Little Hoodlum (Hood River Hoodlums Book 2) Page 3

  “She sent me a card,” Jace says. “Wrote me a poem.”

  The big, mean ass motherfucker’s jaw clenches like he’s holding back emotion. “She’s just a little girl, but her words are big, man. They fuck with my head.” He scrubs at his face in frustration. “I did wrong by those kids.”

  I nod because we both know it’s true. But I don’t have much room to talk. I fucked them over too. We’ve got that in common.

  “Roux’s a good kid. I miss them.”

  “You’re gonna get out of here real soon, Jordy, and then it’s up to you to keep looking after them.” His words are part plea, part threat. “I’m counting on you.”

  He slaps me on the shoulder and then saunters off to his crew. I head for the kitchen to check in before José hands me my ass. Before I make it there, Deke and two other guys appear in the doorway. Deke’s face is bruised and swollen thanks to Jace.

  Fuck.

  “You’re Juno’s brother?” Deke asks, his fat lip curled up, eyeing me up like I’m a piece of shit.

  “Yep.”

  He cracks his neck. “Lucky asshole.”

  I shrug, waiting for him to get to the fucking point.

  “Word is you’re getting outta here.” His brow lifts in question. “That true?”

  “Not that it’s any of your goddamn business, but yeah.”

  He runs his tongue over his teeth, his dark eyes glinting. “Juno asked me to give you a message.”

  I brace myself. My brother is a sadistic fucker. I have the scars to prove it. If Deke thinks he’s going to kick my ass, he’s wildly mistaken. Cracking my knuckles, I never take my eyes off this dickhead.

  “My boy said for you to come see him. He’s gonna take care of you.”

  Fuck that.

  “Is that all?” I grunt out.

  His grin turns wolfish. “He said you’d probably give me shit about it and if you did, to tell you that you don’t have a fuckin’ choice.”

  “Yeah, man. Got your message loud and clear.”

  “I told her to suck my dick,” Terrence says, laughing. “And this bitch squats down in front of my desk like she’s gonna fucking do it.”

  “Did she suck it?” Roan asks.

  “Fuck no because Miss Sanchez is a cockblocker. Eleanor lied and told her she dropped her pencil when Miss Sanchez asked her what she was doing.” He shakes his head. “I would’ve let her too. Who the hell turns down getting their dick sucked?”

  Roan laughs because that fucker never says no to head. I’ve walked in on Sidney blowing him more times than I care to. For only being sixteen, he gets more head than most grown-ass men. The dude has game, that’s for sure.

  “You know who I want to suck my dick?” Cal asks from his lawn chair, sprawled out on it like he’s the king of the damn public pool.

  “Ms. Frazier?” I laugh when he throws his flip-flop at me.

  “No, but not gonna lie,” Cal says with a wicked smirk, “I’d be into it.”

  We all groan because just thinking about our principal on her knees sucking dick is enough to give me nightmares.

  “Nah, I was thinking that girl in art class with the big fuckin’ attitude,” Cal says. “Moaning Lisa.”

  We all chuckle.

  “No one wants to see you get a boner over this shit, man,” Terrence gripes and dumps his Coke into Cal’s lap, snorting with laughter.

  Cal jumps to his feet and sways, drunk from whatever liquor he managed to smuggle into the pool. He’s pissed, fisting his hands like he’s going to level Terrence’s ass.

  “She doesn’t want your pencil dick,” Terrence says, backing away.

  “I don’t have a pencil dick and you know it.”

  “No one wants to hear about your threesomes,” I groan.

  “Do you do each other?” Roan asks, taunting them. “Who tops? I think Terrence looks like he tops.”

  Cal starts bitching out Roan now, but my eyes are on the gate. Roan’s twelve-year-old sister, Roux, has just been dropped off by Ms. Frazier and is walking toward us, her backpack slung over her shoulder. Roux’s a cool kid. Her home life is shit, but she has us and we look after her. Sometimes, she looks so fucking sad, though. It kills me. I know it kills Roan too.

  Today, she’s frowning and her shoulders are hunched. Something’s wrong. If her idiot brother wasn’t in a shoving match with Cal’s drunk ass, he’d notice. I rise, ready to yank apart these idiots, when Cal storms past Roan right toward Roux.

