Whatever It Takes (Bad Reputation Duet #1)(19)

He captures my gaze. “I doused some asshole’s door with pig’s blood.” His voice is edged and chilling.

My face begins to fall.

“No way.” Nathan gawks.

I straighten in my seat. “Yeah?” I ask, more curious. “Where’s that asshole now?” What’d he do to you? I really want to ask.

Loren shakes his head and shrugs. “I don’t know. That shit is long gone, man.” His voice tries to soften, but his tone mostly cuts me inside out. “You’re going to leave prep school and you’re going to take your mistakes with you.” He looks at my bottle. “You can stay here if you hand that over and don’t cause any commotion. Otherwise, you have to go.”

“We’ll go,” John says before I can decide. He nods to me. “Let’s buy that six-pack and head to the elementary school playground.”

I don’t think I can drink anymore without puking. Not because I reached my limit—I just feel like I’ve digested something that doesn’t go well with vodka or beer.

But I don’t want to be alone right now.

So I rise with all of my friends. As I near Loren to exit, I look him over. I’m so fucking conflicted about everything—about who this guy is. About what he just offered. Take it.

And then I lose all of my friends. They’re never going to back down. They have this stupid prank set up, one that involves gargoyle masks. They’re not going to stop in favor of getting free comics or a rock climbing lesson.

I don’t want to be alone.

But I don’t want to be here either.

What escape do I really have?

I think short-term, and I shove the bottle in Loren’s hands. “Here, you won’t be such a pussy if you drink.” If I push him away, then he’ll make my decision for me. He’ll revoke his offer.

He doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t even look mildly pissed. He just says, “If that’s what you think.” He tosses the bottle in the nearby trash.

I’m stunned for a second. I had my first beer at twelve. You’re a man now, kid, Davis told me and rubbed my head. My dad laughed.

In this moment, Loren Hale looks and acts more like a man than I do, and I was holding a fucking handle of vodka. I have no fucking clue what’s rolling around inside of me.

I can’t look at him anymore. Rubbing my mouth with a shaking hand, I pull my hoodie back, and the door chimes as I push through, catching up to Nathan.

When I glance back at the store window, I see that girl—the one with the braid and worn overalls. I see her stand up and approach Loren Hale.

I nod to myself. Good for her. She finally found him. And she didn’t need me to do it.





7 BACK THEN – September


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania





WILLOW MOORE

Age 17





“Loren?” I ask in a soft, timid voice. I scoot around Ryke Meadows.

Both brothers are so tall that I have to tilt my head back and look up. Maybe if they were shorter, I wouldn’t be nervous. Maybe if they weren’t famous. Maybe if I didn’t know more about them than they know about me. Maybe if they weren’t the current focus of every teenage girl in Superheroes & Scones.

If all of that changed, maybe it’d be easier.

My heart thuds harder and beats faster—their gazes suddenly zeroed in on me. Looking down while I look up. I can’t really unmask their expressions. Ryke is stiff and unmoving while Loren shakes his head a little, his eyes flitting over my awkward frame.

I truly feel seventeen. I truly feel like Loren’s little sister.

Please let him believe so too. I made it this far—I made it to him. It only took almost a month of scavenging Philadelphia for Loren Hale, and the closest I came before today was a house party that amounted to a beer-stained shirt and mortification.

It took me a solid five-minutes to even climb out of my car and enter that house, my first ever high school party, mind you.

I felt in the way. I never knew where to stand, where to scoot to, and even then, I bumped four or five elbows and shoulders. I left with my stomach twisted like a pretzel. And it solidified what I’ve always known: Willow Moore is not meant for high school parties. I’m just not built to live through them.

Fast forward to today: My bank account is creeping close to just $50, barely enough for another night in a Philadelphia motel. I’ve already spent five nights in my car to save money, and my last hope was staking out Superheroes & Scones. Which proved to be the winning strategy, even though I always thought it was a long shot.

But I’ve found him.

Loren Hale is standing right in front of me.

Now for the hardest part. I open my mouth and adjust my backpack on my shoulder with a sweaty palm. “Hi,” I say. I lick my lips repeatedly. Hi—is that really all you have, Willow?

I had more planned, I think. I just—I’m looking at my brother. This is the second time I’ve met him, and I start to see a greater resemblance between us.

We have the same light brown hair. I subconsciously touch my nose.

We have the same slender nose—

Ryke’s rough but sincere voice breaks my concentration. “Do you want an autograph or a picture or something?”

I try to meet his expression, but he raises his eyebrows at me like, we can get anything for you. Oh my God. I immediately look away and push my glasses up. “No…thanks.” I cough a little to hide my nerves, but maybe that just makes it worse.