Page 197 of The Unravelings

Tonight should be the best night of the year.

Yet, here he is lecturing me on the logistics of everyone’s safety tonight.

Hux shakes his head like a disappointed dad. “You know why I’m warning you. The last time you did something stupid, you ended up in jail, and Franco didn’t give a fuck and let you rot. I’m only looking out for you, Mack. I don’t want to worry about you being in jail or in a ditch or anywhere else, but here at home.”

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it, okay? I’m a fuck up. All the time. I’m reckless. Stupid. But you know what? Fuck this. I won’t bruise or maim anyone. Too much. Is it too much to ask to want to scare the living shit out of Oliver? Where’s the fun in being his mommy and gently dragging him out of bed as I whisper sweet words that everything will be okay? There is no fun in that.

So, tonight, I’m going to scare him.

Just a wee bit.

Just enough to cajole fun confessions from his lying lips and get to the bottom of his coming here. He’s too suspect in my damn book. Even at our group project sessions. There’s something about him that has my spidey senses tingling all over. It’s like I possibly know him, or something. But nah. I’ve never seen the fucker a day in my life.

“Fucking Theo. You know that was bullshit. He jumped us! I was protecting JJ and myself, thank you very much. I hope that dickbag is miserable in his fancy office Franco bought for him.” I frown, adjusting my shirt again, eager to get the hell out of this house and meet the rest of the guys at the cemetery.

“He does have a point,” JJ finally pipes up. “Theo jumped us out of nowhere. He was a sore loser.” JJ’s nose wrinkles as he adjusts his shirt. “It was bullshit that he threatened to sue Franco and was immediately paid off for his efforts, all while Mack stayed in jail. He only got a few stitches.”

“I knew I liked you the best,” I tease.

“Theo played the system,” Hux says, blowing out a breath. “I know he fucked us over, and Franco let him, but that’s in the past.” Yeah, he says it’s in the past, but he still holds the incident over my head to keep me in line. Asshole. “We all have our assignments. The guys have theirs, too.” He brings out his phone and checks the time. “It’s about time we go and do this. Let’s bring out our newest recruits and show them what the Franco Syndicate is made of.”

“Let’s fucking do this!” I howl, throwing my head back with excitement.

“Let’s get this done,” Hux agrees, and dare I say it, he actually smiles.

“He smiles!” I quip with a smirk as he flips me off and walks through the front door without looking back.

JJ saddles up to me as we walk side by side, heading toward the cemetery together.

“I know what you’re going to do,” JJ says, shoving his hands into his pockets. “And all I can ask is that you not attempt to kill him. I know you think he destroyed the tree house.” He side-eyes me now through the darkness, taking in my blank expression. “But you’re barking up the wrong tree.”

“No clue what you’re talking about,” I sarcastically say, waving him off. “Besides, you told me you had no leads on who did that.”

“I don’t. But I know it wasn’t Oliver,” he says with a shrug, averting his eyes.

Liar.

“Right. You’re so convincing. You only say that because your dick is hard for the guy. For whatever reason,” I huff.

Jesus Christ, Jasper Jones blushes as the words leave my mouth and looks away from me. My jaw falls open, but I don’t judge. We haven’t seen anyone since Liv died, and if Oliver is JJ’s cup of tea, then so be it. But I’m still in shock that his cheeks are red and he’s stumbling over his feet. What surprises me more is that he’s considering it. Actually thinking about being with someone else. For as long as I live, my dick will never rise for another person. Only Olivia. My girl.

Fuck.

My heart squeezes in my chest at the thought of her. Sometimes I like to imagine what it would be like if she were still here with us and going through these initiations alongside us. Of course, Franco doesn’t want girls in his damn ranks, so she’d be outside of this, anyway. It’s a boys’ club, after all. Whatever. I could have put a wig on her, given her baggy clothes, and she would have fit right in. Then, she never would have been left behind. Ever. Every mission we did. She’d be right beside us.

“I swear to God, JJ. If you bring that fucker home and expect me to play nice,” I huff, crossing my arms. “Actually, do bring him over, then we can interrogate him together. Then, you can make it up to him.” I shudder at the thought of my sworn enemy in bed with my best friend. “I mean, you do you. Whatever.” I shrug, only aggravated at the fact he’s possibly dipping his… Ah, no. No, thank you. I don’t want to think about that. Oliver is the enemy right now, and I can’t make nice with him until I know he didn’t fuck with Olivia’s things.

“Macklyn. Jesus! It’s not that,” he chastises, stopping me in the midst of the quiet campus. “I’m serious. It wasn’t Oliver. He didn’t do it.”

“Why? Because you know him so well?” I huff, giving him a pointed look until his eyes dart away. So much for not giving away his feelings like Franco taught us. Fucker. “And where is your proof? You’re always bitching about receipts and video evidence and this and that, blah blah blah.” I hold out my hand and wiggle my fingers, waiting for him to drop his so-called evidence into my hand. “I saw that fucker coming out of the woods after it happened. With my own two eyes. Not some rando on the street telling me what they saw. I saw him. Walking. Out of the woods. After it happened. He was the only one around. I only have a few important questions for him. That’s all.” I shrug.

“Mack,” he says in a strained voice, catching me off guard. “Promise me you won’t hurt him in any way. You…” He shakes his head. “You’ll regret hurting him if you do.”

Regret? Fat fucking chance. There won’t be an ounce of regret in this fucking body after I’m done asking Oliver all the important questions.

“Glad to see you think so highly of me and my violent ways,” I scoff, taking a step back from him. “I’d never hurt the kid. We’re having a nice talk. That’s it. If I wanted to hurt him, I’d call him out at the fucking Coliseum again. Although it seems the fucker is too afraid to show his face there again.”

JJ snorts. “What after he obliterated Brutus?”