Page 114 of Devil's Bargain

“I’m not doing anything she doesn’t want.”

He laughs, shaking his head. “This is Maddie we’re talking about. She’ll cut off her arm if it ensnares the right guy.”

“Ensnares?” I chuckle. “You’re using big words now?”

He snorts, squinting in the sun. “I told you, I’m losing my street cred.”

“Judging by the longing glances from those girls, I think you’ve still got it.”

His lips curve in a gloating smirk.

“I bet Hailey’s claws are out,” I say as she flicks her brown hair.

Jamie is watching her too. “She’s fucking fierce, man.”

“Is she a freak in bed?” I ask with a teasing smile, echoing his words from earlier.

He chuckles deeply. “I see what you did there!”

The coach cups his mouth and hollers, “Girls, watching you practice is more boring than attending a knitting club for senior members. Rick, Jamie! Quick Pass Drill!”

* * *

“Where are you going?” Jamie asks me after practice when I walk past my car to the front entrance.

“I’m going to have a chat with Jared.”

Jamie falters in his step. “You’re going to do what?!”

I eye him questioningly as we reach the front steps of the school building. “I can’t just leave it.”

“Man… Fuck!” He rubs his hands over his face. “You know you can’t afford to get into trouble right now. Coach will bench you.”

“I’m going to talk to Jared. Not beat him up.”

Jamie starts laughing.

“What?” I ask, frustrated.

“You’re just going to talk to him?”

“That’s what I said, didn’t I?”

Jamie starts laughing again.

“For fucks sake, man!” I growl, ascending the steps.

Jamie scrambles after me. “What are you going to say to him?”

I side-eye him. “I don’t know yet.”

Jamie nods like that makes sense. “It’s a fantastic idea, man. Just walk right in and say, “Hey, stop fucking your student!” He sobers up and takes my elbow, pulling me to a stop. “Look, Rick. We need the evidence first. You can’t just walk in there and accuse him of fucking a student.”

I rub my palm over my mouth, then breathe a deep sigh. “He’s not touching her again!”

“Jesus fuck, man!” Jamie growls, hurrying through the doors after me. The corridors are empty at this hour. Everyone has gone home. “You’ll lose your fucking scholarship. Think rationally about this!”

“I’m not going to touch him. I’m just going to talk to him.”

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