  She looks up, realizes his intent, and darts her amber eyes my way. It happens in slow motion. Cal grabbing her arm and dragging her toward the deep end of the pool. I fucking leap over several loungers, dead set on killing his ass for touching her. I’m almost there when he shoves her into the water.

  “What the hell?” I snarl as Roan whizzes past me to jump into the water.

  Cal flashes me his stupid, arrogant smile and I lose it. My fist flies out before I can stop it. The second my hand hits his face, I know I’ve fucked up. The sickening pop brings clarity to the situation.

  “Jordy!” Roux squeaks out as she climbs out of the pool, drenched as fuck. “You punched Cal!”

  Terrence is gaping at us and Roan is frowning as he follows her out of the pool. Cal’s bleeding all over the fucking place.

  “You bwoke my nose,” Cal whines in a nasally voice, still swaying. “We were just horsing awound.”

  While Roan and Terrence tend to our drunk-ass friend, I swivel around to face Roux, who looks like a drowned rat.

  “You okay, Little Hoodlum?” I take her glasses from her hand and set them back on her nose. “Did he hurt you?”

  Her smile is sweet. “No, but you hurt him.”

  “Nobody fucks with you, Roux. I’ve got your back.”

  “Thanks,” she murmurs. She stares at the pool, frowning hard.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Now we don’t get to swim.”

  Guilt kicks me in the goddamn balls.

  “Oh shit,” I grunt out. “I can stay with you. They don’t need me.” I glance over my shoulder to look at Roan. “I can watch Roux while you deal with that fuckface.”

  Relief flashes in his eyes. “We’ll be back.”

  Once they’re gone, Roux sits down to pull off a worn, soaked tennis shoe. “I’m not a baby.”

  I stare down the little girl with the big coppery eyes. “Yeah, you are.”

  “I can swim and I can handle Cal. He’s always like that.”

  “I don’t like him or anyone putting their hands on you,” I bite out, anger bleeding into my tone. “I gotta protect you, Little Hoodlum.”

  She gives me a sassy look. “I guess you can be my bodyguard.”

  “Mouthy like your brother,” I tease. “Go get changed so we can swim.”

  Her grin makes all the dark, aching parts of myself light up with happiness. As she bounds off toward the restrooms, I can’t help but take her joke seriously. I’ll be her bodyguard and protect her. God only knows everyone besides Roan seems out to get her.

  I’ll be damned if I let anyone hurt her if I can help it.

  Even if it means breaking one of my best friends’ noses.

  I will protect her from everyone.

  Roux

  “Stay still,” Charlotte chides, blowing in my face.

  I laugh but obey my makeup artist. “Don’t make me look like a ho.”

  “The only ho that’ll be at the party is Tarrin.” She curls her lip up. “I swear she makes it her goal in life to fuck everyone she knows.”

  “I heard she fucked Mr. Banner.”

  “Ew, he’s married.”

  “She fucked Lucy’s boyfriend of three years. I don’t think she cares.”

  Charlotte brushes on some mascara, frowning hard. “If she even thinks about fucking Ryan, I’ll rip her ugly black extensions out of her hair.”

  “You think they’re extensions?”

  “I follow her on Insta. She hashtags some place that does hair extensions like
they’re going to notice her and somehow make her a famous influencer.” She starts swiping mascara on my other eyelashes. “Just because you call yourself an Instagram model, it doesn’t mean you’re actually a model.”

  “She’s pretty,” I say, playing devil’s advocate.

  “Until she opens her bitchy mouth.”

  “Instagram doesn’t have to hear her.”

  “Lucky them.”

  We both giggle.

  Tarrin Hopper is on the cheerleading squad with Charlotte. They pretend to like each other when they’re face to face, but they’re really arch nemeses. Tarrin, no matter how much makeup she cakes on or how many guys she sleeps with, will never be as popular as Charlotte. No one is. It comes naturally to her. Everyone loves Charlotte.

  “Who is this woman and what did you do with my kid sister?” Roan asks from the doorway.

  Charlotte recaps the mascara and hands me my glasses. “She looks hot, huh?”

  “I’m not allowed to weigh in on that statement,” Roan grumbles. But his worried gaze skims over my appearance, which means I do look hot enough that he thinks boys might try and steal my virginity.

