Page 163 of Crew
"So what?" Alex demanded. "You want us to move to the street?" He pointed to some of his crew. They started for his cousin, who jumped back. "We can do that. Believe me."
One reached for Race, who batted his arm away. He jogged backward, his arms up, ready to swing.
"What are you doing, Alex?" I'd had enough.
Alex shook his head. "Fuck, Bren. Really?"
"You're at Cross' house." I held his gaze. "If we singled someone out at your house?" I paused a beat. "If we didn't clear it with you first? It's about respect, Alex. You're not showing it."
Alex closed his eyes. He took a calming breath.
When he spoke, his voice was gravelly, like he was just clinging to his sanity. "Are you fucking kidding me? He's my cousin. This is a family thing."
"Bullshit." Jordan laughed in disbelief. "You have most your crew here. To beat up one guy?" He gestured to the jocks behind us. "These motherfuckers are too chicken shit to do anything except watch. Thirty to one isn't a fair fight."
"They're not all here, and he's a fighter!" Alex countered. "He can defend himself."
"You're making your family fight a crew issue. You think I have my crew back me up if I fight my sister?"
Cross indicated Taz, who held balled fists up to her face. She was trembling, and Tabatha pushed her way through the crowd to her side. She wrapped her arm around her, pulling her close.
Alex shook his head. "Why are you involved? We'll go to the street if that's the issue." He snapped his fingers at Race. "Come on. You heard him. We gotta move." He turned to go. So did his crew.
Race didn't.
His hands rested on his hips, and he seemed to be concentrating on steadying his breathing. Sweat trickled down his face. He wiped at it, almost angrily.
Alex stopped, looking back. "You're not coming?"
Race let his head fall back, his Adam's apple jutting out. "What do you think?"
"So you're saying it has to be here?"
Race didn't comment, still trying to breathe evenly.
Alex pointed to him. "You heard him," he told Cross. "It has to be here or nowhere."
Cross stepped forward again. He was fully in the fight now, almost side by side with Race. He held up a hand. "You back the fuck up or this definitely isn't a family fight anymore."
The tension doubled, sweeping through everyone.
Alex sputtered out a curse, raking his hands through his hair. "You're going to make this a crew thing? We outnumber you."
A smirk fluttered over Cross' face before his mask returned. "You know how we feel about a challenge." He grinned. "It's the shit we live for."
We all moved to stand with Race.
If Alex came, he was coming at us.
"This is bullshit!" Alex threw his arms wide. "This is a family thing."
