Tiny Dark Deeds: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Court Legacy Book 3)
Tiny Dark Deeds: Chapter 29

Dorian

I stood in silence, Thatcher too when he came over. He’d completely abandoned his position at the door and appeared just as wide-eyed and shocked as I felt.

Wolf lounged against his Hummer. “Dude’s dead and has been for years.”

My eyebrows narrowed. “How do you know that?”

“Heard my dad talking about it one day,” Wolf said, nodding. “I don’t know what happened, and honestly, I don’t fucking care. I just know he’s dead, and my dad seemed pretty relieved about it when he found out. He and my mom were in his study when a guy in a suit told them. Dad had apparently hired a private investigator because my gramps went AWOL one year.” Wolf’s jaw clenched. “They found out that was because he was dead.”

Dead.

Thatcher stepped in. “Well, when did it happen? I mean, that doesn’t mean he didn’t have anything to do with Sloane’s kidnapping.”

Thatcher was right, of course, and to that, Wolf had his hands raised.

“I don’t know when,” he stated. “But does that really matter?” He said this, and I blinked. Wolf frowned. “If that fucker did, kind of sounds like he got his just desserts. Karma is a son of a bitch, and it gratefully took his ass out before he could hurt anyone else.”

I wouldn’t disagree with that, but still. I pocketed my hands. “Why didn’t you say anything? About him being dead?”

There were actual times I recalled him making it sound like his grandfather was alive. The most recent being when I’d told him I was going to ask my grandfather for help with Charlie. Wolf had said that’d be a mistake, and I didn’t see him going to talk to his own grandfather for help.

Wolf opened his hands. “It didn’t seem like it mattered. The fucker’s dead, and I think you need to let all this shit go. Shit about Sloane’s adoption and everything else. It’s adding stress to a situation that’s finally not being stressful for once.”

His voice boomed in the room, off the walls and the cars. Both Bru and Sloane’s cars had been delivered here, and they were tucked in between Wolf’s and his parents.

A muscle feathered in Wolf’s jaw. “She’s finally finding happiness here. We all are, and I’m not trying to stress my parents out about more shit. Bringing up ghosts, and things that don’t fucking matter. Because they don’t. Not anymore now that she’s back.”

Thatcher and I both closed the distance, but Wolf backed away.

Ares raised his hands. “I don’t care about this shit anymore. I don’t because I can’t, and I know she doesn’t.” He lifted a palm toward Thatcher and me. “Or have you both noticed she has no interest in anything you have to tell her about this adoption shit?”

Thatcher looked away, and I wet my lips. Sloane had other things, more important things to think about. She did, and that left me. It was a burden I took on for her because she shouldn’t have to think about any of this.

Not when she had me.

I’d always fight for her, always, and when I had nothing to say about that, Wolf shook his head.

“That’s because this shit is hurtful,” he said. “She’s tired, and I am too. Her transition back is already hard enough.”

Thatcher started to say something, but he didn’t need to. He was only looking into all this because of me. I held Thatcher back to speak myself. “We know it is, bro. That’s why we’re handling this shit for you. Why I’m handling this shit.”

“Well, if you’re doing this for me and her, then you’d listen when I say it’s not helping. It is hurtful, D, and I’m tired of being in fucking pain, bro. I’m tired of things hurting, and you should know that more than anyone.”

I did know that. I just wanted relief after everything with Charlie.

Wolf was a semblance of calm when he pressed his hands together. He breathed into them. “I’m begging you both to let this go. All our families need to heal and especially mine.”

I wanted to argue with that, but that was hard. This was his family. This was her.

I started to say something, but I never got the chance when the garage door opened. It was the one on the other side of the garage, and the three of us got a view of it from behind Wolf’s Hummer.

Bruno Sloane came through that door, rubbing his hands with no coat on. He rushed inside, but he wasn’t alone.

I recognized the cane right away, and of course, the old man with it. He wore a wool coat, black and a hat to match. He had a colorful box tied with a sea of coiled ribbon in his hands, also black, and I froze where I stood.