  “Well, she is,” Charlotte sasses. “You and Hollis going to dinner?”

  It’s been almost a month since Roan forbade me to see Kayden. At first I was pissed, but then I decided what Roan doesn’t know won’t hurt him. I know he and Jordy won’t budge on the matter. So, rather than make waves, I just see Kayden in secret. Roan and Hollis are gone enough that they don’t know that Kayden still picks me up for school every day or that he’s still very much my boyfriend.

  “Nah,” Roan says. “Cal and Terrence are in town for the weekend. Thought we’d hit up Campfire Chaos.”

  Charlotte and I exchange an annoyed look. The guys may have started Campfire Chaos years ago, but once Roan, Cal, and Terrence all graduated, they stopped going. The school, however, did not. It’s a Hood River tradition now.

  It’s also where I planned to make out with Kayden all night.

  He’s going to be so pissed our plans are foiled.

  “Oh yeah?” I say lightly. “You’re not going to be bothered hanging out with a bunch of underage teens drinking beer?”

  “I gotta make sure those dumbasses like Cuntingham haven’t ruined our spot,” Roan says with a shoulder shrug.

  Right.

  I know my brother.

  His attempt to seem nonchalant doesn’t work on me. I know all his tells. He’s hiding something.

  “Ryan doesn’t like it when you call him Cuntingham,” Char says primly. “Don’t say that to him.”

  Roan snorts. “I’ve been calling them Cuntinghams for as long as I can remember. Sorry, kid, but I can’t change that.”

  He saunters out of my bedroom, leaving us alone. Charlotte huffs, sitting down on the bed beside me and making it bounce.

  “This isn’t good.” She bites on her bottom lip, shooting me a panicked look.

  “It’ll be fine. Roan and the guys are snotty brats anyway. They stick to themselves and don’t pay anyone else any mind. They’re not going to mess with us.”

  “It’s Ryan…” She sighs. “He hates Roan.”

  “Roan brings it on himself,” I joke.

  Her lips press firmly together. “Not for being an asshole. Because of me.”

  “What?”

  She stands and walks over to my mirror on the wall. Tonight she’s extra hot in a tight pair of dark jeans and an off-the-shoulder black sweater. Her golden-blond locks are wavy, hanging nearly to her butt. Char is perfect in every way.

  “Ryan thinks Roan wants me.”

  I scoff and shake my head. “You’re joking.”

  “I’m not.” She glances over her shoulder, her brows furrowing.

  “Why? Roan is gay. And married to your brother. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

  “You know how irrational Ryan can be.”

  “He’s possessive to a fault,” I grumble.

  She shoots me a hurt look. “Thanks for choosing my side on this.”

  “I’m not choosing Roan over you,” I mutter. “I just think Ryan is being a jealous dick. Roan has eyes only for Hollis. Besides, if Ryan trusted you, it shouldn’t matter if other guys think you’re pretty or flirt with you.”

  She scowls. “Let’s not go. We can just have a sleepover here.”

  All this makeup going to waste kind of sucks, but something in the worried glint in her eyes tells me it’ll be worth it.

  “Sure,” I say, standing and walking over to her. “We’ll rent movies and make popcorn. Just the two of us.”

  Her smile lights up the room. “Thank you. I need to call Ryan, though, and break the bad news.” She tugs her phone out of her pocket and dials. He answers on the first ring. “Hey, babe,” she chirps in her high-pitched cheerleader voice. “Say hey to Roux.”

  “Hey, Roux,” Ryan says.

  “Hi.”

  “Listen,” Charlotte says, a slight tremble in her voice. “Bad news. We can’t go out tonight.”

  Silence.

  I frown, wondering if they got disconnected. She waits patiently, her lips pursed together and her body tense.

  “No.”

  He finally speaks and the one word out of his mouth confuses me. Char swallows, dropping her eyes to the carpet.

  “I wish I could go, but I can’t,” she whispers. “I’m sorry, Ry.”

  “Take me off speakerphone,” he orders, his voice gruff with authority. “Now.”

  My hackles rise at the way he’s speaking to her. She won’t look at me as she mashes the button and brings the phone to her ear.

