Page 46 of Brazen Criminals

Bryce decided I needed to be rescued from the guys

So he came, grabbed me, dislocated my fucking shoulder, and was summarily pummeled into the mud

Yup. It doesn’t make any more sense the second time. Apparently, Bryce has lost his mind. That’s new.

I sigh and decide to make a different list, one filled with questions I stand the chance of answering:

Why did Bryce think the guys were dangerous? He’s delusional, but I heard a hint of truth, and after watching Trips, I have a feeling there is a reason Bryce thinks that. What rumors have I missed about these guys?

As we were leaving, the guys wiped the spectators’ phones. It’s like they planned for this eventuality. That’s not normal. It’s just not.

Jansen knows how to fix a dislocated shoulder. He’s a philosophy major. This also doesn’t add up.

There’s a knock on my door. “It’s open,” I call.

RJ slips in, a sling tucked under one arm, and crosses the room to perch on the other pink chair. “How’s the arm?”

“It hurts.”

He grimaces at the sling in his hands, his nostrils flaring again. He looks up, meeting my eyes, the intensity steel between us. “You know this isn’t the end. He’ll be back.”

The urge to look away is strong, but the steel rivets me, locking me in place. I swallow. “I want to argue, but you’re probably right.”

“Will you let us help you?”

I shrug. “How? You dislocated his thumb. Trips probably just sent him to the hospital. I could get a restraining order, but I don’t really see how that would help.”

RJ tilts his head, his curls tipping from one side to the other, exaggerating the movement. “We can do more. We can end this, but I don’t want to do any more without your permission. This could kill his chances of becoming a doctor. We can ruin his reputation, his friendships, his grades. If you let us, we will grind him into the ground. He’ll be alive, but he’ll wish he wasn’t. It will be vicious, and it will be invisible. It won’t come back on you or us. But I won’t do it unless you tell me to. None of us will.”

And there is question number four—who the fuck are these guys?

I break my eyes from RJ to look at my rumpled bed across the room. My pulse beats in my shoulder—I’ll probably have to go to the doctor for an x-ray. I won’t be able to run for at least a week because of the pain. Is it worth ruining Bryce’s whole life, though?

I imagine heading out at night by myself, walking home from a party, or closing the coffee shop. He’ll come and find me, I know it. He’ll show up as soon as he’s well enough to get to me. My heart rate spikes. Sweat blooms on my brow. I don’t think I want to walk around by myself anymore.

I blink tears out of my eyes—Bryce stole my freedom. All because I pulled away from the stifling rules and expectations of a life with him. My adventure’s barely started, and it’s already over.

I’m not ready for it to be over. I don’t want to watch over my shoulder, waiting for Bryce to grab me, to haul me off. I want the space, the time for this tender, new, joyful me to bloom.

Shifting toward RJ, I run my fingers along the hem of my shorts. He’s been letting me think, waiting for my decision. “How badly will this screw him over? I don’t want to hurt him. I just don’t want him to hurt me.”

RJ’s lips press together before he speaks. “I don’t know if we can stop him without some pain, Clara. He took two years from you, stole your joy, and now he wants more. He’s willing to hurt you, to snatch you from a public place while you’re surrounded by friends. I don’t want to halfway stop him, Clara. I want him gone. And I think deep down, that’s what you want too.”

I look down, my one good hand tapping on my thigh,one two three four five, one two three four five, over and over. My heart sinks a bit before I glance at RJ. “He won’t know it’s you guys? I don’t want you all caught in the middle.”

“He won’t even know he’s being targeted. He’s just going to have a shit ton of bad luck over the next month.”

I nod slowly. “Okay. Do it.”

RJ lets out a huge breath, a sad smile crossing his face. “Let’s get you bandaged up.” He helps me into the sling, his long fingers gentle as he adjusts the buckles and neck pad. He lifts my hair over my shoulder to settle the cushion in the right spot, his fingers warm on my neck.

I let out a sigh, even that small touch loosening some of the knots in my chest. There’s a knock, Walker leaning against the doorframe with a tray in one hand. RJ jolts and scrambles back, leaving me to finish getting the sling settled by myself.

RJ clears his throat, nodding at Walker in greeting. “Clara and I talked. Do you think it’s safe to get Jansen? We’re going hunting.”

Walker’s smile disappears. “Go check. Jansen looked worried, not terrified. Just don’t let Trips help. He’ll need another day at least.” The commanding voice he used when they grabbed people’s phones makes me squirm.

“Got it. I’ve got to—” RJ glances at me, regret tracing across his face. “—well, I…m-mean…” he stammers.

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