Page 64 of Crew
"I..." Race looked between us, eyes lingering on me and Cross. He moved back a step, his head lowered, almost in submission. "I wondered, but I didn't..."
Cross snapped his gaze back to him, sharpening once more.
"Wondered?" he bit out.
That was enough. I stepped forward, my hand touching Cross' arm lightly. We didn't need to have untruths dredged up, not yet, not when I wasn't ready to think about that either.
I cleared my throat. "If you're serious about the charity thing--"
"I am." His head lifted. "I really am. Tell me the amount, and I'll call my dad."
"That's for Taz, right?" Jordan spoke up.
"Yeah."
"Then come on, moneybags." He stepped forward, his arm coming around Race's shoulder again, but this time it was casual, like they truly were friends. He patted Race on the arm. "Let's you and me go and find the female Shaw. I'll help out with this charity thing."
He wasn't giving Race an option. He started walking him right back out, just a little more respectfully than the way he'd dragged him back here, and he winked at me as they went by.
Zellman watched them go, his hand twisting some of his curls before he turned to us. "Jordan's got a thing for your sis. I'm announcing it now before it becomes a problem." He held his hands up. "And don't go all dark Cross on me now. I won't take it like that guy. I'll just pop you in the face."
And he would. He'd get beaten up by Cross in the end, but to him it would be worth it.
I grinned, but I was relieved when that lightened the mood even more. Cross started asking questions, but Zellman wasn't answering.
He kept shaking his head, saying, "You have to ask Jordan," until Jordan himself came back. Alone.
Jordan gestured over his shoulder. "I left the new guy with Taz. She was cornered by the cheerleaders." He nodded at Zellman. "Sunday wants to know if you want to hook up tonight."
Zellman grunted. "Am I in a crew?" He stopped, squinting at me. "Are you still fighting with her? I thought that ended after the tire thing."
"What?"
"Never mind." He gave Jordan a thumbs-up. "I'm up, on, and in for whatever's going down tonight that has to with Sunday and being all sexual." He was starting to bounce up and down.
I grimaced at that thought, but remembered the other conversation from study hall. Sharing a look with Cross, I said, "Uh, guys?" I bobbed my head at Cross. "You want to loop them in on what else is going on with Ryerson? The bad one."
Jordan and Zellman snapped to attention.
This was crew business, and after Cross relayed Alex's latest antics, Jordan cursed.
"You serious? He's fucking proclaiming they're the biggest and baddest?"
Cross nodded, and then we all grew silent.
We weren't saying a word, but I knew what was going on.
We were the Wolf Crew. We were four, and we were fierce. We didn't need the numbers other crews took on, but what helped us all gel sometimes didn't make up for the fact that there were only four of us. If it came down to a war, we'd strap on and step up to the line, and we'd be smart about it. But prevention was always the first step.
Which meant someone had to talk to Alex. He was a hothead, and the best person to talk to him was Drake, which meant I was right back where I'd been earlier.
Me talking to him.
"Fuck."
Jordan sighed. "You know it's the best option."
But still.
