A Whole New Crowd (15 page)

Tray sighed, raking a hand through his hair.

My lips were dry. God, he was freaking gorgeous. And those lips…his shoulders…

Tray gave me an exasperated look. “You got pissed and went after her. My friends aren’t saints. I’m not a saint.” His look switched to a pointed one. “Neither are you. You’ve got serious history with the biggest drug-runner in Pedlam. You used to date a guy that’s violent.” My eyes got big, but before I could argue, he said, “Maybe not towards you, but he’s known to be violent with others. Both Lansers aren’t good people.”

I sighed, turning away to rest my head against the wall. I didn’t know what to say. I’d opened a can of worms, but—hell—I wasn’t one to sit back and let stuff slide by. Not if I was pissed enough and could
stop it. Or, to be more accurate, if I wanted to stop it. Tray was right, I let a lot of stuff by because I didn’t care about it, but this time, I cared. So I opened my mouth.

“How did you know about Jace?”

Tray snorted, rolling his eyes. “I know more than you think about that world.”

He knows people that I know.
I remembered Jace’s warning. A shiver went through me, but I folded my arms across my chest and leaned back against the wall. Tray was becoming my only ally here. I didn’t want to lose him. “He’s not a drug lord.”

“No, he’s a drug dealer. That’s a lot more prestigious.”

I rolled my eyes, hearing his sarcasm. “Jace is—”

“Jace is someone you should stay away from. He might care about you, but he’s not going to change. One day he’s going to end up in prison or dead.”

That was enough. “And how do you know so much?” The guy was insufferable.

“I know. Trust me.”

“But how?”

“My dad,” he remarked. “He used to be the chief of police here, and my older brother’s with the DEA. I know both sides, trust me. My family is messed up, but I know where to step and where not to step.” Tray sat on a roll of wrestling mats against the wall. Bracing his elbows on his knees, he said further, “That’s how I know Lanser.”

“Jace said you knew people he knew.” This was important, whatever Tray was going to tell me might not be brought up again. I had this one shot. We were in a back room, tucked away from the world. Right now, it was only him and me. “What did he mean by that?”

Pain flashed in the depths of his eyes. The sight of it surprised me. There was more than pain, though. There was anger and grief too. He was haunted.

Then he said, “My dad was a dirty cop.”

“Oh.”

He laughed, and the sound sent chills down my spine. “Jace is a dealer for Sal Galverson, a drug lord from South America. They tried to recruit my dad to help with the distribution in Rawley.”

“Did he?”

He nodded. “Yeah, for the longest time. Bad stuff happened. My brother got involved. He came back home. We thought he was home to recuperate from an injury, but he was really undercover. My dad was so dumb. My brother told us he had been shot, and his leg was broken, so my dad didn’t think he could follow him.”

“What happened?”

“My brother was faking. He got a ton of evidence on my dad. Some of it was turned over, but Galverson’s lawyer found a loophole. My dad was the only one that would’ve gone to prison.”

“Would’ve gone? He’s not?”

“No, he’s in South America with Galverson. He still helps him because of his contacts with the cops here. My dad kept the other evidence. If anything happens to me, it goes to DEA. I guess it’s the stuff about their current suppliers. Galverson’s not scared about prison. He doesn’t want his distribution and suppliers messed with so everyone’s at a standstill.” He grimaced. “My dad is with him as an act of good faith; it’s not just to hide from the government.”

I blinked, not believing what I just heard. “Does anyone else know about this?”

He shook his head. “No. I never said a word to my friends and all the stuff that went down was swept under the rug. A lot of the Rawley cops are dirty. My brother went back to the DEA. I haven't talked to him since it all happened.”

“When?”

“Last year.”

I sighed and moved to sit in front of him. Tray pulled me back against his chest and wrapped his arms around me. I laid my head on his chest. “I’m so sorry, Tray. I had no idea.”

“It’s not a normal thing people go through or tell anyone about.” He tipped my head up and peered down at me. His eyes were fierce. “I’m only telling you because I know Jace Lanser. He showed up at our house when they thought my dad was going to flip on them. I know what he’s capable of.”

So did I. A wave of sadness crashed down on me. “Jace has never said he was a good guy. I know he’s dangerous.”

“You’ll stay away from him?”

I nodded. I felt that he was asking more with that question. It wasn’t only about Jace and me; it was about Tray and me. He was claiming me again with this request. Jace had been family, but I couldn’t go back to there. He didn’t even want me back there anyway. I whispered, “I’ll stay away from him.”

