Against the Rules (Even The Score #4)

78. willow

CHAPTER 78

WILLOW

KNOCK YOUR ASS OUT

I, Willow Pruitt, was putting in the motions to work on an album. Not an EP, not a collection of songs, not a single, an album . Jotting down notes in King’s truck, I could see the total project for something. Which was new. The feeling I could finish something that big was new.

When I first started piecing it together, I figured I wanted it to be sex-positive or my journey with getting comfortable with my body, but it shifted away from that. I wanted to sing about us. I finally understood how to do that.

I made a list of names of local musicians to collaborate with, which meant emails, but when I opened my inbox, a new one caught my eye.

Congratulations, Ms. Willow Pruitt!

I stared.

My video had been selected for a live audition with the Shbair Music School. There was a dress code, an exact time I needed to sign in, and a form to list all my audience members who’d come to watch.

"Oh my god…" I breathed out.

My eyes flashed to the pharmacy. King was still inside and he had no idea about this . He was going to be so excited. I mean, it was his video I submitted.

I checked the mirror to see a Willow who looked like she just finished having sex. The smart thing would’ve been braiding my hair but I wanted to feel sexy and that’s what my hair said—sex. My curls fanned out from all the times King pushed down to the bed again, my lips were swollen, my face was flushed, and I had a seventy-two hoodie on.

The look said ‘it’ll be a miracle if I’m not pregnant already.’

With a grin, I locked the truck behind me, and stretched. My whole body was sore. I couldn’t wait to add to that.

Inside, I stumbled to a stop.

Is that King?

No, it couldn’t be. King was so quiet ninety percent of the time, I never heard him shout like that. Ever. It couldn’t be him. Confused, I glanced down the aisles, searching for him.

There were more voices from the other side of the store too, definitely where the activity was coming from. I slipped into the next aisle, walking to the end.

There was King, tense by the counter.

I cocked my head to the side. "Tattoos?"

He whipped over and his eyes widened. I had no idea what to make of that. As soon as it happened though, the expression disappeared and all was silent. Until more footsteps followed. Ryan, Kassie, Adam, and Piper came into view, staring down the aisle at me.

Oh, fuck .

A deep blush struck. My spine locked into place as I fumbled for what to say in the silence. Because there was no mistaking what I looked like. With his hoodie on too.

I swallowed, then I swallowed again.

"Hi—hi, guys. I’m—I’m here with my mom and?—"

King shook his head. "It’s okay, Angel."

Oh, god. Don’t call me angel.

"I—I didn’t mean to?—"

"It’s okay."

"No, this isn’t how it’s supposed to?—"

He motioned me over. "Baby, come here."

What am I supposed to do?

My sneakers squeaked against the linoleum as I backed up, fumbling with excuses, trying to figure out a way to fix this, because we weren’t supposed to tell them like this, I didn’t know what to say.

King made his way over to me anyway.

He wrapped an arm around my waist, tugging me along with him to the counter. His fingers stroked my side, but I could barely breathe as I glanced back at everyone. All of them, speechless.

"You’ve got to be shitting me," Ryan snapped.

"You’re the SHU girl," Kassie realized. "That’s it. You’re her. That’s how King knew about the shows, that’s why he’s reading Mrs. Lawson’s book, you’re the angel Jasmine was talking about, that’s why he went apeshit on Brent—how the fuck did we not put this together— wait. " Her eyes flashed to King’s. "You’re Mean Motherfucker?!"

"It was a misunderstanding," I blurted out.

"No, it wasn’t," King said simply. "Willow’s being kind. I was a huge asshole and I’m apologizing for it."

Ryan stared hard at him. "We talked about this, King. After everything Lawson’s done for you—fuck— why? This is how you repay?—?"

I met his gaze. "Ryan?"

His eyes flickered between us. Ryan was fuming but every time he met my eyes again, I could see him wrestling with the decision to keep the argument going. He swore loudly and put his hand to Kassie’s back, leading her outside.

It was that fast. One second, he was staring at us, the second, they were gone.

"So, Willow, um…?" Piper trailed off, bright pink. "This is…going to be a change…"

"This has to be a prank," Adam said, his voice flat.

King pressed me closer. I didn’t know what happened before, but irritation poured off of King.

"Dude, when I said get laid, I didn’t mean the coach’s daughter. "

"I’m going to talk to him," King said, voice firm.

"Have you lost your mind?"

"We can talk to Coach together," Piper said.

Adam threw her an exasperated look and turned back to face us. "You guys are fucking raw? What if you got her pregnant? You’re not thinking any of this through! And that’s coming from me—the guy who used to do that professionally!"

"He won’t get in trouble, I promise," I quickly said.

"That’s not your call, Willow!"

" Adam, " King said, his voice so deadly quiet, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. "Don’t raise your voice at her."

"Can you two listen to me for five fucking seconds?—?"

