Page 65 of Merciless Intents

Justin was always quiet, reserved. Sometimes he was humorous and playful. Today, I’d even seen him a little flirty, but I’d never seen him like this. It was…sexy.

“You okay?” he asked, his voice light.

I smiled. “I am, thanks. Let’s go.”

Justin nodded and started up the stairs, and I started after him. Eric mumbled something shitty under his breath that I couldn’t quite make out. I stopped and turned to face him.

“By the way,” I said, drawing Eric’s attention toward me. “You caught me by surprise. I’m more than capable of beating your ass all on my own if you ever touch me like that again.”

He snorted as I turned to walk away, he and all his friends sharing a good laugh over it.

“You okay?” Justin asked again.

“Yup. I’m used to people not taking me seriously. It’s all good. He’ll figure it out if he ever tries again.”

Justin put his arm around my shoulders and kissed the top of my head before letting me go. It was a friendly gesture, one I’d seen him give to Luna, but I liked it a bit more than I felt I should.

Get yourself together, Wilder,I thought.He’s your friend. One of the only two you have—leave him be.

If only my damnable body would get the memo.

The cheerleaders were out on the field, and I saw Harper and her minions cheering out there like their little lives depended on it. It annoyed me at first, but watching her, I found myself squashing a strange tinge of pride.

That’s my sister, I thought as I watched her smile and move.

She was truly beautiful when she lit up like she was now. There was genuine happiness on her face, and she was really good. Honestly, she was way better than the other girls. I wondered how much of me thought that objectively and how much of it was the fact that she was my sister, and a stupid part of me wanted tobeher sister.

When their cheer was over, the crowd cheered for them, getting even louder when the football team made their way out onto the field. Our team wore navy blue jerseys with white names and numbers on them. We were the Timberwolves—how appropriate.

Without much effort, I was able to pick out Damian and Asher. They stood out against the others. So did Trent, since he was the smallest of them.

“I know literallynothingabout football,” I said.

Justin laughed from the other side of Luna. “Yeah, me neither. I’m not a big sports fan, but I enjoy going to the games. I like to people watch. It’s rather fascinating.”

“Yeah. No one acts a fool like high school assholes and parents of players. Watch the parents’ section.” She pointed to a sectioned off area of bleachers. “It’s like full-on Wal-Mart down there—no matter how much money someone’s worth.”

I snorted. It was a lot like that in Indiana, too, only it wasreallyWal-Mart out there.

Almost halfway through the game, I got to see just what she was talking about. We all but scream-laughed as we watched a woman—in what I could only assume was expensive ass clothing—scream her head off at the coach, who couldn’t hear her, anyway. Or maybe he just ignored her. I would have.

She leaned over the rail. “Hey!” Even as far away as we were, we could hear her plain as day. She had one of those voices that carried, reinforcing the thought that the coach was just ignoring her. “Get off your ass and do something!” she yelled.

“That’s Joey Williams’ mom,” Luna offered.

“She’s like thiseverygame. Joey quit telling her where the games would be, but shealwaysfinds out.”

“Oh, my God. How embarrassing!” I said with a laugh.

“Bad call!” she called out, standing and leaning over the rail again. “That was a fumb—AH!”

The three of us gasped, our eyes and mouths going wide as she flipped over the railing and to the dirt below.

I looked over at Luna, who looked from me over to Justin, who looked at her.

All three of ushowledwith laughter. I stomped my feet as my head fell back, my eyes closing as I scream-laughed even harder.

“Holy shit!” I said, carefully wiping tears away so I didn’t smear makeup. “That was the funniest shit I’veeverseen!”

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