Wild Card by Ashley Munoz

Chapter Ten

Information wasa form of currency in this school. If you went off my bank account, I’d be considered practically destitute. Every penny I made, I either used for rent or gas or sent back home to Kyle to help with bills. My mom would never take my money, but she was either going to lose the house my father had built for her, or she was going to take my help in the form of Kyle intervening. But, if you went based off the number of favors people owed me and information I had on people, I was rich as fuck.

I ignored the way the group of players locked their jaws and squared their shoulders as I passed by them. They’d heard one version of what had happened between Elias and me over a year ago and decided to start up shit, spreading rumors about me. I was fine with that; it only added to my credentials as a hardened criminal, so people didn’t double-cross me when they fed me information.

“Frankenstein.” One of them coughed the name into their hands, and I withheld the urge to trip the fucker.

Once I knew they were gone, I stretched my hand at my side, feeling the familiar ache. It only made me want my revenge all that much more. Walking down the east hallway toward my philosophy class, I threw my backpack down and slouched in the back row. A few girls passed, flirting with their eyes and batting their lashes. It wasn’t uncommon for one of them to drop into the seats around me so when class was over, they’d be the first to walk out with me. It was a boring routine, and honestly it didn’t hold much appeal. It wasn’t like I dated a ton…I didn’t have time to date, or to even hook up.

Shit, the last time I had gotten anywhere close to hooking up was when I was in that room with the girl who wasn’t Taylor Beck. Thinking of her made me remember her little appearance in the parking lot the other night. I had no idea how or why she’d come to be in my parking lot, but I didn’t like it. The idea that someone had put their hands on her, had mussed that hair…it just…well, fuck, it bothered me and I had no idea why. I didn’t know the girl, had been a prick to her when I essentially kicked her out of the room. Then with the way I talked to her in the parking lot…

But there was something about her that felt…just different. Something like freshly cut grass, the leather on a baseball, and home.

“Finally,” my friend Juan said accusingly as he sank into the desk next to mine.

I laughed at his comment and dipped down to open my backpack.

“Finally what? You’re the one who’s late.”

He eyed the front of the room before peeking over his shoulder. “You missed like the last three days of class—what in the heck happened?”

My family happened. Elias changing plans and punching my kid brother happened. Working my ass off so my mom didn’t lose her house happened.

“Not much, just picking up a few extra shifts.” Not that he’d understand that. I heard his parents owned several restaurant chains and he was rich. I hadn’t known Juan for very long, just the length of this course, which had started back in January. He was cool to talk to, he liked sports, and he didn’t bullshit. I knew he lived around my apartments too, but we’d yet to hang outside of class.

“Well, Flynn Rider has been in a mood. I’m glad you’re back,” he joked, lowering his voice to a whisper.

I smirked at the use of our teacher’s beloved nickname from some Disney movie, then looked over at him and noticed he was barely dressed. He had on a pair of sweats with a hockey emblem on them, the one for our local team, the Hornets. He wore black Adidas sandals with socks and a large black hoodie, and even his hair was mussed like he’d just woken up.

“Did you just wake up?” I laughed because it was almost noon.

“Dude, my two best friends wrangled me into a TV marathon last night. They wanted to watch this new series on Netflix, and I should have told them no, but they made a seven-layer dip.”

My shoulders shook with laughter while I leaned forward, arranging my notebook in front of me. “Sounds like your friends are chicks, and if they’re single then you should definitely invite me to the next marathon night.”

Mr. Flynn started handing out sheets of paper, talking about the quiz at the end of the week while Juan leaned closer.

“I make it a point not to know if they’re dating anyone, although one of them seems to have a pesky habit of getting herself into trouble. Either way, they’re both handfuls—I think I’ll spare you.”

I laughed once more and considered again the red-haired beauty from the night at the Devils’ house. I needed to stop thinking about her. Instead I needed to focus my efforts on the girl who’d stood me—Elias—up. I needed to go see Daniel, deal in the only currency I had plenty of, and find Taylor Beck.

