A smile pulled at the corner of her lips around the cigarette. “I am,” she retorted, releasing a puff of smoke with the word. I doubted a lecture on smoking at a gas station was what she was after. “I stopped to fill up and my car won’t start.”
I glanced over the fairly new white BMW. “No shit.”
Jumping off the hood, she bent down and snuffed out the smoke. “I just had the damn thing in for maintenance too. Makes no sense.”
“Little does to me when it comes to cars. I just drive them, and even that’s questionable. Did you call someone? We can give you a ride home, if you want,” I offered.
“If Brock doesn’t mind the detour. My dad called AAA or some shit.” She spotted Grayson’s Jeep beside Brock’s SUV. “I can always get Gray to drive me.”
“I’m sure it will be cool,” I assured as a gust of wind blew through my hair. It was getting colder by the minute.
A familiar Escalade came zipping into the gas station, coming to a screeching halt. My stepbrother even drove like an ass. He and two of his football buddies jumped out of the car. Carter’s eyes zoned in on me, followed by an arrogant smirk.
Mads’s eyes narrowed. “What is he doing here?”
I folded my arms, prickles of unease running down my skin. “Starting trouble.”
Leave it to my fucking stepbrother to ruin a perfectly good night.
“Oh, shit,” Micah said, catching sight of Carter.
Brock stiffened, jamming the gas nozzle back into the pump, and came to stand beside me. His lips turned down into a frown. “Get in the car. Both of you.” Brock’s tone turned cold. The ice dripping from his command wasn’t directed at me, I knew that, but I hated being ordered about.
But this was one time I might actually listen.
A knot formed in my gut, and I told my legs to move.
“Shit,” Mads cursed under breath, reaching for my hand. “I’ve got her,” she assured Brock.
I would have gone willingly with her if Carter hadn’t opened the back door. If a girl hadn’t stumbled out. If the girl didn’t have familiar rainbow hair woven into two braids.
Son of a bitch!
It couldn’t be.
She would never.
Would she?
But the facts were: Ainsley Fisher liked to party. Carter Patterson liked to slip drugs into girls’ drinks. And Carter was on a desperate mission to ruin the Elite and using my best friend wasn’t beneath him.
I froze. My heart jerked in my chest, ice freezing in my veins. I got the message. If I didn’t comply, didn’t help him get what he wanted, Carter would hurt those I loved.
Dammit, Ainsley.
The sleaze put his arm around Ainsley, helping her stay on her feet. “Whoa, there.”
His hands were on my best friend! I stopped thinking, my legs carrying me away from Brock’s car, but I didn’t get very far. Firm arms wrapped twined around my waist.
“No fucking way, Firefly,” a voice hissed close to my ear.
“Let me go,” I gritted. “That’s my best friend.”
“We’ll handle this.” He jerked his head at Grayson, Fynn, and Micah. In a few seconds, I had a human wall of Elite in front of me. Frustration bubbled up. My friend needed me. She was in trouble. If anything happened to her because of me, I’d never forgive myself. I had to do something before Carter hurt her, like really hurt her.
Then it happened.
Brock stepped forward. Murder gleamed in his eyes as he glared at Carter. “I thought I told you to stay away from Josie.”