A Whole New Crowd(13)

Tray gestured to the door. “Take ‘em out.”

They were ushered from the room. As the rest filed behind them, no one complained about the early exit. Tray held back and crossed over to me. Ignoring Grayley’s presence beside me, he asked, “That was your ex?”

My throat had grown thick with emotion. I nodded. I didn’t want to deal with the questions at that moment. Tray seemed to understand. “Let’s go.” He grasped my hand and led the way, weaving through the crowd. We were out the door when Veronica stopped us again. She was even more unsteady on her high heels this time, if that was possible. “I called him. You know, Taryn, Brian’s been miserable. We all know it’s because of you. He wanted to know if you showed up.”

“You called him?”

“Yeah. I did. He loves you. It was the two of you. You guys were so…you guys are perfect together.”

“Yeah, except that we’re not.”

No one knew why we couldn’t be together, or no one cared to understand. Even now, Brian was still fighting against the guys holding him. He wanted to hurt the other guy, who had stopped resisting. He was wary now, his eyebrows bunched forward in concern. Brian yelled at him, “You ass punk. You touch her again and I’ll cut you.”

I sucked in a breath. Brian meant it.

Tray stood beside me, but I couldn’t look at him. I didn’t want to see any condemnation he might have for Brian. Forcing the tears back, I started down the stairs. “Brian.” He paused and turned to me. I said, “Stop it.”

“Taryn.”

“Stop.” He grimaced, hearing the pleading in my voice. “Please, just stop.” I wasn’t referencing just this night. Memories of our past came back to me. The nights I would crawl into his bed, how he took care of me. I felt them as if I were reliving them. His fighting. How he wanted to be a part of Jace’s lifestyle, how he wouldn’t listen to me when I begged him to stay away. Brian wasn’t Jace. Jace was smart and dangerous. Jace would survive no matter what, but Brian wouldn’t. He would get caught. He would go to jail, and I would lose him.

Flashbacks of our fights came to me. The hurt was there, every time he didn’t listen to me and went to buy more drugs. I couldn’t deal with it.

“Taryn,” he started.

The fight had left him, but I shook my head and went past him. I felt Tray beside me.

“Taryn,” Brian called after me.

I couldn’t. I just couldn’t face him. Any conversation with him always ended the same way. He would promise to change. He never did, and I would pick up the pieces. I couldn’t do that tonight, not this time.

I kept going, hugging myself. Tray never touched me. The sight of it would’ve enraged Brian again. I was relieved, but a part of me wanted it too. I shook my head. I couldn’t deal with Brian’s jealousy, not tonight anyway.

“TARYN!”

I turned and disappeared from his sight. Tray’s SUV blocked his view. When I got inside, he asked, “You okay?”

“No.”

He didn’t start the engine. Instead, he sat there and waited a few minutes. Then he asked, “What do you want to do?”

“Leave.”

He did as I asked. As we drove past the house, Brian was gone. I didn’t want to know where he had gone, but Grayley was still there. I told Tray to stop and rolled my window down. “Gray.”

Grayley approached the car. “Holy fuck, Tar.” He groaned, shaking his head. “Holy hell for fuck’s sake.”

“I didn’t know that was going to happen. I didn’t know someone would call him.”

Grayley was eyeing Tray, but he murmured, “Yeah, well, for what it’s worth, he’s been off the rails since you left him. Everyone’s on edge at school. That guy was one out of ten that he’s fought just this month.”

I shook my head. “I couldn't handle being with him anymore.”

“We know. He knows. I think that’s why he’s like a loose cannon more than normal lately. He can’t blame you for leaving. No one can.”

Those words should’ve made me feel better. They didn’t. “Will you watch him for me? Call me if anything bad happens to him?”

He nodded. “Yeah, sure. Another day in the life of a Lanser, huh?”

A sad laugh came from me. “Yeah.”

“Okay.” He leaned around me and said to Tray, “Take her home. Knowing Taryn, she’s ready to crash.”

“Thanks, Grayley.”

He nodded. A rueful smile graced his features and his eyes grew solemn. “Miss you around town, though.”

“Miss you too.”

He laughed and stepped back, then gestured to the road. “Get out of here, Matthews. I’ll call if I need to.”