He chuckled. “They’re expecting me to put you in your place.” One of his hands began caressing my leg.

I was confused, then remembered Amber and Mandy. “I can’t back down to Amber. I won’t. I hate girls like her.”

“I know, but it’s going to make things a lot more tense with the group.”

“Why? It’s not like I’m exactly friends with you guys.” I turned to face him, and his hands moved to my waist. “I just don’t like how Amber and Jennica treat people.”

He nodded, his thumb coming to my bottom lip. He rested it there, then pulled it down. My eyes held his. I was melting, just looking at him, feeling him against me. Tray grinned, running his hands up my arms and back down to my waist. He pulled me closer to him and leaned forward, nuzzling my neck.

I wrapped my arms around his neck. The conversation was officially over.

Tray kissed his way up my neck, along my chin, and found my lips.

I lifted my legs and turned to straddle him. He slid a hand down my back, slipping it inside my jeans, then up my back, moving to softly caress my breast, underneath my bra.

“—this place is usually—whoa.”

The door opened. Tray clipped out, “Out.” The door slammed shut and then I started laughing, hiding my face in his neck. We were always getting interrupted.

“Sorry, guys,” Samuel said through the door.

“Get lost.” Tray nuzzled my neck again.

“Yep. On it.” His voice sounded farther away and another door shut a moment later.

I didn’t want it to end so I found his lips again, and we started kissing as if nothing had happened. When the bell rang, I pulled away and stood. My knees were unsteady. Tray held onto my elbow for a little bit.

“I’m good.”

“This isn’t just for you.” He flashed me a grin, breathing heavy.

I chuckled, feeling relieved that he was affected just as much as I was. A moment later we left the equipment closet, and once we were in the hallway, I started in the opposite direction. Tray’s locker was in the senior hallway. My locker was in a separate hallway, but he stopped me.

I glanced back. “What?”

He flashed me a grin, his eyes were still a darkened amber color. “Come on,” he said, pulling me behind him as he walked us back through the hallways. “We’re going to my house for the rest of the day.” He pulled out his keys when we approached his SUV.

Nothing else sounded better.

We spent the afternoon and evening at his house. His phone was turned off because people didn’t stop calling him. My phone never went off so I never thought to check it. When I was thinking about heading home, I looked at it. I regretted it.

Tray looked over. The movie had ended, but neither of us had gotten up from the couch. He asked, “What is it?”

I showed him my phone. “Mandy called and she never calls much. She called three times.”

“So call her back,” he suggested, “and then once she starts in, hang up.”

“Oh and it’s so easy,” I mocked him.

Tray laughed and wrapped his arms around me. He scooted down and pulled me on top. As I straddled him, I called her back. Tray started tickling me under my shirt and I laughed as I tried to twist away from him.

“Taryn!” Mandy yelled into the phone.

I frowned. There was loud music in the background. “Where are you?”

“Oh my God, Taryn. We did something really stupid,” she scrambled.

Hearing the panic from her, I froze. Everything stopped. The laughing stopped. My hand fell from Tray’s tickling ones. I sat completely still. “What did you do?”

Tray stopped, hearing my tone.

“Amber went off about you and Tray. How you’re just screwing him and that’s why you get away with everything you do…and so,” she paused for some air, “Amber remembered your ex and she wanted to get even with you…”

A knot of dread forming in my stomach.

“She knew that his brother owns the Seven8 in Pedlam so we…” She stopped.

I groaned. “Please tell me you didn’t go there. Please, Mandy. That place is dangerous.”

Her voice got so small. “We did.”

My heart stopped. “The Seven8 is dangerous, Mandy. People go there in masses for safety reasons. Girls don’t go there unless they’re connected. You are not connected.”

“Yeah, well…we kinda figured that out for ourselves.”

Fuck, fuck, fuck. “This is bad. You need to leave. I don’t care if you’re alone or where you are. Leave that place. Now.”

An unspoken decision was made between Tray and I. He had undone my pants earlier, and fastened them now. I didn’t ask. He understood. My shirt was straightened, and he sat up. He reached around me and fastened my bra. Then he pressed a kiss to my cheek and whispered, “Let’s go get them.”

I nodded. Mandy talked as I followed him up the stairs and waited as he got whatever he needed. She said, “No, I can’t.
We
can’t. We’re in trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“We finally got in and these guys started hitting on Amber and Jennica.”

My hand clenched around the phone. Jennica? For real?
No, Taryn. Be calm.
The rage in me would have to wait. Get my sister to safety and then murder her. That was the new plan.

