11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

TUCKER

“I’m surprised Izzy wanted to come out tonight,” Jet commented as he pulled out a seat and dropped down into a chair at Breaker Hall. “Or that you’re okay with it.”

I shrugged a shoulder, grabbing another chair as I looked around at the crowd. It had been several hours since what had gone down with Zane at school, and I was still pissed as hell, but Izzy had asked to go out, wanting the distraction after today. Annie had protested, voting for the races instead, but Izzy definitely had the trump card tonight. Now, Nic was sitting at the bar, stewing as usual but saying he was here for support, and the twins were in the bathroom.

“The doctor gave her the all clear, so if she wanted to come out, it wasn’t my place to stop her,” I answered Jet.

He gave me a curious glance. “Sounds like you maybe wanted to.”

“No.” I sighed. “Not really. I’m just worried that she’s going to try to put off talking about this. We just got past so much of our shit, and then leave it to Zane to fuck things up and mess with her head again. I swear, if I could have decked him in there, I would have.” The way Izzy had cried and trembled in my arms still made my blood boil. He’d hurt her way too many times. If I could arrange it, he’d have a fucking deathbed.

“I get that,” Jet said before grinning. “I still can’t believe you got Annie to skip school this afternoon because of it.”

“Neither of us skipped, technically. We checked out. But yeah, we weren’t in the right mindset to sit through class after that shit Zane pulled.”

I’d found Annie pacing the hall after I’d left Izzy in that office, and we shared one look before we knew we had to get out of there. As soon as we’d checked out, we took off for the batting cages to pound out some rage like we’d started doing a few months back, and some of what she’d confessed was really sticking to my conscience…

We’d been at the batting cages for over an hour, cracking our bats against balls instead of Zane’s face, and while I’d finally started to feel some relief, Annie was still going strong. I didn’t say anything at first, just kept putting money into the machine, but at some point I realized there was more shit going on for her than just Zane. A few more cracks of her bat and she spun around to face me, her cheeks flushed with a mix of exertion and rage.

“Could things be any more fucked up?! Just when she was getting better and I might get some of my sister back, fucking Zane had to be a dick again! I’m fucking tired of him hurting her!”

“I am, too.”

“And I’m fucking tired of everything always going wrong! I’m tired of having to be the strong one! The one that has to act like I don’t have my own fucking demons to deal with! That Izzy apparently doesn’t even notice anymore now that she has you!”

It was like she only just registered what she said, horror slowly crossing her exhausted features, but then she scowled and collapsed onto the nearby bench next to me.

“I hate you right now,” she mumbled.

“Wow. Okay. Anything I did to deserve it?” I shot back.

She looked up, defeat showing in her expression I wasn’t expecting. “I’m sorry. I don’t really mean that.”

“You meant at least part of it,” I called her out, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees. I looked at the ground between my feet, thinking she might feel less on the spot if I wasn’t staring her down. “What demons are there, Annie?”

She went silent. Her body tense next to me. I just waited, taking a page out of Jet’s book. He had that way of making us talk.

Annie eventually whispered, “I have nightmares. Of my mom and the night I found her.” I let out an inward curse as Annie took a deep breath. “Izzy doesn’t even register when they happen. I know she’s been hurting, and she’s needed you. I’ve gladly stepped aside. I will always put what she needs first, but I miss my sister.”

I looked over in time to see a single tear escaping from her eye before she swiped it away.

My hand went back through my hair, and I dropped it down to the table. I hated seeing how torn Annie was, and I could get where she was coming from. While I’d been trying to keep Izzy from drowning, Annie had been left behind. I really needed to make sure Izzy talked to her soon .

“You’ve gotta try to let this Zane thing go. At least while we’re here.” Jet clapped me on the back, mistaking my silence but bringing me right back to my tension.

“Not that easy, man.”

“I’ll bet. I’m sick of him, too, but at least, he’s finally getting some of what he deserves.”

“True, but that just gets me started on Izzy not filing those assault charges.” Seriously, what the fuck had she been thinking?

“Did you really expect her to? Look at all the other times we wanted her to but she refused.”

I sighed, knowing Jet was right. Izzy always wanted to give the benefit of the doubt. It’s just how she was. Something I loved about her even though it drove me crazy at times.

“Zane’s ass should be in jail,” I grated.

Jet nodded. “Speaking of people that should be in jail…”

I looked over at the doors with Jet’s surprised face, and my own brow shot up. “Well, damn.” David was walking in…with Ruby on his arm. A couple of other people that I knew were Outer Ridge from the races came in behind them. “I didn’t know they knew each other.”

