12. Caleb
Chapter 12
Caleb
I can’t remove my gaze from the sway of Margo’s ass as she disappears into her second period class. Even with the cold weather, she’s been sticking with skirts. Probably because I destroyed her other options, and she’d never admit it to Lenora.
“Lovesick, dude.” Eli laughs. “I’ve never seen it so bad.”
“I’m not…” Lovesick . It would explain why my chest doesn’t feel quite right. Missing pieces and all that.
“Whatever. Hey, try not to give everyone hell at school.”
I set my jaw. “I won’t if they don’t fucking say anything about Margo.”
“We just need to get through hockey practice?—”
“Fuck.” I groan. “Coach is gonna ream me out for getting arrested.”
Eli shrugs. “Probably.”
Coach Marzden wins the Jackass of the Year competition every time. When we were freshmen, we admired the way he commanded a room. He was a role model for both of us.
However, it appears that even role models have a temper.
“Riley didn’t come over,” I say. “Last night? Would’ve thought she’d be like glue on Margo’s skin.”
He frowns. “She’s avoiding the house.”
“Did you do something?” I tilt my head. I didn’t think they were that into it. Like, they’d fucked a few times to the best of my understanding. But maybe they didn’t even do that much?
“This isn’t a fucking psychobabble session,” Eli snaps. “Leave it alone.”
I scan the hallway automatically, making sure no one bad follows Margo into her science class. Unfortunately, our loitering catches some attention. Coach appears at the top of the hallway and immediately heads for us.
Anger rolls off Coach in waves. He’s practically vibrating with it. Eli mumbles some hasty excuse and disappears before Coach reaches us.
Well, now me .
He stops in front of me, then motions. I follow him toward the athletic wing. He’ll probably start the berating before we reach his office, just so some kids can hear that the great and terrible Caleb Asher has finally fallen.
Newsflash , I want to yell at them. It takes a lot more than one stalker to dethrone me .
Yet… I’m definitely losing my grip.
“In,” Coach orders, holding the door open.
I sigh, then go to my usual chair in front of his desk.
“Did I fucking say you could sit?”
What the hell is his problem?
The arrest, probably.
I sprawl in the chair in defiance and force my body to relax. This isn’t like a meeting with my uncle, where it could end with a glass thrown at my head—or worse. Coach may threaten and bluster, but he wouldn’t even go so far as to remove me from the team. He just needs to yell.
It gives him some control he craves.
Then again, I like to fuck with control.
I watch him out of the corner of my eye. He circles around his desk and drops into his own chair, his glower firmly fixed on his face.
“You really made a goddamn mess of everything,” he says. “Arrested. Arrested . What am I supposed to do with that? Let a felon stay on the team?”
“I’m sure Mr. Black would be happy to explain the difference between being held as a person of interest and formal arraignment,” I say dryly. “Oh, wait, you should know. Didn’t you major in pre-law? Before your life fell to shit.”
He watches me. “Is that what you think?”
I shrug.
“You’re a fool.” He rubs at his eyes. “Honestly, Caleb. We all make choices. My life didn’t fall to shit . It just changed.”
“And you weren’t angry about it?”
He sits back. “I was at the time. Now, not so much. What’s your plan, son? You going to put this incident on your college applications?”
I grit my teeth. “Does it matter? I can get into any shitty old school. Dad?—”
“Dear pops.” Coach laughs. “Yeah, left you a fuck ton of money. Buy your way into any old school and tell me how it feels. Is that a stipulation for the trust fund?”
“Something like that.” Or rather—exactly that. Until then, dear Uncle David has control of the accounts. He can’t take money out, of course, but he manages it. Who knows what he’s done since Dad died. I haven’t been allowed near the books.
The bell rings, and I stand.
“Sit,” Coach growls.
My smile falls away. “Why?”
“Because we have a visitor.” He gestures toward the window.
The door opens. My uncle fills the doorway, looking down his nose at me. Nerves like snakes writhe in my belly. I tense, but subsequently, he blocks all the escape routes, too.
He closes the door behind him and takes his sweet time removing his coat, hanging it on the stand in the corner. And then he reaches over the desk and shakes Coach’s hand.
He doesn’t so much as glance my way when he sits, slinging one leg over the other. Proper, poised, in control.
I have to admire the way he takes over a room. Dad would be proud.
“You’re keeping me from class for this?” I ask Coach.
“I was the one who requested the meeting,” Uncle says. He adjusts his tie. “We’re going to have a little chat about your future.”
Looks like he’s going into the office for once. Crisp white shirt, a navy-blue tie and sports coat. He’s the picture of perfection and just as deadly.
“Why?” I’m immediately wary of his plan. Because I’m sure there is a plan hidden in there.
“I’ve come to request Coach remove you from the hockey team.”
Silence.
My jaw drops open, and Coach… well, to his credit, seems equally flabbergasted.
I snap my mouth closed at the same time that Coach seems to shake off his surprise. He straightens in his seat, eyes narrowing at my uncle.
Well, this should be interesting .
“I hate to tell you this, David, but you can’t come in here and demand?—”
“Request,” Uncle interrupts. “Very politely. Caleb has been learning some bad habits of late, and it cannot go unpunished. I had hoped his game suspension would do the trick. This is a stronger counter to his behavior.”
“How’s that?” I ask, unable to help myself.
