A Whole New Crowd (A Whole New Crowd 1)

I peeked through my window-blinds, but didn’t see his car. Great. Just great.

“Okay.” I sighed. “Thanks for giving me the heads-up.”

He hesitated on the other end, but said, “Good luck. Do you want me to come? I can hop in my car real quick.”

“No.” I shook my head, even though he couldn’t see. “I’ll handle it. I’m not alone.” Glancing over my shoulder, I saw more than ten cars parked outside of the house. These weren’t the people I wanted Brian around. They wouldn’t understand he had a heart or how he wanted to be like his father so much, or how he was so envious of Jace who had known their father before he died. They wouldn’t see past his anger to the hurt that was the real fire sparking everything.

They would only judge him.

A hollow ache formed in me as I dialed Jace’s number.

“Hey, Terry.” He was somber.

“I heard.” It’s all I had to say. We both knew this side of Brian. “He’s coming here?”

“Yeah. He was getting fired up again and didn’t take it too well when I told him to stay away from you.”

I closed my eyes. It had been what I wanted, but it had been the wrong person saying that to him. This was on me. “I thought you were the right person to talk to him about this. I didn’t think he would listen to anyone else.”

“He wouldn’t, except our dad, but he’s gone so what do you do?” A static sound came over the phone and he said, “Look.” He had pulled away from the phone, but came back to it, speaking clearly again. “I couldn’t come after him or I would’ve. The cops are here. You know they’re looking for any excuse with me.”

“I know. He’s coming to me. I’ll handle him.”

“Terry,” I heard the same hesitation from him as well, “Brian’s never hurt you, but he’s not handling your break-up well. Are you with people?”

“I am.” They would only see the angry and ugly Brian. “I might have to call the cops, Jace, or someone else will. Mandy has people here. You know these people; they don’t understand.”

“I know. Listen, I sent a few men. Just stall Brian until they get there. They’ll handle him. Brian wants into my organization. Remind him of that. If he acts up, if he gets pinched, he can’t get in.”

A different terror formed alongside that ache. Brian wanted in? That meant… I whispered, “Jace, no.”

“No, I know. I’m not letting him. He’s a hothead, but he’s a good kid. Don’t worry, but if you have to use something to get him to calm down, use it. If he gets pinched, you don’t know what the cops will say to him. They’ll turn him against me and if that happens…”

He didn’t finish the sentence and I didn’t want him to. I didn’t want to hear about that other world. I was trying to leave it. “I’ll take care of him. I gotta go.” Jace said something more, but I hung up and stuffed my phone into my pocket. Hurrying through the house, I went to my room and took out my locked box. I hadn’t unlocked it for months, but this was a moment I had to. Pulling a long-sleeve shirt on, I took out my Taser from the box and put the box back in its hidden spot. As I went back outside to wait, I slipped the Taser inside my sleeve. I used a strap to secure it, but it was within reach if I needed it.

Then I sat on the curb and waited.

My heart was pounding.

I didn’t have to wait long. I heard Brian’s car screech around the corner and slam to a stop right in front of mine.

Part of me wanted to hop in and tell him to go to a park. We could hash it out there, but Jace’s guys were coming to the house and wouldn’t know where we went. So I braced myself when Brian slammed his door shut and strode to me.

Oh yeah. He was in a rage.

“You bitch!” he snarled, crossing the street.

I stood up, but held firm. I would stand my ground. “Brian.”

“You told Jace to handle me? Jace!” His snarl deepened to a scowl, but I saw the hurt behind it. “Are you sleeping with him? First Evans and now him? My brother?” His top lip curved higher. He said, “You whor—”

I kneed him in the balls. “No one talks to me like that.”

He doubled over, but twisted so he could see me. “You’re a bitch.”

My sympathy was gone. “And you’re crazy.”

He flinched. The storm came back over his face and he tried to straighten. He had more to say, but then he groaned and bent back over.