The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play, #1) (55)

“The Line will be here soon,” Vaughn informed. “You sure you want to do this?” I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but that was just Vaughn’s M.O. You wouldn’t know unless he wanted you to thanks to a father who raised him by using any weakness Vaughn showed against him.

Everyone, including Four, seemed to be holding their breath waiting for my answer. “I’m sure.”

No one wasted time heading for their vehicles once they had my answer. The ride to the tracks seemed shorter and a little grave. One would think I was headed to the gallows. Ironically, I was probably the only one not worried about me dying. No, my fears were focused elsewhere. There was a chance that Four would finally see past my glamour—the silver-spooned pomp with no balls and a big bank account. I wasn’t sure I was ready for that.

Too late to turn back now.

Twenty minutes later, suited up in some of the gear Vaughn kept in his car and with my muscles properly stretched, I did a couple of lunges. There was more I should have done, but I was ready to get the shit over with so I could figure out how I could possibly balance football and Exiled.

After I wrung Four’s neck of course.

Vaughn appeared by my side and clapped my back. “You ready?”

I eyed him for a moment and said, “You wanted to choose Barnes.”

He grunted and then smiled. “Still don’t know anyone who’s faster than you.”

“I haven’t trained in over a year.”

Vaughn shook his head. “You’re a natural.”

I couldn’t hide my surprise. “You want me to win?”

His expression turned grave. “I know how important it is that you find Fox. I want you back on the team, but I wouldn’t jeopardize that.”

I felt my shoulders sag. “Thanks, man.”

Vaughn suddenly looked uncomfortable. “We’re not going to, like, hug or anything, are we?”

“Get the fuck out of here,” I ordered while snickering.

“Fuck no! I want a front row seat to this.”

I shook my head at his eagerness. “I still think you chose wrong. Barnes had better odds.”

He rolled his eyes. “Barnes is lazy. He doesn’t push himself.”

I snorted. “He probably only joined the team to get laid.”

“Didn’t we all?” Vaughn countered.

Our laughter died when I caught sight of Four standing on the sideline. She was gripping the rail barring the dirt path parallel to the tracks as if her life depended on it. What she didn’t know was that after my nearly fatal attempt to outrun a train, I came back a few times that summer and ran the very path she stood on until I knew down to the last second how much time and distance I needed to not become windshield wiper fluid. When I smiled and winked at her, she turned her head away.

Vaughn noticed where my attention was directed and said, “What are you going to do about Archer challenging you?”

I paused as if considering my options, but I already knew what I was going to do from the moment she opened her sweet mouth. “I’m going to make her weep.”

“Excellent choice. I bet her tears taste like candy.”

I got into position. “Wasn’t the kind of weeping I was referring to.”

Vaughn backed onto the sideline with a lascivious smile. “I know.”

The Red Line sounded it’s horn as it passed a crossing a quarter-mile away, so one of the guys shouted the distance I would run and the time I needed to do it in. Then he warned me to get ready.

When the train was about two-hundred and fifty yards away, I blocked out everything after that and concentrated on breathing. Pretty soon, I had tunnel vision, and at the end of that tunnel was Four.

Like a rocket, I took off.




“That was insane!” Jamie praised.

I had beaten my time by twenty milliseconds with a heart-stopping fifteen yards separating me and the Red Line. That had only been five minutes ago, yet it seemed like an eternity as I waited for someone to tell me it was all a joke.

But no one did.

Vaughn had simply crossed his arms, looking smug, while Jamie gave me a play-by-play as if I weren’t the one to do it all.

Cooper, Kim, and Turner had simply left without a word or a handshake. So much for being a team player. They were just lucky I didn’t give a shit.

Four and her little friend had moved on, and it was taking every ounce of control I possessed not to follow her around town like a fucking stalker. I was pretty sure she had been the sole reason I’d gone to the damn bonfire in the first place. Vaughn and Jamie kept trying for my attention, but I couldn’t stop searching the damn tracks.

I should have told her to stay put. As tempting as it always was to push her limits, I could only do so much under the constant scrutiny of our classmates.

“Four left with Tyra…to bake a fucking cake.” Vaughn’s statement caused my head to snap in his direction, but he was staring down at his phone as he texted.

“Why the hell would they want to bake a cake at this time?” Jamie questioned.

Vaughn’s gaze lifted from his phone screen to meet mine. “Did you know that Four’s birthday is tomorrow?”

“What?”

“Bet that makes your dick hard, eh, cousin? Definitely got me pitching a tent.”