Page 26 of Rowdy Boy

Her response comes out shrill and panicked. “He doesn’t want to be in a relationship!”

Me. They’re talking about me. My stomach gurgles so loudly I clutch my abs in fear, then hold my breath to make sure no one heard it.

“You’re not trying hard enough.”

“Mr. Whitely, please.”

I scoff.Mr. Whitely.Is she serious right now? I was worried about her at first. Now I’m disgusted. What the fuck are these two playing at?

“I talk to him almost every day,” she whines. “I’ve been pursuing him for months. We hang out. We hook up.” I grimace at that overshare. “He’s into me when we’re together, but he keeps telling me that he doesn’t want to be in a relationship… that he doesn’tdorelationships.”

Damn straight. And this is why.

A bang has me jumping in terror. My body surges with adrenaline and the need to check on her—to make sure she’s okay. But I force myself to stay planted where I sit. I can’t be her goddamn hero when I can’t even save myself.

Courtney doesn’t audibly react, so Joe most likely threw something across the room or slammed his fist into his desk. I hope to God he didn’t hit her.

I feel the ensuing silence deep in my bones.

Finally, he breaks it. His words are cold and calculated. I can picture his squinted eyes filled with loathing.

“We had a deal, girl. We had a deal and you’re going to keep up your end of the bargain by any means necessary. I’ll ruin your whole family if you don’t. If you can’t keep him, trap him.”

“What?”

Yeah. What?

“You heard me. Do what needs to be done to ensure you’ve got him on the hook. You’d do well to be tied to this family permanently.”

“I’m… I’m only eighteen…” she stammers.

“Lots of girls get knocked up in high school. He’ll marry you if you’re pregnant. I’ll make sure of it.”

I don’t hear what she says. I can’t hear anything beyond the ringing in my ears. It’s this oscillating sound, going in and out, like when the tornado test siren goes off downtown on Saturdays at noon. It gets louder, then wanes before amping up again. The vibrations in my brain are so loud I can feel them. When the sound fades completely, I worry I’m about to black out.

Holy. Shit.

I crawl up the stairs as quietly as I can, but I’m sure it’s not quiet enough. Doesn’t matter. I’m done. I’m gone. I have no idea where I’ll go—just anywhere but here.

I charge into my room, grab my keys and wallet, then shoot off the first text.

Jake: I overheard you and my dad tonight. Don’t try to contact me ever again. Stay the fuck away from me, Courtney. But please, for your own sake, stay the fuck away from him, too.

The next text takes me longer to type out. I rewrite it a dozen times before finally working up the nerve to hit send. This isn’t the norm. Nothing about this feels right. But he made me promise I would call him, come to him, count on him instead of lashing out. So that’s what I’m going to do.

Jake: Incoming. Just found out Joe has been paying and/or blackmailing Courtney Sinclair to try to lock me down. Like prostitution, but with feelings? I just overheard him tell her to get knocked up to trap me. I’ll be at yours in 20.

Chapter 13

“Rhett!”IhollerasI swing open the sunroom door of the Wheelers’ house. He hasn’t responded to my text, but his Prelude is in the driveway, and his dad’s car isn’t in the garage. I know he’s home. Maybe he fell asleep early tonight.

A tinkle of laughter stops me in my tracks. I turn toward the window and look out to the hot tub, the blue and purple lights dancing on the surface and illuminating the two figures wrapped in each other’s arms.

Fuck. Now I know why he didn’t message me back. He’s in the hot tub with his girl.

I consider slinking away… I don’t think they’ve spotted me yet, and they obviously have a night planned out. But Rhett made me promise to come to him; he told me we’d tackle this together. I feel like a weak, needy bastard… but I know if I don’t lean on him now, I’m going to do something I really regret.

I walk toward them as loudly as possible, not wanting to startle them. “Hey,” I call out cautiously.