Nero (Made Men #1)(40)

“Yeah, way too fucking fair,” Vincent agreed.

Perfect, let’s all break necks. “Then we’ve got three fucking rounds of payback.”

Nero looked over at Elle sitting beside Chloe, whispering. He knew she was trying to comfort her. Nero was drawn to Elle by the way she protected Chloe. I just wish it didn’t mean becoming the target.

“She all right?” Amo asked him.

“Unfortunately, she takes hits too well.” He didn’t like how she could make a joke out of what had happened. She was probably happy it ended up hitting her.

Nero wasn’t okay with that.

“She’s some tough shit.” Vincent’s voice sounded proud.

“Yeah, I think the question is, will she be all right.” Nero noticed Chloe didn’t look quite as well.

Amo was definitely looking forward to the destruction about to come. “Let’s fucking find out.”

*

When Elle saw Chloe’s face, she ran to her side and sat down next to her on the bleachers.

“You okay, Chloe?”

Chloe’s face was a blank stare toward the floor. You would think there was nothing inside of her, but Elle knew she was fighting back her demons. Her hair was a curtain on the right side of her face; it killed Elle.

Chloe had actually been starting to become slightly comfortable. Elle noticed she had slept, eaten, and showed her face more in the passing days. Now it’s all gone to Hell.

When Chloe gave no response, Elle tried again.

“I’m fine. Just a little bump is all. You know, it wasn’t the worst thing that could happen to me. There’s a good thing in all this; they can’t get close to us clearly with these monsters.” Elle pointed to the guys talking a few feet away. “So, now they have to throw things at us. A milk carton, huh? That is totally cliché. I can’t believe the robots thought they’d take us down with that.” Elle knew Chloe appreciated a good joke.

When Chloe’s eyes glanced over at Elle, she knew she could break through.

“It could have been worse, you know?”

“How?” Chloe whispered back.

Elle smiled. She had gotten her to talk. “Well, the worst thing that could have happened from the whole thing was the milk carton could have busted. Chocolate milk is a bitch to get out.”

When Chloe attempted a smile, Elle relaxed.

“So, what do you think they’re going to do when they find out who threw it?” Elle looked up at the four guys staring at them.

“Something tells me I’d rather not know.” Chloe lowered her voice even more, not wanting them to know they were talking about them. “I thought Nero might have been crazy, but did you see Vincent? He has a multiple personality disorder that’s way worse than being bipolar.”

Elle kept her voice down, as well. I definitely don’t want them to hear. “I noticed that, too. He went from Brad Pitt to Rambo in two seconds.”

When Chloe let out a chuckle, Elle couldn’t help giggling with her.

Elle saw the boys walk over.

“Oh, crap, did they hear us?” Chloe asked nervously.

Elle looked at their pissed-the-hell-off faces. “Quick, act like you’re still upset.”

Elle saw Chloe’s head snap back down as the boys closed the gap.

Vincent sat down beside her and wrapped his arm around Elle’s shoulders. “How do you feel, sweetheart?”

Elle looked at Vincent’s baby-blue eyes. He was back to being Brad Pitt again. “Good. I kicked that chocolate milk’s ass, right?”

“Yeah, straight to the ground.” Vincent laughed.

Elle and Leo laughed with him and even Chloe let a laugh escape, but Nero and Amo didn’t think the joke was funny.

Vincent took the chance to ask Chloe, “And how are you, sweetheart?”

“I—I’m fine.” Elle couldn’t guess if she was still trying to play along that she was upset or couldn’t handle Vincent’s flirting.

“Would you two happen to have a feeling of who might have thrown it?” Elle wondered why Vincent was asking all the questions. When she looked at his pretty boy face, she found out why. He was trying to use his good looks and charms on them to find out what they wanted.

“Nope. Do you, Chloe?” Elle turned to Chloe, hoping she wouldn’t dare open her mouth, either.

“Me, either.” Chloe shook her head.

Vincent gave a smile. “How about, maybe I should start to ask someone?”

“Maybe a lunch lady saw. I’d start there.” Elle smiled back.

“I say we start with Sebastian,” Amo said.

“That the psycho from yesterday?” Leo asked.

“That’s him. Let’s get the girls back to class.” Nero sounded like the boys wouldn’t be heading back to class.

Elle reluctantly stood. She didn’t want to go to Spanish since she couldn’t keep an eye on him there.

Nero gave her a look to go on and start walking, but Elle needed them all to understand something.

“Listen, I’m going to say this, and I really hope you all listen. That was the first time since I started coming here they were too scared to show their faces. Usually, they stand right in my face and do whatever they’re going to do while the teachers look the other way.