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Chapter 3
Pierce
“Yeah, what do you want?” I walk toward the door of the classroom as I answer my phone.
Professor Guerra stops the lesson to glare at me as I slip out of French class into the hallway. Using phones is forbidden in class, but I’m too worked up to conjugate a verb. What the fuck is wrong with Ted Leister so that he’s calling me now? Doesn’t his horny ass know I have class on Monday at 2 PM.? I’m in high school, for fuck’s sake. Anyway, why isn’t he calling his gutless son? It’s a stupid question that doesn’t deserve a second thought.
“So, what’s on the agenda tonight?” Ted always sounds as if he’s leering into the phone.
“The agenda for what?” My voice is packing tone. “My plan is to study for midterms, so I can graduate on time.”
Ted scoffs. “I’m not sitting around this shit town in my hotel room with nothing to do. There are reporters camped out in the lobby, and I can’t even get fapped.”
I cringe when Ted says a word he thinks is young and cool. “So, go back to your mansion on the hill and deal with the lawyers surrounding it instead of hiding here.”
The phone is silent, but Ted doesn’t hang up. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. I probably went too far again. The intern’s allegations are hellish and damaging, and she’s determined to create a platform by making an example out of Ted. Is he tired of his hot side piece already? He acts like his brain will shrivel up if he doesn’t fuck hourly. What is his problem anyway? He could find women willing to screw his old dick without causing trouble. Does he ever think about his future, or is the temptation to screw up his life too strong?
I have to yank the phone away from my ear when Ted goes off. “Don’t you ever talk to me like that again, you spoiled punk. You are a brat with a shit attitude. It’s your father with the wealth, not you.”
“Someone has to give a shit about your decline,” I answer back coldly. “My parents invested a lot of clean money into your dirty campaign. And what are they getting in return—other than bad press for knowing you?”
There’s silence again. I know I went too far this time, but it feels good, to be honest. The tension that was crowding in on me lifts off my shoulders as I stand taller. Ted’s too used to talking to Justin like he’s a whipping boy, but Ted better not chew on me.
Ted drops the ’tude as his voice lowers to a civil tone. “Your parents have been loyal supporters since I ran for the town council. And in the future, I hope they’ll continue to be, but it would be in everyone’s interest if I were less visible. Do you understand?”
I shake my head as if I didn’t just hear that doublespeak bullshit. It would be in everyone’s interest if he stayed his ass at home. Man, the shocked look on that chick’s face he was pounding in the limo. I sort of felt bad for her. Ted’s too rough with everybody. And what if she recognizes him later?
“Spell it out, Leister,” I reply, “I’m missing class talking to you. I don’t have time to play detective and guess your meaning.”
“Don’t repeat my name.” he hisses, “You know better than to do that on the phone. And as for your education, your diploma has already been paid for just like everything else you have. Ain’t nepotism grand?”
“Say it, or I’m hanging up.”
“That club of yours,” he replies smoothly, “I want you to get it up and running again.”
I roll my eyes as if he can see me. This shit again. All weekend long, Bryce, Justin, and I argued over how Astrid fooled us. We accused each other of fucking up by letting her get too close. They both fucked her. And Justin definitely gave her too much information to pull it off. I should’ve taken that laptop when I broke into her room. But I didn’t take it when I saw that list. So, she thinks I have ego? I wonder what that means, but it doesn’t matter right now. I wanted to hurt Wyatt for checking out on us. He belongs to Stonehaven and better stop slumming with the Monarchs.
“We lost our fighters,” I sulk, kicking the wall. “We don’t have enough good people to draw a crowd in to make bets.”
“Fucking stupid kid,” Ted replies mockingly, “You promised lots of pussy without strings attached, but you were bullshitting again. You talk like a big man like your lame father.”
My shouting fills the hallway as I lose my shit. “Don’t you talk about him, you degenerate loser! He tried to be decent. No matter what happens, he knows how to act. It wasn’t his fault.”
I lean back against the half-tiled wall and let the back of my head bang against the hard surface. I slam it again as if I can knock the thought out of my head before it can enter. Ted shouldn’t have brought that up. He said he would never talk about it, but he’s a stone-cold liar.
“So change the business plan,” Ted continues as if he didn’t just mess up, “and hire women like the one I met last Saturday night. Stop catering to students spending their parents’ money and find a different clientele who can appreciate the right entertainment.”
I feel sick in my mouth as my stomach flips at the thought of being Ted Leister’s pimp. My day is ruined as the tension creeps back into my hunched shoulders. Sure we had girl fights on Fridays and Saturdays, but legit fights were still being offered. The girls were sweet icing, but never the cake. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I don’t need to trick women into getting something in exchange. I don’t want to be surrounded by a swarm of sleazy businessmen getting off with their hands in public. The mental image makes me shudder.
“Yeah, we’ll look into it,” I reply. Ted knows the line, and that means I have no intention of doing shit.
“Or you could just host a party at my hotel room,” he says, “and bring over a few schoolmates. I hear Elliot Howland has another daughter—the one he fished out of the Weymouth gutter. And I heard she saved your ass with her right hook.”
I shake my head. I’m done with the cracks. “I’m going back to class, Ted, and I’m switching my phone to do not disturb.”
Ted laughs. “She’s pretty hot with that lean body. I’m looking at her team picture on the school website. Nice and toned.” He smacks his lips. “She must run fast with those long legs. I can imagine them wrapped around my boy’s hips.”
“Stop fucking with my head, old man,” My voice echoes around me, “And leave her alone. Hang with the sluts you’re used to using. That girl won’t wait for the law because she’ll dropkick your old ass into pieces.”
Ted laughs. “You’ve been checking her out too. Good, maybe she won’t mind taking us both on. She needs to be taught a lesson in power and respect. If you were a man, she wouldn’t have pulled that shit. What are you going to do, boy?”
I’m done with warning Ted to lay off with the sick talk, so I end the call without saying goodbye. When I walk back into class, Professor Guerra gives me a look that I return with wicked meaning. He looks away quickly and pretends like he doesn’t notice how long I was out in that hallway. After that conversation, I can’t even bother with giving a shit about class. Ted is right about my diploma. Somewhere it is printed, framed, and waiting for me to take it home.
