Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
JAX
It’s hard to get a read on Kinsley. We haven’t talked about the plans for tonight, and I might be feeling her out by not bringing them up and driving toward her parents' place. It’s not far from school.
She used to walk, "used to" being the key word. I hated that shit. I know it’s a crazy safe area, but I still didn’t like it. Too many risks.
I, more than most teens, know the dark parts of life, and some of the darkest people live in high-rise penthouses.
Their money is protecting them, but most know better than to pluck a pretty girl off the streets.
That would draw attention. Which circles me right back to one of the bigger issues at hand.
The missing girl. Still not a fucking clue who it was, and there isn’t any buzz.
“You know I could have walked home, and then you wouldn’t have had to leave practice early.”
“I wanted to leave practice early.” We run the same drills over and over again. I’m ready for the game. I’m not the one who needs to be out there. That’s not me being cocky either. I know my shit. I put in the work that I need to, but it’s all becoming wearing.
In fact, I’m ready for the game to be over.
The patience that I once had for shit is wavering.
I guess that happens when there are more interesting things to tend to.
Now football is really fucking mundane, but I have to remember that some things are motions we must do to move through life. Those are my father’s words, not mine.
“To check into more things than Jim McIntyre?”
“One of many. Did you check the attendance for today?” I’d gotten her a login. Kinsley has free rein at this point. She can go poking around whenever and wherever she wants, and I’m sure she will.
“I did, but nothing stood out.”
“It’s only been a day,” I point out. “And because a person doesn’t get marked as absent doesn’t mean they weren’t.”
“That’s true!” Kinsley lets out a small gasp.
“I mean, I could change them in the system.” That’s what I had been thinking.
I know it’s what my cousins and I would do, but I don’t know if others have those means.
But a lot of means come down to money, and there is plenty of that to go around at Golden Prep.
“Stay put,” I tell her.
“You can’t park—” Kinsley stops herself. “Never mind.” Not sure if she’s saying never mind because she believes I’m dropping her off or because you can’t park here, but she knows I don’t give a shit. A cop in this city isn’t going to run my tags and then tow me.
I pull my keys out of the ignition before hopping out and coming around to open her door. I offer her my hand. She takes it.
“You don’t have to walk me up.”
“First off, never dropping my girl at the door, and second, I’m coming up.” I close the car door behind her.
“Like up up?” Kinsley tentatively points up toward the sky, but I know she means the building.
“Is that a problem?”
“You’re supposed to be invited.” She lets out a laugh meant to be playful, but it’s nervous. Yeah, my girl can’t act for shit.
“We’re only here to pack you a bag.”
“Whoa, now hold on.” I already got her hand and head inside the building.
“Nothing has changed from yesterday, Bunny,” I remind her. “And your parents aren’t home,” I add, knowing that will lessen her anxiety a bit.
“They aren’t?” I shake my head no, hitting the button for the elevator. The doors slide open, and I step on.
I almost hit her floor and the key code but control myself.
Not going to freak her out when we’re so close to her home.
It’s better that those things happen when I have her on the farm.
Then it’s not so easy for her to get away.
Not that she could either way, but there's no need to make things harder than they need to be. I mean, she hasn’t reacted badly to my obsessive, overbearing ways yet, but I don’t want to chance it.
She doesn’t need to know the extent of the details I know about every part of her life, for now.
Kinsley grows quiet, shifting on her feet as she nibbles her bottom lip.
“I know, Bunny. We won’t deal with it today.
” I knew the topic of her parents was going to be an issue.
They can go fuck themselves for all I care.
If they wanted to put in their two cents on who Kinsley hangs around, they should have taken a more active role in her life.
I’ll play nice with them for her sake. For the time being.
“I’m sorry, I’m a jerk.” Shit, her eyes have filled with unshed tears.
“You’re not a jerk.” I pull her to me. “And I get it. We can all pretend we don’t give a shit about our parents’ reactions, but it still can hit you hard.” Even if she doesn't owe it to them. That's on them. They'll learn soon enough that Kinsley can choose if she wants them in her life or not.
“But you didn’t do anything, and I know they won’t be happy about you. People just judge you.”
