Haze (The Nomad Brothers #2)

Prologue

Haze

Eighteen years ago

I’m on a mission.

After what I’ve heard from my snitches, and what I’ve seen myself, I’m not impressed. I don’t like any of it, and when I don’t like something, I take action.

It doesn’t matter I’m only seventeen. People listen to me because I’m big, mean, and a little nuts. The perfect combination of crazy. Having kids a little afraid of you never hurts the reputation, but I draw the line where girls are concerned.

I know from my own family life — a drunk for a father, and a mom who’s trying to hold things together — that it’s not easy having three boys.

Sometimes I feel sorry for Mom, she’s had to deal with a lot, and Dad was like her fourth child.

My older brothers, Logan and Dylan, kicked him out a few years back, and we were glad to see the back end of him.

Ma can do so much better. We’re a rough family, but Ma taught us right from wrong.

“Where is he?” I ask Little Jo, a guy taller and wider than me but wouldn’t hurt a fly. We sometimes use him as backup, but realistically, he just stands there looking mean and doesn’t actually do any of the heavy lifting.

“Cafeteria.”

I roll my eyes. “Of course.” Well, now he’s going to see what it looks like when you mess with my school in front of everyone. What’s worse? It’s to do with her.

Maybe it’s because she’s pretty, or the new girl, or she’s a little weird, but I feel strangely protective of her. Willow.

I see Little Jo frown and I stop. “What is it?”

“He won’t leave her alone.”

My frown deepens. The teachers are fucking useless around here, but that’s to be expected. It’s not the greatest school in the district, but also not the worst.

I see red, and when that happens, I’m like a bull. Unlike my middle brother, Dylan, who always thinks things through. I tend to act, then think later.

I take off with a couple of guys behind me, Jai and Lenny are the only loyal friends I have left, and they’re not afraid to do hard things when the time calls for it.

But this asshole called Simon, he’s gonna get it.

When I get to the cafeteria, I scan the room.

Willow’s new here, and the Plastics — the fake, popular girls who also make Mean Girls look like Girl Scouts — sit at their own table as far away as possible from the nerds, poor and unpopular kids, because that’s how they roll.

They basically make everyone’s life a living hell, but love to trash talk anyone new.

I can’t hit girls, though, but I can hit Simon.

He might be the high school quarterback, but he’ll always be my second.

And I don’t give a shit if I fuck him up.

When Little Jo points, I squint, then I see him. Willow looks uncomfortable as she shrugs him off and he laughs, several of his friends standing around as she squirms in her seat.

Two girls sitting next to her try to shoo him away, but he just laughs it off.

For a kid my age, you’d think Simon would be more mature. Unfortunately, it seems he’s been hit in the head too many times, and I’m about to add to his trophy collection.

As I approach, the cafeteria grows quiet. That’s nothing new, they’ve been doing this kinda shit since I was in fifth grade when Bo “Peep” Lewis stole my friend’s lunch money and I had to teach him a lesson. I don’t like bullies, and Simon is a bully.

“There you are. I’ve been looking for you.” My jaw is set, and my teeth grinding as I yank him off the bench by the scruff of his shirt and he yelps in surprise.

There’s only one way to deal with assholes like him, and it’s the hard way.

I don’t think, I act. My fist pulls back in line with the side of my face and Simon’s eyes widen, he hasn’t even got time to blink before I punch him in the face once, twice, three times. The piece of shit deserves it.

He wails as kids gasp and he falls to his knees when I break his nose. Well, it isn’t the first time, it’s been broken during play before, so this is nothing new.

While on his knees, I drag him over toward Willow, who’s staring up at me with wide eyes. When my gaze meets hers, I shrug as if none of this is my fault, which it isn’t. I didn’t wake up today and tell Simon to be an asshole piece of scum, did I?

Nope, he did that all on his own.

“Now,” I go on, clearing my voice, my eyes still on Willow’s. “What do you say when you’re bein’ a dick for no reason other than to be one?”

He tries to struggle out of my grip, his football friends don’t help, mainly because most of them I know from the field, and the ones thinking it was funny — just a few moments ago — are nowhere to be found.

“What the fuck, dude?” Simon cries, his hands cupping his bleeding nose.

“What are the magic words, douchebag? Before I get really angry.”

“S-she, s-she…”

I cup one ear as I hold him in place with my other hand. “She what?”

“S-she won’t go to homecoming with me.”

I frown. Homecoming? Willow’s pretty and all, but I had no idea Simon had his sights set on her. He usually goes for the dumb chicks who don’t know any better. Willow is none of those things. Then I realize what’s going on here, and narrow my gaze even more.

I lean down to his ear, whispering so Willow can’t hear me. “What did you do?”

