The Peer and the Puppet (When Rivals Play, #1) (63)

“Sorry,” a dark-haired girl mumbled as she sped by with her head down.

I was still staring after her when someone roared, “Louchana!”

A much bigger force stormed by me, and my eyes bucked as I watched the guy grab her by her hoodie. “Give it back,” I heard him growl.

“How did you find me?” she hissed. He didn’t respond and shoved his hands in her hoodie pockets.

“Um…should we do something?” Tyra questioned.

The girl seemed more annoyed than distressed, making it clear they knew each other. The guy found what he was looking for and headed our way with her hoodie still in his fist, forcing her down the sidewalk. I slipped my hand inside the pocket that held my phone so I could call the police if needed, but it was completely empty.

My phone and wallet were both gone.

Thinking they somehow fell out, I searched the sidewalk. Nothing. When I looked up, the dark-haired girl and the fuming guy now stood in front of us.

“This belongs to you.” It wasn’t a question, and sure enough, in his hand was my cell and wallet.

She picked my fucking pocket!

“Thanks…how did you know?”

“She does this a lot.” He glowered at the dirty girl who looked my age, possibly younger, but I couldn’t be sure with the dirt coating her face.

“Big fucking deal,” she said with a sneer. “I’m homeless, and I have a better phone, and her wallet only had forty bucks. What kind of rich kids are you?”

“Lou,” he warned.

For some reason, my heart pounded as I studied him. Why did he seem so familiar? He had brown hair, blue eyes, wore a distressed brown leather jacket, and a white T-shirt over his broad shoulders and blue jeans over his muscular legs. And he had this aura that promised a thrill if you dared get close.

“Her mom was a hotel maid,” Tyra volunteered, “and my dad coaches high school football. What makes you think we’re rich?”

“Been trailing you since the Pizzeria. If you’re not rich, your boyfriends definitely are.” A huge smile graced her face, and I was positive that under all that dirt was a beautiful girl. “Here they come, bestie, and man, do they looked pissed, but you can take them.” Her smug smile said she had zero doubt.

Sure enough, the guys stepped from the shop ready to do battle.

“We got a problem?” Vaughn questioned as he and Jamie surrounded them.

Louchana eyed them curiously while her friend stared directly at Ever and greeted him by a name that didn’t belong to him.

Who the hell is Danny Boy?

“Harlan,” Ever greeted back with a stiff nod of his head. I could tell by the sudden tension that running into this guy wasn’t a good thing.

Harlan made a point to look at each of us as if committing our faces to memory. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?”

Ever shifted, blocking me from view when Harlan’s gaze lingered. “Why would I do that?”

Harlan didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned around Ever and held out his hand. “I didn’t catch your name?”

I didn’t answer or shake his hand. It felt too much like a trap. He didn’t seem bothered by my rejection when he stood to his full height. He was just as tall as Ever, and judging by the lean muscle barely hidden by his clothes, just as powerful.

“You trained her well.”

“We’re going now.” Ever reached behind him and seized my hand. His grip was harsh, but I doubt he noticed, and I didn’t complain as he led me away.

“I’ll see you soon, Danny Boy!”

I glanced back, but Harlan was already walking in the opposite direction with Louchana at his side.

His head was bent as he listened to something she said, allowing me to see the tattoo peeking from beneath his jacket collar. Suddenly, the familiarity made sense. He had been at the abandoned building in Queens! If this Harlan guy was Exiled, that could only mean one thing.

Ever had just been made.





I NEEDED TO GET MY shit together. How could it be that in a city with over eight million people, I run into the one person eager to unmask me? Running into Wren was bad news, and every five seconds, I was looking over my shoulder. Jamie, knowing what running into Exiled could mean, was breaking every traffic law to get us back to Blackwood Keep.

“The way you guys were acting, you’d think that guy was part of the mob,” Tyra joked.

If only she knew how close to the truth she really was. When no one responded, she fell quiet. I could tell the encounter was still on her mind when she kept sneaking glances my way. I sighed and forced myself to relax for appearances. This was the last thing I needed. Someone else in my fucking business. Four hadn’t spoken since we left the city, and I preferred it that way. She had a great fucking birthday, so I mentally patted myself on the back and considered myself redeemed. After this, I could go back to pretending she didn’t exist and that I didn’t want seconds.

Jamie got us back to Blackwood Keep in record time. After dropping off Tyra and Vaughn, we made our way home with only music to drown out the tension. I knew Jamie was itching to question me about Wren, but he wouldn’t say anything in front of Four. No one knew about our deal, and I was keeping it that way. After hopping out of the Jeep, he shot me a look before disappearing inside the house. I peeked at Four lingering on the other side of the hood and twiddling her fucking fingers.