“Me either. But David knows the racing crowd, too. Makes sense they’ve met.” Jet shrugged.

But I was still watching as Ruby glanced around the hall, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she was looking for Jet. She was getting good at showing up where we were. And sure enough…

“You better watch her, man.” I jerked my head at Ruby, her smile lighting up when she spotted us. Jet offered her a quick wave, his arm still half on the table .

“You’ve told me before, and I hear you. I’ve even been icing her out half the time since I realized Annie’s jealous. The thing is, I can’t do it at work. I’m not going to make things awkward there. But I’ll tell you like I’ve told Annie, she is just a friend. Besides, even if Ruby had a thing for me, it looks like it’s gone.” He gestured over to her again, and I watched as David slid an arm around her back, his hand resting at her hip. He stared down at her with a wide smile, saying something that made her toss her head back with a laugh.

Well, fuck. Okay. Maybe…

Corey and Kyle came over to join us with Megan and Emma a few minutes later, and I watched Megan’s face drop when she spotted David and Ruby out on the dance floor.

“Isn’t that the girl that almost ran Izzy down at the restaurant?” I heard her say to Emma, and my head whipped over, my laughter from a joke Kyle had just told gone in an instant.

“What now?”

Megan’s eyes widened at my expression, but Emma answered. “That girl out there with David almost ran Izzy down with her tray when we went out to eat for my birthday. Annie was pissed because it looked like it was on purpose. She went off on her pretty bad. I think she thought it was Annie when she did it.”

I immediately gave Jet a ‘What the fuck did I tell you?’ look.

“I feel like we’re missing something,” Megan said, glancing between us.

“She works at my dad’s shop.” Jet frowned, finally looking concerned .

About damn time.

“Are y’all sure it was on purpose?” he asked the girls.

Megan shrugged. “Maybe, but it was busy. It’s possible she didn’t see her.”

Jet frowned and pushed away from the table. “I could use a drink.”

ANNIE

I leaned against the bathroom counter while Izzy finished up her FaceTime convo with Leo. With her unexpected doctor visit cutting into their rehearsal this afternoon, Izzy had wanted to check in, and I’d lingered behind, needing a break from the dance floor.

“Seriously, Izzy. I want to see,” Leo insisted from the screen of her phone.

“But they look so ugly.”

“Exactly why I need to see. Unless you’d prefer it if I drove out there to check them out in person. That’s actually not a bad idea. Then I’d be that much closer to reaching that bastard so I can kick his ass.”

Izzy rolled her eyes. “Why is it that all the guys in my life feel it’s necessary to resort to violence?”

“Because you’re too fucking awesome for this jackass to keep hurting you. Thank God you’re getting a restraining order now, but leave it to that bastard to fucking pull some shit right before your audition. Now, let me see so I can figure out if we need to adjust the routines.”

“We are not adjusting any routines. The audition is right around the corner.”

I took a deep breath, holding my patience. “Just show him, sis. He’s going to see them at your rehearsal tomorrow, anyway.”

Izzy sighed and reluctantly slid up the lacy sleeve of her dress. I winced at seeing the bruises again, and Leo sucked in a breath.

“Fuck.” He groaned. “And that’s on both arms?” Izzy nodded. “I seriously hate that guy. You should have just let his ass sit in jail with that assault charge.”

“No kidding.” I leaned over into the camera’s view. “But can Izzy call you tomorrow, Leo? Jet and Tucker are waiting on us.”

“Hey, Annie. Yeah, no problem. And don’t worry, Izzy. If you need to take tomorrow off…”

“No.” Izzy’s gaze went dark. “Practice as usual. I’m tough. It’ll be fine.”

“I like Leo,” I said as the call ended. “He should hang out with us sometime.”

The corner of Izzy’s lips lifted in a grin. “I’ll let him know.”

We hurried back over to where the guys said they’d be waiting and found a group of our friends, falling into conversation with them for several minutes before I asked if they’d seen Jet and Tucker.

“At the bar. They were going to get drinks,” Corey answered.

“Great. Thanks.” I turned around to try and spot them at the bar, just in time to see Ruby lean over in front of Jet, her arm stretching out across the bar to reach for something, her tiny black crop top barely covering what God gave her as she shoved her boobs in his face. I watched as she made a show of losing balance and landed right in his lap.

Red flashed across my vision. White hot rage shooting across my body. My feet were moving before my brain thought to do it, and I grabbed her wrist, twisting as I yanked it back to pull her off of my man’s lap.

