CHAPTER10
Zeke
It’s still darkout since Levi declared this needed to be done before his early morning run and practice. It shouldn’t be hard. Alphabet boys are like most bullies—soft and scared when you confront them.
“What’s the plan?” the giant beside me asks. Tank texted me earlier to say that he wanted in on whatever revenge we were planning. I told him it wasn’t revenge, just a clarification of campus rules. He didn’t care. He just wanted in.
“We’re burning the place to the ground.” See, the rules are, you mess with us, and we salt the earth with your bodies.
“Okay. Where’s the gas? I’ll get to pouring.”
“It’s metaphorical,” I reply with a slap to Tank’s massive shoulder. “We’ve promised Olivia that we can’t go to prison because only one of us gets conjugal rights.”
“Can’t you just switch it up? You guys look alike.”
“We could, but Olivia is convinced we’d get caught out. To her, we’re as different as night and day.”
Tank’s eyes flick from Levi to me and back again. He doesn’t buy it. We’ve come up against this before and there’s no point in arguing—either with strangers or Olivia. People are going to believe what they’re going to believe.
“It doesn’t matter. We’re doing everything by the book.” I check my watch. The moving company should be here any minute. Sure enough, as soon as I’m about to text my contact, a big semi makes the turn down the street.
“Right on time.” Levi rubs his hands together gleefully.
Tank, however, isn’t as happy. “What’s that? We don’t need outside reinforcements…or witnesses,” he grumbles under his breath.
“Trust me, Tank. Like I said, we promised Olivia we wouldn’t get in trouble.” I wait until the semi pulls up to the curb and two men hop down.
“Zeke Audley?” The tall driver comes over to shake my hand.
“That’s me. My mirror over there is Levi.”
The man nearly trips over his feet to rush over to my brother. “Shit, Levi Audley? You were a monster last weekend. Three sacks? You going pro this year? Everyone says you are.”
“I’m focused on the game against CU,” Levi answers. His years of media training come in handy now and then.
“Course you are.” The driver winks. “Shit. I never made the connection when I heard the Audley name. Mind if I get you to autograph something for my son?”
“Be happy to.”
“I’ll be right back.” The driver catches up to his assistant and the two proceed to whisper excitedly.
“I guess you aren’t going to do anything dumb, are you?” Tank says. He looks mildly disappointed.
“Don’t worry. I bet there will be a few stragglers who will need some encouragement.” I leave the movers in Levi’s hands and bound up the steps of the frat house. There’s no doorbell, so I tell Tank he can work out some of his aggression by banging the door down. It takes only one well-placed kick and the wooden door pops open.
I stroll in. A floppy-haired boy looks up from his pipe and shrieks.
“Hi there. Your president around?”
“Wh-what?” The boy tries to shove his pipe under his leg. It burns him and he jumps to his feet, slapping at his ass.
I rub my forehead. I guess I should’ve guessed these boys were dumb as shit given that they came after Olivia again. Most people would’ve taken one look at their brother’s fried balls and kept everyone away from our girl. Most people wouldn’t be smoking a hash pipe in the living room of their frat house in a state where that shit wasn’t legal.
“H-h-he’s sleeping.”
“Better wake him up.” I pretend to be interested in the room, kicking the baseboards and opening up cupboards. Tank heads for the kitchen where he claimed all the good stuff would be stored.
“You can’t do that,” the boy tells me.