WYATT COCKER
COCKER BROTHERS BOOK 23
FALEENA HOPKINS
CONTENTS
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
40.
Epilogue
Cocker EXTRAS
About the Author
There’s a higher form of happiness in commitment. I’m counting on it.
CLAIRE FORLANI
PROLOGUE
WYATT
O ne wrong choice could change my life forever.
I want out of here, away from Lou and Toby and from the period of my life where parents and teachers get to tell me what to do.
Being fourteen sucks.
And I need better friends.
Someday I’ll take this Cocker confidence I was trained since birth to believe in, and apply it to a perfect life of my own making where nobody gets to tell me what to do. Ever.
My freedom.
That’s what I want.
Free.
Dom.
Mine.
Which is why I snuck out of the house to hang with these two lug nuts. Regretting that now though. Big time. Toby sways too much when he’s nervous. But anywhere Lou goes, Toby follows. Why am I the caboose on this train to loser-ville? My blood is telling me this is all wrong. Nobody in my family chose a criminal path.
My uncles have been known to be in jail from time to time. Not my dad who was a Marine and played by the government’s book. He’d love me to go down that path when I’m old enough. But that’s neither here nor there.
The jail time for my uncles, that was for good reason.
The best reason.
Defending the family’s honor.
Their woman’s honor.
Their own.
Stealing?
That we don’t do.
If we want something we go after it. Any man in this family who’d let me listen in on their conversations taught me that. They didn’t say it frankly. It was implied. By osmosis and curiosity I studied my Uncles Jake, Jaxson, Jett, Justin and Jason, and of course Dad whose tactics for getting Mom’s attention are usually based in humor, and clearly work.
And even Grandpa Michael, though he’s an old guy, he hasn’t lost his swagger and Grandma always looks at him like he’s a god.
I want that.
From every girl I meet.
I have one ambition that gets me into more trouble than Lou and Toby are currently trying to. I’m exaggerating but not by much.
Girls.
Hanging with these two guys assists me in that arena, hence our friendship even though I’m constantly scratching my head at their low-level thinking. Still, the three of us walking through school halls turns beautiful heads, that adorable whisper-giggle following right after. It’s like fuel.
They’re on the football team. Needed by a coach full of ambition, both plucked from the hallways on day one, planted in practice where they high-fived their luck. Despite us being only Freshmen they are huge.
I’m not there yet.
When I look in the mirror all I see is a scrawny, incredibly handsome kid. My body needs to catch up to my face.
Shadows darken the already eerie alley as Lou sneers like a future felon, “C’mon Wyatt, don’t be such a pussy!”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing, instead of the gold God put on Earth to give our lives meaning.”
Toby agrees, “Cocker’s right!” smacking Lou’s arm and hoping for a smile that confirms what he thought was funny. But he’s not getting that tonight.
Lou announces in a loud voice, “You’ve never seen a pussy in your life!”
“I’m waiting for Prom.” I’m not waiting for Prom. “And neither have you, so don’t act all—”
He snaps at my face to shut me up. With a gleam I barely recognize, he informs me and the chirping cicadas, “A lot you know! I’ve seen plenty.”
Toby challenges, “Oh yeah, who?”
“My old babysitter and I hooked up two years ago a bunch of times.”
Toby’s jaw slackens, which makes me realize he didn’t know this odd fact, and from the look in his otherwise dull eyes, he’s wondering why it remained a secret for so long. “Seriously? You were twelve. She’s like twenty-five.”
“So?”
Toby blinks a few times to gather his stance.
A weird feeling hangs heavy in the air as nobody says diddly.
Why didn’t Lou brag about that to his best friend when it happened? If anyone would have, it’s Lou.
He ducks his head to pick the lock.
We’re really breaking into this store? This is so bad. Toby and I exchange a look but he’s such a follower he’s wondering who should be his leader. Not me. I’m my own leader. And I want out.
My adrenaline flies.
I glance around the alley.
Skin prickling.
We’re behind a row of small shops in Little Five Points, not far from where I live. We rode our skateboards here. Took less than seven minutes.
There’s a guy sleeping in his own filth three dark doors down. I’m not sure what he cares about but it’s not us.
At one time he was a teenager looking toward a future he hoped he’d be proud of, right? Nobody dreams of sleeping in an alley clutching a paperbag full of empty glass with your mouth’s DNA on it.
Where do I get these ideas? My mom says I’m too wise for my own good. Can’t tell by my actions tonight.
Stop beating yourself up.
Get the fuck out of here!
Frowning, I crane my neck to search harder for anyone who might witness this crime, kicking myself because sneaking out of my house sounded like fun.
It’s almost five in the morning, eerily quiet except for two super creepy things: Lou’s stressed out heavy breathing and the scraping of metal against a lock that prefers keys.
Get out of here.
Leave.
Go.
Now.
Backing away I mutter, “I’m out, guys.”
Lou’s head turns from where he’s bent over, like something out of a horror movie because his voice is calm. “I’m just gonna grab the bong and then we’re all out. Hang tight.”
He wants to keep me where he can see me. Under his thumb.
I shrug, “If you want the
