#Rev (GearShark #2)(77)

Trent grinned and drank to their cheers. His eyes met mine over the rim of his red cup, and the fire at my back reflected off the gold flecks in his gaze. He took up position between me and B, leaning close to my ear. “Daniel is on academic probation. Couldn’t play today. Won’t be graduating.”

I sipped my beer. “I wondered why he wasn’t on the field.”

My little field trip into Daniel’s college record sure paid off a lot better than I thought. Hell, I had no idea the f*ck would have to defer graduation. Oh well. He deserved it. It was a shame, though, he wasn’t on the field to take a few hits today.

Trent caught my eye and lifted a brow, silently asking if I was responsible.

I smiled.

“Good game, loser.” Braeden butted into our private conversation. “How’d it feel to take a loss today?”

Trent laughed. “Strange. I’m used to being on the winning team.”

We all settled into a conversation, mostly about football, because you know, the NFL pros were in our presence. There was some smack talk about how bad we smoked the Omegas and, of course, some beer drinking.

I noticed Trent seemed to be drinking the same as I was tonight, as in not really. There was no way in hell I’d let my guard down around all these people. Especially with guys like Conner running around.

I’d yet to see him, but I knew Trent had. He was in the house, and I’d pretty much stayed out in the yard.

In a perfect world, it would have stayed like that.

We all know perfection in life is very rare.

Unless of course you’re a crispy, warm French fry dunked generously in Heinz ketchup.

Jack appeared, breaking into the circle where we all were standing. Trent was on instant alert. Must have been the wary look on Jack’s face.

“Thought you might wanna know,” Jack said, trying to keep his voice down, but it was a party and he wasn’t leaning close. So obviously, people could hear him. “Con’s in the house. He’s talking a lot… Saying some shit. Getting people riled up.”

Trent let out a curse. “He drunk?”

Jack nodded, grim. “Want me to handle it?”

“Nah, man.” Trent clapped him on the back. “It’s time I deal with him once and for all.”

Braeden was already starting for the house, Romeo right beside him. Trent turned to me. “Just stay here.”

I laughed.

Trent’s eyes stared unflinchingly into mine. “I’m not gonna lie in there.”

I stared unflinchingly back. “I don’t want you to.”

Trent measured me a second longer and then nodded. He walked right through the path B and Romeo were cutting, and I followed right behind. T was the first to walk in the back door of the house.

In here, the music was so loud it actually made my body vibrate. People danced all over, and there was a game of beer pong set up near the kitchen.

Trent went right through toward the main living space. It’s like he had radar for the guy, like he knew exactly where Conner would be.

The vibe the four of us gave off as we moved through the house got a lot of attention. All of us were impressive in height and build. I was the smallest, but I wasn’t so small I’d get lost in the crowd.

It was Romeo who garnered the most attention. He was intimidating when he wanted to be. His quiet power and blue-eyed stare were enough to make even the drunkest person sober enough to get the hell out of the way.

And Braeden… well, he simmered with temper. He was a hothead, had been since the day I’d met him. I knew he’d throw a punch. Hell, we’d exchanged a few ourselves.

Conner was in the center of the living room. His eyes were blackened from the hit I gladly delivered to his nose, and it was puffy and painful looking. Probably explained why he was self-medicating with the excess alcohol tonight. Maybe he was trying to dull away the pain of getting punched in the face.

He was talking animatedly to a group of mainly Omega members, but there were girls hanging on some of the guys, too.

Their gazes all shifted to Trent when he approached. Tension in the room spiked, and some people turned a wary eye.

“I hear you’re in here talking shit again, Conner,” Trent said, his voice icy and hard. He never talked to me like that. To anyone. “How many times have I told you if you got something to say, then say it to my face?”

Conner’s face screwed up into a mean look. His eyes swept toward the family standing at Trent’s back. “I see you brought backup.”

Trent shrugged one shoulder. “I know you like to fight in groups.”

Conner’s face paled.

Jack appeared, stepping around me, B, and Romeo and moving to stand near Trent and all the Omega brothers.

Conner sneered. “Had to run and tell, didn’t you?”

“I think maybe our president has a right to know what you’ve been saying about him. Don’t you?” Jack replied.

“He knows exactly what I’ve been saying about him,” Conner said. “He’s just too chicken shit to admit it.”

“Like you were too chicken shit to come at me in a fair fight?”

Conner laughed. “Your threats are getting old, Trent.”

“No threat. I think you’ve seen some action.” Trent raised his voice. Everyone around us grew quieter. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Romeo gesture for the music to be turned down.