I wasn’t the only one.

Behind Wolf’s Hummer, both my boys failed to move a fucking inch. Meanwhile, Bru and his guest remained at the garage door.

“Hey, man. You didn’t have to get me anything,” Bru said, and his guest chuckled, deep, raspy. I recognized it well. Too many cigars and not enough use of his laughter. The man didn’t fucking laugh, so when he did, it came out all raspy and shit.

“What the fuck?” This came from Wolf, his eyes expanded to full width. He charged from around the Hummer. Thatcher too.

I beat them both.

I always had been the fastest, intentional with my speed. When I saw a target, I didn’t let it go, and I homed in on the old fucker standing next to my girl’s brother with nothing but sheer intent.

Old fucker heard me before he saw me, his fucked-up laughter curbing off. A rigid stance replaced it, and right away, he stood in front of Bru. He held up a hand to me. “Grandson—”

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I seethed, grabbing for Bruno, but the dude fucking pushed me. Like actually put hands on me, and I collided back into Wolf and Thatcher because I hadn’t seen that shit coming. My eyebrows narrowed at Bru. “What the hell?”

“Dorian,” Bru started, coming between the old man and me. “Hold off a second. I asked him to be here.”

I wasn’t the only one to jolt, and a madness hit Wolf’s eyes I’d only seen on the field. He grew two sizes behind me, shouldering ahead. “The fuck?”

Bru attempted to calm the situation down with a hand.

Meanwhile, my grandfather sighed. “Bruno told me the event was over,” he explained, his lips pulling together. He faced Bru. “Why did you lie? You said everyone had left for a post-dinner at my son’s house.”

He had?

What. The. Hell.

“Wait a fucking second. You two are talking to each other?” Thatcher asked the question. His hand directed between the two. “You two are talking?”

News to me and definitely to Wolf too. We both had hands on each other, sheer shock, I believed, keeping both of us from moving.

Bru shook his head. “That’s none of your business, Thatcher.”

“The hell it’s not—” he started, and my grandfather backed up.

He handed the gift to Bru. “I think you know I need to leave,” he said before looking at the three of us. “I’m sorry. Had I known anyone was here, I wouldn’t have imposed myself. I just wanted to give the boy a gift for his birthday. He told me about his party, and I meant no harm.”

And yet, he kept harming people, didn’t he? Harming me by being at my friend’s house with my parents feet away. I stepped forward. “Get the fuck out of here.”

His reaction to this wasn’t much of one. He gripped his cane. “I’m so sorry, grandson.” He attention drifted to Bru. “I wish you hadn’t lied. It doesn’t help the situation.”

“He said get the fuck out, motherfucker!” Wolf blazed, and Thatcher held him back. Thatch got his arm, but even still, Wolf fought. Wolf shot out his finger. “You come anywhere near my family and my friends again, you’ll sign your own death certificate. Just fucking try me, bro.”

The thing was, he wasn’t lying. I knew my friend, and I knew how I was too. We’d do what we had to in order to protect our families.

With his attention on us, Bru missed my grandfather excusing himself. Bru started to go after him, but stopped when he saw Thatcher let Wolf loose. Bru redirected his attention to preventative measures then, blocking the door like he even could from one of us.

“Have you lost your goddamn mind!” Wolf spat, damn near foaming at the mouth. He bared his teeth. “Why the fuck would you let him in here? Guide him around security?”

Because that was what would have had to be done in order for my grandfather to get onto the Mallick property. The Mallicks had toned down the security lately, but there were still people patrolling the grounds.

Which meant Bruno led my grandfather in here.

I shouldered my way forward. “What’s your angle? And you better speak fast because I swear to fucking God—”

“What’s going on?”

I whipped around, a little fighter at the door.

My little fighter.

Sloane had a wool coat on, hands shoved in the pockets and a flush to her cheeks. Her hair pinned and lips red, she stepped forward in a pair of pumps that brought her closer to my height. I’d have fucked her in them today too had she let me at some point. I’d offered more than one time to steal her away, the red dress beneath her coat ridiculous on her curvy body. Not only did it hug her perfect tits, but the high slit gave generous sight to caramel-kissed thighs. She shrugged. “Why are you guys all out here?”