  “Yeah, okay, hold on.” She lifts her blue eyes that have dulled to look at me. “Roux, can you give us a moment?”

  I don’t want to leave, but she’s putting out anxious vibes that I don’t like. She definitely wants me to go. I rush out of the room, leaving her alone. The television is playing in Roan’s room and I can hear Hollis laughing. They could be watching television or doing gross married couple stuff that I don’t care to overhear. I make my way into the living room and sift through the mail. When I find a card from my dad, I smile. I rip it open and laugh at his sad attempt at a poem.

  Don’t boo hoo, little Roux.

  Daddy’ll watch over you.

  Every day. Every night. Even when you sleep.

  Daddy is always near.

  Love you, baby girl.

  I’ll write him back and tell him it was equal parts creepy and sweet. It’s been strange getting to know my father through letters. I revealed my poetry to him and he wrote me a ten-page letter praising me. It was nice to feel the love of a parent considering Mom never showered us with one ounce of it. Dad is making up for it, even from prison.

  I’m about to hang it on the fridge when I see the other letter.

  Also from the prison.

  Addressed to me.

  My blood runs cold as I pick it up. Jordy’s neat handwriting slices through the white paper, black and unforgiving. By the indentions in the envelope, I can tell he was angry when he wrote it.

  Crap.

  I know he talks to Roan, but how could he possibly know I’m still seeing Kayden? I’ve kept it on the down-low, playing it off to Kayden that my brother is just overprotective and doesn’t want me to date at all. If he knew the real reason, he’d be upset.

  With a defeated sigh, I open the letter. My heart stops in my chest.

  Little Hoodlum,

  I wasn’t fucking kidding. People talk. His people talk. And most of his people are locked up here with me. When I get out of here, I’ll follow you all over that fucking town if it means you’ll stay away from that piece of shit. Don’t test me. I’m a monster and you know it. I’ll show you how big of an asshole I can be.

  J

  I’m so infuriated, my hand shakes, making the paper crackle. Tears threaten, but I refuse to let them fall and ruin Charlotte’s hard work. Instead, I pull some paper out of the drawer and
pen him a letter back while I’m still angry. A tear leaks out, smearing the ink, but I swipe it away and scribble more furious words.

  Screw him.

  He lost his chance to be my other big brother when he gave us up.

  This is my life.

  I fold up the letter and carry it with me back to my bedroom. When I push inside, Charlotte is rummaging in her purse.

  “Everything okay?”

  She nods absently at me as she tosses a pill in her mouth. I hand her a bottle of water on my nightstand. After she swallows it down, she glances over at me. Her blue eyes are empty. Not sad or angry. Vacant.

  “Char,” I murmur, taking her hand. “What did he say?”

  “Oh, the usual,” she says in a flippant tone. “You messed up your makeup.”

  I groan when she motions for me to sit down. While she works me over, adding more makeup to fix the smudges I made, I stare at my best friend. With each passing second, her eyes grow glassy and she relaxes.

  “What did you take earlier?” I ask, my voice small.

  Guilt shines in her eyes. “What?”

  “The pill. Wasn’t for a headache, was it?”

  Her sculpted brows furrow. “One of Hollis’s anxiety pills. Is that okay with you, Dr. Hirsch?”

  I flinch at her tone. “Yeah. I was just making sure you’re okay.”

  “I’m fine,” she says in a cheery tone. “Now let’s find you something hot to wear. And since our brothers are going to be there, let’s make them wish they weren’t.”

  The party is in full swing. Campfire Chaos is always the same. A bunch of horny drunk teenagers all trying to show off by how much they can drink and not die. It’s where Kayden likes to act like he’s the entertainment of the party, making everyone laugh with his stories. It’s where Ryan gets in a fight with at least someone every time, just so he can prove to everyone he’s the most badass person here. It’s where girls like Tarrin dress like skanks and openly give blowjobs to any guy with a working dick, no matter who’s watching.

  And, tonight, it’s where three of the original Hoodlums sit on the cabin porch like kings. Hollis sits at Roan’s side like Jordy once did. The four of them are like gods. Arrogant. Bossy. Rude. Not to me. I’m a Hoodlum too, though a little one. But to everyone else, they’re such assholes.