Corrupt - Douglas Penelope (книги .TXT) 📗

I couldn’t believe it. This had to be a mistake. Will had only ever been seen with girly girls in short skirts with perfect hair. Girls who knew how to flirt. Emmy Scott was…well, kind of a nerd by everyone’s opinion, including her own.

We stopped as we neared the gazebo, and I turned my head, seeing Michael’s piercing eyes lock with mine.

“We want what we want,” he explained, the weight of his soft words meaning more than I think he intended.

And my heart starting beating faster.

I glanced over to the guys, seeing Damon hold the bottle as Will lit the cloth, and I shook my head.

“I don’t like this,” I whispered, keeping my head down again. “Emmy’s a good person, and she worked her ass off on that gazebo. It was her senior project for Social Science. It got her into Berkeley.”

She’d built the gazebo a year ago last summer, and while she may have been thrilled to get out of here and go off to college, she’d certainly put everything she had into that gazebo, as well as a few other little projects she’d built around town.

Michael tipped his chin up. “He’ll make it right,” he assured. “Let him go through his shit.”

And then, before I could say anything, I saw a flash of light fly through the air. I held my breath as the bottle crashed into the gazebo, an explosion of flame bursting forth and drowning every inch of wood in fire.

“Oh, Jesus.” I shot my hand to my forehead, guilt filling me up. “I’m not watching this. This is a dick move!”

I spun around, but Michael grabbed my arm. “You stand with us or you can go home,” he warned.

I yanked my arm out of his grasp, scowling up at him.

I didn’t want to go home.

But this wasn’t fun, either. They were being assholes, and if I didn’t stand my ground, he’d always see me as weak.

I stalked off, back toward to the street to where the car sat.

Screw them. I’d find an open business and call Noah to pick me up.

Pulling open the car door, I dug inside the back pocket of Kai’s seat where I’d stuffed my phone and pulled it out, slamming the door.

The fire blazed only a short distance away, and several excited voices rang out around me.

“Oh, shit!” someone called, noticing the blaze.

There were more gasps and a few excited laughs. Certain people knew what to expect on Devil’s Night and had probably been waiting for it.

I ignored them and swiped the screen of my phone, dialing 911. Maybe the fire trucks had gotten back through.

I hesitated a moment, not wanting to get the guys in trouble, but then I remembered that they didn’t get in trouble.

Fuck it. I pressed Call.

“Stop!”

I jerked my head up, seeing Officer Baker across the street in the park. My stomach dropped.

Oh, no.

He was headed straight for the guys. With his hand on his firearm, he slowly approached where they all stood together now. “Hands in the air! Now!”

I ended the call, knowing he probably called it in already.

“Shit!” I heard Will growl. “Dammit!”

“Hands up! Now!” Baker bellowed again. “You little shits are done for the night! I’m taking you in!”

“Son of a bitch,” I breathed out, stuffing my phone in my sweatshirt.

Michael’s hands went up first, slowly followed by everyone else.

“This really ruins our night, Baker,” Will joked, and I heard the rest of the guys erupt in laughter.

“Down on the ground!” the officer shouted, ignoring their teasing. “Slowly.”

“My father’s going to have my head,” Kai grumbled.

My pulse raced, and I watched as they all lowered to the ground and a crowd of spectators gathering around the scene.

It wasn’t the first time the guys had gotten taken in. Baker would probably just keep them for the night so they didn’t do any more damage and then release them in the morning.

But then I shot my eyes back and forth, noticing several people take out their cell phones and begin recording.

“Take your masks off,” the officer ordered.

My jaw dropped open as I breathed hard. No.

Not with everyone fucking recording! Michael would be made, and he’d lose his spot on the team. Not that I cared.

Okay, yes. I fucking cared.

I shot my head around, twisting side to side and looking for something—anything—to do. Something to distract the cop.

And then I froze, seeing the store windows of FANE.

My heart in my throat, I didn’t stop to think.

Just do it.

Lunging for the rear of the car, I opened it and dug out a crow bar. Slamming the back door closed again, I pulled my hood down over my eyes and ran up to the display case, which showed off a glittering set of ruby earrings with a matching necklace and a ring, probably worth over a quarter of a million dollars.

Yeah, my family didn’t fuck around when it came to jewels. We were worth as much, if not more, than the Crists.

I raised my arm, wincing with fright at what I was about to do. “Shit,” I whimpered.

And I just swung.

The crowbar crashed through the glass, the lights and alarms immediately blazing, filling the town square with its onslaught of noise.

I was just about to run, knowing the cop would come after me in preference of them, but then I quickly realized that I’d be leaving the jewels unprotected.

Grabbing the shit out of the case, I held it tight in my fist, the stones cutting into my skin, and I bolted.

“Oh, fuck! Really?” I heard Will’s excited voice and then a huge, boisterous laugh.

“Go! Get in the car!” someone else shouted, but I was too far gone to make out the voice.

I darted around the corner, down the street, and then I took another quick left, racing into one of the quieter, less ostentatious neighborhoods as I tried to lose the cop.

I didn’t know if he was after me, but hopefully he would think I’d kept going down Breckinridge.

I ran as fast as I could, pushing with every muscle in my legs, the crowbar in one hand and the jewels in another.

Noah didn’t live far from here, so I could make it to his house.

Shit! What the hell had I done?

No matter how much I covered my face, somebody was still bound to recognize me, not to mention to cameras around the store. And then I’d have to return this shit, and my mother would know.

I ran hard, the cool air pouring in and out of my lungs as sweat glided down my back.

“Rika! Get in!” a voice yelled behind me.

I spun around, seeing Kai with his head stuck out the window as Michael raced his G-class up the dark street.

He slowed alongside me, and I shot out, grabbing the door handle and opening it. I jumped inside and slammed the door. Michael laid on the gas and sped down the street.

“Woo hoo!” Kai slid the top half of his body out of his window, screaming into the night air.

“You robbed your own fucking store, Rika!” Will laughed and grabbed fistfuls of my sweatshirt, shouting into my face. “You’re the fucking king, baby!”

He released me, hysterical with laughter and smiles.

Tipping his head back, he howled up to the roof of the car, the rush of fear and excitement probably too much.

I breathed hard, heat overcoming my entire body, and I felt like I was going to throw up.

I glanced at the rearview mirror, running my hand through my hair in worry, and seeing Michael staring at the road with a small smile on his face. He raised his eyes, as if knowing I was watching him, and I could see something different there.

Maybe respect, or maybe awe.

Or maybe he finally thought I was worth a damn.

I dropped my eyes, forcing myself to relax, a small smile finally peeking out.

“Thanks,” a low voice said behind me.

I turned my head to see Damon, his arms resting on the top of the back seat as he stared at me.

I nodded, knowing that probably wasn’t a word he said often.