Uncle glances at me. “Falling for a girl, acting ludicrously… it’s only a matter of time before the girl turns up pregnant and ruins everything the Ashers have worked toward. At the end of the day, hockey is yet another distraction. Caleb needs to focus on what’s important.”
Fuck no.
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Dad ruined everything he worked for when he sold the company. Right? The Asher name isn’t even on the door anymore. What name is there to harm?”
Uncle’s hand twitches. If we were home…
Well, I’ll pay for this later.
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction , Dad whispers in my ear. Besides the points of inexplicable rage, he was actually a good dad. He taught me some valuable lessons before he was taken from us. Did I fear him?
A decent amount. Especially at ten.
Did he hit me?
No worse than Uncle… and there was always a reprieve. In those lulls, good things happened. It was almost better when he hit me and got it over with, because the following week was bliss.
Uncle has no such calm period after the storm. With him, the storm is always raging.
“You are under my supervision,” Uncle snaps. “And I think?—”
“Well, technically, the Blacks were awarded guardianship in court,” Coach says. His eyes go back and forth between Uncle and me. “I do a lot for you, David. But this is over the line.”
My stomach knots. Does he see what a monster my uncle actually is?
Worse than I’ve ever been. Worse than how Coach has ever acted.
“They sign all of Caleb’s permission slips and are his emergency contact. Have been since…” Coach shrugs, but his eyes are gleaming. “Well, I suppose you know the catalyst of that decision better than most, right, David?”
Uncle leaps to his feet, his face turning a mottled red. “I will not be outdone!”
He storms out of the room.
A sick feeling coils in my gut.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Coach asks.
I stare at him. Is he asking what I think he’s asking?
“I thought you knew,” I say faintly.
For a while, Uncle’s abuse was a rumor that flew over Emery-Rose like a flash fire. Everyone was talking about poor little Caleb . I had bruises and a cracked rib at fourteen years old. I’d already been living with the Blacks for a while, but it didn’t matter.
Uncle picked me up from school one day. He had discovered my adventures all over the county. And honestly, as much as I don’t want to admit it, that day is branded in my memory.
Past
Uncle David waited for me at the curb. It was the first week of school at Emery-Rose Elite. The high school version of it anyway. I was expecting to go home with Eli and his parents, but they were nowhere to be found.
“In,” he ordered.
I slowly climbed into his car. The door shut, and I just knew it was sealing my fate. He had a vicious temper, and I knew exactly what he had managed to find out.
He was quiet. He didn’t drive away, not yet. He wouldn’t until he’d said his piece. But right now, the silence was thick and cloying.
“Another home,” he finally said. His fist lashed out, connecting with my mouth.
It surprised the hell out of me, but it also hurt .
Blood filled my mouth.
“You think we don’t keep track of Ms. Wolfe?” he taunted. “Don’t know every fucking move she makes?”
I didn’t say anything.
He hit me again, and the blood sprayed out of my mouth. My whole body whipped toward the window. He grabbed my shirt collar, bringing me back toward him.
There was a dangerous look in his eye. Mostly crazy, but also… calculating.
“Because of the social worker?” I asked.
He released me.
I slumped against the door, watching him warily.
“You piece that together on your own, hmm?” he asked. His mouth made a straight line. “Smart boy. Maybe you’ll be smarter and leave the girl alone. Someone is bound to get suspicious, and Ms. DeVine said she can’t keep covering for you.”
“Ironic, isn’t it?” I laughed to myself. “Her name is literally divine .”
Uncle fisted my collar again, pulling me forward and slamming me back. My head hit the blood-streaked glass, and white spots popped like fireworks in front of my vision.
“You’re going to cut the shit,” he ordered.
“Dear Uncle,” I said, biting back a groan. “I’m just doing what you drilled into me.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Hating her.” I sighed. “Hating her so fucking much, she can’t be happy.”
He reached around me, opening the car door. I fell backward, my back hitting the curb. Pain lanced through my torso, and a moan escaped me. Everything was flickering between numb and pain.
I picked myself up in time for him to chuck my book bag through the open door.
Then… he left.
And me? I had a loose tooth and split lip. Bruising across my jaw. A cracked rib. Fixable things.
Minor things.
If I spoke out, I’d be painted a liar. I’d never see a drop of my inheritance. He’d move me to the most remote boarding school he could find, just so that I’d never have the chance to get my hands on Margo Wolfe.
That was all I wanted. All I could focus on.
She made this my reality.
But… no one ever thought to stop my uncle. Not even the Blacks were successful, although they sure as hell tried.
He had my entire inheritance to use on lawyers, and he liked to threaten to drain it before I turned eighteen. He had the upper hand always .
I picked myself up just as Eli’s mom pulled into the school driveway. I did my best to wipe the blood from my face, but my jaw and lip were hot to the touch. There was no hiding that.
“Caleb!” she yelled. She left the car and raced toward me. “Oh my God. What happened?”
I was living with them, and it was a small blessing. Nothing more.
She touched my cheek, and I winced.
“Uncle David had some choice words,” I mumbled.
She clucked. “He had more than some choice words . This is ridiculous. We’ll fight it.” She nodded, bolstering herself up. “You’ll be safe with us.”
Doubt it.
Guardianship would be as far as Uncle let the Blacks take it. I knew it already.
Up against him, it would always be a losing battle.