The Rules of Survival (Mercer #1)

RoS Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Someone was waiting for me at the entrance of the school when I arrived.

I made it up three of the stairs when Ray came out of nowhere to snatch my arm in a biting hold, marching me back down them. He didn't stop walking, despite my heavy protests, until we were across the street and half hidden from view behind a brick pillar.

"What are you doing?" I snapped, finally freeing myself of his hold.

My voice was harsh enough to make Ray flinch the tiniest bit. I almost felt bad, but then I remembered I was running on next to no sleep, my broken fingers and sore hip were giving me grief on account of me having fallen asleep with my hands clamped firmly around my knees; It was sheer force of will and stubborn pride that had me refraining from limping.

And then there was the true highlight of my morning: waking up to an empty house. I'd lost my shit and upturned every corner of the place that could yield a halfway decent hiding spot. When it was apparent that not even Ryan could fit into one of the kitchen cupboards and I conceded I was grasping at straws, I'd been ready to initiate a manhunt for the safe return of my siblings.

It wasn't until I was on my way out the front door that I found a note taped to it, informing me Mycha had sent the kids to school, and had decided not to wake me so I could enjoy a much needed sleep in. The relief I'd felt was so profound it made me light headed and I had to sit down to collect myself. I really had thought the worst; that our nasty friends in the Jeep had broken into the house while I'd been fast asleep and stolen my brothers and sisters from me.

And now, with Ray manhandling me off of school property without a word of explanation, was it any wonder I was at my wits end? He pegged me with a stare that was hard to identify. Obviously he was pissed, but underneath that I could detect a deep frustration, the first signs of stress I'd ever seen on him, and a sense of helplessness. Tiny frown lines appeared between his brows as those rich brown eyes narrowed.

He was wearing the same jeans, hoodie and jacket I'd seen him in last night, his mop of brown hair pushed haphazardly from his face. Following his initial reaction, he scoffed. "What am I doing? You're really gonna ask me that?"

I blinked in confusion, but he didn't get the chance to respond. "How 'bout I'm trying to save my ass from getting expelled - or worse, thrown in jail. How 'bout I'm trying to save your ass from ending up six feet under - 'cause believe me when I say there is only so much I can do by myself to keep you breathing!"

Baffled, I placed a hand on his shoulder and peered at him in earnest. "Okay, Ray, you're making no sense. What's going on? What's wrong?"

Cursing in Spanish, he smacked my hand away and started pacing frantically. "I don't know how you can be so stupid! I mean, stealing from the TLF? Are you clinically insane? Or do you just have a death wish? Because if it's the latter, please, let me save you a lot of unnecessary trouble. I know a handful of people that could easily off you without you having to encourage them. Say the word, and I'll give one of them a call."

He paused for breath and I stepped in front of him, effectively cutting off his pacing. Despite his vicious tone I knew he wasn't angry at me, but fearful of what could happen to me.

"I know it sounds dumb, but I didn't think they'd connect the dots. At least, not so soon." The words sounded lame rolling off my tongue.

Ray's eyebrows shot so high they were in danger of getting lost in his hairline. "Ay dios mio," he breathed. "So you really did steal from those pendejos? I was holding out hope that you'd slap me upside the head and tell me I was wrong."