Becky's mouth had dropped open. She was frozen in place.

More teachers were starting to push their way in and then I heard my dad's voice in the background. "What's going on? Let us through."

"Oh no—" I hurried up and started to push Mason into the crowd. "You have to go."

When we got to his Escalade, he smirked down at me. "Why? They'll say it was me. I knocked him out cold, Sam."

"You can leave. You might not get in trouble."

He rolled his eyes. "Are you serious? I'm not going anywhere. I'll face the firing squad here."

I sighed. "Do you know what you did?"

He turned back to the crowd, but shrugged. "I don't care."

"You attacked a student on school grounds. They could get you expelled from your school."

"Maybe." His jaw stiffened.

"Samantha!" my dad hollered.

I jerked around, but he hadn't spotted us yet. "Go, Mason. I mean it."

He shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Samantha!" David's voice was closer now. And then he broke through the crowd to us.

I turned to face my father, but I hissed behind me, "You could have you arrested."

David stopped in front of us and he placed both hands on his hips. He stared at me for a moment and then Mason before he took off his coach's hat and rubbed at his head. "Do you know what you've done, son?"

"Yes, sir."

My eyebrows went up when didn't see a smirk on his face and heard respect in his tone.

"Basey," David hollered behind him.

One of his assistant coaches popped up. "He'll be fine, sir. He'll come around. We just gotta get him inside."

My dad took a deep breath. "Alright, well, you heard him. Let's all head inside." He pointed at Mason. "You, go to the principal's office."

He nodded. "Sure…where's that at?"

"Sam?"

"Yeah, dad?"

"Take him to the principal's office."

"Sure thing."

"And do me another favor?"

I halted at the frustration in my dad's voice. "Yeah...?"

"Call your mother and his father." He turned around, but I heard him mutter, "This should be fun."

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

Mason and I were in an empty classroom. His head was bent down, cushioned by his arms and I was starting to wonder if he'd fallen asleep. He couldn't have. And then someone sped past the door, screeched to a halt, and backtracked to stand in the doorway. Logan greeted us with his arms spread wide and a bright smile on his face.

"One punch, Mase?" Logan laughed and launched himself on our table. "Next time I think you should get him to knock himself out."

"Logan, dude." Another guy followed him in, looking irritable. I recognized him from one of their parties. "You just took off. This place is bitch heaven, at least grace me with some bread crumbs."

"Ethan, chill. They're easy."

He grimaced. "I'm not talking about those; I'm talking about the dudes. They're all over. Their pants are pressed so tight I keep expecting to smell aromatherapy or whatever my mom sells with her scentsy stuff. They fart daisies. I know it."

Logan laughed and hit him in the backside of his head. Ethan shot away and glared again. His eyebrows rose at an alarming height.

Mason sighed and leaned back in his chair. "We've been cooped up here for four hours. Dad showed up after an hour and we were hauled back here."

Logan smirked. "Was he dressed to impress?"

"You know it. Remind 'em who brings the money in." He glanced at me. "Her mom had some lacey bridal dress on."

I glanced down and folded my arms. A stab of pain went through my gut when I remembered how Analise had pranced through my school's doorway. It'd been her second time to visit. The first time had been an event for David.

Both brothers shared a grin. "You're totally going to get off for this."

Ethan shared in their dark humor and grinned. "Isn't one punch considered assault or something? My cousin knocked a guy out cold. That dude had been harassing him and his girlfriend and my cousin got the rap for it."

Mason shrugged and stood. He started to pace. Even with his muscular physique, the gracefulness of his walk reminded me a lean panther trapped in a cage. He kept glancing at the open door. The bell had rung again and students passed by. I had stopped watching after awhile. Not one person went by that didn't look in. They all wanted to get a glimpse. We were on display at a human zoo.

I asked Logan, "Aren't you guys supposed to be in school? It's one in the afternoon."

"Yeah, right. I'm not going to be there when my brother's over here. Besides, coach sent me over." He nodded at Mason. "We have twofers for the rest of the week. He said you have to make them all, tonight too, if you're going to play."

Irritation flared over his face and he scowled. "Against Roussou? Of course I'm going to play. It's our second chance to beat them. I hate their quarterback."

"More than the Academy's?" Ethan joked.

Logan tipped his head back to cackle while Mason flexed his knuckles. "Whatever. I'm sick of this. I'm starting to wish I hadn't finished him."

Logan looked taken aback and thrust his hand out towards me. "Whatever. The guy's going to back down. He knows you can beat his—"

Ethan interjected, "One punch, mofo."

"—and now he might calm down. His panties are all twisted because of Sam anyway—"

"Hey!"

Ethan frowned at me.

"—but now he'll go away and lick his balls a bit. I think we should do it again to make sure he's down for the count and knows who is boss. What do you say? Hunt him down after we kill Roussou Friday night?"

