Page 32 of Breakout (Walker University #3)

twenty-four

S tepping out of the science building, I can’t help but sigh when the sun hits me. I feel like it’s been too long since any vitamin D has touched my skin. I pull my phone out of my pocket to take it off of silent and see that I have three missed calls.

That’s weird, I don’t know that number.

My finger slides across the screen to hit the play voicemail button, but before I can, the number calls again.

Who the hell calls four times in a row?

Oh god, what if something happened to Beckett?

“Hello?” I say as I sit down on the bench across from the building.

“You stupid cunt. You don’t know when to stop, do you? I warned you,” someone rants.

“Uh, ma’am, I think you have the wrong number.” I shake my head, caught off guard by her ranting.

“I don’t have the wrong number, Peyton. Now go to your lawyer and sign everything over before it’s too late.”

“Janis?” I say as the puzzle pieces start to click into place.

“Who else would it be?” she snaps.

“You aren’t supposed to be contacting me. Any communication is supposed to go through our lawyers,” I remind her.

“Trust me, sweetheart, the last thing I want to do is communicate with you. Now walk away. You’ve never been an Anderson, and you don’t deserve our family fortune.”

I shake my head in disbelief. When I found out that my grandfather was alive and never took me in, I was angry. Hell, a part of me still is, but the more I learn about my cousin and the drama she’s brought into my life, the more I understand.

Maybe in Matthias’s own way, he was trying to save me from her brand of crazy.

“Hate to break it to you, Janis, but Matthias didn’t think you deserved it and that I did.”

“He was a senile old man, and I’ll prove it if it’s the last thing I do. One way or another, I’ll get what I want, and I don’t care if I have to take you out to achieve that.”

Blowing out a breath, I pull the phone away from my ear and disconnect the call.

Jesus Christ.

If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Here I thought everything was starting to finally go smoothly.

Beckett and I made it through the drama of his dad finding out and trying to buy me off.

I figured we would have a little more time before shit hit the proverbial fan again, but apparently I was wrong.

I scroll through my contacts and hit call.

“Piper & Sons Law Office, this is Mary speaking. How can I help you?” a sweet voice answers.

“Hey, Mary, it’s Peyton Anderson-Hayes. I was hoping I could speak to Mr. Piper.”

“Peyton, dear! How are you? Is everything okay? You sound shaken.”

“I actually just got off the phone with Janis,” I tell her.

“Oh no, give me one minute to fill Mr. Piper in, and I’ll transfer the call. You just stay on the line, okay?”

“Will do,” I say as I smile.

I don’t know what it is about that woman, but she somehow reminds me that there are good people in the world. She’s just so sweet. Always.

“Peyton, are you okay?” Mr. Piper says as soon as he picks up.

“I mean, I’ve been better,” I quip, making him chuckle.

“I’m sure you have, child. I’m sure you have. Now tell me, what did Janis say?”

I quickly give him the full rundown of what she said, and he sighs.

“That girl really doesn’t know how to quit, does she?”

“If I had to guess, she’s never heard the word ‘no’ until now.”

“Knowing her parents, you’re probably right. I wish we could get her threats on record, but we can’t.”

“Actually, she left me two voicemails. I know we are a two-party consent state when it comes to recordings, but does that count for voicemails?”

He hums. “Have you listened to them yet?”

“No, not yet. I was getting ready to listen when she called the fourth time.”

“So four calls total, two voicemails, and one actual conversation?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I’d like to hear those voicemails when you get a chance. We might be able to get a restraining order against her for harassment, but other than that, I think our hands are tied right now.”

“Yeah, I didn’t think there was much you would be able to do. I just wanted to tell you what was happening.”

“I appreciate that, Peyton. While I have you on the phone, though, there is something I need to talk to you about.”

“What’s up?”

“We got a court date,” he says, making my heart race.

“Wait, really? So soon?”

He chuckles. “Yes. It’s honestly taken longer than I would like.

Actually, that’s probably what prompted Janis’s threats.

Her counsel didn’t take it too well that everything was moving forward.

Rumor has it they tried to throw some money around, work the good ol’ boys system, and get the case tossed out, but it didn’t work. ”

“That actually happens in real life?”

“More than I’d like to admit.” He pauses. “Your grandfather made sure, though, before he died, that it wouldn’t happen. He tried his damnedest to make sure you got everything as easily as possible.”

“I can see that. I hate that I never got to know him,” I say softly.

“He hated it too, dear, more than you know.”

“Okay, so what will happen when we go to court? What date, and do I need to be there?”

“Yes, I recommend you and Beckett come together. I know you have school, but you need to show up.”

He continues to give me more details, and I start to feel overwhelmed.

“I feel like I should be writing this down,” I blurt out, cutting him off.

Mr. Piper chuckles. “I know I’m throwing a lot of information at you fast, but don’t worry. Mary will email you this afternoon with all the details. We’ve found it’s easier to do it this way over the years.”

“That’s smart.”

“Do you have any questions for me?” he asks.

I shake my head even though he can’t see me. “No, I think that’s it for now. I’ll email or call you if I think of anything.”

“Sounds good. I’ll see you soon, Peyton.”

“Mr. Piper, I just wanted to say thanks. I appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”

“It’s my pleasure, dear. This will all be over soon, and you’ll be able to move on with your life,” he says before hanging up.

