Page 146 of When Darkness Calls

The resounding bark of laughter responds as the door shuts with a loud bang.

“That’s what I was going to tell you,” I mumble uncomfortably. “Issac’s here…with Ethan.”

“Am I missing something here?” Cade cuts in.

“Yeah, I think we’re out of the loop,” Keegan turns to me expectantly.

Alex scrunches up his brows in thought. “Is this the same guy you asked me to start that file on?”

“Yeah. He’s the professor’s assistant in Dani’s photography class,” Grayson answers, a stony calm taking over him.

“Why were you wanting info on some photography student?” Alex looks baffled as he glances back at me and the other two.

“He’s…He was being a little…weird toward me. I didn’t like it,” I say quietly, looking away. “I told Grays—”

“And I went and talked to him. As Shadow. Guys, this dude…He’s not like anyone I’ve talked to before. I threw a couple of hits—”

“And they looked brutal. Ethan’s face was banged up in class—”

“But it’s like this guy didn’t feel a damn thing. He just kept saying smartass remarks and laughing like it was a big joke. I wasn’t getting through to him,” Grayson turns to Alex. “That’s why I asked you to find out what you could on him. I didn’t like the thought of him getting close to Dee Dee.”

“And I don’t like that he’s getting close to Issac.” I rub my arm, my fingers tugging at the strings on my jeans.

Everyone’s quiet, allowing for the only sound to come from the thumping bass of the music outside.

“So, this guy, Ethan, he was fucking with her, you looked into it?” Cay asks.

Grays nods. “Yeah, and he rubs me the wrong way. I just have a feeling there’s something going on with him.”

“Alright, we’ll look deeper into it this week. Let’s just hope that he feels those hits this time.”

The guys begin discussing the fight, but my mind is racing with what’s going on. Grays even noticed there’s something off about Ethan and the way he acts. And now that Issac’s been hanging around him, being all buddy-buddy, he’s even started to act strange, or well…stranger. I’m really worried for Liz if she’s going to be near him often.

There’s a knock on the door and Bruiser calls out, “Ready, kid?”

Grayson stands, shaking out his arms, bouncing on his feet.

“We’re going out. Good luck, dude,” Keeg says to him, clapping him on the back.

“Two hundred bucks, Grays,” Alex warns, eying him sharply.

“See you on the other side,” Cade says, arm over his head waving as he exits the room with the other two.

Grayson stands there watching me. “Nervous?”

I snort. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

He shrugs, grinning. “At least you get to watch me kick the shit out of this asshole and know it’s me doing it this time.”

“Hmm,” I hummed in thought. “That might just earn you a nice reward afterward.” I saunter over to him, throwing my arms around his shoulders, standing on the tips of my toes to kiss him, softly.

“I like the way you think, sweet girl,” he mutters against my lips.

I pull away from him quickly before he can kiss me again, ducking under his arm. “You gotta win first.”

He shakes his head. “Doubt my skills?”

“No,” I pause. “I just wanna see how much damage you can do when you know what you’re winning.” I wink, walking backwards through the door.