Page 91 of Elusion

We wait for Johnny, the last of us they release. He strolls away from the cops, wearing a smug grin despite his split lip. The final car’s lights shut off, and they drive away.

Against the side of a brick building, each of us takes an inventory of our injuries. All in all, we walked away fairly unscathed, considering the mayhem after Tyler threw his first punch. State kids don’t need a reason to fight. They just want in on the action. The few dozen extra people who involved themselves helped immensely when the cops showed up and had to sort through everyone.

Benji transforms into a mother hen, poking at my eye. “Good thing we don’t have any more gigs for a while, man.”

“Ow.” I pull my head away from him. A sore hand and black eye are well worth the hits I got in on Tyler. Hell, I could have broken my hand and not cared.

“Ladies dig battle wounds, right?” He winces as his fingers probe at the cut on his cheek.

Johnny wipes the back of his knuckles on his jeans, removing the blood. “Did you see Callie’s mom and that asshole screaming at each other a little bit ago?”

“She ran off to her car after slapping him,” Benji says.

“What did you say when you had him on the ground, Johnny?” Gavin asks, pinching the bridge of his nose where a random fist landed.

“I told him he needed to find a new girlfriend. From the looks of it, he listened.”

Benji bursts out laughing, which sends Gavin off into a giggling fit with Johnny and me not far behind. Of all the crazy times we’ve shared the last few years, none have made me feel closer to them. The three lads defended the woman I loved without hesitation.They always will.I couldn’t ask more than that.

I check the time on my phone. “It’s one-thirty. Food?”

Everyone grunts what I assume is a yes. Benji and I take my Jeep and meet the other two with the van at a twenty-four-hour diner. An array of breakfast foods covers our table when Callie’s face lights up my phone screen.

I smile and answer, “Hey, beautiful, we might have—”

“Jordan?”

My stomach ties itself into a fucking knot worthy of a Boy Scout’s badge. “Connor?” Gavin hits the ground when I shove him out of the booth. I step over him on my way to the door. “What’s wrong?”

“Mom just kicked Cal out,” Connor says.

“What?” I unlock my Jeep from across the parking lot, ignoring Johnny chasing after me.

“She came home drunk, dragged Cal outside, and took her house key off the key ring before throwing it at her. Then she locked her out. She’s rambling about Tyler dumping her and how it’s all Cal’s fault. Something about her friends—hold on.” A rustle comes through the speaker. “You’re okay. Come here, my little monster.”

“I want Cal.” Cate’s quiet in the background.

“We’ll see her tomorrow,” he tells her.

“But what if she doesn’t have a blanket?”

“She does. We’re all safe.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” The speaker crackles again. “Jordan, you still there?”

“What does Callie have other than her keys?” I pull out of the parking lot, not caring that Benji’s trying to call me. “Purse? ID? Anything?”

“No. I thought she’d go to Trey’s, but he isn’t answering his phone. She doesn’t have anyone else’s number from here saved. I don’t know what else to do.”

Shit.

She wouldn’t go to Graham’s under any circumstances. Without ID or money, she wouldn’t chance driving back to campus or be able to check into a hotel. She’d find someone who understands her middle-of-the-night eviction.

“I’m a little over an hour away,” I say. “I’ll find her.”

“Did you have something to do with Tyler?”

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