Chapter 25 Lucas
Lucas
The library had that scent of aged paper as students were scattered around, laptops open, notepads in front of them. A few of them wore headphones.
I was tucked at the last table in the middle aisle.
The lights overhead cast a glow over the heavy books I had opened as I read up on the epidemic diseases in the eighteenth century.
The words blurred in front of me. I needed a break, but I’d been procrastinating on my assignment, and I wanted to be ready to present my data to Mazzie when we met for our tutoring session next week.
Plus, with the football bye week, I had to get as much done as possible.
My phone pinged with a text from a number I didn’t recognize.
I opened up the app and saw Greta’s name in the message.
I’d called the casino hotel to talk to Kurtis but found he’d checked out on Monday, the day after he’d been at the house.
Short of driving to the Silver Spur Casino, which would be suicide if Coach found out, I’d reached out to Mazzie’s former boss to see if she’d seen or heard anything about a fight involving Kurtis.
Greta
I asked around about your father. You’re right.
He checked out of the casino hotel. Security doesn’t know anything about any fights involving your father.
But Justine, one of the servers, heard that your father had a run-in with Mr. Blackwood’s son, Shane, and his friend, Josh. That’s all I could find out.
Fury sped through me. I’d known Josh had something to do with Kurtis’s black eye.
Did Justine say what it was related to?
If Shane Blackwood had been involved, I would bet that Kurtis owed money. If I was right, the blowback could affect my mom.
Greta
Justine doesn’t know.
If you do see Kurtis, can you call me? Also, do you know where I can find Shane or that guy Josh who manhandled Mazzie that night?
My knee bounced nonstop as something else hit me.
Mazzie could be in danger. What if the Blackwoods were trying to force Kurtis to pay his debt by endangering someone close to him?
My father had pissed off Josh. But if a debt was the issue, Shane Blackwood might not care how he got the money.
I would like to think Josh wouldn’t let his convict friend use Mazzie as a pawn, but the jerkwad could be capable of anything.
Greta
I haven’t seen Shane since the night you were here. As for Josh, I couldn’t say. If I hear anything new, I’ll let you know.
I thanked Greta then sent Mazzie a text. I recalled her saying something about studying for her biochemistry exam.
Midnight, call me as soon as you see this.
We weren’t allowed to make calls from the library.
So I closed the book about smallpox. It was useless to study.
My brain was as foggy as hell. I was comfortable with the thesis statement that I’d come up with.
From here, it was a matter of gathering information about the key topics and compiling them into a coherent outline.
I texted Ajax as my paranoia increased.
Hey, man, was Mazzie in class with you today?
I thought she had biochemistry that morning. I packed up my books while I waited for Ajax to respond. My phone vibrated.
Ajax
Did you lose your girl?
I could hear his sarcasm as I read his text.
Ajax
Yes, she was. Though she seemed wound tight.
My brow creased as my gut churned.
What do you mean?
Ajax
She bites her nails when she’s stressed.
I chuckled quietly. Mazzie did have that habit.
Ajax
But we do have an exam coming up. She gets freaky around test time.
My muscles loosened.
Thanks.
I hiked my backpack over my shoulder. As I was passing the tables occupied by students, I spotted a cowboy hat on one of the tables.
A Stetson, in fact. I came to an abrupt halt and studied the guy.
I’d only seen Josh with a hat on, so I wasn’t sure if I was looking at Josh Turley or not.
The answer came swiftly when he lifted his hazel eyes, and the tension between us skyrocketed.
I slid into the chair across from him, my backpack squishing me in. “What do you want with Mazzie? You show up at her house. For what? Don’t you think you’ve done enough by getting her fired?” I whispered, or tried to, but my voice rose with each question.
Whispers filled the room, sounding like a den of snakes hissing.
“I wasn’t responsible for the casino firing her.” He leaned in, his face reddening. “She hit me.”
My forehead creased. “What are you? Five? Don’t answer that. So… why are you stalking her?”
His grin was condescending. “Jealous?”
I set my jaw. “Look, fucker—”
He glared daggers at me. “No, you look. You’re no good for Mazzie.
She deserves someone who doesn’t sleep around with every touchdown bunny.
” His voice, a deep baritone, was sharp and irritating.
“A guy who can provide for her. Once you graduate, you won’t look back.
