Kingpin (Court University 2)

My dad arranged for Niko and me to be housed in Woodcreek University’s Grey Woods, which were about twenty miles outside of campus. Since the term had ended, no one would really be around the area for hiking or anything. There were also many cabins for rent, a good place for Niko… or I guessed for me to lie low, but still, I believed this whole thing was ridiculous. I understood the threat, obviously. It was a real one but what I didn’t understand was why the authorities were allowing my dad to put me away like the president’s daughter. Meanwhile, LJ, the real person in danger, was out there on the streets. He was basically helping my dad’s cases and being punished for it. His freedom was being used as a bargaining chip, and as far as I could see, my dad was only to gain from the scenario. Like I said, it helped his cases with LJ being out there and helping the police.

Things were obviously more complicated than I could see, but I couldn’t help but make things personal. Especially since things were personal. There were a lot of lives just being tossed around, and from what I understood, LJ hadn’t even been given access to his own family. He’d had to make up some excuse about staying on campus to take a summer class. Meanwhile, his family had no idea what was going on. They’d at least been given a police detail from what I understood. The detail was assigned to keep an eye on things, and Niko’s family got one too. Thank goodness.

As for me, Mom believed I was taking a summer class too and needed to focus. I couldn’t tell her anything else for her own safety, and gratefully, she hadn’t asked. She’d been doing really well lately, pretty much stopped her heavy drinking, and I didn’t want to mess any of her progress up. She was finally healing, so with all this going on, I made sure to keep close to the cuff for her sake. Dad arranged to have someone go over there too for me, but the police didn’t feel she was in any immediate danger. I was the main focus here, and my dad sure let me know it.

One really would have believed I was the president’s daughter the way my dad had things set up. The police were on rotation in the woods, about four squad cars coming and going. Though suffocating, I dealt with it. I really wanted to cooperate for LJ’s sake and his peace of mind. I got to talk to him during designated hours but not nearly enough for my liking.

A cool month passed by like this, time spent in the woods and with not many updates from LJ himself. He honestly couldn’t tell me much, not allowed, but one thing I did know was he’d been supposed to meet me out there around this time. When that deadline obviously came and went, I thought I’d lose it the next time I spoke to him.

“Just a bit longer,” he said today, his honeyed voice through the line while I sat by the window. I stared at the swaying trees, not much to see beyond that. Besides the cops, I had Niko, who, when he wasn’t bugging me about playing board games, was playing video games on the cabin’s flat screen. He was either doing that or upstairs in his room watching internet porn. I knew because I caught him a time or twelve.

The quarantine was obviously getting to him too.

Currently, the guy shot zombies in my ear, winking at me from the couch when I passed him a look. Despite being trapped together for over a month, we had bonded. I found out he made a mean grilled cheese sandwich.

Though smiling a little, I let out a sigh in the phone. “I’m not sure how much longer I can do this. I thought you’d be here days ago.”

“I know, and I will soon.” It was hard not to be wrapped up in that deep voice, a smile in it. “Actually, it should be sooner rather than later. The police have arranged a meeting with the Marvelli family. There’s a new head with Alexi in prison, and the police are assuring me whoever it is seems agreeable.”

“How agreeable?”

“I hope enough to not retaliate for their family member being thrown in prison.”

“Which wasn’t your fault.”

“I know, beauty queen.” Another smile in his voice that literally made me burn. I could just see it in front of me, touch it. “Billie?”

I leaned my head on the window sill. “Give me an exact date. You said you didn’t want to worry about me, but that’s all I do here.”

It was all I could do, not really much else to do.

A sigh on his head.

“How about I ask around about that today? And as soon as I hear something, you’ll be the first person I call.”

“Promise?”

A light chuckle. “I promise. I love you.”

Weeks of hearing him say that and the same smile still appeared on my face.

Tugging down my hair, I told him the same before hanging up, and Niko chose that moment to stretch out his wingspan.

He’d decided to wear less and less clothing during our time together, nothing but workout pants hanging low on his chiseled hips. But where most girls would probably swoon in this situation, this guy had become nothing but my younger brother. And since he watched porn in his free time instead of looking hotly at me like he used to, I could imagine the understanding was shared.

Grinning, he did a little gorilla thump when he tapped his balled fists against his chest. He really was a riot, and I shook my head at him. He pointed. “Time for lunch? I can make my famous grilled cheese.”

It really was about the only thing he could make, and since it was tasty, I didn’t complain.

Getting up, I stretched out myself. “I’m actually going to go for a jog I think. Stretch my legs.”

Absolute delight took over his face. He backed toward the stairs, shooting a thumb back. “Let me just go get changed. We’ll go together.”

“Yeah, that wasn’t an invitation,” I said, watching all that elation fall. I’d spent every waking hour with this guy. Even during my runs and I needed a break. I put my hair up in a ponytail. “We got the armed warriors outside, remember?” I stated, referring to the squad cars on constant rotation. “They’ll stalk me so you don’t have to.”

“Yeah, Jay totally would have my dick in a jar if I let you go by yourself.” He jogged backwards. “Just let me get my sneakers on. Two seconds.”

“Niko, come on—”