Mitch snorted, then cringed. “What? You would have got a lower score?”
I shrugged. “Maybe. But you didn’t come to me and tell me what a dick your dad was.” Sudden anger had me reaching out and flicking his broken nose. Mitch howled while the others around us chuckled. I would have liked to have done more to him after everything he’d done, but I didn’t. Instead, I finished with “If you had been nice, reached out to me, instead of acting as you had, things would have been different. I just hope you learn from all this, and if you still have a problem with me, you need to get over it because I don’t want to have to see you again.”
West tapped the table. “You mean to tell me jealousy had you be a dick to Lucas for years?” He laughed again. “You’re a piece of work.” West clapped his hands once. “Wreck, you should beat him up some more. Maybe you’ll knock some sense into him.”
Wade snorted. “If he’s stupid enough to mess with Lucas again, then I will.” He leaned closer to Mitch, who flinched. “Are you stupid?”
“No. I won’t say or do anything to Lucas again. I promise.”
“Smart. Now, whatever you have on Gregory had better disappear or be given back, or that’ll piss me off. Do you want to piss me off?”
“No,” Mitch said. He opened his mouth and then closed it, then opened it, and asked, “If I pay you, will you kill him?”
We all fell silent.
“What the fuck you askin’?” Wade demanded.
“He… my father,” he snarled. “He… lays his hands on my mother and me to… to keep us in line.”
My stomach dropped.
It wasn’t just about jealousy. He needed to be at the top of his classes because he got beat otherwise. My belly twisted in guilt. He was desperate. I could see it in his eyes. Desperate for help.
If I would have known this information, I could have done something—or at least tried to—but Mitch wouldn’t have said anything unless he had reached his breaking point. With his words to Wade, they screamed he was finished putting up with what he had and needed to do something, anything.
Wade glanced to Death, who caught his eyes and made his way over after saying something to the librarian. Wade then stood, whispered something to Death and Death nodded.
A moment later, Death looked down at Mitch, grunted at something Wade said, and said to Mitch, “Come out the front. You and I will have a chat.”
Mitch got up from his seat and quickly marched from the library, with Death following.
“Thank you,” Gregory started. He smiled over at me. “I didn’t want to do that, not that I didn’t want to ask you out, Lucas, I did, but—”
“I would shut up now,” West suggested.
Gregory did as soon as he saw the scowl on Wade’s face. His upper lip rose. “I didn’t do it for you, and we don’t give a fuck what you think. Just stay away from Lucas.”
Gregory gulped. “I will.” He stood and bowed awkwardly and then grabbed his things and swiftly walked from the room.
Wade sat back down and took one of my hands in both of his. “Don’t take that on.”
“He’s right, Lucas,” West put in. “He could have done things differently. He could have gone to the cops. He could have confided in someone, but he didn’t.”
“I should have—”
Wade tugged on my hand and shook his head. “There’s nothin’ you could have done. But now we know, we’ll do somethin’ about it.”
My eyes widened. “You will?”
“Even though he’s been a motherfucker with you, no one deserves that treatment. Death will take care of it.”
Death reappeared. “Yeah, kid, I’ve got it. Don’t you stress.”
Dragging in a breath, I nodded. Tension did wash away inside of me because I knew they were right. There was nothing I could have done without the knowledge, but I also knew that they would handle it in the best way they saw fit.
“Okay,” I whispered. Wade grinned, happy I trusted they would have things under control.
“Are we going to study still?”
I wasn’t really in the mood. I bit my bottom lip and looked down at the books on the table, then up at Wade. What I wanted was to go home with Wade, watch TV, eat, and make out. But I did have a test tomorrow I needed to pass.
“Unfortunately, I still need to get a couple of chapters done.”
Wade winked. “Death and I will head to the burger joint, hang out for a few hours, and then I’ll bring you something back.”
Never had I expected Wade could be like this. To me, that was the sweetest thing he could have done.
“Okay,” I said softly.
“Fuck,” he clipped. He glanced at West. “Make sure you’re with him all the damn time. I’m sure you know by now he goes into a bubble where nothin’ but what’s in front of him can penetrate.”
He said penetrate. With my mood somewhat lifted, I wanted to laugh like a little twelve-year-old.
West did it for me and muttered, “He said penetrate.”
Wade made a noise in the back of his throat while Death chuckled.
West sobered. “Got it, big guy. I’m on Lucas watch, and I won’t let you down.”
“You know I am here and can take care of myself, right?” I asked. They all looked at me and smiled. I rolled my eyes and threw my hands up, grumbling, “Whatever.”
“Can you bring something back for me?” West asked.
“No,” Wade replied sharply.
“Wade,” I said.
Death laughed. “Don’t worry, kid, I’ll bring your friend back some food.”
“Thank you, Death,” I told him.
“Lucas, see me out,” Wade ordered. When I didn’t move, his gaze narrowed. “Please.”
“Hooey, look at that, men. Wreck said please. Kid, you must be amazin’ in bed to
