Chapter Twenty-Nine
Back in the car, Mason started to laugh and Kelley glanced over at him. “What?” Mason's laugh told him he did something.
“Did you know your so-called friend uses no-hair products?” Mason raised his eyebrow as he glanced at Kelley before returning his attention to the road.
“Why would I know that?” Kelley’s frown spoke volumes, he didn’t want Mason to answer that question.
Lee gave a half smile from the back seat. “What did you do, Mason?”
Mason chuckled again. “I mixed it with his hair gel.”
They all laughed at the image of Hanson’s hair falling out in clumps as Mason drove back to lower Yorkdare Bay. They settled in the living room with a clear view of the dining room where Marella sat doing her homework. Kelley had known that they'd make a move at some point and it made sense that they wanted Marella back. She'd essentially gotten away from Hanson unscathed, emotionally in any way.
“There will be retaliation.” Lee’s voice was low even though Marella had her earphones in her ears.
“The way they think … they’ll try to hit us where it hurts the most … Marella.” Kelley glanced at her.
“We already foiled that plan but nothing stops them from coming after her again.”
“Not if we strike again … before they can retaliate.” Mason smiled as he said that.
Lee’s interest was piqued now. “How?”
Kelley pulled his ringing phone from his pocket and frowned as he answered. “Hello?”
“You think this shit’s funny, Kelley?” Hanson asked furiously.
“Bad hair day, Chadney?” Lee and Mason chuckled in the background and Kelley fought to keep the chuckle from his voice.
“Meet us at the territory line in thirty minutes and we’ll sort this shit out once and for all.”
The line went dead and Kelley looked at Mason and Lee. “We’re going to need backup.”
Lee sent one text and within two minutes a mass text was sent out by Blaire and Blain to the entire football team. Everyone would be there. Lee looked at Kelley and he stood up. “She comes with us. It might be a ploy to divert our attention away from her.”
“Agreed. The bastards are slimy enough to pull something like that.” Mason had a point.
Fifteen minutes later they arrived at the territory line, a lone diner marking the spot. The diner was neither on the upper side nor the lower side of Yorkdare Bay, but rather in the precise middle of the middle-class income area.
Years earlier, when Kelley still called himself an Elite, they had joked that the diner was the territory line, a line the Elites should never cross. Kelley had Mason park his Escalade at the corner and they got out of the car and walked towards the diner.
“Marella should wait inside.” Lee looked at Marella while he spoke.
“Don’t do anything stupid, Lee.” Marella had her hands on either side of Lee’s face and he lowered it as she kissed him, much to all of their shock.
“I won’t, but they’re also not touching you.” He kissed her hand and Mason grinned at him. Marella was short, and slim, in other words, she was tiny but fierce and Lee obeyed her like a soldier would his general.
Seeing this side of Lee was a surprise every single time. He never displayed his emotions, until Marella appeared in his life, that is. Kelley opened the diner’s door and froze in his steps as he looked at the girl sitting in the back booth.
“Your girlfriend’s here.” Mason nudged Kelley in the ribs.
“She’s not my girlfriend.”
Lee gave him a half smile. “Yet, she’s not your girlfriend yet.”
Juliana looked up from the book she was reading and looked at Kelley. He had his back toward her as they crowded Marella at another booth. She wondered what was going on because she had already ascertained that Lee and Marella were an item, but Kelley and Mason’s hovering around Marella made her wonder what was so special about the girl.
Kelley was like an annoying buzz that threatened to form a headache at the end of a long day but she liked that he kept trying to get her attention. Weeks had passed and there’d been no gossip about him and girls. She didn’t like players and even though she thought he was one, he clearly wasn’t.
“Order a coffee or something, it’ll look more legit. You can watch through the window.” Lee placed a kiss against Marella’s temple and took the menu from Mason’s hand.
“The guys are arriving.” Mason nodded towards the window where trucks and cars started arriving in the parking lot.
“What’s going on?” Juliana stood right next to Kelley and he turned to look at her. His arm brushed hers and he liked that she didn’t step back. He liked that she was a challenge and one he intended to win.
“Private wanted to meet. This is neutral ground … sort of.”
“Do you want me to sit with her?” Juliana glanced at Marella.
“Thanks … she’s a bit stressed about this meet.”
"Okay," Juliana said still looking intently at him. "Is this payback or something?"
Kelley stared right back at her. "Or something."
“Don’t look at me with those gooey eyes Kelley.”
Kelley cracked a smile as Juliana walked back to her table and grabbed her bag, her milkshake and her book and slid into the booth opposite Marella. “Marella, this is Juliana.”
"Hi," Marella said softly. She fidgeted with her hands and her nerves were palpable.
“Okay, public’s new warrior, go do what you have to do. She’ll be fine,” Juliana said and waved Kelley away with a flick of her wrist.
Kelley left them in the diner and walked outside to where Lee and Mason stood with their friends and told them what had happened earlier in the night, leaving out the cloned phone part which Mason never got to. The guys were ready, even if Private brought their whole football team, Public would wipe the street with them. These kids were used to fighting it out in the streets while Private lounged on patios.
“Will just texted, ten cars are coming up from Long Road.” Lee’s phone went back into his jacket pocket and Kelley turned to the group of guys.
“Scatter … let them think we’re alone.”
Grins appeared on every face as they ducked into shadows, into the diner and the nearby park across the street. Private wouldn’t see them until it was too late. A few of the guys went up along the park's length and they’d circle around Private once their cars passed.
