The Play (Briar U, #3)(73)

“You tell me.”

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Really? Because rumor has it you were out with Demi on Monday night.” Barely concealed rage reddens his face. His fists are clenched at his sides.

Nico’s friends creep forward. Not close enough to pose a physical threat, but enough that my shoulders snap into a rigid line.

“Yeah, we went to Malone’s for a drink.” I omit the part where Demi was going there to meet another guy. Nico is already on edge.

“I heard it was more than a drink.” His voice trembles with anger. “Heard you got thrown in lockup together.”

Fuck’s sake.

I open my mouth to respond, but Nico hisses like a venomous snake. “Heard you got pulled over with your dick in her mouth.”

“That’s not what happened.” My tone is calm, even.

“You feel like a big man, Davenport, disrespecting my girl like that?”

“I’m not disrespecting anyone—”

He’s still talking. “Using her? Forcing her to blow you?”

“I didn’t force her.” I quickly amend that when I realize what it implies. “Nothing happened, man. It was a misunderstanding, and the cops let us go. But even if something did happen, you’d have no right to be pissed. You guys aren’t together anymore.”

“We’re not together right now,” he qualifies. “We’ll get back together. We always do.”

“Is that so,” I drawl.

“You don’t know a damn thing about our history.”

“I know you cheated on her at a frat party.”

Nico’s eyes flash. “She tell you that?”

“Nah, I saw you, man.”

A brief silence travels between us. Then Nico hisses again. “Wait, it was you? You’re the asshole who told her about the chick at the party?”

“What the hell does it matter? She was going to find out anyway, Nico. She was already going to find out about your other screw-up because you’re too stupid to delete a Wi-Fi password.”

“Who the fuck you calling stupid?”

He charges at me, and I dodge him, taking several steps back. “I’m just saying, you did this to yourself. If you want someone to blame, go look in the mirror.”

“You ratted me out.” Nico glances over his shoulder at his buddies, each of whom has his arms crossed. “This puta ratted me out, can you believe that? You’re a real prick, Davenport.”

“I’m the prick? You cheated on your girlfriend.”

“You broke the bro code,” he spits back.

“You’re not my bro.” I take another backward step. “Are we done here?”

Before I can blink, his arm shoots out. He grabs the collar of my winter coat, tugging me toward him. His face is inches from mine, the white puffs of his alcohol-scented breath chilling my face.

“Nico,” I warn.

A spiteful smile stretches across his angry face. Beyond his shoulders, I spy his buddies closing in on us.

“Get your hands off me,” I say in a deadly voice.

His smile widens. “Or what?”





23





Hunter





“The way I see it, there’s five of us and only one of you.” Nico chuckles, his dark eyes glinting with impending violence. “Sure, you’re the hockey guy. I bet you can fight real good. But can you take all five of us?”

I know I can’t. I glance toward Matt’s front door. It’s closed, and the pulsing music thudding in the house tells me that even if I shouted for backup, nobody would hear me. My best hope is that someone decides to brave the early December chill, come out to smoke a cigarette or a joint, and throw me an assist.

But what I’d prefer happen is that I defuse this bomb before it goes off in the first place.

“Look, Nico. You seem like a cool guy. You made a mistake, and there’s no need for violence, okay? Even if I didn’t tell Demi about the party, she would’ve found out through her friend. But you’re right—what I did went against the bro code. I should’ve kept my mouth shut.”

“Damn right you should have.”

“So I’m sorry for that, okay? With that said, you really need to take your hands off me.” Adrenaline is already surging in my bloodstream. Nico’s right—hockey players are no strangers to fighting. I’ve gotten into scraps on the ice, and off of it. I can hold my own in most physical confrontations.

But not when it’s five against one.

“Sorry, jock boy, but you’re not getting off that easy.” Nico chuckles.

“For chrissake, man, you’re gonna punish me when you’re the moron who cheated on your woman—”

The first blow cuts me off and sends my head rearing back. His fist crunches against my jaw, a jolt of pain shooting down my neck. Just as I straighten out, two of his buddies are suddenly behind me, locking my arms behind my back. Presenting me like a juicy carcass to a pissed-off hyena.

Nico cracks the knuckles of his right hand, then the left. “All I’m saying is, us men need to stick together. And the fuckers who don’t, deserve to get their ass whupped.”