Chapter 27
Ryker
A bout two hours after my meeting with Logan, I’m sitting on the couch in my living room sending a group text to Pat, Mason, and Holland. I shake my head at the ridiculous name Mason gave the chat before sending the message.
The Elite Four
Me
Elite meeting asap.
Mason Howard
Miss me already?
Patrick Samuelson
What’s going on? You okay?
Mason Howard
You baby him too much.
Patrick Samuelson
Fuck off, Howard.
Holland Monroe
Be home in ten.
Also, fuck off, Howard.
Mason Howard
You guys always gang up on me.
Holland Monroe
That’s because you’re an idiot
Me
Can you guys shut the fuck up and get here already?
Mason Howard
Aye aye, Captain.
Patrick Samuelson
Pulling in now.
Holland Monroe
Be there soon .
Tossing my phone on the coffee table, I take a deep, calming breath as I try to talk myself down and think logically. Except, thinking logically doesn’t seem to be in the cards for me right now.
My nerve endings feel like they’re on fire, my heart is racing, and my whole body is shaking with anger and adrenaline. I want to pound someone’s face in, that face being Ashton’s for fucking with my brother and Gwen.
That’s why I need the guys here. They’ll be able to see the situation from the outside and give me rational advice. Because if I acted on my instinct right now, Ashton would probably be in a hospital, and I’d be in jail.
Logan made me promise to not do anything stupid when it comes to Ashton. He told me it would just make things worse, which is kind of like what Gwen told me. Why won’t they let me help them?
Well, I don’t care. I’m going to do what I see fit, and right now, beating Ashton Davis to a pulp seems pretty fit. It’s not like he doesn’t deserve it. I’m sure he’s tried to force himself on more than half the girls at Ellington. The thought of that has me grinding my teeth and clenching my fists.
There is no way I’m letting him get away with the shit he’s done. I don’t care what Gwen thinks, I don’t care what Logan says, Ashton Davis needs to learn a fucking lesson, and I’ll gladly be the one to teach him.
Gwen thinks she can take care of him herself. I know she’s strong, I know she can handle herself, that I’ve seen first-hand. But she can’t stop Davis from pursuing her. But I sure as hell can.
I hear the front door open and shut, followed by the sound of three sets of footsteps climbing the stairs. Mason, Pat, and Holland stroll into the living room looking ready for business as usual.
Immediately, Pat and Holland meet me in the living room, Pat taking a seat next to me while Holland takes the corner chair. Mason heads to the fridge and grabs a bottle of water for each of us, handing them to us before taking his seat in the chair opposite Holland.
They look at me, waiting to hear what’s going on. I only called the three of them for an Elite meeting, which is unusual and technically not allowed, but the other guys don’t need to get involved in this, and I don’t trust them as much as I do Holland, Mason, and Patrick. I know they’ll get behind me, minimal questions asked.
I lean over, resting my elbows on my knees as my eyes wander to each of them.
“We have a fucking problem,” I seethe. The guys exchange a quick look of confusion and then focus their attention back on me.
“What’s going on?” Pat asks, always the one to get to the point.
“Ashton fucking Davis. He needs to be dealt with.”
“Because of what happened with Gwen?” Holland asks. I know they’re all confused as fuck about what’s going on between Gwen and me, and honestly so am I. I can feel the tension between us every time we’re together. I can see the ways I affect her when I’m close, and I know she’s struggling just like me.
I don’t know if she’ll ever give in though. She’s fucking stubborn as hell, and she won’t admit defeat. And the worst defeat for her would be accepting that she wants me just as much as I want her.
“That, and Logan,” this makes their eyes shoot up.
“What about Logan?” Pat asks, already more defensive. Even though I don’t get along with my brother much, he’s still one of us, and we look out for our own. The guys would take a bullet for him just as soon as they’d take one for me.
“You know that comment Logan made at the Halloween party? About Adrianna cheating on him,” Pat and Holland nod, Mason looks confused since he was off doing God knows what during the conversation. “Davis was the guy Adrianna cheated with.”
Holland lets out a woosh of air as Pat rakes a hand through his jet-black hair. Mason leans forward, resting his chin on his had.
“Shit, man,” Holland comments. Yeah, tell me about it.
“So, when are we beating his ass?” Mason asks. This kid is always ready to fuck someone up. I don’t know if it’s because of the way he grew up, or just because he enjoys the adrenaline high.
Mason’s dad, Holland’s uncle, is worse than mine. He’s abusive and mean. Mason never really talks about his dad, and everything I know about him came from Holland. Apparently, Mason’s dad would beat him if he ever did the slightest thing wrong. He wouldn’t even give him a chance to explain.
Holland says him and Ellie haven’t seen their uncle in years. Their parents wouldn’t allow it. Their uncle is their dad’s brother, and apparently, he’s always been ruthless. I feel bad for Mason, growing up with a father like that. But I guess we all have shitty fathers, don’t we.
We have to think this through. We can’t just show up to his place guns blazing. We can’t get caught either, or Dean Ashby’s gonna have my ass, and so will my father.
We have to be careful, calculated, smart.
“Tonight. We’ll do it tonight. I just… I don’t know how to do this without getting caught,” I say honestly.
“That’s not gonna be a problem,” Holland’s confident voice says. My eyebrow cocks, wondering where he’s going with this.
“What do you mean?”
