Page 122 of Crew
"Like Z said, Cross, you've been spending a lot of time with Bren lately. I mean, like, a lot."
"What are you getting at?" Cross asked. His hand clenched into a fist, but he kept it on the seat between us.
I itched to take it, to soothe that frustration out, but I couldn't. A rock had fully lodged in my chest. It was pressing against my sternum.
"I'm getting that you probably don't know what I'm going to say."
"What?" Cross demanded. "Get at your point, Jordan. I don't like being yanked around."
Z hissed, "Just tell them."
Jordan paused a beat. "Taz."
There was silence for another beat.
"What?!" Cross jerked forward.
"Race Ryerson is dating your sister. Taz."
I... Nope. I had no words or thoughts. I... Nope. I still didn't.
"That guy is with my sister? How do you know?"
"We saw 'em at the movies last night."
Zellman shifted again so his back was against his door. "They were holding hands when they left."
"We followed them to the country club in Fallen Crest," Jordan said. "He took her to dinner there."
Zellman nodded with every word Jordan said. "Yeah, like, literally wined and dined her, and he took her there. Of all places. The richest pricks' place in Fallen Crest." He nodded to Cross. "Might want to check her, make sure her head's not getting big if she's hanging at spots like that. Though I gotta say, if I were him, I'd go with Taz as a second option too. Who else is he going to tap? Monica's still hung up on Cross. B was his first choice, and I'm tapping Sunday. Taz is good quality. She's girlfriend material. I can see why he picked her."
"Could you stop using the word tap and my sister in the same sentence?" Cross' eyes narrowed. "He probably took her there because he knew none of our crew would be there."
"Sorry," Z said to Cross. "The dude's rich, isn't he?" he asked me. "His dad owns a Harley store?"
I shrugged. I didn't care. I was more worried about Cross. "You didn't know?"
"Every free moment I have, I'm with you, but she has been asking about you." He gave me a meaningful look, and I flashed back to our conversation at Tuesday Tits.
"Maybe it wasn't all about the charity thing."
"What charity thing?" Z's eyes darted between us.
"I don't know yet."
I could feel Jordan's attention. He'd dropped the bomb. He was waiting for it to detonate.
I glanced to Cross. It was his sister.
He clenched his jaw and sat back, looking out the window.
His silence was telling.
"Let's lay off it," I told Jordan. "How far till we get wherever we're going?"
He'd been studying Cross in the mirror, but looked at the clock on the dashboard. "I think another hour."
This ride wasn't going to get any better.
