Beckett
10 Years Ago
Gabriella’s been getting under my skin all day then she and Mia leave the house wearing hardly anything.
And she’s obviously influencing Mia who looks eighteen instead of thirteen. Mia is a nice, sweet girl, and I’m not sure why she even wants to hang out with my sister. The guys are going to be all over them tonight, and now I’m going to have to keep an eye out.
I point to them both. “Go change.”
They ignore me and get into the car. I give them a stern lecture about not drinking and warn Gabriella that she needs to stay out of trouble, and she blows me off again.
I can’t believe she wormed her way into our party.
The girls hop out of the car and are several feet ahead of Clay and me. I’m about to yell at him for staring at my sister’s ass, but I realize I’m staring at Mia’s.
Jesus. Get your head out of the gutter, Beckett. She’s thirteen and Clay’s sister.
I try to shove down the rage I’m feeling. “You know we aren’t going to be able to go have any fun tonight, with those two running around half naked, right?”
Clay groans. “I know. I’m going to kill my sister when tonight is over for dressing like that.”
“Yeah, well, at least Mia covered half her ass. Gabriella has a piece of floss covering hers.”
“I think she told me her motto is, ‘If you have it, flaunt it,’” Clay teases.
“When did you have that conversation with her?”
“Chill out, Beckett. I wouldn’t break the bro code and touch your sister.”
I sigh in frustration. “Well, those two are looking for trouble dressed like that, so don’t be wandering off to get laid. You know someone’s going to get handsy.”
He glances at Gabriella’s ass again. “I think your sister will be fine.”
I growl, “Gee, thanks. Does that mean you think Mia will, too?”
He glares at me. “No. If anyone touches her, I’ll kill them.”
“Well, the same goes for Gabriella.”
“I got it. Relax though. Well, keep an eye on them, but don’t ruin the night.”
“Fine.”
We approach the bonfire, and the girls are on the opposite side. Clay and I position ourselves so they are in our view, but we aren’t hanging out with them.
Throughout the night, girls approach Clay and me. Several ask both of us to “walk the beach” which means they want some action. But Clay and I turn them all down, keeping an eye on Gabriella and Mia.
Gabriella is flirting with a group of guys, and Mia is off to the side. Every now and then I catch her looking at me. Part of me wants to talk to her so she isn’t alone, but I stay on my side of the bonfire.
I’m in a conversation when I see Clay take out his phone.
I cringe at the sight of it. Two days ago, Skates showed up at the field as we were heading to Clay’s car. He demanded Clay take the mobile. Three days have passed since we met with Henry, and he still hasn’t told us what we should do.
Clay rolls his eyes to the sky, sighs, and stomps toward the closed gift shop. He enters it.
The hairs on my neck stand up, and my stomach flips.
What is he doing in there?
I forget about Gabriella and Mia and follow him. When I get outside the door, I hear Henry’s voice.
“You made the wrong choice, kid.”
Why is Henry here?
I open the door and creep in. Blackness surrounds me, and it takes my eyes a minute to adjust.
Henry is standing next to Skates, who has a gun aimed at Clay. Clay is standing with his hands in the air.
“Henry?” I say in shock.
Henry looks at me. “I was wondering when you were going to show up.”
A chill moves through my bones. “What?”
“Do it,” he says, and a sick grin grows on Skates’ face. He pulls the trigger and shoots Clay in the chest. Clay’s blood splatters all over me, and we both scream. Skates turns the gun on me.
I’m paralyzed with grief and fear when the door opens and Mia appears.
“Get down, Mia.” I shove her down on the concrete and throw my body on top of her.
I’m not sure what I’m thinking. I should have tried to get her out the door instead of on the ground. Skates kicks me off her, and before I can cover her body again, he shoots her, and her blood covers me as well.
“No,” I scream, and tears begin to run down my face.
Skates empties the rest of the bullets out of the gun and hands it to me with his hand covered in a black glove.
I look at him in confusion.
“This is your murder, and I own you.”
“What?”
He hustles out the back door.
“Henry?” I whisper.
Henry kneels in front of me. “You want your mom, dad, brothers, and sisters to live?”
I stare at him in horror, shivering.
Henry crouches down to look at my face. “Answer.”
“You’re my dad’s best friend,” I barely get out.
“Yes. And do you want it to stay that way?”
“I…I don’t understand.”
“We don’t leave loose ends. So I’m going to arrest you for the murder of Clay Crimson. Mia may live or die, but you will go down for one or both. You will not deny it. If you ever deny it, I’ll make sure your entire family has a harsher death than what Clay got. Do you understand me?”
How can this be happening?
“Answer me. Pick. Your life or your family’s?”
My chest is so tight, I struggle to breath. “Mine.”
“Good choice. You’re now in debt to Skates. You and your family’s life in exchange for your loyalty to him.”
I am unable to talk.
“You’re young. You’ll still be able to have a life when you get out of prison. But you will always owe Skates and, when the time comes, you’ll do what he asks.”
“Henry?” I manage to get out.
“Learn your lesson from this kid. Keep your nose out of other people’s business.”
The rest of the night is chaos. Flashing lights, handcuffs, Gabriella running up to me and screaming my name, tears in her eyes, and my mother and father hugging me for the last time, pleading with me to tell the truth about whatever happened.
I say nothing. I sit in a trance next to Henry, who consoles my parents and keeps looking at me, saying, “Why did you do it, Beckett?”
An ocean of tears run off my cheeks.
When I get taken outside the police station and into the van waiting to take me to the county jail, my brothers, Hudson and Ryland are outside. They stare at me in horror.
Help me. Tell me how to get out of this.
I scrunch my face and slightly nod to the back of Henry’s head, trying to warn them that he is part of this. Ryland catches my eye, and the blood drains from his face. It’s all I need to do.
Clay and I had told Ryland and Hudson what was going on with Skates. They’d overheard our conversation and demanded to know what was going on. They know we spoke with Henry and were waiting for his instructions.
As Henry presses my head down so I can get into the van, Ryland yells out, “Beckett.”
I turn my head, and he pounds his fist to his heart with tears in his eyes. It is our secret Brooks Brothers sign we created when we were children, a signal that together we stand, and alone we fall. We created it while playing cops and robbers as kids.
I look straight ahead as more tears fall. Clay is dead. I don’t know if they saved Mia or not. Uncontrollable sobs come over me and don’t stop until I get to the county jail where they book me for murder.