“Bunny.” I grip her chin to make her look up at me. My sister can turn on the waterworks, and I’ll shake my head. Kinsley here is about to unman me, and she hasn’t spilled a tear yet. “How your parents feel about me has nothing to do with you. Don’t apologize for them.”
"I know." She puffs out a small breath.
"And don't feel bad for me. People can't help but judge, and it's not as though my family hasn't earned some of it.
" We might not be fully by the book, but it's a big-ass difference from how my grandfather and great-grandfather ran things.
I'm not proud of all the shit they participated in.
“Sometimes, judging people keeps you alive. "
"You are so good with your words." Kinsley shakes her head. "Making me laugh and then being wise."
"I'm not all-wise. I fucked with Jim because I know I can."
"Well, my vibes aren't great when it comes to him."
The jury is still out on him for me. I don’t know if he’s one of those teachers who enjoys the power and it goes to their head a little too much, or if he is an asshole I need to keep an eye on.
Either way, he got the message loud and clear.
If he’s as smart as he thinks his glasses and bow tie make him look, then he’ll tread lightly when it comes to Kinsley.
"Let's get your stuff packed." When we step off the elevator, the door swings open.
"Mary, you're here," Kinsley says, standing still.
"You brought a boy home." Mary, the small gray-haired woman, hugs her and then me. "Very handsome."
"All right, this one is mine."
"And he's Italian," Mary says, her tone pleased. I tell her hello in Italian. Mary responds that it’s lovely to see me. “Is he the friend's place where you stayed last night?” Kinsley's cheeks start to pinken, the blush spreading. I’ll take that over the tears.
“And tonight,” I add, making it clear why we are packing a bag.
“Come.” She ushers us inside.
“This is Mary; she can be a bit of a mother hen when it comes to me,” Kinsley says with a smile. Yeah, I know. Mary is a good one, and I’m not going off vibes. I know this for a fact. Just like I know a lot of things when it comes to the people around Kinsley.
“You met my mother,” I remind her.
“Is it an Italian thing?”
“Maybe.” I shrug. “Or love.” Kinsley’s whole face softens at my response. I don’t know if it’s an Italian thing or not. My family has always been close. We were taught that you stick together and you never have to worry about who is at your back.
Mary has us stop in the kitchen to snack on a few things she made. I watch as she and Kinsley go back and forth in banter.
“Is there anything I need to know? Two nights away.”
“Jax is helping me with a story.”
“Is that so?” Mary’s eyes bounce between the two of us. “Didn’t know the Marinos talked to the press,” she teases.
“Right? I think he’s obsessed with me or something.” Kinsley laughs. I don’t. There is no or something. I am simply obsessed. Not sure if that’s an Italian thing either. It might be a Marino thing.
"Do we need to talk about safe sex?" Mary asks next. If I thought I had seen Kinsley blush before, I was fucking wrong. She turns cherry red.
"Mary," she hisses.
"What? If you're staying the night together. I might be old school and not fully approve, but I know what you kids get up to these days."
"I haven't gotten up to anything." I hold my hands up. "She was the one that kept wiggling her little ass over to my side of the bed."
"Oh my God! I did no such thing." Kinsley gapes at me.
"Are you sure about that?" She opens and then closes her mouth before regaining her composure. I told her I would never lie to her, and I meant it. It’s absolutely a thousand percent true. It was fucking torture for me all damn night, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
"Well, I'm on birth control, but it doesn't matter. You can sleep on that love seat thing tonight."
"If you say so, Bunny." I give her a small smile, making sure I flash my dimple at her.
"What does that mean?" Kinsley puts her hands on her hips, glaring up at me.
I fight not to kiss her nose because, one, that thought is strange as fuck, and I have no clue where it came from, and two, I don't want to make things harder when Kinsley realizes we will be sharing a bed later.
This is one of those "pick your battles" I've heard my father talk about when it comes to Mom and Nix.
“It means anything you want.”
“Don’t patronize me.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
"Watch it." Kinsley points her finger up at me.
"Oh, I'm watching, Bunny."
Always when it comes to her.