Chapter 22
Baseball House
Word on the street is there was a big fight at the baseball house tonight.
When are these boys going to realize that Axel doesn't play well with others?
Especially when they mess with Scarlett.
The Longhorn star first baseman will think twice before he throws a punch at a Fearless member again.
Bet. And y'all already know Brody McDumbass has a thick damn head—pictures to follow.
Scarlett
Toby looks at me with curiosity. “Are you sure you want to do this without Axel? Scarlett, he's gonna flip his shit when he finds out about this. And I'm probably gonna get punched in the face. Again.”
I laugh because that does sound like something Axel would do and apparently has done.
Poor Toby. “I understand I'm putting you between a rock and a hard place, but we're dealing with somebody's life.
People hurt her, and nobody is holding them accountable.
This could be a disaster, but what if it's not?
Axel wouldn't let me do what needs to be done.”
Toby smiles and reaches out his hand to me. “Let's do this for London, Scar.”
Grabbing his hand, I give it a gentle squeeze. “Let's do it for all the girls that will never receive justice. Toby, it pisses me off, but money allows too many things to be swept under the rug, and that is not okay.”
He agrees. “Jenson's always been a little creepy to me, but I would've never suspected him of something like this.
All I had to do to gain access to his small circle was complement his athleticism.
Which almost made me shit myself, because all I wanted to scream was bullshit after each flowery sentence left my mouth.
Let's tag team him and kick his ass after.”
“Sounds like a plan to me, Tobes.”
“You nervous?” He asks.
“Is it that obvious?” I ask back.
“Totally noticeable.” He laughs when I give him a middle-finger salute.
“When you get there, have a couple of beers, and you'll be good to go. People also are more apt to tell you shit once they know you've had some alcohol.” That's some words of wisdom right there.
Pulling up to the Baseball House, the party is already in full swing.
It's kind of early for a college party to be going this hard, but considering that it started at noon today, it tells you all you need to know.
Toby rolls his eyes. “None of the guys on the baseball team I like to hang out with are here.
Most of them are ready for Jenson and his little bitches to graduate. They can't stand them.”
“Just think, when we prove what he did to London, he'll go straight to jail without the cap and gown.”
“I love the way you talk, Scar.” He replies with a wink.
I've never walked inside this house before, but it's gorgeous on the outside.
It's an old antebellum-style three-story mansion with a giant porch on the front and white columns spaced throughout. Looks like something out of an old Southern magazine. Toby opens the door for us, and we walk in like we belong. My eyes canvas the living room until they land on Jenson, who is talking to a redhead. I think her name is Yasmine. Her beautiful, ebony skin shines underneath the chandelier light. He touches her cheek, making my blood grow cold. I’ll make it my personal mission to stop him from getting anywhere near her tonight.
Brody spots us from his place in the corner.
He jumps up and casually strolls over, his fake smile making me want to act like Axel and punch him in the face.
“Surprised to see you here. How did you get away from the old ball and chain?”
I roll my eyes but remember London and paste a fake smile on my face. “And here I thought you were coming over to apologize for calling me Axel's lap dog.”
He stares a hole through me. “Now, Scarlett, that's no way to act when you're a guest in our house.”
My brows furrow in confusion. “Our house?”
“Yes, mine and Jenson's dads are brothers, and our grandparents bought this house for them when they played ball here.” It’s all making sense why they are so close. Always surrounded by rich assholes, that's apparently my lot in the life.
I look towards Toby. “Could you give me and Brody a few minutes to work out our little spat?”
“Sure thing. I'll go talk to Jenson for a few minutes.” He agrees.
Brody's too clever for me to act like everything is fine between us.
So, a form of honesty has to happen. My brain won't let me forget to tread lightly because he could be a psycho rapist. Just because he didn't participate doesn't mean he's not just as guilty.
“Brody, why did you tell Axel you stayed at school for me?”
He smiles, and it's the smile that I used to love.
The one that made me feel weak in the knees, but not anymore.
“Isn't it obvious, Scarlett? I want you. You poured your heart out to me, and I lied about my feelings. I was leaving and the whole you being Janet's cousin thing, would’ve created even more drama for you.”
Okay. It doesn't explain why he's been an asshole to me.
Why he's a different person than I thought he was?
“I understand that my relationship with Axel is like something out of left field, but you only have yourself to blame.
You chose not to tell me the truth. And Axel makes me happy.
You don't have a right to be mad about that.”
Brody contemplates my answer. Never once did I see this arrogant side of him.
Is this a new personality trait, or did my infatuation with him have me blinded?
He answers slowly. “You're right. I have no right to be pissed.” He slides a finger down my exposed shoulder, making me shiver, but not from pleasure.
Hell no, it's more like disgust. “What Axel doesn't know can't hurt us, right?”
My laugh is cold and calculating. “Brody, I'm fully committed to Axel. Cheating is not an option, not even with somebody I used to think hung the moon.” He sucks in a breath and I quickly change the subject. “I didn't know you and Jenson were cousins. You never said anything.”
Brody runs his hand through his wavy brown hair. “Yeah, we weren't really the best of friends until my breakup with Melanie. Now, we finally understand each other, and we've got a ton in common.”
What the fuck? Like rape? I turn my face before he can see my expression of pure disgust. “That's so great. It'll never be that way for Janet and me.”
“You never know, Scarlett, you're more alike than you know.
Just in looks alone. You're way bigger than her, but that doesn't really matter because you're still pretty.” He runs another finger down my arm and it takes all I can not to gag.
