Page 13 of Dark Things (Payback Duet #1)

She throws her head back laughing. “That’s perfect!

I’m totally using that from now on!” Shaking her head, she makes her way up to the stands.

I take another sip of my beer looking around the stands.

There’s a lot more people here than I thought.

Adults, kids, and students all mix around, looking like they’re having a good time.

It’s surreal being out in the open like this when I’m not on a mission. It almost feels normal.

A group of girls are sitting two rows over and keep glancing at me, whispering low amongst each other.

One of the girls stares as if she has a personal vendetta against me, a snarl on her lips.

I tilt my head and smirk before turning my attention back to the field.

I’m not sure what the fuck I did for the girl to mean mug me from across the rows, but I shrug it off.

I put my beer down by my feet, reaching for the phone in my pocket, but before I can grab it, a pair of shoes comes into my line of vision. They’re dainty, and the toes are painted a deep blue color. My eyes slide up, and I come face to face with the girl from two rows over.

“Can I help you?” I ask, sliding my butt forward in the seat a little. In case I have to get up quickly. I don’t have any weapons on me except for my small switchblade in my boot.

“Yeah, you can stop fucking sending kisses to my boyfriend,” she snarls, hands on her hips.

“Boyfriend? Not sure I know who you mean.” I say, because who is this Regina George wannabe? Are we regressing to high school? I haven’t even talked to anyone except Cat since we’ve been here.

“Brooks Templeton. He’s mine. Don’t ever look at him again. I’ll know and then I’ll have to remove you permanently.”

My cackle is loud and long. A few tears come out of my eyes, and I wipe them away as I stand up, getting in her face.

Because fuck this bitch. Brooks would never date someone who seeks out random women at a football game.

Even if he’s not mine and never will be again, Brooks was a part of my soul.

Different from Haunt and the rest. He was my twin flame.

We were something more ever since we met at twelve, and we always will be.

“I’m not sure what crazy train you fell off of, but trust this. I wasn’t nor do I want to steal your boyfriend. Number twenty-three, he’s mine,” I say, pointing to my jersey. “The rest I couldn’t give a fuck about.”

“Don’t act dumb, you stupid bitch. I saw your face and that kiss. That smirk you gave me like you’re planning something. I saw how he looked at you right after that touchdown. He’s mine!”

She’s all but screaming at this point, and if someone doesn’t come get her, she’s going to be lying flat on her back with a reason to get another nose job. And they aren’t fun, trust me.

But before I can start screaming back and making a scene, I feel Cat at my back. I can almost sense the anger wafting off of her.

“Hey Bloody Mary, why don’t you go give a venereal disease to someone else. Reb doesn’t need your skank ass clogging up all the fresh air.”

I see Mary’s arm draw back getting ready to hit Cat and I lose it. I catch her arm, twisting it behind her back and lifting it so that she’s standing on her tiptoes. My other hand fists in her hair as I contort her back into me. She can’t move unless she wants to break her arm.

“Cat asked you to leave. I suggest you do that before I show all the people in these stands how tough you really are. You do not want to fucking test me.”

I scuff before shoving her toward the railing separating us from the field. Everyone is looking at us; I just hope no one is filming. Stan isn’t going to like it if this gets back to him.

Mary recovers, cradling her arm to her chest. “You’re so fucking dead. Let’s see how the rest of the team feels about a fucking dirty whore being around them.”

She spins on her spiked heels before sauntering down the aisle. I turn to Cat and see her eyes are wide, mouth agape. I try to judge where she’s at. Is she scared of me now?

“That was…” her voice trails off before picking up again. “Fucking amazing! Do you know how long I’ve wanted to put that twatwaffle in her place. She’s such a fucking bitch.”

Cat hands me my hotdog and we both sit for a moment. “What did she mean by the rest of the team? ”

Cat swallows and takes a sip of her beer before glancing over to me with a grimace. “Mary’s on the equestrian team. And while a whole lot of people don’t like her, they don’t go against her, either. Her parents sponsor a lot of our competitions. They’re something like horse royalty in the circuit.”

“People are actually worried about that shit? They want her to like them?”

Even before I went to juvie, I never worried about where people came from. Sure we had enough money to buy most of the properties in Manhattan, but I never used my money as a source of power, and I never hid behind my parents.

“Oh yeah. Especially the scholarship kids. If you go to Skyton for equestrian sports, Mary is the one to stay away from if you don’t want trouble.”

Some of the excitement has worn away from Cat’s face. I don’t know why I feel like I need to assure her, but she needs to know.

“Cat, you’re Haunt’s twin. Haunt is extremely important to me, so by extension you are, too. Nothing is ever going to hurt you, especially not some fucking prissy princess from a gilded stable.”

Wetness pools in her eyes. It makes my inside squirmy, but I keep the thoughts from my face. I don’t have people who count on me to keep them safe except for Haunt. But I could never stand by and let someone hurt his twin. I know what family means to him. And he knows how much siblings mean to me .

“Thanks.” she says, clearing her throat. “I've never really had anyone have my back like that. Well, other than Haunt.”

I stare at her for a bit before turning back to the field. They guys are all pouring out of the tunnel again. I grasp her hand in mine and give it a little squeeze before letting go and taking another bite of my hotdog again.

“You have us both now. Don’t worry about assholes like that again.”

We settle back and watch the rest of the game. I’m wondering now if what Haunt said is true. Maybe we need to let Cat in a little more. Maybe it isn’t me who needs other people; maybe it’s her. And when I think about how I was before I had Haunt, it makes me think that she could be the same.