Page 17 of Wicked Games

Fuck… now Ireallywanted her to do it. I was actually getting hard at the mental image.

Mere seconds before she reached me, Hudson Calloway intercepted her. I’d known the dude since middle school, but we’d never been friends. He and his baseball team buddies were all colossal douchebags, and coming from a guy likeme,that was really saying something.

I turned my attention back to Carey and clocked her expression and body language as Hudson leaned down to talk to her. She seemed to have shrunk several inches, and the pure rage from a moment ago had morphed into a look that was a combination of sickness and terror. I’d seen that look on enough girls’ faces when they were around certain guys to know what it meant.

Shit.

I strode over and planted my body in front of Carey, blocking Hudson’s access to her. “Fuck off, Calloway.”

He lifted his palms, eyes crinkling with amusement as his mouth stretched into a lazy grin. “Jesus, Mav, calm down. I’m just chatting to my friend,” he said in a smarmy tone that made me want to break his fucking jaw. “She your girlfriend or something?”

“It’s Maverick to you. Leave her alone.”

His shit-eating grin faded. “What the hell is your problem, man? I can talk to whoever I want.”

“She’s not your friend and she doesn’t want to talk to you. Now fuck off.”

Hudson scowled. “You don’t own this place. You can’t dictate who—”

My hand shot out to grab his striped black and red tie, yanking it backward to cut off his airway. His eyes bulged, and he put his hands up again. “Fuck, man,stop,” he choked out. “I was… I was just kidding. I’ll go.”

I knew he’d cave instantly when I grabbed him. I had three inches and at least twenty-five pounds on him. Weak little bitch.

I dropped his tie and shoved him in the chest. “Do what I fucking say next time,” I snarled. “And stay the hell away from Carey.”

“Yeah, whatever,” he muttered, rubbing his throat. With that, he stepped away. I was pleased to note that he didn’t look in Carey’s direction again. Not even a brief sideways glance.

I turned to face her. “What did he do to you?” I asked in a low voice. My hands itched to rub the side of her arms, but I knew it wouldn’t be appropriate. Besides, it wasn’t my job to comfort her. We weren’t friends. We were nothing.

She swallowed audibly. “Nothing. He was just talking to me,” she replied. She wouldn’t meet my eyes, but I could still see the emotions swirling inside hers. Fear, despondency, defeat.

“I don’t meannow.I mean in the past. What did he do?” I demanded. “Did he hurt you?”

Carey finally looked up at me. “Not exactly,” she said, voice barely above a whisper. “But… I think he might be planning something.”

“What do you mean?”

She opened her mouth to respond. Then she suddenly seemed to realize who she was speaking to, and she straightened her shoulders and set her jaw. “It doesn’t matter. I have to go.”

She took a step away, and I tapped her on the back. “Wait. Don’t you have something to say to me?”

She looked at me over her shoulder. “Why would I have anything to say to you?”

“Because you were storming over to me a minute ago with a pretty clear look of intent on your face. So what is it?” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “What were you going to say?”

Carey hesitated. Then her shoulders sagged all over again. “Nothing,” she murmured. “Don’t worry about it.”

With that, she darted away, shoulders still hunched over and head facing downward.

I watched her go with a frown, endlessly curious about what had happened between her and Hudson. She said he didn’t hurt her, which was my original assumption, but whatever it was, it was bad enough to distract her from her fury toward me over the humiliating Insta prank I’d pulled on her.

Did she and Hudson date and have a bad breakup? Did he use her for sex?

Did they evenknoweach other before she came to Babylon? They were from two totally different worlds. What were the odds that they’d run into each other if they weren’t attending the same school?

I frowned, mulling it over. Then it occurred to me. Of course they could’ve met before Carey started attending this school. Hudson had lived all his life in Babylon, just like me, and Carey was from Oakfield, which was only a twenty-minute drive inland. They could’ve met at an event somewhere. Had a fling. Maybe even a full-on relationship that ended badly.

Nah, that’s not it.

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