”
“It’s bullshit,” I say.
“Yeah, well, that’s what fucking happens when you get mixed up in the Crew.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. I wholeheartedly agree with him, but also, the whole Oscar fits the description of someone stealing gas was just an excuse to get him out of the way, so they could get to me. I rub my neck. That means they know too much about who’s watching me.
My phone beeps. I pull it away to see who’s trying to call through and see Johnny’s name. I put the phone back to my ear. “I have to let you go. Johnny’s calling.”
“Text me if you can get away,” Brawler orders.
“Yeah,” I choke out. I let out a breath before answering Johnny’s call. “Hey.”
“I’m going to kill that detective. I’m going to chop him up into tiny parts, starting with his hands so he can never touch you.”
“I’m fine,” I grumble. I consider myself a strong person but being in situations like what just happened is like having your hands handcuffed behind your back. You’re stuck. There’s nothing you can do.
I just want to punch something. Or someone.
“I’m going to take care of it,” Johnny says.
I nod absently. As we drive, the blocks are ticking away. Before I know it, I’ll be back at Johnny’s suite for the rest of the day, and who knows for how long after that.
“Can you put me on speaker?”
“Sure.” I take the phone away from my ear. “Johnny wants to be on speaker,” I tell Mag, then hit the button so we can both hear Johnny.