Page 30 of Play Dirty (Villalargos University #1)

Chapter Twenty - Four

Nico

I focus on the open door, picturing her standing there.

Baring witness to her father’s secret, I wasn’t expecting this to happen.

Everything happened so quickly, the message from anonymous telling me to come into this room.

Mr. J appears out of the blue demanding attention from his favorite boy. Then Shi—

Fuck.

My hand tightens around my phone, as I ignore the string of curses spilling from Mr. J's lips through the phone. He’s long gone now, scurrying like a cockroach the second the light shines on him.

Ending the call, I look at the door. I know who saw us, call me superstitious, but I felt her.

Somehow, I felt her presence long before I saw the shadow of her take off into the hall.

I fucking knew it.

The second I step into the hall and can’t find her— really fucking find her.

A pain rips through my chest, a dull and deep ache like a bruise under my skin.

It wasn’t guilt. Not this time. Guilt. That I can fucking stomach, but this is something entirely different.

My hands shake as I rake them through my dark sweaty strands, the feeling coiling low and mean.

Tearing me from the inside, knowing she saw.

She knows now. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I try to hold back the emotion ready to erupt from every crevice in my body. And just breathe.

My phone buzzes again in my palm, I don’t need to check it. I already saw the name flash across the screen.

Zayden

Where the fuck are u?

Buzz.

Zayden

She saw something. She’s not okay. Shaking n crying. Bringing her to T.

Buzz.

Zayden

U need to fix this

I squeeze my eyes shut, my jaw locks so tight I can hear my teeth grind. My hand moves down my face, the smell of her lingers on my skin trapped under my flesh like a brand.

You need to fix this.

His words echo in my head, how the fuck do I fix that?

Behind me, Wyatt lets out a low whistle. “You did it this time.” I try to hold back the venom, it’s not his fault or truly mine but they will never blame the perpetrator for doing the abuse. The victim in this case is the one to carry the burden and the cross. “Thiago is on his way to them.”

I nod.

“Does Mr. J know what Shiloh saw?”

“No.” I grit out.

“Guess it’s gonna be hard to explain to her what she saw. It’s not like you can say you tripped and landed on daddy’s dick.”

I whip around so fast, he stumbles back. “Don’t” I snap. “Not with this.”

Wyatt shr ugs, holding his hands up like he’s innocent. “Hey man, I was just trying to lighten up the mood.”

“You think this shit is funny Wyatt?” I bark out. “What the fuck is funny about this shit?”

He narrows his eyes, but says nothing. Good.

I’m not in the mood for another fucking fight or him pretending like he understands what I’m going through.

He’s another prissy white boy, who does whatever daddy tells him to do.

He gets his hands dirty because he enjoys the stain on his hands. Nothing more.

“Let’s go.” I bark as I stuff my phone into my pocket, ignoring the next buzz.

We make it to the car in silence, the night spinning around me even though I stopped drinking a while ago. The cold air burns my lungs with every inhale. I rub my wrists against my thighs, trying to ground myself. But nothing works. Not this time.

Thankfully, Wyatt remains quiet.

My phone buzzes again. This time I look.

Pulling the phone back out of the confine of the fabric.

Zayden

T has her. She almost got hit by a car.

Whatever is left of my heart shatters. It’s torn into nothing.

I wanted to see her. Explain. Tell her the truth but something tells me I’m the last person she wants to see. I can only imagine, if she thought I was shit before, now I won’t even be worth a second glance. Not even the chance to defend myself.

Fuck.

I slam my fist onto the dashboard, startling Wyatt but he continues driving.

Closing my eyes, I rest my head against the window.

The memory of her flashes like a strobe light, her body moving against me.

Shiloh w aited for me, wanted me, even if it was for me to use her, she wanted it. She wanted me.

She reached out and I shut her down once again. I left.

And now she knows.

I don’t know how much she saw, but I can imagine which part she saw. My stomach churns, my intuition signaling to me that I’m right. The car turns down the street, past the school entrance. I glance out the window, and when I spot Thiago’s car, I see her.

Slumped against the leather seat. My fingers clench so hard I nearly snap my own wrist. I look away before Wyatt notices.

“Everything good?” he asked, his eyes still focused on the road.

I nod, jaw tight. “Yeah.”

But everything’s not good.

Because now there's no hiding.

No more pretending.

Shiloh knows what I’ve been having to do to survive, and the worst part is she had to witness this, and I didn’t stop. I keep picturing those big blue eyes glistening with tears. I let her see it.

I made her watch, because I’m a coward with too many secrets that need to remain buried. A coward who can’t even look at her in the face but showed her my darkest truth.

I look down at the message that changed the game. The one that causes my heart to sink and my stomach to clench.

Anonymous

You passed the test. Good boy.

I suck my teeth, not sure if I want to cry or laugh. ‘Good boy.’ Like if I’m a fucking dog. Like all this pain is just a fucking performance. And somehow…. I still crave the praise.

By the ti me I get back to the dorm Zayden stands outside, hitting a pen. Smoke curls around him as Wyatt pulls up and parks the car. His stormy eyes lock onto me the second I step out of the car, like he’s been waiting all night just to throw a punch at something.

I could relate.

“I’m heading out, gotta do some business. Reyes, you need to fix that.” Wyatt says from inside the car before rolling up the window and driving off. I bring back my focus to Zayden who hands me the pen. I take a deep hit, inhaling the herby smoke letting the marijuana flood my system.

“She almost got hit by a car. If I didn’t get there when I did...” He stops and looks at me. His eyes were full of torment.

“I read the message.” Is all I say because what else can I fucking say. I bite the inside of my cheek until I taste blood. Zayden scoffs, flicking the pen once more before pocketing it.

“Did you, now? How do you plan on fixing this?” His eyes narrow and in the dim light he looks older and meaner than his usual self. “Because you know that asshole is going to make this your problem, not his.”

I know that too.

“What am I supposed to tell her? Hey Shiloh, I didn’t only date your best friend but I also fuck your dad.

” Zayden’s restraints snap and his fist connects to my jaw.

The pain dulls my thoughts as we break out into a small scuffle.

My fist connects with his midsection, he tackles me into the ground.

Knocking the wind straight out of my lungs.

I’m too tired for this shit, my knee jerks up connecting once again with his stomach and he stumbles back. “Fuck. Reyes.”

He falls on his ass, placing his arms on his knee caps and letting his head hang. “This is bad, everything with the coach and now her. Someone is fucking with us, Nico.”

I let out a breath, remaining on the ground. “I don’t know how to fix this, Zay.”

“I know.”

“You think it’s possible? That whoever killed Fer…

did this to June too?” I ask, letting my thoughts be voiced out loud.

It’s been a long time since I spoke about her, let alone mentioned her name.

There was never a body for us to bury, for us to mourn.

Grams was able to recognize her thanks to the sunflower tattoo on her wrist. But her injuries were too extensive for us to have a proper goodbye.

We didn't even have money to bury her remains, so we cremated whatever was left of my sister.

He takes a deep breath in. “I don’t know, I wouldn't put it past them. But the coach? That really took me out of the game.”

“What are they going to do with him?”

Zayden shrugs. “Not sure, we have a game coming up. They will probably teach him a lesson and let him continue his role.”

I nod in agreement.

“We have to find out who it is before shit hits the fan, no one can know about Fer.”

Using my elbows to prop up, I look at Zayden who looks up at the sky as if searching for the pieces of him that are missing. He shouldn't have been part of this but he loved Fer just as much as I did. We both wanted to play for a better future and find the ones responsible for her death.

So far, we got nothing. All that I have is fucking name or last name. Castello.