Page 72 of Playing Hard to Hate
Gross.
When he did finally arrive, I’d been sitting on the couch with a bat I’d found in Dustin’s room. I kept hearing fucking noises in the hallway, and I wasn’t taking any chances. He glanced at the bat, his gray eyes dark and calculating. He didn’t question it.Instead, he handed me a pint of vanilla ice cream.So much for my diet.
I grabbed two spoons from the kitchen, and he sat beside me on the couch, where my show was playing softly in the background. He had his own tub of strawberry ice cream.Some things did not change.
“I was scared,” I admitted after ten minutes of silence.
“It’s okay. I won’t let anyone hurt you. You’re safe now.”
CHAPTER 28
GRIFFIN
PRESENT
She’d fallen asleep in my arms on the couch, her head resting on my chest, soft breaths blowing against the small area of my chest that was exposed by my V-neck shirt. While she slept, I made the mistake of scrolling through all the local headlines. We were featured among a few, but one news station had done an in-depth report on the robbers.
Malcolm Zev
Darren Holloway
Damian Voss
The three men arrested in connection with last month’s violent grocery store robbery have been released on bail, sparking concern among many of the residents. While two of the suspects have long criminal histories, one man claims he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Darren “Dare” Holloway, 37, is believed to be the mastermind behind the crime. With multiple prior arrests for armed robbery and assault, Holloway is known for his short temper and reckless behavior. Authorities suspect he was the one who escalated the situation, turning a simple robbery into a full-scale hostage crisis.
Malcolm Zev,35, has a long history of breaking the law, with charges ranging from burglary to weapons possession. Described as calculating and cold, Zev is believed to have been the enforcer of the group, keeping victims under control while Holloway led the operation. His release has left many uneasy, as his past suggests he’s no stranger to violence.
Damian Voss,22, maintains that he had no part in planning the robbery. A former grocery store employee, Voss claims he was roped into the crime under duress. With no prior record, his lawyer argues that he was merely a getaway driver who didn’t realize what he was involved in until it was too late. While authorities have not cleared him, some believe he may have been just another victim of Holloway and Zev’s schemes.
With the suspects now free, speculation swirls about whether justice will truly be served—or if this is just the beginning of something worse.
Damian Voss had been a classmate.The slimy fucker who held a gun up to Tatum’s head had been someone we’d gone to school with our whole lives. I wanted to find him. I needed to knowwhy. He knew everything she’d been through. Fuck, this whole town knew. So much anger boiled in my veins after reading the article. I tossed my phone to the side when Tatum snuggled further into my chest.Finally at peace.
She’d been anxious all night. She got up a few times and paced beside the television. She kept checking her Instagram where comments and direct messages never seemed to stop flooding her notifications. And weirdly enough, I found myself a little jealousat all the attention she seemed to get on an hourly basis. I wondered if that was why she took hours to answer my messages or why she never texted me at all.
I was growing sick of this love-hate relationship between us. I didn’t have time for games. I wanted her to know that. This wasn’t fucking high school anymore. I didn’t care about lookingcool for the masses. I just wanted this.The quiet moments together.
My phone buzzed with a text, and I reached over her to grab it, careful not to jostle her body. I was afraid she’d wake up and run away to her room. Holding her settled my nerves.I knew she was safe in my arms.With one hand on the small of her back, thumb slowly rubbing circles on the small strip of skin peeking out from her shirt, I knew she was safe.
Graham
Tate, okay?
I’d been with the twins earlier tonight when I suddenly got uneasy and told them I had to go to Tate. Hunter had been pissed. Graham, on the other hand, was a little more understanding. Out of the two, Hunter was the hothead, and Graham the empath who tried to see their side every single person.
It usually worked well when they were together and were both in agreement, but tonight it had caused another argument. Hunter was getting sick and tired of me running over here. Graham didn’t care. He had actually offered to come with.
Griffin
A nervous wreck when I got here. Hunter cool off?
Graham
He went out to some bar. He’ll probably go home with a girl and work off some steam.
Griffin
