Kingston steps forward. “There are three keys because there were three founding brothers. You’ve earned zero points tonight because while you might have one of the keys, you only brought in three cards. You didn’t complete the game. And no, no one is fucking around.” He pauses, eyeing Bridger with a lethal stare before he grinds out through tightly clenched teeth, “In fact, why don’t you tell me whythe fuckElliot would have had to knee you in your junk in the first place.”
“I want the answer to that as well. Did you not learn from the last time?” Archer shakes his head. “Fuckin’ dumbass, I swear.”
“She got in my way, that’s it,” he blusters, spit flying from his mouth as he lies through his teeth.
I scowl at him, crossing my arms over my chest. “Whatever Bridger. You were trying to steal the cards I collected, and you held me down on the ground to get at them. I can’t help it if you were so drunk that when you got up, I was able to take you onandget my cards back. Your pathetic, tiny dick got inmy way.”
He takes a step toward me and slurs, “Fuckin’ bitch, you don’t belong here. But go ahead, let your gay guard dogs make every-fucking-thing easier for you.”
Kingston and Archer both immediately take a step in front of me, pushing me behind them. Bridger wasn’t wrong about that, they will guard me. Protect me. Of that, I’m certain. Kingston growls. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stop right there.”
Movement off to my side attracts my attention for a second. Dane has lowered himself to sit on the edge of the couch arm, looking decidedly uncomfortable. Our eyes connect, and I shake my head, wide-eyed, before returning to the chaos in the room.
Bridger’s unfocused eyes bounce wildly between Kingston and Archer. “What the fuck is it about this brotherhood? Just a bunch of gay motherfuckers in this house. Maybe one of you faggots will disappear this year, too. And now adding a fucking girl to the mix. Just stupid. So fucking weird.”
Wait a sec. Have those asshole juniors been talking to Bridger about Will?But I don’t have time to process that line of thought, because Archer’s body is rigid and Kingston’s broad back heaves up and down with each angry breath he takes.
From behind them, I watch Stuart jab his finger toward Bridger. “Shut the fuck up, man.” He glances over his shoulder, his eyes flicking from Kingston to Archer as Joel and Alec try to hold Bridger back.
“I’ll admit, her assisnice. I can see why you like her. I had a real nice time with her.” Bridger throws his head back laughing, then, in the midst of humping the air and pretending to smack the invisible ass in front of him, Kingston erupts with a thunderous roar, cocking his arm back and slamming it straight into Bridger’s unsuspecting, gleeful face.
He drops to the floor in an undignified pile of loose limbs.
Archer steps in, a hand to Kingston’s shoulder before he strikes again. Because I see it, too. There is murder in his stance, and he’d like nothing better than to pound Bridger into the ground. Kingston turns his head, eyes connecting with Archer’s.
With a slight shake of his head, Archer relays exactly the message I’d hoped he would.Don’t do it. He’s not worth it.
Finally, his pale-green eyes land on me, fiery in his conviction. His chest heaves. “No one touches Elliot. And I’d better not hear another goddamn word about her not being good enough. She’s more deserving than most of us. You’re just too fuckin’ blind to see it.” He scans the rest of the group. “And gay slurs? What’s wrong with you? Fuckin’ ignorant is what you are.” He pauses, the muscle at the back of his jaw twitching hard. “You’re all on notice. You don’t breathe unless I say it’s okay. This shit’s going to stop. And you can look forward to hearing more from me tomorrow. Now, get the fuck out of my sight.”
THIRTY-ONE
CANNON
Motherfucking fuck.I glance down at my phone, reading through the handful of messages the guys sent a little while ago while I was sleeping.
Kingston
Massive problems with Bridger.
Archer
He fucked with Elliot during the game again.
That little asswipe doesn’t know when to quit.
Kingston
I punched him. Knocked him out cold.
And it felt fuckin’ good, too.
But I’m sure I’ll hear about it.
Archer
Yeah. Can’t wait for the call from Jared.
I’d heard the ruckus happening all the way downstairs and had been on the verge of joining the fray. But before I could drag myself out of the bed, it’d gotten quiet again, and well, I’m still exhausted from the seizure this morning. This is always how it is; it takes me an entire day just to recover. It’s fuckin’ annoying as hell. And embarrassing. Especially knowing Elliot was right there.