“Nothing! I swear!”

“You want me to rearrange the rest of your face?”

He shakes his head. “N-no.”

I tighten my grip on the back of his shirt. “Tell me!”

He turns his head, his eyes looking anywhere but at me. “W-we had a bet, the first one to sleep with her—”

Willow gasps, along with one of her friends. “You asshole!” She grabs her soda and throws it in his face.

I grin. That’s my girl. “Now that just isn’t very nice behavior, Simon. Surely, in that big ol’ head of yours filled with sawdust, you know that isn’t how you treat a lady, right?”

“N-no.” He’s sputtering, trying to wipe soda off his face. He’s fucking pathetic.

I take a long, noisy breath, contemplating how I’m going to deal with this.

“Then why did you do it?”

“B-because… it was a bet.”

“Right, so if someone said, hey fuckface Simon, here’s the side of a ledge, why don’t you jump off it, you just would?”

“I-uh…”

I grip his shirt harder. “You would, wouldn’t you? Because you really are that thick.”

“Let me go!” he cries. “For fuck’s sake, Austin, you’re gonna ruin my yearbook photo.”

Oh, now there’s a challenge.

Meeting Willow’s still shocked face again, I contemplate. “I didn’t hear the magic words, Simon.”

“W-what?” he stops babbling for half a second.

“Say fucking sorry, asswipe!”

“S-sorry!” God, he’s so pathetic. I practically lift him off the ground. “Not to me, turd, to her!”

He looks up at my girl and she gives him a ‘well, I’m waiting’ look that I chuckle at.

“I’m s-sorry, Wills, I really meant nothing by it. It was just guy talk, ya know?”

Wills?

WILLS?

Only I have a nickname for Willow Sinclair, and it will not be heard from his lips. Not now. Not ever. This is the girl I’m gonna marry some day. I feel it in my bones.

“Apology not accepted,” she states, folding her arms over her chest.

“Oh dear,” I say. “I guess you really blew it this time, old chap.”

“Wait! I’ll do anythin—”

But it’s too late for talking. It’s too late for negotiations. If Willow weren’t as smart as she is, she may have fallen for his little ploy — believing that he was really into her and wanted to take her to homecoming.

I shake my head. “Too bad about that yearbook photo.” I bang his head down on the table, it lands in someone’s leftover macaroni. “Don’t. Treat. Girls. Like. That.”

I pound his face with every word.

Then I hear. “Teacher’s coming!”

I drop him and he falls to the side like a sack of potatoes.

Willow gazes up at me. “You didn’t have to do that, Austin. I had it handled.”

Wow, she knows my name. Well, Simon may have just reminded her, but still.

“No? It wasn’t just for you, darlin’, it was for women everywhere. You shouldn’t have to deal with assholes like him that won’t take no for an answer.”

Her mouth opens, then closes again. “F-fine. Thanks.”

I quirk a brow, feeling there’s something she’s not saying. “What’s on your mind, little lady?”

She rolls her eyes. “The teacher is coming, shouldn’t you make like a tree and leave?”

I shrug. “Not if you have somethin’ important to say.”

I wait, then she shakes her head. “Austin, you’re gonna get busted.”

“Go to homecoming with me,” I blurt. “Then I’ll get outta here and you won’t feel guilty about me smashing up Simon’s face in your honor.”

“My honor?” she snorts. “Wow.”

“Think about it, but don’t think too long, I’m in high demand.” I give her a wink.

“Go! You’ll get suspended!” Even her tone is playful as I step over Simon’s body. He’s still rolling around like the useless idiot he is.

“Not until you say yes.”

“I swear you’re insane.”

I laugh. “Pick you up at eight.”

“Ugh.”

I smile to myself as I run out of the cafeteria at top speed, making my escape. They’ll find out it was me, and they’ll probably suspend me, but I don’t care. It was worth it.

I also don’t care about homecoming, but here we are.

Something passed between Willow and me. I’m not sure what, but I felt a rage I’ve never felt before when I saw her shrugging him off and he was laughing at her.

Nobody laughs at my girl.

I may be young, but I know I’ve never had that ache in my chest before: the errant pulse in my veins that beats like a run of wild horses, and such a nuclear temper when it comes to a girl.

My theatrics may have been a smokescreen to mask what I truly want deep down.

I want Willow Sinclair.

Hell or high water, I’ll prove to her that I’m not just a thug. I have many layers. They may not be all vanilla, but we can work on that.

I smile to myself on a job well done.

Nothing is going to keep me away from what I want in my life.

And what I want is a five foot tall, brown-haired, hazel eyed stunner sitting in the cafeteria probably cursing my name right now.

All in good time.

That’s how I roll.