She kept going, “When Samuel tried to step in, they beat him up, Taryn. He can barely walk and he’s bleeding everywhere and they won’t let us leave.”

“Grab one of the bouncers.
Make
them help you.”

“We can’t. This place is packed and these guys have us in a back corner. We have to go past them to get out and they won’t let us.” She lowered her voice and I could barely hear it. “I’m so scared, Taryn. I don’t know what to do.”

Tray touched my arm and gestured to the door. He was ready. I nodded to him and followed behind him. I said to Mandy, “Are all of you guys in the corner? Is there anyone who isn’t?”

“Yeah, Grant. He’s not in the corner with us. He went to the bathroom, but we haven’t seen him since we got here. Amber thinks he got beat up too,” she cried out. I could hear a hitch in her voice.

“I’m coming, Mandy.” Tray turned onto the highway, but he didn’t go towards the school. I put a hand over the phone. “Where are you going?”

“You’re not going to the Seven8 alone.”

“Jace owns that club. I’ll be fine.” I pressed my lips together. Tray didn’t need to be told about Jace’s last threat, that if I went back, his guards would shoot me in a limb. I’d have to tackle that when we got there.

“I don’t care if God owns that club. You’re not going in there alone.”

“Taryn!” Mandy yelled from my phone.

I raised it back up. “Hold on. We’re coming. Don’t do anything.”

Pedlam was an hour drive. Tray made it in forty minutes. When he parked, he was out the door and crossing the street by the time I unbuckled my seat belt. I darted after him. “Hey! Wait up.”

He stopped down the street, and we both studied the line. He frowned. “Why is one of the most dangerous clubs in town the most popular? Are all people idiots?”

I nodded. “Yes.” Then one of the guards saw me and I ducked behind him. “Um...” Crap. The guard lifted his radio and talked into it. This could be a problem.

Tray frowned at me. “What are you doing?”

“I might have forgotten to tell you something.”

“Might?”

The guard was coming towards us, reaching for his gun. I froze. Then another guard joined him.

I appeared on the other side of Tray and held up my arms. “Please don’t shoot me! Please don’t. Jace would be mad. I promise. He didn’t mean what he said before.”

Tray whipped back around. “What?!”

The guards were so close now. I could hear the one saying, “Got it, Boss.”

Oh god. I closed my eyes tight. The other guard had been raising his gun. The bullet was going to hit me. I tried to prepare myself.

Then I heard, “Girl, you shouldn’t be here.”

I opened one eye. The gun was put away. “Oh my god.” I patted myself down. “I didn’t pee myself, did I?”

Tray was glaring at me.

The guard shook his head. “You’re lucky Jace had a change of heart. He took the order down the next day and said to notify him the second you showed up again.” He grunted, taking my arm. “He said you were trouble no matter if you had your limbs or not.”

The other guard poked Tray in the back, gesturing for him to follow us.

Tray shot me a dark look. “You and I need to learn how to talk a lot more.”

I laughed. “Yeah. Just as soon as we rescue my sister and your shitty friends, it’s on the agenda.” I ignored Tray’s growl and asked the guard, “Is Jace here?”

“He’s in a meeting.”

We were taken through a back hallway and waited. After ten minutes passed, I sighed. “How long do we have to do this? My sister is here. That’s why I’m here. Just let us go and get them, then we’ll leave. I don’t need to see Jace.”

The guard didn’t care. I looked to the second one. Neither did he.

“Come on.”

They still ignored me, then the radio beeped and a voice said, “Almost there. Hold tight.”

The guard lifted it and pressed his button. “Got it. Out.”

I didn’t recognize the voice, but the door opened from down the hallway and Krein stepped out. His hair was messed up and he wasn't wearing a shirt. He gave me a crooked grin when he came closer. “Hey there, Taryn. How’s it going?”

I gestured to his pants. “I’m thankful your pants are on.”

“Yeah.” He laughed, but his hand dropped to double check they were fastened. Then his grin spread. “So what brings you back? I heard big brother Jace wasn’t too nice to you when you were here last.”

I rolled my eyes. “My sister is here with a bunch of her friends. One of the guys got beaten up and some other guys won’t let them leave.”

“Oh.” He frowned, scratching his head. “That’s not good. What’s your sister look like?”

I held up my phone and showed him a picture. He nodded. “Got it.” He gestured to the guards. “Show her to the back room. I’ll get some other guys and get her friends.”

“My sister,” I corrected.

He wasn’t listening. One of the other guards asked, “What back room?”

