Page 118 of Boys of Brayshaw High (Brayshaw High 1)

Lost in our own heads, the four of us exit the vehicle and head inside.

When I spot Bass leaning against my locker down the hall, I cut from the group, but Maddoc grabs my arm and yanks me back.

Captain and Royce step back but keep close.

Everyone around slows their steps and dozens of eyes land on his grip on my arm and my glare on his face.

Then he pulls me in, wraps his hand around my waist and leans forward while I lean back.

He speaks low, intensity he’s never shown me making up his every word. “I have every fucking intention of getting to that point.” Maddoc’s eyes harden.

“What point?”

“Knowing where you are, who with, and what was said. And it has nothing to do with wanting to piss you off and everything to do with keeping me sane.”

“Careful, big man,” I whisper, a sudden pounding now hitting against my temple. “That sounds a lot like a king falling. The ground isn’t very soft at my feet.”

He leans even closer, his mouth damn near touching mine and I bite my tongue to keep from doing or saying something stupid. “I can handle it.”

“Maybe I don’t want you to.”

“Liar,” he hisses, and I’m released and dismissed in the next second. “Two fucking minutes, Snow. Don’t push me.”

I flip him off, ignoring all the side stares and make my way to Bass, fighting to get my pulse under control when all it wants to do is scratch to the surface.

Bass looks from where Maddoc stands to me.

“Don’t,” I warn him, opening my locker to grab the books for my first few classes, putting the ones in my backpack in their place. “Thought I was on your ban list?”

“I don’t have a ban list.”

“No, but you have an ‘avoid to keep the peace’ list. Same shit.” I lean against the metal, facing him. “What’s up?”

Bass frowns at his badass combat boots before lifting it to me.

“People been asking for you. They want you to fight. They’re talking big numbers.”

Big money. I could use it after my mom practically drained me, but...

Can’t.

I shake my head with a tight-lipped frown. “I’ll pass on this one.”

“Not sure there’ll be a next time.”

Bass and I both look down the hall where Maddoc leans against the wall ignoring the others who talk around him as he focuses on the two of us.

“Thanks for the offer, but I’m good.”

He nods, pushes off the locker and walks away.

I don’t watch him go but keep my stare on Maddoc’s as he heads for me in the same second.

He steps in and I lean back against the cool metal.

“What’d he want?”

“Don’t worry, big man. It was a chat that didn’t go his way.” I look to Royce as he and Captain step up, and nod in the direction of our first class. “Ready?”

I don’t wait for an answer but start toward it and after a minute, Royce falls in line beside me. He doesn’t pester with an arm on my shoulder like normal, doesn’t make a scene as we walk in together. In fact, he doesn’t say a word.

I drop into my seat and wonder when I started making decisions that are bad for me but follow the line three bossy boys drew for me.

Not good.“You got dicked.”

I glare at Vienna when she plants her ass on the top of the picnic table where I’m waiting for the boys’ practice to end.

“Hello to you too.”

“Oh you totally got dicked and now your moral compass is broken.”

I drop my hands into my lap. “What are you talking about?”

“You’re stressed, almost sulking, and in my experience, those things are linked to a penis.” When I stare blankly, she pulls back slightly. “Vagina?”

I laugh rolling my eyes. “Not gay, and dick has nothing to do with my problems right now.”

Her eyes light up and she moves to straddle the bench so she’s level with me. “But you did get some?”

“Why you so interested?” I grow defensive and she holds up her hands.

“Sorry. Forgot. You suck at having friends.” She laughs, pulling out a bag of chips from her backpack. “Heard Maddoc took you to trade back Mello’s shit?”

“Yeah, I wasn’t sure how to find her, but turned out Royce knew exactly where she lived.” I laugh and Vienna grins.

“’Course he did.”

“How’s everything at the house?”

She shrugs. “Same as always. Routine and boring but ... safe.”

I nod.

“Seems trash sticks together.”

We both look left finding Chloe standing there with her followers.

Neither of us says anything and she rolls her eyes.

“Word on campus is you and Collins Graven were seen kissing at The Tower last weekend.”

With my elbow on the table, I drop my chin in my palm, not impressed with her lame attempt to get a rise from me.

“Then you heard how the boys showed up later, went caveman, and stole Cinderella away after kicking his ass.” Vienna smiles brightly.