She cried out, her body turning to try to follow the angle, and I shoved her back against the bar before connecting my fist with her face.

Startled murmurs and gasps erupted around us as satisfaction swam through me, and I pulled back to hit her again just as a powerful set of arms wrapped around my middle, hauling me back.

“You bitch!” Ruby cried, covering her eye.

“Let me go!” I squirmed to get free. To jump her ass again.

“Yeah, that’ll be a no,” I heard Tucker say above me, and he turned, still holding me up in the air as he headed for the doors.

“She needs to go.” The security guard crossed his arms over his chest.

“On it.” Tucker just kept walking, not stopping until we were at the backside of the parking lot. “This is yours.” He set me down in front of Jet, and I shoved myself back before he could put his arms around me.

“I told you!” I pointed a finger in his face. “I told you she wanted you.”

“It wasn’t what you thought.” Jet reached out for me, but I yanked my arm away .

“What was it like, then? She forgot what it was like to walk like a human and just randomly collapsed right in your lap? B fucking S, babe!”

“She was reaching for a napkin and lost balance,” Jet’s voice tried to sooth. To reason with me, and I scoffed.

Like hell she lost balance. Why couldn’t he see it?

“So, why didn’t you push her off?”

“Because I was as startled as she was, and then you were suddenly there.” Jet stared, looking at me like he couldn’t believe this was a discussion.

I shook my head, my jaw jutting. Was I overreacting? It sure as hell didn’t feel like it when I saw another girl in his lap.

“In Jet’s defense, he didn’t really have a chance to get her off his lap. You were over there in about a second,” Nic said, and I shot him a glare. But it was half-hearted, my mind starting to second guess itself, like maybe I was going crazy over nothing. I had so much packed away that I wasn’t dealing with. My stress mounting with no one around me able to see it.

“Annie, it did happen really fast. I didn’t see Jet do anything wrong,” Izzy said next.

I wanted to believe her. I did. I just knew that he had.

In one aspect.

Maybe.

“Why was she even next to you?” My brow furrowed, my voice pleading with Jet to now just help me understand. Praying I was overreacting. That I’d misunderstood. I just didn’t see how. My radar was flashing neon around this girl now, and it felt like I was the only one seeing it .

“She was getting a drink at the bar, and she came over to say hi. I said hi back. We talked for about thirty seconds while she waited for her drink. What do you want me to do, sweetheart? I’ve pushed her away as much as I can, but I work with her. I don’t want things so tense that I don’t even like going into the shop anymore. Can you not see that?”

He reached out, taking my hand, and this time I let him step closer. His thumb brushed over my cheek, those blue eyes gazing down with so much love and concern. I officially felt like a bitch. Not for hitting her but for going off on him. She was the enemy, not Jet. I trusted Jet with every beat my heart took.

He rested his forehead against mine. “Are we good?”

I nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry. I just lost it in there. I’ve already warned her away from you. Twice now. So, seeing her in your lap just pushed it.”

I caught a view of Jet’s smirk. “You’ve warned her off, huh?”

“Oh, Lord,” Tucker said from behind me. “They’re about to start flirting. They’re making up. We’re good.”

I laughed, wrapping an arm around Jet’s neck as I pressed my body against his. “Yeah. We’re good.”

“Almost.” Jet brushed my cheek with a kiss and then lifted my hand to study it under the floodlight at the back of the building. My palm rested in his, and he slowly traced his fingers around the length of each of mine, carefully brushing his thumb over my knuckles along the way.

“My girl knows how to throw a punch,” he said proudly. “Not too much bruising. You fisted your hand right. Does it hurt much? ”

“Not anymore than when I beat the shit out of Lisa. I’ll put some ice on it before bed, and it’ll be fine.”

“Ready to leave? I think I’m supposed to get you out of here.” He winked, and my heart flipped.

“I’d rather watch my man at the races.” I laced my fingers with his and grabbed his ass with my other hand. “Love seeing you behind the wheel. So fucking hot.”

Desire sparked in that blue gaze, the color darkening even as it lit with mischief. “I’ve got a better idea. How about you ride in a race with me? My good luck charm in the front seat.”

I beamed, excitement bubbling at the prospect, and I yanked him towards his car, frowning only a second later when I realized our friends had disappeared.

“Over here,” Tucker called out, slapping his hand against the back of his truck. “In the safe zone. Wasn’t sure if Nic’s ears could handle all the dirty shit y’all were just whispering.”

“Tucker!” Izzy swatted his chest, and Nic rolled his eyes.

“Prick.”