Mason stopped and glared at him. He looked ready to bark something, but changed his mind and pointed to the door. "Ethan, leave."

He jerked his head up. "What?"

"Leave. Five minutes." Mason gestured to the door again.

Logan tossed his car keys at him. "Go get some sandwiches, I'm hungry."

"Are you kidding me?"

I lifted a hand. "Can you get me a latte?"

His mouth fell.

"See ya. Thanks." Logan chuckled and waved his fingers at him. "Family meeting, mofo."

He growled and then stomped out the door. As soon as he was gone, Logan folded his arms and stuck his chin out. "You've got the floor, Mason. Go ahead."

Mason threw him a dark look before he swiftly pivoted on his heel and pulled the door shut. As soon as it clicked in place, he was in Logan's face. "Are you kidding me? You want another go at this kid?"

"Yeah. I want to be there this time."

"Logan, this kid isn't some public student. He's Academy. His dad does business with ours. We can't keep fighting these pricks."

"Why not? He's a loser?"

"Because dad could suffer for what we're doing."

Logan rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. Dad owns this town. He's running half the state. He's got businesses all over the world. I don't think we need to worry about this kid." He gestured to me again. "Besides, you really like how he keeps sniffing around Sam? You know he's rallying to come back around with her again. I bet you anything he was going to try last night, but she shot him down."

"This isn't about Sam."

"Yeah, it is."

Mason stood in front of him and faced him squarely. "You're going to be selling that crap?"

Logan lifted his chest up. "Why wouldn't I? It's the truth."

"Then you're on his level. You want to see who has the biggest balls. Congratulations, Logan. I do. I punched him out."

Logan narrowed his eyes. "You're putting me on his level?"

Mason shoved his face against his. "I'll punch you out too."

Logan shoved him back and jumped off the desk. I braced myself, ready for round two, but Mason shook his head and backed away. "Grow up, Logan. It's fun and all, but dad's involved. You think this is good for him where he has to throw his weight around so I don't go to jail and you want to do it again? Pricks like this guy don't get bullied down."

The corner of Logan's mouth twitched. And then he exuded a deep breath and jumped to the floor. He shook his hands in front of him and seemed to be shaking something off. "Whatever. Fine. You're right."

Mason growled and crossed his arms over his chest. "Damn right I am. If I get out of this, we stay away from these guys for awhile, alright?" He tapped Logan's chest with a finger. "Okay?"

Logan shoved his finger away, but the corner of his mouth curved up. "Fine. You're usually right about these things, but man—I wanted to punch that kid. You don't know how hard it was to get that text that you knocked him out and I wasn't there."

"Take it out on Roussou Friday. Those guys are a better fight."

"Yeah, maybe."

They both fell into a shared silence and I held my breath. I was unsure what to say or if I wanted to break whatever camaraderie they'd fallen into. My hands were shaking and I tucked them under my legs, but I tried to quell my voice. "I don't really understand what just happened with you guys, but am I the only one worried about Mason here?"

Logan cracked a grin and he was back to his usual cocksure way. "He'll be fine. Dad will get him off. We need to more worry about your situation."

I shivered as I remembered the few times I had glimpsed when Miranda or any member of the Elite had walked past our doorway. If looks could kill…

"We can't do much about that." Mason shot me a brief look and I saw the apology in his eyes. "Mom's coming."

Logan shot up straight. "How do you know?"

"I texted her."

"Why? Dad can handle this."

"Yeah, but what if he can't. She's got better connections."

Logan expelled another breath and shook his head. "Oh man, you're playing with fire. Dad, Analise, and mom in the same room."

I lifted a hand. "And David…with my real dad maybe coming someday?"

"What are you talking about?" Logan shot Mason a look. "What is she talking about?"

He lifted a shoulder. "Her mom called her real dad. He might be coming."

"What? No. She's with us." Logan looked at me. "You're with us. You can't leave."

One of my eyebrows went up. "Uh…I wasn't planning on leaving. I don't even know who he is."

His shoulders relaxed. "Oh, good. I like having a sister that's banging my brother."

"And shut it with those references." Mason reached out and pushed him back a step. "I'm getting sick of it."

Logan's smile slipped and he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, sure. No problem."

No sooner had he uttered those words when the door opened again. We expected Ethan, but I sat up straight when David walked in. James and Analise came in behind him, but they rounded to the other side of the room while my dad stopped inside of the door.

James shared a look with Mason, but Analise kept fidgeting with her hands in front of her. She'd glance up every now and then and I followed her gaze the last time and my own widened as I sat up. Malinda Decraw had come inside and stood beside David. She touched his hand for a brief moment before he took a breath and stepped towards us. She remained behind him, but I couldn't get that touch out of my head. It was a sensual caress, one for comfort? Why was it so sensual? Why was she here?