Triple Dare (Sterling Shore 7)

My eyes move over, and I choke on a laugh when I see what has Maverick gagging.

A long, brown trail is stretching down the center of the speedo ass. Ruby literally beat the shit out of him.

***

CORBIN

Five hours later, we’re finally leaving the Sterling police department, and Ruby looks pretty damn pissed and pleased with herself at the same time.

“You do realize you could have gone to jail.”

“Guess it comes in handy to have a pretty Sterling boyfriend in Sterling Shore after all.”

I laugh, but I can tell the joke was forced. She’s distracted, probably still thinking about that dickhead with the skidmark speedos.

I’m just glad Cassie lied and said she never saw anything. It might be the only thing in the world she’s ever done right for her daughter.

“Krysta won’t have to go back. She’ll be eighteen soon, and not even your grandfather will have time to do anything about it.”

“Cassie pretended to not know what he did to Krysta,” she says on a sigh.

For the first time ever, Cassie looked like someone had struck her when Ruby told her what he did seconds before the cops showed up. But I don’t tell Ruby that I think the shock was sincere.

“He threatened her to keep her mouth shut. I should have broken some bones.”

This time, I laugh again, and her lips twitch. “I guess we’ll be staying at your place instead of my place, since I’m sure you don’t want to leave Krysta alone.”

“Yeah. Sorry. Dad might swing by. I had to tell him what was going on since I once again flaked on the shop and he had to cover my appointments.”

That immediately has my poor dick wanting to hide.

As we pull into the driveway, I ask her, “Why do you have a baseball bat?”

“Figured I’d end up in prison if I had a gun,” she deadpans, getting out of the car.

Yeah… I fucking love Ruby Kross.

My phone rings as she goes inside, and I tighten my lips seconds before answering.

“Mom, what are you—”

“I think you know why I’m calling. Corbin, you can’t be street fighting in broad daylight.”

Street fighting?

“I wasn’t street fighting. I’m not even really sure what that’s supposed to mean.”

“You were in the middle of a violent scene involving Eliza, her mother, and her mother’s latest… play thing.” She practically spits the words out like she’s gagging on them, and I internally groan. “Ever since she’s been back, you’ve barely been around. You’re losing sight of the important things again. So, in order to keep you on track, I’m holding a family dinner tomorrow night. We can all discuss this like adults.”

My car comes into view, and Maverick’s is just behind it, as he and whoever he called come to drop off my vehicle. I abandoned mine to take Ruby home, and left Maverick at the station to clean up our mess. It’s not like he doesn’t owe me.

“Are you listening?” my mother snaps.

“Not really,” I admit, glancing back toward the house where Ruby is probably inside either destroying things or plotting.

“Dinner tomorrow at seven,” Mother repeats firmly. “Don’t be late.”

Rolling my eyes, I begrudgingly agree before hanging up. In her eyes, I’ve just created a socialite apocalypse or some shit.

Maverick rolls up in my car, and his car stops at the curb. The windows are so dark that I can’t see who’s driving until Kode steps out, smirking at me.

“Wish Ruby had been around when Pete was causing problems,” Kode quips. Even though he aims for joking, the mention of Tria’s psychotic ex has anger blazing in his eyes.

I lean against the back of Ruby’s Camaro, still trying to wrap my head around this mess.

“Care if I use your pisser?” Kode asks, walking toward the house.

“Just have Ruby or Krysta point you in the right direction,” I say with a shrug, not reminding him it isn’t my house.

As he walks by, Maverick crosses his arms over his chest.

“You know this is bad, right?” I ask him. “Even though Cassie is denying she saw anything, the guy has two cracked ribs and a broken nose. Not to mention all the bruises. If this goes to court—”

“It won’t,” Maverick interrupts, shrugging. He sounds way too confident.

“What’d you do?”

He glances toward the door then back at me. “I did the one thing people hate for rich people to do; I paid to make the problem go away.”

Ruby is going to kill him… That is, if I don’t kill him first.

“You gave that twisted son of a bitch money? After he hurt Krysta?”

Maverick’s lips thin. “She’s not one of us, Corbin. We’re Sterlings with nothing but years of prestige and social status on our side. We’d get away with something like this, and no one would even question us.”

“So we’ll use our influence to sway everyone’s opinion. You’re right; We’re fucking Sterlings. And she is one of us.”