Bru broke away from the circle with a hand over his head, but he couldn’t avoid this situation or Sloane when she lodged her away in between us.

“I’ll tell you what’s going on,” I said, taking the initiative. I pointed at Bru. “Your brother was just about to tell us why he brought my grandfather in here a few moments ago.”

She hadn’t expected this at all. She whirled around, her sight immediately clashing with Bru’s.

Dude still had the fucking gift.

In his hands was that colorful package, evidence of all this, his betrayal. He lifted it. “I can explain.”

Sloane’s eyes twitched wide. “What are you talking about?”

“We caught them in here. Both of them.” Wolf was calmer now, and maybe only because Sloane was in here with us. He lounged back against his Hummer. “D, Thatch, and I were in here talking when Bru comes in with D’s grandpa. Fucker gave him that gift in his hands.”

I noticed he’d left out the reason why we’d originally been meeting, but at this point, I didn’t fucking care.

Sloane’s brow jumped at him before looking at Bru, and Bruno fucking shook his head.

“He was in here, but I invited him,” he gritted, not even bothering to look at us. “I told him about the party, how it was for my birthday, and we were celebrating.”

“So naturally you brought the fucker over.” I edged forward, hands cuffing my arms. “Meanwhile, my parents are fucking feet away from him.” All our parents were. All of them. I opened my mouth to say more, but Sloane had one hand on my chest. The other was on Bru.

“You better explain this,” she said to him. Had she not been there, I would’ve been in her brother’s face, looking out for his ass be damned. She let go of me to raise a hand to him. “Why would you do that? You said you were only talking to him.”

My brow jumped, Wolf’s and Thatch’s too. Wolf homed in. “The hell?”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” I asked, and she shook her head.

“I just found out myself.” She had a hand on my chest again, the muscle inside hitting it hard. “As far as I knew, it was just calls and texts, and no, I didn’t necessarily agree with it.”

But she’d known about it. She had, and she hadn’t told me. I didn’t know how to feel about that, and her hand didn’t leave me when she faced Bru.

“The communication was something that was his, and I personally didn’t feel I had a right to dictate,” she explained, speaking to me, but her sight on Bru. Her head cocked at him, her expression steel. “But not ever was it okay for Callum to be anywhere near the Prinzes or anyone else’s family.”

The words only got harder with each one spoken, my heart easing, my breaths too. She did care about this situation. She cared about us.

I mean, that was the reason she’d run.

I didn’t have to worry about Sloane understanding why my grandfather couldn’t be anywhere near us or have any part in anyones’ lives. She just got it and never questioned it.

It made my heart ease more, knowing she did get it. Meanwhile, her brother didn’t look like he held a stitch of guilt in front of us.

“He wasn’t supposed to be,” he said, looking at my boys and me like we’d done something wrong. His sighed at Sloane. “I swear to God he wasn’t. Callum wanted to give me a gift after hearing about the party. He wanted to ship it, but the party was almost over. I figured it would be by the time he got here, but he came early.” His gaze took to the floor. “I was going to get him in and out. I fucking swear, Sloane, and no one was supposed to see him. Callum wouldn’t even have come at all had he known anyone was here. He left as soon as he ran into the guys.”

He had left, actually telling the truth.

“You know, I don’t get you, man.” Ares spoke before Sloane could. Before I could. His eyes blazed. “This party was for you. It was, and we are all legitimately trying here. I am, and you’re spitting all that in my fucking face.”

“Ares.” Sloane got in front of him, but he ignored her.

His nostrils flared. “You’re starting fires. I lied to you. D and the rest of the guys too, and I get that, but last I checked, my mom and dad haven’t.” He pointed at Sloane. “Who also happened to be her parents, and had D’s grandpa been even spotted by one of them or D’s folks, shit would have hit the fan.”

“Mine too,” Thatcher said, nodding. “And Wells’s.”

Because we were family, all of us, and he knew that.

