Page 128 of Brutal Little Secrets

I chuckle and turn on the Bluetooth as he gets on the motorcycle. When I climb on, I turn and see a car close to the edge of the parking lot. A little chill goes through me. It isn’t hidden, but the windows are dark so I can’t tell if anyone is in it.

Hawk and I were the last ones to leave practice.

“Hawk?” I say softly as he lifts off the kickstand.

“Yeah?”

“Do you know whose car that is?”

His head turns to look. “It’s not familiar. Let’s take a look.”

I hold my breath as he starts the engine and drives across the asphalt toward the car. The headlights turn on, and the car starts right for us. Hawk curses and turns the bike out of the car’s path.

As it speeds off into the night, my heart pounds. What the hell!

“Fuck. I could catch up.” Hawk turns to head that direction, but he hesitates.

“No.” I cling to him. They didn’t even brake. They came right at us. “It’s not worth it. I can’t. I have to get home.”

“I’ll get you home, Annie.”

The car is long gone as we pull out of the parking lot, going the opposite direction. The text messages said he was watching me. But I remember at the football game, Jackson said he rode a motorcycle. So was that him? Or was it someone else?

Damon

The dining room table is set for four. Two on each side. Interesting. Is this a united front thing? I sit down on the side Evan normally sits. This week is going to need pacing for all the shit we need to do. Chase won’t know what hit him until it’s too late.

My dad is the first one to walk in. He takes the seat across from me and sets down his drink. Something amber on the rocks.

I slouch in my chair and watch him. He’s the one who wanted me here.

He leans his elbows on the table. “How’s school?”

“Fine.” I don’t need to tell him I’m working harder because Coach says I need to get into a good school for hockey. My plan had always been Juniors and when I got in, I might have been less than attentive at school last year.

“Hockey?”

“Fine.” Is he just going to list everything? This could have been a text conversation.

He arches an eyebrow at me as Heather comes into the room. She glances over her shoulder.

“Evan isn’t here yet?” she asks the obvious.

I don’t scoff. I also don’t point out that she’s probably getting home about now from play rehearsal. Something her mother should know. I get she’s Evan’s mother, but my dad is more attentive than Heather is.

Heather sits next to my dad, and he kisses her briefly. It’s a greeting, but unexpected because my dad generally isn’t into PDA of any kind.

“Hi, Damon.” Heather turns to me. “How is everything?”

“Fine.” Why change the party line?

“Sorry I’m late.” Evan hurries into the room. Her eyes are bright, and her cheeks flushed.

I smirk. How long did Hawk keep her in the driveway kissing those pouty lips?

“Glad you could join us,” my dad says as Evan sits in the chair next to me.

She purposely doesn’t look my way. Part of me hoped she’d sit and give me a kiss, but she missed that portion of our dinner theater. I could imagine the explosion that would cause. I’m not ready for them to take Evan away from me. I won’t ever be ready.