Page 14 of My Bad Boy Valentine

“Knox Slater,” it drawled, dripping with an edge of menace.

I froze. Slowly, I turned to see a figure leaning against the side of the building, partially hidden in shadow. He wore a leather jacket with patches that made my stomach lurch. MC patches from my old crew. Or at least a rival affiliate of the group that once had ties to me. My heart pounded in my ears.

The man stepped into the dim glow of a nearby streetlamp. I recognized him—Gary “Spade” Milligan, a guy who’d been tangentially involved in the fiasco that led to my arrest. I thought he’d been locked up for longer. But apparently not.

“Spade,” I muttered, voice tense. “What are you doing in Hope Peak?”

He sneered, folding his arms over his chest. “Heard you were living the good life here, playing hero and caretaker. Thought maybe you forgot about the rest of us. Forgot about the debts that still stand.”

My anger rose. “I don’t owe you anything,” I said quietly. “We both served time. That’s the end of it.”

“End of it?” He gave a harsh laugh. “You got me locked up, you piece of shit. I lost years of my life while you found God or whatever fairy tale you’re spinning. And now you’re just prancing around, living free?” He spat on the ground. “Not how it works, Slater.”

I forced my fists to stay unclenched, remembering the vow I made. No more violence, no more settling things with a fight. “I’m done with that life, Spade. The MC, the drugs—none of that’s my business anymore. Get out of this town, or I’ll call the cops if you harass me or come near my family.

His eyes gleamed in the faint light. “Your family, huh? That pretty little sister of yours? Or the sweet piece of teacher tail you’ve been hooking up with?”

White-hot rage flared in my gut. “Don’t talk about them. Ever.”

Spade smirked, clearly enjoying the spark of fury in my eyes. “Touchy. Maybe I should pay them a visit, see how they like hearing the real story of what you did. You think you can just waltz away from everything that happened? You owe me, Slater. And I always collect.”

I took a step forward, my hands balled into fists at my sides. It took everything in me not to lash out physically. “I owe you nothing,” I growled. “You were as deep in that shit as I was. Hell, deeper. I’m not the reason you got busted. We both got locked up for the choices we made. Move on.”

He studied me in the muted darkness, face twisting with contempt. “You can act all righteous, but you’ll slip up sooner or later. Or maybe I’ll help you slip.”

My blood thundered. I wanted to smash his skull against the wall, prove he wasn’t the only one who could threaten. But that’s the old me. I gritted my teeth, stepping back instead. “Leave,” I ordered. “Final warning.”

Spade snorted, pushing off the wall. He backed away, hands raised in mock surrender. “Fine. I’ll be around, Slater. Don’t get too comfortable.” With a final sneer, he disappeared into the night, footsteps echoing on the pavement.

I stood there, seething, adrenaline pumping. My lungs felt tight, rage battling with a sick, cold fear.Damn it. I thought I’d escaped these ghosts. But they found me, and now they knew about Linzie and even Caroline. My stomach churned, heartpounding in alarm at the idea of them being targeted.I can’t let that happen.

After double-checking that Spade was gone, I locked up the garage, triple-checking the doors. The moment I entered my apartment upstairs, my phone vibrated with an incoming text from Caroline. My heart leapt, but after that confrontation, I didn’t want to drag her into my paranoia. I forced myself to breathe, reading her message:

Just thinking about you & Linzie. I’m so happy for her.

I typed back:

Yeah, me too. Thanks again.

Even as I wrote it, my head spun with possibilities. Should I warn her about Spade? That might cause her to panic or, worse, put herself at risk. No, I’ll handle it quietly. She’s got enough to worry about with her students. If Spade tried anything, I’d be ready.

But as my racing heart slowed, I realized I’d do everything in my power to protect Caroline, to shield Linzie from the darkness of my past. I stared at the text thread for a moment, then typed another line:

BTW, you’re chaperoning the Valentine’s Dance tomorrow night, right?

Her response was almost immediate:

Yes! Linzie seemed so happy about it. I’m excited to help her find a dress. Should be fun.

I rubbed a hand over my face, recalling Spade’s threat. Yes, I’d planned to let Linzie go with Caroline, but now… A swirl of anxiety made up my mind.

Think the school could use another volunteer to help with the kids? I wouldn’t mind joining you as a chaperone. Keep an eye on my sister. And all those boys, LOL. If that’s okay?

Caroline:LOL, definitely. I’m sure Linzie will be excited to have you there. And I will be, too. It’s Valentine’s Day after all. :)

I exhaled, tension slipping away briefly at her warm reply. I’ll chaperone, I decided, and if Spade tries anything, I’ll be right there. I couldn’t shake the fear that he might use the event as some twisted opportunity for revenge. But maybe if I was vigilant, he wouldn’t get the chance.

Tucking my phone away, I gazed around the apartment. It suddenly felt too quiet without Linzie’s presence. Usually, she’d be sprawled on the couch, listening to music or halfheartedly doing homework, but tonight was Friday and the weekend had begun. A pang of worry shot through me at the thought of old gang members lurking around town. Then again, my sister was safely at her friend’s house, and I’d made sure her parents were home before leaving her.

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