There is nothing better than someone telling a girl that they're still pretty even though they're big.
How I never realized he was a condescending McJackass is beyond me, but I fake a giggle and mutter a “thanks” like a good girl spy.
He puts his arm around me and whispers gently in my ear. “You want to go upstairs?”
Removing his arm from around my shoulders on nothing but instinct is maybe not the smoothest path to gaining information that I've ever done, but I can’t stand him touching me and I sure as hell am not going upstairs with him.
“Brody, we're besties, and although I don't attend many parties, it's a given to what that really means.”
He grabs my forearm, turning me around to face him.
I step on his toes and yank out of his forceful grasp.
My elbow collides with a steel wall of a chest in the process.
You could hear a pin drop in the room. Even the music has been turned down low.
My body knows who is behind me, because it's my favorite chest. My Ax is here.
Reluctantly, my eyes turn toward him, and my big bad wolf is seething.
Not at me, but at Brody. “How often does she have to say no, mother fucker?”
Oh, Lord. It's about to get messy. Toby, bless his heart, shoots his way over to try and run interference while I start backing my body into Axels to try and create some distance between him and Brody, which doesn't happen because he's a brick house.
His voice is more of a growl. “Toby, I'll deal with you later, and Scarlett, I'll deal with you right after I kick his ass again.”
Axel possessively puts his hand on my hip.
My heart is pounding in my chest—the adrenaline of being caught rushing through my body.
I begin typing a text to the Fearless group chat because one of his brothers needs to calm him down before he gets suspended for killing Brody.
Axel is so mad at me right now I'd only piss him off more.
Texts started coming through, and they are on the way.
However, my relief is short-lived because Jenson has a death wish and picks this opportune moment to come over and start shit.
“Axel, you know we don't allow football guys at our parties.”
Axel is more than ready to handle the shit talk and pushes me to the side of him.
His arm was still casually draped around my shoulders in a cocoon of protection.
He doesn't have to speak the words aloud for me to know the last place he wants that rapist to be is around me.
Axel gets in Jenson's face. His tone in response is eerily calm.
“What the fuck will you do about it, asshole?”
Jenson smirks but backs away like the coward that he is. “Why do you always have to be so crazy, Rabies?”
Axel cuts his eyes. “Well, I sure as hell didn't get that nickname by being docile.”
Axel looks back over at Brody. “Now me and this motherfucker are due for another meeting outside.”
Ever the leader, The Jake Ryan slams open the front door. All of Axel's football brothers fall in line behind him. How they got here so fast, I'll never know, but I'm thankful all the same. They create a circle around our group. “Axle, what's going on?” The fearless leader asks.
“Well, Brody touched Scarlett after she repeatedly told him that she wasn't going to sleep with him. And Toby brought her here with him. He's family, so I'll deal with him last. Oh, and pretty boy Jenson said that football players weren't allowed at the baseball parties.”
Jaxon folds his arms across his chest. “Oh, really? Here I was thinking we'd class the place up a bit.”
A smirk forms on my face because, yeah, they do. Jake looks from me to Toby, and I talk before he can. “Karen couldn't come tonight, so I volunteered to go with Toby. Brody being here was a total surprise to me, and while he was seriously out of line, I had it handled, Axel.”
He shrugs his shoulders. “I love how you handled the situation, but nobody touches what's mine. And he touched you twice, Scarlett, twice.” His face is calm, but his voice betrays the illusion.
How does Axel know that he touched me twice, and how does he know how the situation was handled?
Has he bugged my phone? Oh, I'm going to be so pissed if he has done that... so pissed.
Jake nods his head and looks around at his other boys.
Each of them nods in solidarity—even Toby.
Jake responds. “Brody, as I recall, my brother told you to keep your hands off Scarlett and to keep away from her.
I stopped him from kicking your ass earlier, but that won't happen today.” Jake looks around at the baseball guys.
“Does anybody have a problem with that? If so, we'd only be happy to solve it for you.”
Jenson's laugh is hollow sounding. He says nothing but lands a punch to Jaxon's chin, and all hell breaks loose.
Axle shoves me to Hector, who pushes me to Toby, who places me in the corner on the other side of the room and returns to fight.
Axel is a couple of inches taller than everyone else.
He's graceful as he maneuvers punch after punch.
All the girls are lined up against the wall.
Brody tries to weasel his way out of the fight, but Dallas catches him and shoves him back towards Axel.
Yasmine happens to be near me, and I whisper loudly that Jenson has crabs and that my cousin Janet was the one who told me.
That brings me great joy. I don't chance saying anything about London.
We need ammunition against him first. And I hate to be this person, but this fight is so damn hot.
Axel hits Brody with a one-two punch, and it's lights out for him.
My heart couldn't be prouder of my man. My hormones are raging, and we need to have sex right now!
Police sirens start wailing in the distance because some narc must have called the fucking cops.
Once the sound gets everybody's attention, the fighting stops, and chaos follows.
People run in a million different directions trying to get out of the house.
Axel looks at his phone, and then his eyes find me.
I look down at my phone. Yes, he's definitely got a tracking app on it. Who does that?
We walk towards each other, an impenetrable bond between us. Axel holds out his hand to me but I fling it away. “Scarlett, don't. You have no fucking right to be mad right now.” He’s half right. We lied to each other, but I lied to him first.
He grabs my hand and we run out the door towards his truck. He speeds down the interstate and the silence is deafening. Some of our anger has to go away before we can talk, so we ride in silence.