“Oh, puh-lease.” Mom throws her arms into the air. “Don’t tell me you’re buying into this act.”
“Enough, Carole!” Dad hisses. “I’ve had all I can take of this, and I can’t handle much more.”
She huffs. “Say what you really mean, Grayson.”
Dad stands. “I’ve had enough of the way you treat your daughter and me. And I’m sick to death of hearing you threaten her if she doesn’t comply with your outrageous demands. It ends here.”
She laughs. “What makes you think you have any power in this situation.” She shoves at his shoulders. “I’m the fuckingpresident. I can fire your ass like that!” She clicks her fingers in his face.
An ugly sneer appears on Dad’s face. “And I can ruin you in a heartbeat, darling. If you try to take me down, you’re going down with me.”
The bickering cranks up a few notches, descending into familiar territory, and I slip out of the room without either of them noticing.
I grab my bag and close the front door quietly behind me, checking the area to ensure Wes isn’t lingering anywhere. Not wanting to take a chance, I call an Uber to take me to Zach’s.
I need to get high.
To forget that the last hour exists.
To force the internal screaming to stop.
I’m proud of myself for standing up to Wes, but I’m terrified too. Afraid all I’ve done is ruffle the hornet’s nest. He won’t take this lying down, and he’ll come back ten times stronger.
I bend over the bush at the end of the driveway and expel the contents of my stomach. I’ve just finished rinsing out my mouth with water when the Uber arrives. Climbing in the back, I give him Zach’s address while my mind continues to churn.
Wes mentioned football players on purpose. He was sending me a deliberate message. Like I thought, he’s going to go after Adam. And possibly drag Carter into this too. I can’t let him draw a spotlight on Adam, because it’s far too risky. He has so much to lose. And I won’t let anything happen to him because he’s trying to help me. I remember how he asked me to come to him in this very scenario, and right now, I need him.
I pop my head between the two front seats. “Actually, I’ve changed my mind. Can you take me to the Fleming Residence Hall instead?”
15
Adam
My eyes are heavy as I walk into my dorm room. Practice was hell. Coach ran us through the wringer in preparation for our big game coming up. But I don’t have time to sleep. I have a Western civilization test tomorrow, and I still have a couple of deals I need to take care of later tonight.
Sam spins around in his computer chair. Dark circles color the underside of his blue eyes, and his blond hair is matted to his head. Poor guy has been behind his computer since Saturday night, trying to drum up more dirt on Wes and find the chick in the video. He’s tracking all incoming and outgoing emails to and from the frat house, hoping he catches something. He’s distraught and determined to get the goods on Wes, especially after watching him and his crew gang-raping that girl.
I couldn’t blame him. The video made me want to go ballistic on Wes or someone or something. Regardless, we’re at a standstill at the moment. Sam has been trying to locate an address for the girl in the video. Even then, we’re not sure she’ll want to cooperate. But it’s our only play unless Wes fucks up again, and I don’t see that happening now he knows we’re onto him. He’ll be looking over his shoulder every minute of the day.
“Well, you look like crap,” Sam says.
I arch a brow. “Right back atcha. Anything yet on the girl?”
He runs his long fingers through his hair. “Nothing. I wish I had access to face recognition software.” He lets out a frustrated sigh. “I really want to take down Wes. It’s been eating at me.”
I throw my bag on my bed. “A bullet will take care of him.”
Sam’s mouth falls open. “For real, Adam. Prison will be hell on a rich bastard like him. To me, that’s worse than a bullet.”
I drop down on my bed, rubbing my temples. “Man, you’re right.”
He kicks out his legs. “Have you heard from Emily?”
I climb on my bed, resting my back against the wall, sleep a minute away. “With classes and practice, I haven’t had time to check in with her today. I’m sure if Wes tried to contact her, she would let us know.” And if she was jonesing to get high, she would reach out to me too although a part of me isn’t so sure. It’s hard to kick a vice cold turkey, especially ones like alcohol and drugs. Still, I’m hopeful she would keep to our agreement and come to me if she feels the urge to get high.
“Do you think Wes will out you to Coach?” Sam asks. “I mean, have you thought about that?”
Wes can do many things to me, but Coach would be the last person he would go to since Coach is Emily’s old man. “I can see him going to President Parker but not Coach. He would demand evidence, and Wes has none.” Coach Parker isn’t the type to believe everything he hears. I couldn’t say for sure about President Parker though, but Emily did say he can do no wrong in her mother’s eyes.