“None of them did anything to you.” Wolf eased away from Sloane, angling in front of her. “So yeah, it feels like you’re just starting little fires and hurting people who don’t deserve to be hurt. People who were good to you when they’re going through just as much pain as the rest of us.”

I was sure Wolf hadn’t meant for his voice to break. He put his fist to his mouth, silence in the garage when he turned away.

Sloane’s head lowered, her eyes closed. “Bruno…”

“No, he’s right, Sloane.”

Her head lifted, and Wolf turned around.

Bru swallowed. “I mean, what else could explain it, right? And you’re correct in saying your parents have been nothing but good to me, Wolf. They’re great, and I’ve been an asshole.”

Sloane eased forward, but Bru backed off.

“I’ve been starting little fires,” he said, nodding like he was speaking the words to himself. He faced Sloane. “And none of you guys deserve that.”

Sloane cringed. “Bru—”

“You don’t, Sloane.” Bru blinked, rubbing his mouth. He pocketed a hand, his nose red, and I imagine from the cold. He had no coat out here like the rest of us. He lifted a hand toward Wolf. “Guy’s right. I’ve been selfish, and I won’t do that to you guys anymore. I’m sure Callum can put me up. He’s offered in the past if I needed it.”

The guy really had been talking to my grandfather.

And this… this new proposal was definitely not what Wolf meant to result from what he said. He started to come forward, but Sloane was quicker.

“You’re not serious,” she said, twitching. “You don’t need to leave.”

“Actually, I do.” Bru forced out a breath, his swallow shifting his throat. “This situation isn’t working for me. It’s making me not act like myself, and I really, truly don’t want to hurt anyone. Especially Wolf’s parents. Your parents.” He squeezed his eyes. “I can’t be here, but you need to.”

I didn’t know what to say, do. I just knew this wasn’t the answer, and if we had a conflict, we could work this out. I grabbed Sloane’s shoulders. “Bru…”

“No, Prinze.” He was shaking his head before I could even speak. He fingered his hair. “And I am sorry. I know seeing your grandfather was fucking hard, and I’m sorry.”

And then… he was moving away, leaving, away from all four of us. He had his keys, and he went to his Audi, the one my grandfather had given him.

He got inside with us all behind him, and Sloane looked horrified, Wolf too. He hadn’t meant this, his hands laced behind his neck, and none of us fucking had. The guy had been a little shit but shouldn’t be with my grandfather.

Sloane got his door before he could close it. “You can’t leave, and you can’t go over there,” she said, eyes red, lashes blinking rapidly. She fought off tears behind them. “I can’t follow you if you go stay with him, so I need you to get out of this fucking car now.”

Her voice radiated in the room, all of us frozen. I didn’t know whether to intervene or let him go, and I saw the same debate in Thatcher’s and Wolf’s eyes. Of course, we could stop him. We could physically pull him out of that fucking car, but what was keeping him from leaving anyway after we did? He could run anytime.

And that would make all of this that much worse.

I didn’t want to know what that would do to Sloane. I got her by the shoulders as Bru opened the garage with the opener on his visor.

“You shouldn’t,” he said to her, then looked at me, Wolf, and Thatcher behind us. He faced her. “You need to be here, and it’s important for you to be.”

“Bru—”

“I’ll be all right,” he said. “I swear I will be, and I need you to let me go. I can’t be here, but you need to be.”

She gasped, not even bothering to fight the tears. She blinked two down. “Bru, please. We can work this out. Just get out of the car.”

He tapped his wheel instead, shaking his head before reaching over to tug the door closed. This forced Sloane to back into my hands, and at this point, I glanced at Thatcher.

“Go get Ramses and Brielle,” I said, and my friend rushed away. I didn’t know what I hoped they’d do. Reason with the kid or something.

It turned out not to matter when Bru strapped himself in. He started the car and made us watch when he took off into a snow-covered world. He disappeared through thick flurries, his sister leaving my hands but not far. She had stayed, let him go like he’d asked.

But that didn’t stop her from collapsing to her knees.

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