The Heartbreakers

8.

A Deal With The Devils

Channing

MY DAYS ARE GETTINGbusier, especially since the state competitions are about to start.

We jump in the morning, either skydiving or BASE jumping and we train hard in the afternoons; because, believe me, to be able to skydive and have enough control over your body and your wingsuit to stay airborne and to execute figures and stunts, you need to be fucking fit.

So conditioning is just as important, if not even more so, than all the other shit. Especially if we want a chance in hell to beat the Angels.

And while Peyton and Jameson will be lifting in our basement gym today, I always wake up one hour early to do that, so I’m going to work on my agility and cardio by swimming a few lengths of our Olympic size pool.

I’m surprised to find my brothers sitting on the couch playing a shooter video game as I step into the living room on my way outside.

“Hey assholes,” I provoke them, stopping behind the couch and holding onto the ends of the towel I’m carrying around my neck. “Is this how we’re going to beat Penn and his team of entitled assholes? By killing zombies?”

As usual, Jameson doesn’t let my dig get to him, he just barks out a laugh as he kicks Peyton’s ass by killing way more targets than him.

My team captain on the other hand, throws the controller on the floor, growling with frustration. “Have you seen what a fuck up I was today? I didn’t stick one landing. Not one. I couldn’t glide to save my sorry ass either, it was like gravity worked extra hard to pull me down all morning. When it’s like this I’m way better off taking a breather. The way things are I’d probably pull something or drop the weights onto some vital organs.”

I’m about to ask him what the fuck is wrong with him, when Jameson precedes me with a question of his own.

“Nothing from Lenley yet?”

Peyton grabs his phone from the coffee table, checking his messages. “Nope. Nothing. Do you guys think I should call her?”

Ah, this is why Peyton’s out of sorts today; he’s thinking about the deal he offered Patrick DeLaurent’s daughter last night.

Jameson and I reply in unison. “No.”

My best friend is the first one to explain why he thinks calling isn’t a good idea. “Dude, wait for her to call. If you look too eager, you’ll give her all the power in this crazy arrangement you offered her.”

Peyton nervously runs a hand through his blond hair. “What the fuck are you talking about? If she accepts, we’ll be equal. We all get something out of this deal.”

Jameson shakes his head. “That’s what you think. You know how chicks are, right? If she thinks you want her that badly, she’s going to want to make you work for it.”

Peyton snorts, irritated. “That’s some fucking bullshit if I ever heard any! If she agrees, there’s going to be no chasing. And before you start with your mindfuck games I saw the way you were looking at her last night.”

I can’t help but agree with that point. “That’s true, J. I saw you putting the moves on her before Penn’s sister came to interrupt you.”

“I’m not saying I don’t want to fuck her,” he snaps. “Of course I do. She’s fucking hot. All I’m saying is that if she thinks we’re desperate, she’ll play hard to get. We want to be the ones in control at all times.”

Rather than arguing with Jameson about his obsession with control and power, Peyton turns to look at me.

“We know J is fucked up in the head and he’s probably already planning how he’ll make Lenley his sex slave, but what’s wrong with you? Why did you say I shouldn’t call her? Isn’t she hot enough for you?”

I fight the urge to snap my towel at him, he’s so fucking annoying when he doesn’t immediately get what he wants. “No, bro. She’s plenty hot. I just don’t understand why you offered her a deal that you know will piss off the Angels.”

The smirk on Peyton’s face doesn’t promise anything good. “Because it’s a win-win situation, Chan. Dad said we need to get off the paparazzi’s radars and clean up our image, right? Sticking to one girl will be just the way to do that. And as long as we’re careful not to be photographed with our hands up her skirt, or we make sure that only one of us is seen doing that, we’ll be golden. By sticking to one girl only, we’ll get off all summer,” he says ticking off items off his fingers. “We’ll save the time and effort to chase after pussy and to get rid of said pussy whenever we find a ‘clinger.’ And if we get to do all that with someone close to fuckface Penn? Win-win!”

Peyton’s obsession with Darrius Penn will be the death of him, mark my fucking words. “Ken didn’t just say to clean up our image. He also said no more fights with the Angels,” I remind him, because sometimes my best friend has selective hearing. “No more brawls, no more flipping them off when we win an event, no more provoking them. How is fucking Penn’s best friend deescalating a tense relationship with our rivals?”

He crosses his arms over his chest. “She might even be his best friend, but he rejected her. Remember what Lenley said to us last night? He rejected her twice! What kind of asshole goes out with one of his bestie’s girlfriends when he knows that the girl has been in love with him forever? Penn deserves to lose her and have his face rubbed all over it too. We’ll just be as discreet as possible in front of the press and trust me, Penn will be all for her involvement with us being a secret. He’s such an attention whore, do you think he wants everyone to know that he’s such a loser that his bestie and heir to the Angels’ fortune is fucking his rivals?”

I sigh. “What makes you think that Penn even cares? You said it yourself, he rejected her twice. Even though I agree that he deserves to have his balls cut off. Only an asshole would fuck one of his bestie’s closest friends after hearing that she’s always had feelings for him.”

Jameson is the one who answers my question, always looking at angles and studying people’s behavior. “Peyton’s right that Penn cares. He warned her to stay away from us, remember? Plus, you should’ve heard how fucking awful his sister was to Lenley. It was obvious that she was jealous of her friendship with Penn. So yeah, if we want to piss him off, fucking his best friend he’s so protective of, will do the job.”

I guess they’re right. “I just wish you let this shit between you and Penn go, dude,” I say.

Peyton’s jaw immediately tightens with fury. “Never! I’ll fucking let it go when the world knows that he’s a fucking loser and a cheat.”

We’ve had this conversation so many times, that I know what’s coming.

“He stole my place in the Angels. I would be in his place; I would be the Angels’ captain if Penn hadn’t messed with my wingsuit six years ago. He damaged it and made sure that I couldn’t even rent a replacement. My tryout was a disaster because of him!”

I don’t blame him for hating Penn, I just wish it wasn’t a total war. “I know, and you’re right that Penn is an asshole. But, dude, don’t you think you should beat him in the air rather than obsess with him like this?”

As expected, Peyton disagrees. “No. Not only did he damage my wingsuit, he tampered with my GPS and made sure I landed in the wrong fucking spot. He cheated me out of my spot on the team and came to gloat about it later. Because of him, that year I wasn’t selected by any team not just the Angels.”

I’m still not sure that he isn’t starting something that will come to bite him in the ass later. “I know Penn fucked you over, dude. But are you sure that fucking his bestie is the way to go?”

He nods. “We won’t just fuck her, Chan. When we’re done with her, she’ll know how to make a dick explode in seconds. Penn will have no hope against her. He already cares about her and when she knows what to do in the sack, Penn will come begging. He’ll find her irresistible and he’ll feel the urge to steal what’s ours. That’s when she’ll crush him. She’ll tell him that he’s a loser with a tiny dick and to go to hell.”

There’s no arguing with Peyton when he’s made up his mind. “What if he doesn’t care.”

As expected, Peyton shakes his head. “He cares, trust me.”

“What if she doesn’t want him anymore and tries to cling to us?”