You’re using her. Hell, five years from now, you’ll be sitting at a blackjack table, gambling your hard-earned football money away. Just like your loser of an old man.”
I ground my back teeth together. “And you think you’re a good person? Grabbing her and bruising her is your idea of someone who she deserves? Wake up, asshole.”
The librarian came over. “This isn’t a place to argue. Take it outside.” The gray-haired woman wagged her finger at Josh and me.
I rose. “Sorry, ma’am.” It was clear the only thing Josh and I would accomplish if we took it outside would be black eyes, broken noses, and bloody lips. While it would feel good to wipe the smirk off his face, he would still be an asshole.
“Hey, wide receiver,” Josh said at my back. “You’re putting Mazzie in danger.”
I needed to keep my cool, but I couldn’t. Not when Mazzie’s safety was in question.
I regarded the librarian who had anger washing over her. “Ma’am, I’m sorry. Give me two minutes. No trouble. I promise.” I spun around and stormed back to Josh. “What does that mean?”
“You should ask your old man that?”
“So you gave him the black eye?” I asked.
“You’re asking the wrong person,” he said.
“But you were with Shane when he beat up my father.”
Josh did a double take. “How did you know that?”
“How much does my father owe and to whom?”
Josh’s face darkened. “You’re smarter than I gave you credit for. More than he’ll ever scrape together.”
A chill shot up my spine, propelling me back in time to when Kurtis had been arrested. Now, he could be dead, and my mom and I would be left to repay his debt. The library suddenly felt confining. “Are you saying Shane would hurt people close to Kurtis?” Despite knowing the answer, I had to ask.
“What do you think? I don’t give a fuck about you. I care about Mazzie. You better hope your old man pays his debt or else you might not be playing football anymore.”
I threw him the finger, although I wanted to ram my fists into his ugly mug.
“Dude, you don’t know who you’re messing with. If I were you, I would watch your six.” He flipped a page in the book in front of him, dismissing me.
Snatching my phone from my jeans pocket, I rushed past the angry librarian and out of the library.
The October air carried the scent of impending rain as the sun disappeared behind dark clouds, rivaling the storm brewing in my head. I was going to murder Kurtis. I called my mom but got her voicemail.
“Mom, call me as soon as possible.”
I jogged to my truck, which was clear on the other side of campus. I was about to lose my damn mind until my phone lit up with my mom’s name.
“Mom,” I rushed out.
“Lucas, your father is in the hospital. I’m on my way. Meet there, please.”
“What happened?” I ran by students hurrying to get out of the impending rain.
“I don’t know. Just get to Lakemont General.” Then the line went dead.
Fuck my life.
Thunder rumbled overhead as I reached my truck, the sky a slate gray. I fumbled with my keys as the first fat raindrops splattered to the ground.
Then as I bent down to pick up my keys, a pair of boots came into view. Before I could straighten, my attacker grabbed me by the hair, and the first punch hit my cheek.
Stars burst behind my eyes as a second blow rocked my jaw. I staggered, reaching for anything to brace myself, but another fist slammed me against my truck. I tasted copper as rain pelted down, washing the blood from my split lip.
“Shane sends his regards,” a gruff voice hissed close to my ear.
Disoriented, I tried to fight back, but another guy came out of nowhere and secured my arms behind my back.
Lightning flashed, illuminating my attacker’s face—leathery skin, dark eyes, and the kind of expression that said he enjoyed roughing up people.
“Tell your old man that the clock is ticking,” he said, driving a fist into my stomach that had me doubled over. “Next time, we’ll be sure you can’t run down a football field.”
I should’ve been worried about my football career, but all I could picture was what these men could do if they attacked Mazzie.
The second dude released me as both men disappeared like ghosts through the pouring rain. I glanced around, holding my stomach. The parking lot was deserted as thunder crashed and lightning flashed.
I picked up my keys and slowly climbed into my truck.
My hands shook as I gripped the steering wheel. Rain hammered against the windshield. The metallic taste of blood coated my tongue, and every breath sent sharp pain through my ribs.
As I sped down the rain-slicked streets on the drive to Lakemont General, it seemed like I was navigating a nightmare. Rage at my father for putting Mom and me in danger kept me alert, and I couldn’t help but think that Mazzie could get caught up in this mess as well.