Chapter Sixteen

Rafe

T rick's features darken, and I know that he's not happy about the way they're handling it either, but the reason why our truce works is because we don't get involved in the other school's shit. We let them run their school how they want to, and they leave us to run ours how we want.

I have a feeling that this time, though, if they don't take care of it properly, we're going to have to step in; we don't want someone like that free to roam; he's a danger. I think it's a good job that Rylie gave the information to us. I don't trust them to hand it over to the cops right now.

Clearly, Trick doesn't either, and if there's one thing that Trick can't stand, it's people not taking care of their responsibilities.

He frowns at them all but addresses Billy, "You need to get your shit together. Do you realize how much you must have dropped the ball for your own people to come to us instead of you when they have an issue?"

Their reaction is immediate and predictable as they all launch themselves to their feet and face off with us. It's a damn good job that their bonfire is tucked away from everything else, and there's only a small chance that we're going to attract a crowd. The last thing everyone needs to see right now is all of us fighting. If we fight, then it would be like a signal to everyone else to get involved, and we'd end up with a brawl and most likely many kids in the hospital or worse.

None of us want that; at least, I hope that none of us want that. With Billy and the guys behaving like they are at the moment, who's to fucking say whether they don't want a brawl or not.

All of us are tense, waiting for one of them to make a move. I really don't want to fight them. We've all worked so fucking hard to have a working relationship with them, one that means that we can have a civil conversation with each other and even call on each other if we have an issue that we can't solve, like them calling us in to help deal with Ryan and put him up against Jensen so that the fucker gets taken down a peg or two.

"Who the fuck do you think you're talking to, thinking that you can come and tell me how to run my school!" Billy yells, anger in his eyes.

"We wouldn't have to if you were doing your fucking job properly," Trick replies, firmly but not wanting to raise his voice and escalate things further. "You know that we never fucking get involved in your shit. The only reason that we are now is because your own fucking people have come to us to tell us that something is wrong, not once but twice!"

"Do you really want to do this?" Cash asks seriously.

Some of the anger drains from Billy as he retorts, "That doesn't mean shit. They probably couldn't find us, that's all."

Cash raises his eyebrow, "And there's the problem. Let me ask you this if this was the Pit before everything kicked off and we lost it, would your people struggle to fucking find you?"

Billy sighs heavily, his shoulders slumping, the rest of his guys having stood down almost immediately, clearly knowing that they've been dropping the ball. I doubt they realized how badly they were letting things go until we pointed it out to them.

"You're right, I don't fucking like it," his eyes flash with anger, but he adds, "but you are right. We've had some personal stuff going on recently, it's not a very good excuse, but it is a reason as to why we've dropped the ball. We haven't suddenly just stopped giving a shit."

"We get it, man," Cash replies with sympathy but then adds, "but if you keep it up, everything that we've all worked really hard to achieve, including the truce between our schools, is going to go to shit, and we're all going to be dragged into it."

Billy nods, as he scrubs his hand on the back of his neck and then shares a look with his guys.

"I know. We'll go and sort out everything for the fight. It doesn't look like anything has been sorted. There are a lot of kids with a lot of money on the last fight, and we're going to have a mob if it doesn't happen." Billy replies.

His guys nod in agreement and grab their beers, all heading in the direction of the crowd and dispersing through it, talking to their people. I seriously hope that they meant what they said, and they're going to sort their shit out.

We're going to have to keep an eye on them and their people but in a different way than usual. It's not something that we should have to do, and it's going to be made even more complicated because their people aren't going to trust us with certain things. However, I'm unsure if that is true anymore since a few of them have obviously come to us instead of them already.

"Good," Trick replies.

"We'll sort our shit out," Billy says once his guys are gone. Trick nods but doesn't bother replying, and Billy turns to look at Jensen, "I'll see you in ten."

"Got it," Jensen replies.

We stay where we are, waiting for Billy to get out of earshot before Cash asks, "How long do you think the newfound enthusiasm for doing what they're supposed to do is going to last?"

Luc shrugs, "Fuck knows, but I hope it lasts for a while. We need things to get back on track, especially since everyone is so unsure since the Pit went down."

"Heads up," Jensen warns as a guy approaches with a girl under his arm, looking mad as fuck.

"What's up?" Trick asks.

The girl frowns, "I want my money back."

I share a look with the guys, and Trick replies, "What money? We don't owe you any money."

The guy she's with is starting to look uncomfortable, and I sense that he's tried to warn his girl not to do whatever it is that she's doing.

"From my bet," she replies with confidence.

"You placed a bet with Trev?" Cash asks.

She nods, "Yeah, but he's gone, and I've changed my mind. So I want my money back."

I tilt my head to the side; surely she doesn't think that we're just going to give it back.

Luc frowns, crosses his arms over his chest, and asks, "Did Trev explain the terms and conditions to you when you placed the bet?"

We all know he did; he's a stickler for the rules, and it's the only reason that he hasn't had any major incidents. The betting side of these things has always run smoothly apart from the odd hiccup, and it's because he insists on telling all people placing the bets what the terms and conditions are for every time they play.

The girl rolls her eyes, "Of course he did, but I want my money back."

"Babe, maybe we should just leave it." Her guy tries to convince her to walk away, but she shrugs him and crosses her arms over her chest.

"Well?" she questions.

Trick sighs, "Well, you were told the terms and conditions; all bets are final and non-returnable, and you're not getting your money back."

She frowns, "But I bet on Ryan, and everyone says that he's going to lose to you."

"I told you not to bet on him," her boyfriend says, and then promptly snaps his mouth closed when she looks at him like she's seconds away from stabbing him.

"That's on you. The bets are non-refundable. You aren't getting your money back," Trick replies, calmer than I would be if I kept having to deal with crazy women.

"Unless he wins," Jensen smirks.

I can't help it. I chuckle and end up having to hide the fact that he's made me laugh when I get a glare from her. Although, to be honest, the glare just makes me want to laugh even more; I mean, who does she think she's trying to scare?

I doubt she could even scare kittens with that glare, although it apparently does manage to scare her boyfriend.

Predictably, she doesn't like Trick's answer and starts to get really pissed, and unfortunately, that means that she gets shrill too.

"What is it with people tonight?" I sign.

"I think it's all the built-up tension from the Pit being closed down a few months ago." Luc signs back.

"At least we can talk like this while Trick's having to deal with yet another crazy woman," Jensen adds with a smirk.

"I think he must attract them somehow," Riot adds.

"What are they talking about? They're talking about me, aren't they?" she suddenly shouts.

I roll my eyes.

"No, they have better things to talk about than someone who doesn't understand simple rules even though they were clearly explained to her," Trick retorts.