Glass Heart Hero: A Dark High School Romance by Lindsey Iler (read with me .TXT) 📗

“You’re in charge of your own bullshit. I have a team ready to handle mine.”

“We’ll need to call William.” I glance at Dixon, and he nods.

“As soon as we’re out of here, I’ll call him.”

“How involved is Delaney?” I ask the question that really matters. “Will she be present for any of this?”

“Aww! How cute! You’re worried about my girl.” Tripp flits about the room, landing on a spot and propping his foot up against the cracked plaster. “After the vile things I’ve done to her body, I don’t know why you’d want her anymore.”

“It’s funny, because I pegged you for a vanilla-type guy. Missionary on Mondays, kind of thing. Doggy style on Saturday, if the girl’s real lucky.”

“Fuck you.” He shoves off the wall and comes toe-to-toe with me, alerting the rest of the boys to be ready, in case shit goes south quick.

“Don’t ever think you can use Delaney against me. You may have her in your bed now, but I can promise you, it won’t be long until she’s with me.”

“I guess we’ll see.” Tripp heads straight for the door, taunting me over his shoulder. “I have first pick. I’ll give you twenty-four-hour notice.”

Richards flinches at Marek, trying to prove something he’ll never succeed. Marek snatches him before he can walk away and punches him square across the jaw. Richards fumbles to the floor, and Patrick hustles to collect him. Blood trickles from his mouth.

“Don’t fuck with me, Richards. I’ll bury you,” Marek warns, growling at him when he lurches forward.

“Let’s go!” Tripp shouts. Irritation spikes his voice.

Headlights beam through the cracked windows, and the engines of sports cars echo in the night as they drive away. Once we know they’re long gone, we take a seat around the fire.

“So, I’ll ask again.” Dixon twirls his chair around, sitting and resting his arms on the high back. “What’s the plan?”

“We need to figure out a way to catch him off guard,” Marek commands.

“If we play personal and dirty, he’ll return it with the same force,” I explain.

“And that’s a problem, why? You want to win, right?” Dixon’s question catches me off-guard.

That’s what I want, sure, but it has nothing to do with winning. With this gauntlet, it doesn’t feel like there will ever be a true winner. At some point, we’re going to drive each other over the edge, and whoever is strong enough to hold on until the other drops to their demise is what’s important.

The idea of Tripp using my past against me has my blood heating and violently pumping through my veins. I’ve left pieces of myself so far in my past, that if he manages to dig up the truth, he may be able to break me.

“You’re afraid he’ll bring up your past?” Marek whispers.

“You have lots of skeletons in your closet, Break?” Dixon inquires. His eyes dart between Marek and me. “I thought this group didn’t keep secrets.”

“She’s something I simply don’t talk about.”

“Who is she?” Dixon asks.

“Brooke Davenport,” I whisper a name I haven’t heard or said in years. “My mom.”

“Oh.” Dixon has the decency to look away, noticing how uncomfortable I am at the mention of something I clearly try to keep hidden.

I jump up, fully prepared to run my ass out of here to avoid this conversation. “Enough with the emotions bullshit. We’ve got work to do.”

Except it doesn’t end there. Sleep refuses to come. Instead, I lie in bed, thinking about the one night that changed me. I was eight and that night altered everything about the man I am today.

******

“We aren’t on our turf anymore, Breaker,” Dixon singsongs, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

From the passenger seat, I stare out the window, scoping out the entrance to Hollow Hill Academy. Anything could greet us beyond these gates. I can handle whatever twisted game Tripp wants to play. I am fully aware of the type of guy he is, and he isn’t above using Delaney in ways that could end up hurting her. Not to mention, Palmer being here adds a whole different level of worry.

Greasing the security guard’s palm grants us easy entrance to the campus.

“You owe me two hundred dollars, by the way,” Marek says from the back seat, where Palmer is curled into his side, a sheen of nervousness painted on her face. She’s too stubborn to listen to us. All we asked is for her to stay back for this one until we can see what we are up against. Why am I not surprised that she refused to listen to either of us?

“A drop in the hat, my friend.” I wink at them, but when the truck veers off to the left, I straighten and glance around. “Looks like we’re here.”

Dixon parks in a nearly empty lot. This isn’t a big surprise. Everyone who lives on campus uses the student parking lot at the far end, closer to the dormitories.

Hollow Hill, our rival school, is the only other academy in the vicinity. I’ve been here a few times, but it has always been in the dead of night after meeting some of their students. These guys have mastered the art of the silent party that goes undetected. They’ll swoop in and swoop out before they’re busted.

I climb out of the truck, circling around to get acclimated.

Dixon kills the headlights and joins me. Marek holds Palmer’s hand protectively, helping her out. She stands shoulder to shoulder with me, gazing upwards, and with a single nod of her head, she gives me permission to deal with whatever is thrown at me, however I need.

We walk as a unit, heavy boots and heavier moods at what this prick will throw at me. I can handle almost anything. I’ve seen things no one ever should, lived through events that have proven what a sick sense of humor the universe has.

“It’s about damn time.” Someone creeps out from a dark line of trees. “Tripp was starting to think you chickened out.” He’s tall but not