Page 83 of Hate So Deep

If I consider it too closely, I might see that much of the stupid shit I’ve done was to mess with the woman who’s never once told me that she loves me, including leading poor Rocket on when I feel nothing but affection for him.

Since there isn’t enough money on earth to pay for the therapy, I probably need, I set that shit aside. I’ll worry about it later…or never.

“Hey, pretty girl,” he says.

“Hey,” I say, planting a kiss on his cheek.

“Get a drink and meet me outside,” he says, and I nod before pushing my way to the kitchen.

As always, I get a few weird stares but by now, most of these people are used to seeing me at these parties and for the most part, we ignore each other.

After Caro and I get our drinks, we step outside. I’m halfway to the fire when someone calls my name and despite knowing it’s not Dirk’s raspy dark voice, my heart still skips a beat as I spin on my heel and say, “Danny? What are you doing here?”

Danny is Academy. He shouldn’t be here unless he wants his ass kicked. I mean, I know I am too, but these people have grudgingly accepted me as Caro’s friend.

They won’t be so nice to Danny.

“Uh, I came with a friend,” he says. “I heard you were asking about Buck?”

“Sort of,” I mumble, and he touches my arm.

“Buck was an asshole, but they shit…brutal man.”

Nodding, I glance back at Caro and Rocket. I’m uneasy at this turn of events because Danny didn’t like Buck. They weren’t friends but competitors as was the case for most of Buck’s friends who he recruited into his group with lies and threats.

Buck didn’t know how to have friends. Besides, Danny is a creep.

Still, I’m sure what happened to Buck was a shock and this is why I remain where I am rather than walking away as he says, “Look, I, uh, heard something you might want to know.”

Like what?

“Were you there that night?” I ask and Danny runs his hand through his thick hair.

Absently, I eye his biceps, which are quite nice. Too bad they don’t match his rotten personality.

“Uh,” he says. “Not here.”

Following his gaze over my shoulder, I note a mean looking fellow with an impressive mohawk and multiple face piercings raise a brow before saying something to his equally menacing friend.

I don’t blame Danny. It’s only a matter of time before someone confronts him. I’d rather not be involved if it comes down to it because I don’t want to be lumped in with him anyway.

“Okay? Where?” I ask and he waves toward the side of the house.

A couple sitting against the wall starts moaning while they grapple at each other in a passionate embrace.

Once we’re around the side of the house, I meet the stare of a young man across the yard sitting with his friends.

“Uh, let’s go out front,” Danny says, and I follow when he leads the way.

It’s much quieter out here but the pulse of music from inside still blasts from the front door as we stop at the curb.

Turning to Danny, I raise a brow, but he gestures toward the house across the street.

“Over there.”

I think he’s being a littletooparanoid and it’s really fucking cold out here, but I comply, and we make our way into a neighboring yard.

The faint roar of a car fills the silence, and I shiver once we’re beyond the light of the porch across the street, looking up when Danny mumbles, “I’m sorry.”

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