Page 121 of Control Freak

He grinned and yanked me into a hug, slapping my back. “That’s great!”

Thankfully, I wasn’t touch averse like Holden. Parker’s hugs were more like tackles. “Ow. Your friendship hurts, Park.”

He released me and stepped back, chuckling. “Sorry. You can take the jock off the field, but…” He shrugged.

I grinned. “Well, at least you didn’t smack my ass. Holden might have to give you a stern lecture.”

His eyes sparkled. “We wouldn’t want that.”

Just as we reached the exit, Parker stopped short. “Shit, I forgot my laptop bag. Catch you later?”

“Yeah, sure.”

He disappeared into the mass of students surging toward the doors, eager to get home. I turned and joined the flow, letting it carry me out the side exit where I usually met Holden.

His GTO wasn’t at the curb yet. Huh. Usually, he beat me here. I checked my phone. Sure enough, there was a text about a customer holding him up by a few minutes.

I crossed the school lawn, trying to find a spot that would shelter me from the wind and keep me out of the way as kids and parents came and went.

“Hey, Shiloh.”

“Oh, hi the?—”

I lifted my head, expecting to see one of the teachers. Instead, Curtis and Brick—the two guys I never wanted to see again—were standing outside my school.

Curtis smiled at me, which looked scarier than when he glowered. There was a twist to his lips that wasn’t friendly in the slightest.

Beside him, Brick was rocking on his feet, grinning like it was his birthday.

“Wh-what are you doing here?” I asked, glancing around hastily.

There were enough people on the grounds they couldn’t hurt me. Not with all these witnesses. But how did they find me?

“What’s wrong? Feeling Shy?” Brick laughed like he was hilarious.

I turned, intending to walk away, but Curtis’s voice cracked out. “Aren’t you happy to see your old friends? We’re goingto start thinking you’re avoiding us. But you wouldn’t do that, would you? Not if you don’t want to loseanotherteaching job.”

I turned back, tension thrumming through me. “What do you want?”

“What we always want,” Curtis said flatly. “You return the money Jimmie stole, and we go on our way. Everyone’s happy.”

“I tried paying you,” I said. “You just wanted more and more. I’m not an ATM.”

“Just a thief,” he said.

“Jimmie’s the thief! I had nothing to do with any of that.”

“Aren’t we past these games?” Curtis said. “Look, let’s just cut to the chase. We know Jimmie gave you the money he stole.”

“What? No?—”

“He told you to hide it for him,” Brick growled. “So give it up!”

My heart lurched with panic. “That’s not true!”

Brick stepped in close, making my skin crawl much like the way Holden’s must when his touch aversion triggered. I wanted this man nowhere near me.

“Jimmie told us you have the money, just like he told us where to find you. So stop fucking lying.”