Sighing, I drop my phone into my lap and stare off into space.

Move on with my life.

I don’t even know what that looks like anymore.

“Hey, you’re home early,” Clay says when I walk into the house.

“Yeah, class was canceled. Apparently, Professor Morris’s wife went into labor.”

“That’s awesome,” Brett says.

“Yeah, they had a game plan so no classes would be affected, but apparently she went into labor early.” I shrug as I drop my bag next to the couch before sitting down. “What are you guys up to?”

“We were thinking about ordering some food,” Brett says.

“Wyatt should be home anytime now,” Clay says right as the door opens. “Speak of the devil.”

Wyatt pauses right inside the doorway. “What did I do?”

“Nothing, man, they were just saying you were on the way,” I tell him.

Wyatt nods in understanding.

“So food, what does everyone want? I think pizza sounds good personally,” Brett tells us.

“Your love affair with pizza is getting out of hand, man,” Clay teases him.

Brett raises his hand, giving him the middle finger.

Clay bursts out laughing.

“Pizza works for me,” Wyatt says.

“Same. Does it work for you, Clay?”

Clay shrugs. “Sure. I could go for some. Whose turn is it to order?”

“Mine,” I say as I pull out my phone.

I open up the app for the pizza place we like and go to my favorites.

I’ve ordered pizza enough times for everyone that I have their preferences saved.

When I go to check out, my phone scans my face before automatically entering my credit card information.

I wait to see the order go through, but an error pops up on the screen, making me frown.

Card declined.

I go back and enter my debit card information, and once again, it declines.

“What the fuck?” I mutter as I go to open my banking app.

“Everything okay?” Brett asks.

“I don’t know,” I tell him.

When I get logged into my banking app, my heart drops. There, in big bold letters, it tells me there is a freeze on my card due to abnormal banking transactions. It tells me I need to call the bank. As if that’s not bad enough, my usually flush bank account only holds five hundred dollars.

“Holy shit,” I mutter while shaking my head.

“What’s wrong?” Clay asks.

I drop my phone into my lap and rub my hands over my face.

He actually did it. He cut me off. I mean, I knew it, but I didn’t think he’d take my bank account away.

“Dude, speak,” Wyatt demands.

“So you know how things are rough with my dad, right?”

“Yeah, he wants you to follow the path he chose for you like most pretentious assholes,” Brett says.

Clay nods. “Anti-hockey.”

“Well, lately his demands have gotten more out of hand than normal. He’s been pushing this chick on me that I have no interest in. He claims the blending of our families would be a good business move. He’s been pushing that I quit hockey immediately, and well, let’s just say it came to a head.”

“Clearly you aren’t going to marry the chick he has picked out for you. Or at least I’d assume not, since we haven’t met her,” Clay says.

I shake my head. “No, she’s the exact opposite of what I want.”

“And you clearly didn’t quit hockey,” Wyatt says.

“Not until I can’t play anymore.”

“Tell us what happened.”

“He gave me the ultimatum. I either do what he wanted, or he would cut me off.”

“And you didn’t cave,” Brett says, nodding in understanding.

“Rule number one, don’t negotiate with terrorists,” I joke, trying to lighten the mood.

“So I take it your cards didn’t work,” Clay says.

I blow out a breath and shake my head. “I have money in my account, but it’s currently frozen due to him basically cleaning me out.

I have five hundred bucks to my name right now.

Sorry, guys, looks like pizza won’t be on me for a while.

It also looks like I need to open a new bank account with a different bank. ”

Clay reaches over and squeezes my shoulder. “That’s not a big deal, man. Shit, I’m proud of you.”

“Wait, what?”

“You could have done the comfortable thing and given in to his demands. You knew that if you didn’t, you wouldn’t have the level of financial support you are used to, but you didn’t let that stop you. You stood your ground,” Clay says.

“I’ll be honest, man, I don’t know if I could have done what you did, but I respect the fuck out of you for doing it,” Brett says.

“Your parents wouldn’t do this shit to you,” I point out.

“You never know.” He shrugs.

“I need to figure out what I’m going to do to pull my weight around here.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Wyatt says.

“Yeah, man, we got you,” Clay adds.

“Are you guys sure? This is a big ask.”

“Dude, covering your portion of the groceries and bills is nothing. Seriously, don’t worry about it,” Brett says.

“It’s just until we graduate, and I get a job.”

“Or get drafted,” Clay adds.

“Or that. That would be ideal.”

“You’re going to get drafted. A team would be stupid not to pick you up,” Wyatt tells me.

“You think so?”

Brett rolls his eyes. “Bro, this whole humble thing doesn’t look good on you. You know you’re the shit on the ice, just like this one,” he says, tipping his chin toward Clay. “Fucking own it.”

“Plus, think about how pissed off it would make your dad if you got drafted,” Clay adds.

I can’t help but smile as I think about how pissed he will be when he hears the news. Me playing professionally is his worst nightmare.

“There we go. Use his disapproval as fuel,” Brett says as he slaps his hands together. “Now, I’m going to order pizza. Do you assholes want anything else?”

“Nah, man, I’m good. Thank you,” I tell him.

“No need to thank me, man. I know you would do the same for me if I were in your shoes,” Brett says.

He’s not wrong. I would do anything for these guys. We might not be blood-related, but these assholes are my brothers, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.