I frowned, knowing what he was thinking.

Nate looked in between us. “What are you guys thinking? You’re doing the silent conversation thing again.”

I shook my head. I said to Logan, “I don’t know. We don’t know who she is.”

“Wouldn’t be hard to find out, just ask a couple people.”

“It’s a daughter? Your dad’s married girlfriend has a daughter?” Nate kept looking between us. “I’m playing catch-up here. You never told me that before.”

I said to him, “Because we don’t know how old the daughter is.”

“She’s in my grade,” Logan informed us. We both turned to him. He had been watching me the whole time. “I don’t know what she looks like, but I asked Decraw and he told me.”

“Who’s Decraw?”

I told Nate, “Mark Decraw. He played league baseball with Logan this summer.”

He asked Logan, “He didn’t tell you what she looked like or a name?”

“It was in passing, but he said she was in his grade. I didn’t have time to question him about anything else and I forgot to later.”

“Well, whatever she is, we can’t do anything about her now.” I started the engine and turned around.

Nate leaned back, asking, “So what are we doing again?”

I glanced at Logan. He understood. James would be at the house the entire weekend. She would be there with him and they expected us to act like good little boys? We weren’t going home this weekend. As if reading my mind, Logan nodded, giving me the go-ahead. Then he flashed me a grin. “I’ve always wanted to steal a cop car.”

“Wait. What?” Nate shot forward again.

I returned my brother’s grin. “You could be the decoy. They’ll get out, I’ll rush in and take the car.”

Logan nodded. His wheels were turning and his eyes lit up. “I’ll be naked. They’ll get out, thinking I’m drunk. They won’t draw their weapons and then I’ll take off through the alley.”

“No, wait. You have to stumble to the alley so they will follow you. I’ll get the car then.”

He nodded. “As soon as I’m in the alley, I’ll take off. You better f**king pick me up on the other side.”

“I will.”

Nate groaned from behind us, “Oh my god, you guys. My parents are going to flip out. I can’t get arrested. They’ll move. I’m telling you right now. They hate you, Mason, and with this last thing, if you get me arrested, it’s over. I’m out of here. I just know it.”

As I turned towards the main street, where we knew the cops lingered, I told him, “You can take this car and just meet us later. You don't have to be a part of it.”

He groaned, shaking his head back and forth. “You don’t get it. I’m here. There’s no way I can’t not go with you guys.” A resolved look came over him. “I’m all in with you guys.”

“All-for-one-and-one-for-all type of shit?” Logan grinned back at him.

“Oh my god. I guess.”

I laughed, then slowed the Escalade when we saw a cop car parked outside of a taco shop. Pulling into the parking lot, I parked and we waited. When Logan started taking his clothes off, I asked, “Why do you have to be naked?”

“Are you kidding me? We’re going to steal a cop car. How could I not be naked for this story? It’s going to be epic.”

16

THE THREAT

It was the next morning when we were bailed out. As we went to the front of the station, James was there. Logan muttered next to me, “He looks pissed.”

I grunted. “Good. Let’s do this every weekend.”

He sent me a grin and then our dad was in front of us, shaking his head. “Get in the car. Now.” He stormed out, leading the way.

Logan followed first, but turned around to walk backwards. He flashed me a smirk. “Mission accomplished, huh?”

I nodded, watching our dad as we went outside and towards the car waiting for us. When we got into the back, he told the driver to go, but turned around to us. “Are you kidding me?” He was looking right at me. “I call you and tell you that Analise would be at the house; that we wanted to have dinner with you two, and you get arrested instead?” He glanced at Logan, then looked back at me. His nostrils flared from anger. His lips pressed tight together with disappointment. “And you get him arrested too?”

I rolled my eyes. “How much did you spend to make it go away?”

He drew in an angry breath. “I will ignore that last comment, Mason—”

I shot back, “I don’t give a shit what you ignore. Yes, we got arrested, and yes, I know you paid off a nice judge to let us off.”

“You did this because of her.”

“Damn straight I did.”

“You endangered his future.” He pointed at Logan.

“You endangered both of us every time you stuck your dick into some other woman that wasn’t your wife.”

His eyes grew heated and he leaned away from the seat, as if putting space between us would calm him. I waited, watching for his next move. When he didn’t make one and kept quiet, I taunted him. “What are you going to do, Dad? Ground us? Send us to Mom?” I laughed, and even I flinched when I heard the resentment in my own voice. “We both know you don’t want Mom to have us. Fuck the football scouts. I’ll get them to watch me on another team. I don’t give a shit.”

“You are so angry.”

I snorted and turned away to watch out the window. “I’m angry? Are you kidding me? Of course I’m angry—”

“She’s married,” Logan spoke up, and we both looked at him. His mouth was pressed in a flat line and he was glaring at our dad.

“What did you say?” James’ voice grew quiet.

He said again, “She’s married, Dad. We looked her up. Her husband is the football coach at Academy.”

He didn’t react. I was waiting for something, surprise, shame, or even guilt, but nothing flashed in his eyes. He didn’t move one damn bit. I shook my head and a disgusted sound came from me. He looked to me now, growing cautious as he did. I said, “You knew and you don’t give a shit, do you?”

“Mason—”

“Don’t start,” I cut him off. “Don’t even f**king start. She’s a married woman.”