* * *

I openedthe front door of the team house, hearing laughter echo up from the basement. My freshman and sophomore year had been spent down there, drinking, playing pool, and organizing card games with everyone else. After Dad’s accident, everything changed, and it just didn’t hold the same appeal—not to mention that some of the team now liked to fuck around by calling me names.

I walked toward the kitchen, looking for Marcus. I needed to know if anyone was talking about the last card game, the fact that Elias hadn’t shown up…or if they knew I had. It was no secret that I hadn’t gone to one since the incident with Elias.

There, nursing a beer while sliding his thumb along the screen of his phone, was my best friend. Dark ink wrapped around his equally dark skin, a stark reminder of why he was usually the one the ladies hit on when we went out. He stood a few inches taller than me and, regardless of the monikers the sports bloggers gave him, was genuinely a nice person. He’d helped me open more cans of beer, water bottles, and Gatorades after my accident than anyone should have to, worried that I wouldn’t stay properly hydrated. He had even made meals for both of us, acting like it was part of one of his courses…but he was full of shit. He just wanted to make sure I was fed.

“Baby D.” He smiled.

I rolled my eyes at the nickname he had for me. He had started calling me that our freshman year when we faced off against a team and another player nearly dwarfed me. Marcus thought it was hilarious how tall the dude was, and since my name started with D, he began calling me baby D.

“What are you up to?” I leaned in with my hand for a shake and a quick slap on the back. His classes were sporadic enough that our schedules didn’t match up often.

“Just making appearances.” He looked around, making sure no one overheard him.

I nodded. “Same here.” I looked around, seeing one of the underclassmen walk past with his phone up to his ear. As members of the team, we may have been provided special allowances to live outside of the house, but we were required to show up, to show our solidarity and, for lack of better words, team spirit.

The owners wanted to cultivate a brotherhood on the team. For generations, they had successfully done so, weaving a network of loyalty and unwavering dedication. Once a Devil, always a Devil; they took care of you as long as you followed the rules.

“I need to know something, man.” I reached over, grabbing a beer and keeping my gaze on the entrance to the kitchen.

Marcus tipped his head, encouraging me to continue.

“Anyone talking about the card game…or what happened to E?”

Two players walked in and opened the fridge, describing a chick’s chest in graphic detail, then grabbed two beers and headed out.

“A few are. Said the wrong girl showed up…once E said it was your little brother who fucked up his little brother, no one really questioned anything, but I don’t know if they’re curious about the girl who showed up. She wasn’t authorized to be down there.”

No shit.

I hadn’t told Marcus of my plan to be down there that night, taking Elias’s spot, setting up the car accident with my little brother so Elias’s Mom would call, nagging him to drive over to Pinehurst to check on him. The plan was supposed to be for Elias to get stuck on that call for thirty minutes then explain why he couldn’t go. By then he’d walk in on me fucking this girl he’d handpicked, and I’d walk away with a smile on my face.

All of it had gone to hell.

“No one is dropping names?” I asked, popping the lid off my glass bottle.

Marcus took a big swig of his, shaking his head. “Other than the accident between your bro and E’s, no.”

Relief nearly made my shoulders visibly sag. The longer he didn’t start putting things together, the longer I had to make my own plans.

“You running a deal?” My best friend quirked a curious brow.

I smiled at him. “You know I don’t run those anymore.”

“I do know that. I also know your family history, and the very fact that E is still alive tells me you’re saving something for him.”

Dude knew me better than I thought. I watched my feet, not answering him.

“Just be careful. Don’t get caught. You’re already in enough shit with Coach and the team since last year. You don’t want any more attention on you. Just finish the season, get your Devils status, and then get the fuck out of here.”

I nodded, because he was right. That was the plan: keep my head low, get my secured spot on the team so I’d have it for the rest of my life, and then get out. I just had one last thing to finish up before I did.

“Yeah, I’m good, man. I’m not running anything,” I replied easily, tossing the bottle cap in the garbage can.

Marcus smirked, following suit with his cap. “Something tells me you’re full of shit, brother.”

He wasn’t wrong, but I couldn’t find it in me to care.