Deploy, Part One (Rawlings #1)(8)

To make matters worse, for the first thirteen weeks, no one but Declan would even know Nolan was loose in the world, or the direction in which he’d gone.

“Hold up, Murdock. I’m riding with you!” some ass yelled through the locker room.

Just the sound of his name busted Declan’s thought bubble and brought him right back ‘round to the drama that had happened before.

The idea that Murdock had caused even one tear to fall from Justice’s blue eyes was enough to tighten every muscle the hot shower was loosening.

Declan waited until he didn’t hear any booming voices echoing in the locker room before he killed the water. He didn’t care for the conversation any stragglers would want. Without the water running, it was eerily quiet, but he could have sworn he heard wind far away.

When he unzipped Nolan’s ‘storm survival’ bag he shook his head and did his best not to grin. There were clothes inside, a few bottles of water, a flashlight or two, but there was also beer, a few loose long necks, a box of condoms, and three bags of beef jerky. Right as he pulled on his shirt, his phone vibrated. The text was from Nolan.

You left?

’Bout to.

You’re screwed and tattooed now. Dad said stay there storms r popping up—ones not far from u.

Fuck, Declan thought as a flustered sigh left him.

After loading Nolan’s bag with his dirty clothes, he slung it over his shoulder and edged toward the front part of the underground locker room. You could get to it from the gym, or the fields. The gym was locked; he’d already checked when he thought to get his hat out of his locker. Through the dugout was the only way. The other field exits were locked up for the season.

He looked down every aisle then went in the next locker room. Not a soul was left but him.

He glanced to his phone as it went off again.

Just drive my truck into the dugout real quick like.

Right.

For real though, take cover. It’s going to be a long night. Nolan texted.

Right.

You get wigged just text, f*ck a storm I’ll always have your back, bro.

Declan shook his head, doing his best to stifle a grin.

Six days.

Just to see how bad it was Declan walked toward the dugouts. He felt the wind long before he approached it, and he could see the mix of the setting sun and a gray wall of clouds merging, beautiful and downright threatening.

Within the wind he heard an odd vibration. He glanced to his phone, knowing it wasn’t coming from it then he took a few steps back wondering what the wind was moving. Behind the dugouts there were hallways, ones where extra gear was stored. Sitting on the floor, with an open book and headphones in her ears was Justice Rose. Looking blameless as ever.

Declan’s lips parted slightly in mere shock. He glanced out at the storm clouds in the distance, then her. Not good, he thought as his fist clenched. Her and him alone in the past had done nothing but jack with his head, which was exactly what Tobias and been trying to get right for months.

Justice’s phone was against the wall vibrating, a sound she couldn’t hear over her headphones. Either that or she was ignoring it on purpose. He knew if his dad had told him to stay put it was no joke. Chasen Rawlings did not coddle his boys, which meant Declan getting Justice all the way out to her place was not safe.

She was trapped in a cage with a lion; only she didn’t know it yet.

Justice’s legs were stretched out before her, tan and long, a dark blue summer dress that had little red roses all over highlighted the tint of her lips, especially the bottom lip that she was biting at the moment.

She did that when she read, he’d noticed. She also twirled the very tips of her dark, blonde locks that were forever braided, usually pulled over her shoulder. It was a loose braid, relaxed, relaxed enough that Declan found himself staring at the innocent curls that would cling to her neck, a neck that begged to be kissed, as he breathed her sweet scent in.

Declan clenched his jaw, furious at himself. Only this girl made him think this way. Others? He proudly wore his ‘hit it and quit it’ badge—no strings. He was too young and had too hard of a road before him for ties like her. In the past he’d driven himself mad about her when they lived in the same town. If she was his and he was away—yeah, not good.

Then why are you thinking about it? his thoughts scorned.

He quickly reminded himself that girls could wake up one day and decide they’d rather not be where they are and hit the road—he’d be damned if he would live with that fear. Hell no, he’d never be as broken as his father was years back. This notion of his had successfully made sure no one girl had ever uttered the words, “I’m Declan Rawlings’ girl.”

All at once she looked up. Her gaze slowly dipped over him as a full body blush spread across her ivory skin. Justice gave him a sweet smile as she reached to pull her headphones out, her phone had long since stopped ringing.

“Hi,” she said shyly.

This is bad, he thought to himself. The same one word had landed them in a world of trouble in the past.

He nodded at her book. “Is this your thing? Whip out a novel when hurricanes whistle by?” Talk about taking apathy to the extreme...

She reddened even more then glanced down and looked up at him from under her long lashes. “Just waiting on my ride.”

Declan lifted a brow as a pissed smirk emerged on his lips. He knew she was waiting on Murdock, had to be, and that ass was long gone. “I’m the last one out.”