Page 61 of Tell Me It’s Right

But as soon as I climb into my truck, reality filters in.

I have a few hours to kill, so I swing by the skatepark between Casey’s school and the shop. It’s late enough in the morning that it’s busy—especially since it’s summer and most of the public schools are already on break. Poor Casey’s got a few more weeks though.

I stay in the parking lot beside the skatepark, frowning at the crowd. I never used to mind it, but when I’m trying to clear my head, it’s exhausting. A few guys I used to squeeze in sessions with are across the park, and I have half a mind to go catch up. They gave me shit a few weeks ago about never coming around with them anymore.

And maybe I would, if it weren’t for the group next to them.

I could spot my weaselly little brother anywhere with that ridiculous haircut. It’s shaved on both sides and stupidly long in the middle, but it somehow doesn’t budge in the breeze with all the hair gel he uses.

And standing beside him with his usual cocky, shit-eating grin is Miles. Asher says something, and Miles throws his head back with his laugh like he doesn’t have a care in the world.

He has no idea what happened to Gracie last night. Has no idea if she ever made it home, if she’s okay. Probably hasn’t given her a second thought since he kicked her out of his car. She could be lying dead out there for all he knows, and as long as he wouldn’t get blamed for it—as long as his dad could get him out of it—he wouldn’t care.

Everything that happens next is a blur.

There’s pain in my hand, and the sound of a car door slamming. I force my fist to release my keys enough to shove them in my pocket as I make short work of the distance.

I don’t plan to do it. I don’t plan to do anything at all.

I’m just moving. Moving and breathing hard and seeing blood dripping down Gracie’s terrified face and then?—

“Brooks!” Miles grins when I reach him, Asher having already skated off and leaving him alone for a moment. He frowns and glances at his watch. “The shop not open today?”

My fist lands square across his jaw. Someone gasps behind me as Miles goes down and lands on his hands and knees on the pavement. He doesn’t get up right away. When he does, he lifts a hand to his mouth. His tongue flicks out to lick his lip, and it’s stained bright red with blood. I can’t help but picture Gracie’s bloody mouth—but hers looked even worse than that.

I should’ve hit him harder.

He sighs, dropping the bullshit friendly act. “If this is about your receptionist?—”

“Her name is Gracie,” I say through my teeth. “And you don’t even know what happened to her after you left, do you?”

He blinks, and his eyebrows draw together, the first hint of concern finally coloring his expression. “Look, dude, I was fucked up that night. I wasn’t thinking clearly, and…”

I tune out whatever else he says. If he thought his words would calm me down, they had the opposite effect. Not only did he throw Gracie out on the side of the highway like some roadkill, but he was driving her while he was on drugs?

I grab the collar of his shirt in my fist, and he stares up at me, nostrils flared, but he doesn’t fight back.

“You could’ve killed her,” I say lowly. “Do you understand that?”

“Look, I don’t know what she told you?—”

“She didn’t have to tell me anything because I’m the one who found her on the side of the road, bleeding and half frozen to death. Not that you care. Not that you checked to see if she made it home last night.”

“Hey, Liam. What’s going on here?”

I don’t acknowledge Asher as he walks up to us.

“Nothing, man,” says Miles, that shit-eating grin back in place. “Stepped a little too far into your brother’s territory, apparently. If I’d known you were already fucking her, I never would’ve asked her out. It was a waste of a night anyway?—”

I shove him away roughly, and he trips over his board and lands hard on his ass. I should turn around now. I should walk away, get in the truck, andgo.

And maybe if he’d shown even an ounce of remorse, I would’ve.

“Liam,” warns Asher, who must recognize the look in my eyes. He tries to step between us, but I push him aside. Miles grins up at me from the ground like he’s fucking daring me to do it.

And God help me, I do.

Chapter Twenty-Two

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