"We’re not talking about this here," King interrupted him.

Adam turned his gaze to me. "Willow, he’s not a toy to piss off your stepdad!"

"Let’s take a break and calm down," Piper interjected.

"He didn’t even know who I was when we first met." My heart hammered in my chest. "This wasn’t on purpose, it just kind of happened?—"

"When Lawson isn’t cool with this, what happens then, King? He put me through an hour meeting about this in the fall —how are you going to chew me out and do this? Everyone’s loyal to him, and when they figure out Lawson wants your head on a spike, they’ll gladly fuck you over." His eyes landed on me again. "You can’t do this to him!"

"Adam," King snapped. "If you keep shouting at her, I’m going to knock your ass out."

My pulse raced. "He doesn’t mean that."

"No. I goddamn mean it."

Nothing could’ve shocked Adam more. He froze and I was just as surprised. I knew how protective King was over him. He refused to let any of his teammates call him Marrs Manwhore behind his back and King was helping him memorize his lines for court.

Piper touched Adam’s shoulder. "Adam?"

She mouthed apologies to us and tugged him gently down the aisle, whispering something in his ear. I couldn’t say anything at all while Adam stumbled back with a hurt look on his face, until they were gone too.

"Are you okay?" King asked, his voice soft.

"Oh my god," I whispered. "I’m so sorry."

"It’s not your fault."

King paid for the lube while I leaned into him, feeling so horrifically shitty. It was my fault. If I would’ve grabbed the right lube, none of this would’ve happened. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. I never wanted to hurt him. I never wanted to hurt any of them.

In the truck, our usual roles were reversed. King tried everything to get me to talk and I stayed silent, afraid if I said something, I’d burst into tears, because I never, ever wanted to isolate King from his friends.

I didn’t realize the truck stopped until he pulled open my door and I stepped down to stare at a neon-lit dessert place.

"Sometimes I bring Jasmine here," he explained. "It’s the surprise. They have great ice cream sundaes."

I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

The tears were hot and heavy, and I hurried to wipe them away, barely able to squeeze out the words. "I’m so sorry—I should’ve stayed in the truck, I should’ve grabbed the right lube, I’d never want you guys to fight, I’m sorry—I’m so sorry?—"

King wrapped his arms around me. "Hey, hey, it’s not your fault."

"It is my fault—I didn’t think the guys would be so upset." I fisted his jacket. "I love you, I don’t want to push anyone away from you—" I cried harder. "Those are your boys."

"Adam and I were arguing before you came inside?—"

"And you weren’t arguing about me?"

"Adam’s coming to terms with the fact that he hurt people like Piper in the past, and he's lashing out, and it’s—it’s complicated. You didn’t do anything wrong. I should’ve told them sooner."

"But if I didn’t go inside, I wouldn’t have made it worse?—"

"Willow." King took my chin between his fingers. "I’m not pissed off about that. I’m upset because he yelled at you. That’s not okay. It just isn’t."

"But it’s Adam?—"

"That doesn’t matter. He wouldn't yell at Piper like that. It was goddamn mean. No one’s going to treat you like that, I won’t let them."

"He’s like your family."

"He is my family. But you’re my family too. The second I know your parents won’t kill me, I’m putting a ring on your finger. How could I let someone disrespect my wife? "

What could I say to that?

He pulled me close. "Everything I’ve done has been for other people. Everything. It was for my mom, my friends, the fake relationship, the football program, everything was for someone else, until now. You’re my selfish decision, Willow. You’re the one thing I want for me."

The tears eased to hiccups and he stroked my back while I leaned against him, feeling so incredibly shitty.

"I don’t want to hurt you," I said quietly.

"So don’t break up with me. You can’t hurt me in any way that matters if you don’t do that."

I burrowed against him, holding him as tightly as I could. The ways I was tangled up in this man were overwhelming. Did I really meet him at the beginning of the summer? It felt like a lifetime ago.

"Did you need something at the pharmacy?" he whispered. "Sorry, I forgot to ask."

None of me wanted to talk about it but that was the one thing he’d want to hear about. I swallowed the words before I finally told him.

"I got the audition."

He paused. "Shbair?"

I nodded.

"Holy shit ." He kissed my forehead, long and sweet. "Of course you got the audition. That’s amazing. I’m so proud of you."

"They have a form to fill out for guests, you have to wear a suit."

There was another bout of silence. "You want me to come?"

Is that really a question?

It had to be, King didn’t joke like that, but it shocked me he would even think he wasn’t invited. "How could you not be on the guest list?"

King dipped down for a full hug. "I didn’t know if you—thank you," he said quietly. "It means a lot to me."

I touched him too, but the longer I did, the longer I gazed at the neon signs on the dessert bar. Tonight we were staying at the hotel, but tomorrow meant football practice.

And football practice meant a handful of people I didn’t want to face.