Page 29 of Wicked Knight

“Will you be my best man?”

I point to myself. “Me?”

“Yeah, you. I’ve always felt that we have this unspoken bro code. Not that I’m casting Logan aside.” He cracks his knuckles and gives me an easy grin. “It’s just different with us.”

I’m already nodding before he finishes the explanation. “I get it, and I agree. It is different for us.” Maybe because we’ve both known what it was like to go beyond the darkness most people see. “I’d be honored to be your best man.”

His smile widens, and he looks relieved. “Thanks, bro. It means a lot.”

“I figured.”

He chuckles and leans forward, resting an elbow on his knee. “You’ll be happy to hear I’ve decided about football, too.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

I stare back at him. Although I’m smiling, my breath stalls. I prepared for the day when we may not be a unit anymore. This might be that moment.

Kade is a quarterback—the best, as in there’sno onelike him—he was scouted way more than me. Before the summer, he was deciding on whether to go with the Patriots or the Rams after graduation.

I’m focusing on the Patriots because the scouts have been good to me and it’s a great team. I was never contacted by the Rams, so I told Kade to follow his gut.

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense, boss.” I call him boss to tease him because he’s the leader of the group.

Kade throws his hands up. “I choose the Patriots.”

The breath I’m holding releases, loosening the tension in my gut. “Seriously? Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. I don’t think I’ve ever played football without you. I won’t start now. The Patriots are legendary, so let’s be legendary with them.”

He raises his fists to bump mine, and I oblige, feeling grateful for the one good piece of news.

“That sounds real good to me.”

“Good. So, now that my stuff is out of the way, let’s talk about you.”

I lift my shoulders into a shrug and pull out the last of my rollup from the inside of my pocket. “I’ve got so much shit floating around me. Take your pick, but I’m still in the same boat as the other week.” I grab my lighter, light up, and take a drag from the joint, inhaling the rusty smoke.

Kade’s shoulders slump. “I guess I won’t bother asking how you’re feeling about your old man being our new Lord Chancellor?”

“I like the idea as much as getting an STD.”

He laughs, then bites the inside of his lip. “You’re my boy, but fuck, your father is one nasty piece of work. I’ve been seeing a lot of him now that my dad’s back.”

“I imagine so.”

Kade had his own journey with his parents, who we all thought were dead.

Of the group, he got the good, caring parents, so we all felt bad for him during the years he grieved. It was a lot of years.

The truth of what happened to them came out just before the summer semester, and it was like he got his life back.

It made me realize how much I miss my mother and how much I hate the rocky relationship I have with my father. The latter will never change because my father and I are too much alike. We’re each other’s kryptonite. That’s why we can’t be around each other for too long.

“I guess that leads to Mackenzie. What are you doing about her?”

How should I answer that question? After bringing my friends up to speed on my disastrous past, they weren’t surprised I took over the contract and supported the idea. But I’ve been on my own when it comes to figuring out what to do next.

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