Holland shrugs. “Davis always goes to the gym late on Wednesdays. I know because I’m usually there too,” he explains casually, like we aren’t discussing jumping a guy. “We wear masks, and we meet him in the parking lot. He’ll never see it coming, and he won’t be able to prove it was us if he decides to squeal.”
I’ve never been more thankful for Holland in my life. That’s perfect. It’s secluded, he’ll be alone, and he won’t know it was us. Sure, he’ll assume, but like Holland said, he won’t be able to prove it.
“Alright. Remember, we’re not trying to kill the guy. We’re in and we’re out. Don’t let emotions control your fists,” Pat says, looking directly at me. I scowl at him, but I know he’s right, he always is. The practical one, the strategic one, the one that has a plan for everything. That’s one thing that hasn’t changed since we were kids.
“I got it,” I mumble.
Mason claps his hands before rubbing them together and slapping them on his thighs.
“Great, let’s go,” he says excitedly, rising from his chair.
Holland shoots his cousin a glare. I don’t know how Holland is more mature than his older cousin, but someone needed the brains in that family.
“He doesn’t get to the gym until around nine thirty. We’ll get there as he’s leaving. Less time for error. Pump the fucking breaks, dude,” Holland chastises. Mason rolls his eyes and sits back in the chair.
“You guys are no fun,” he mumbles under his breath.
I have so much to think about right now, and my stress levels are high as hell. Thinking about my mother, my father, the project with Gwen that’s due in two days.
The thought of not having a reason to see or spend time with Gwen anymore makes my stomach clench. I’m not ready to be done yet.
When this whole thing started, I couldn’t wait for the three weeks to be over. I couldn’t stand the way she defied me, the way she argued and challenged me at every turn, the way she looked at me with contempt.
But now, I think I kind of like it. I like being challenged, I like that she doesn’t let me do or say whatever I want, I like the way her face scrunches up when she’s angry and she’s holding herself back from punching me in the face.
Gwen has slowly crept her way into my life, making me crave her touch, her kiss, the feeling of her soft skin on mine, the way she says my name.
I want to feel her lips on mine, feel her warm mouth as it wraps around my cock, feel her hair as I pull it back, forcing her to look at me as I fuck her mouth.
Fuck.
She’ll never give it to me though. She’ll keep denying the attraction between us until I explode. And after this project is over, she’ll never talk to me again.
—————————
It’s ten thirty, and Patrick, Holland, Mason, and I are sitting in my escalade waiting for Ashton to come out of the gym. He looks to be finishing up his last set from what we can see through the floor to ceiling windows of Ellington’s gym.
The school invested a shit ton of money into the gym facility since we’re pretty big on sports. They wanted a place where the athletes could go and train that wasn’t old and decrepit like the rest of the buildings on campus.
My dad provided most of the funding for the facility, knowing it would make him look like a supportive father who approves of his son playing Rugby for the school. In reality, he told me to grow the fuck up and stop dicking around playing a silly little game.
His name is now on the doors of the big athletic facility.
“The Robert Steele Athletic Department.” Isn’t that nice? Being reminded of my father every time I step foot into this place makes bile rise in my throat. I hate him. For what he did to my mother, for what he’s done to me all these years, for loving Logan more than me. I hate him.
I stare out the windshield, watching as Ashton grabs his things and makes his way out of the gym. He enters the parking lot, swinging his keys around casually and whistling. He has no idea his world’s about to get rocked.
“Let’s go,” I say, reaching for the door handle.
The guys follow suit, pulling our masks down over our faces. Mason grabs a baseball bat from the trunk, and then we make our way over to Ashton who is now shoving his gym bag in his car.
We have the advantage, considering he’s alone and had no idea we were here. So, when he turns around to see the four of us standing in front of him, he jumps.
“Fuck! Jesus, you guys scared the shit out of me,” Ashton says, scanning the group before shutting his car door. “What the hell’s going on?” he asks, his voice slightly shaky. I have a feeling he’s not quite as tough as he tries to make himself seem.
“You think it’s cool to force yourself on girls that don’t want you?” Pat spits. Ashton takes a step back.
“What the hell are you talking about, man?” Yeah, what the hell man? We agreed not to say anything to him that would make him suspicious.
I shoot Pat a glare through my mask, not even sure if he can see it, but he backs up an inch and doesn’t open his mouth again .
I take a step toward Ashton, who hasn’t even made a move to leave yet. He’s even stupider than I thought.
Without saying a word, I clench my fist and let it fly into Ashton’s face. Ashton falls to the pavement, clutching his nose. I thought I’d broken it the night of the party, but I guess not. If I didn’t, it’s broken now.
Ashton spits before wiping his nose on the back of his hand. He stumbles to his feet looking ready to fight back. Before he can even get a punch in, my fist hits his jaw, knocking his head back before hitting him in the stomach. Back on the ground, I kick him in the stomach while Pat, Mason, and Holland stand back and watch.
When I’ve had enough, I lean over him, grasping his shirt in my fist. Ashton’s face is bloody and bruised, making a sly smile creep onto my lips.
“Watch your fucking back, Davis,” I seethe.
The guys and I watch Ashton on the ground writhing in pain before walking away. Hopping in my car and driving away without a word.
I shouldn’t have said anything, but I wanted Ashton to see how serious I am. If he goes near Gwen again, I’ll kill him.