Krein started off, but shouted over his shoulder, “The big back room. The main one. Keep ‘em entertained. Taryn talks big, but her attention span is like a fly. She’ll be buzzing around and getting into shit if you don’t distract her.”

“Hey!” I shouted at him, but it didn’t matter. Krein disappeared around a door and my arm was taken in a hold again. The guard led us further down the hallway until we were shown in to a big room. It was empty. A few tables were set up in one corner, but no one was in there. The floors were made of cement. The lights barely worked and it looked like the floors had recently been hosed down. Puddles of water were spread out all over.

I didn’t want to ask what that room was for. As soon as we were inside, I pulled my arm from the guard.

He protested.

I pointed to the table. “I’m going to sit. I’m not going anywhere.”

He frowned, but kept quiet. Tray followed me and I was relieved when the two guards remained by the door.

It wasn’t long before the door opened again and Krein led the group in. He walked towards me and spread his arms wide. “I deliver, Taryn. I always deliver. You can remember that for the future.”

I sighed in relief when I saw Mandy run around him and head towards me. Catching her in my arms, I hugged her tight. Her arms wrapped around me. I cupped the back of her head, holding her close. “Taryn, thank you so much.”

Four guards walked around us, carrying Samuel. He was laid out on the table and Amber went to him, crying, as she held his hand. The others sat around him. I was going to ask Krein if they could help with Samuel’s wounds, but a first aid kit was brought over and two of the guards started treating him before I could ask. Krein stopped beside us. “So this one’s your sister?”

Mandy stepped away, brushing away her tears, burrowing under my arm closer to me.

I nodded. “She is.” She stiffened next to me, and if she could get any closer to me, she would’ve. She was terrified of him. I was about to ask if Samuel needed an ambulance when the door on the opposite end opened.

Everyone stopped. The guards froze. Krein’s light-hearted attitude fled, and I turned to see who had entered.

Jace. He was dressed in black cargo pants and a black shirt that clung to him. A gun was holstered on his side and he held a radio in one hand. He looked at the group with one glance and scowled. “Get ‘em out, Krein. No parties. Not tonight.”

“Jace,” he started.

He wasn’t listening. He started towards the door Krein and the group had come through. “I mean it. I want them out. Now.”

Krein called after him, “Even Matthews?”

Jace was reaching for the door, but stopped and swung those piercing eyes my way. He didn’t say anything for a moment. Then Tray stepped up beside me. “We’ll get out of here as soon as we get our friend.”

Jace narrowed his eyes and started for us. “Evans.”

Tray gave him a tight nod in return. His gaze met mine for a second. I felt his warning in them again, but he turned and went to Samuel. The group helped him to his feet and then towards the exit door.

“My friends were here,” I told Jace. “That’s the only reason I’m back. I’ll leave as soon as we have them all.”

Krein asked, “I thought this was all of them?”

“We have one more.”

“My brother,” Amber spoke up. “Can I go with you?”

Krein waited for Jace’s approval.

He nodded. “Take her with you, find her brother, and then get
all
of them out of here.” He was staring right at me as he stressed the word all. I clamped my mouth shut, feeling a burst of anger. I wanted to say something. I didn’t, but I wanted so damn much to tear into him.

Amber headed after Krein, but she turned around and her eyes raked Jace up and down. When she finished her perusal, she ducked through the door. The noises from the club filled the room for a moment. It faded when the door shut once more. I looked around. Mandy had gone with the group out the exit door. The guards went with Krein. It was only Jace and myself.

He didn’t waste time. “Did you really only come because of your friends?”

I flushed and narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you calling me a liar? It was my sister, Jace. You know how I am with family loyalty.”

Unlike him. That was the unspoken message. He received it, and his glare lessened. Then he asked, his voice softer, “Are your friends okay?”

“I don’t really care about any of them except my sister.” I paused. “And Tray.”

“Evans.”

It wasn’t a question from him, but I nodded. “Yes. He’s my friend.”

“I told you to stay away from him—”

“The second you threatened to have me shot is when your advice was no longer wanted.” I wanted to hurt him like he had hurt me. “Tray’s never hurt me like you have.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “I see your verbal skills are still intact. You haven’t gotten too soft over there in white picket fence land.”

“Fuck you.”

The words were out of my mouth before I could hold them in.

He barked out another laugh. “I have a lot I can say on that one, but I’ll keep it to myself.” His radio sounded and Krein’s voice came over, “We got him in the back.” Jace lifted it and spoke into it, “I’m sending Taryn back to you.” Then he pointed to the exit door. “Your friends are out there waiting for you. Go away, Taryn.”