Page 133 of I Blame the Rival

He looks every bit the broken boy I fell in love with.

I’m crying so hard that I don’t notice the sudden silence that falls across the bar. I don’t even notice Mo returning to our side with a smug looking Jerrell trapped in his arms.

It’s not until a familiar voice cuts through the silence that I realize the lacrosse team has joined the circle.

“I didn’t realize Silverwood was such a popular hangout for Tigers nowadays.”

Vector steps forward, his gaze trained on Nico and Mo. There’s a stillness in the air, a collective intake of breath as everyone watches the rivals face each other.

“Maurice O’Brien. Didn’t think I’d be seeing you again.”

Mo smirks, his arms still locked around Jerrell, “And I didn’t think you’d still be in school.”

Vector cracks a smile, “Looks like we’re both disappointed.”

The whispers start up around us, the Silverwood students shifting excitedly as Mo’s reputation starts to spread.

“Holy shit. That’s Mighty Mo.”

“The lacrosse legend?”

“He holds the record number for championships wins.”

Cecelia appears among the crowd, her expression annoyed as Ava and Maren pop up beside her.

Vector studies our group, his gaze lingering on the tear streaks lining my cheeks. His eyes narrow as he looks from me to the surrounding crowd.

“Where’s Sky?”

A deathly silence falls upon the room. Nobody moves, nobody breathes as Vector flicks through every person in attendance. Walsh appears by his side and whispers something in his ear.

And finally, his eyes drop to where his brother lies broken on the ground.

“Looks like one of your cubs needs a cage, O’Brien.”

Vector says each word slowly, spiking the tension in the room. His body is taught as his eyes stay locked on the bloody boy who isn’t moving.

“He’s not ours.”

Mo gives Jerrell a shove and he stumbles forward. The smug look on his face has disappeared when he looks around the silent bar.

“What the fuck is going on?”

Nico's arms tense around me as Vector looks at the bloodstains coating Jerrell's fists. He doesn’t say anything for a long time, just stares at the spilled blood as though it was his own.

“Get him off the ground.”

The command slices through the room, the razor edge making a few people flinch. Walsh swallows and quickly walks over to where Skylar is laying.

“Come on, Baby Vin. Let’s get you somewhere more comfortable.”

More tears spill out as I watch Skylar get carried from the room, his beaten body limp and unresponsive. Jerrell whips his head around, glancing from the fear-stricken audience to the man twice his size.

“Can somebody tell me what the fuck is going on?”

Vector tilts his head and looks him dead in the eye. There's a stiffness in his posture, the hard clench of jaw that glimpses at the anger simmering just beneath the surface.

"What's your name?"

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