Page 10 of The Heavier the Guilt…

“Lars, what are-”

“I’m only going to say this once, Mason,” I snarled down at the wide-eyed fucker. “Stay the fuck away from Edie.”

“Lars!” she cried out from behind me.

“I was just talking to her, Finley,” he lied.

“The fuck you were,” I bit out. “It’s all over school that you’re trying to hook up with her.”

“Lars, stop it,” Edie hissed behind me.

“Dude, I was just talking to her,” he repeated, taking a step back.

“Because you guys have so fucking much in common all of a sudden?” I challenged.

“Relax, Finley-”

“I’ll relax when you stop eyeing Edie.”

“Lars, knock it off,” the girl in question growled behind me.

Ignoring Edie, I said, “Stay the fuck away from her,Daniel.”

Taking his own life in his hands, he said, “You’re not her brother, Lars.”

“I’m the next best thing,” I informed him. “Let me also make it clear that I’m not afraid of your age, Danny. I get that you might be feeling brave because you’re only seventeen while I’m already eighteen, but I give two fucks about going to jail for kicking your ass.”

Stepping in front of me, Edie slapped her hands on my chest, trying to push me backwards. “I said to knock it off,” she snapped.

I just stared down at her.

Turning, she looked at Danny as she said, “I’m so sorry about him.”

“No, I get it,” Danny replied, looking up at her like he really might be willing to risk my wrath.

“Finley!” We all turned to see Coach Savannah yelling our way. “Get your ass on the field!”

I looked back at Danny. “If you’re still here after practice, Iwillfuck you up.”

Not sparing him another minute, I turned to look back at Edie. “If you think that I won’t call Talon, you’re wrong.”

Her crazy blue eyes widened. “Do not threaten me with my brother.”

“Don’tmakeme threaten you with your brother,” I fired back.

“I am not a child anymore,” she growled. “Quit treating me like one.”

“Quit acting like one,” I hissed, and the girl looked like she wanted to smack the shit out of me.

Not waiting for Edie to actually smack me, I danced down the bleachers, making my way onto the field. Grabbing my stuff from where I’d dropped it, I was still fuming as I walked out onto the football field. Luckily, I didn’t care if I got kicked off the team. Granted, my parents might get a phone call from the school for me acting an ass, but they’d understand once I explained about Edie.

When I got onto the field, Dillon was quick to approach me. “You need to get your shit together, Finley,” he said. “Danny Mason isn’t a bad guy.”

“I don’t care. I already told you where I stand with all this,” I said, not wanting to hear reason or logic where Edie was concerned. I was tired of people trying to confuse what I was doing with Edie. I was simply looking out for her, something that any decent person would do.

“Fine,” he relented. “But don’t say that I didn’t warn you.”

“I don’t need to be warned where Edie is concerned,” I replied, lining up with everyone else.

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