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He shifts into park and steps out.
My gaze searches the parking lot, instantly recognizing two cars that don’t belong here. I groan and open my door. I’d sent Eraser and Vapor a text when I finally escaped the mansion, and it looks like they timed their arrival perfectly.
The driver’s lining up my bags on the sidewalk. Before I got in the SUV, Jordan instructed the guy to make sure I made it to my front door. Doesn’t look like the dude plans to follow through.
Doesn’t matter. Two seconds later, Eraser’s big voice breaks the eerie, early-afternoon silence.
“Welcome home, superstar,” he greets with his sarcasm dial jacked to eleven.
“Think if we ask nicely, he’ll give us an autograph?” Vapor says in fake-hushed tone meant for my ears.
I turn and attempt a snarky greeting of my own.
Vapor’s playful grin melts clean off his face. “What in the chicken-fried fuck happened to you?”
“Happy to see you too, brother.”
Ignoring my sarcasm, he peers into my eyes and frowns. “They get someone decent to stitch you up?”
“Why? Does it look bad?”
“Nooo.” He frowns as he stares at my stitches, not really making me feel better about my appearance. “Doesn’t look great, though.”
“Thanks. The doc went over me.” I groan and reach into the car to grab my backpack and drag it out. “I put the other guy in the hospital. So I can’t complain about a few stitches.”
“You look like shit,” Eraser says, taking the backpack out of my hands and hoisting it over his shoulder. “What’d your opponent do—try to make hamburger with your face?”
“Thanks.” I gently probe my bottom lip and jaw, then the stitches over my left eye. “Your concern warms my heart.”
“Stop picking on Griff.” Ella points to my bags on the curb and slaps Eraser’s back. “He needs to get inside.”
“Inside would be nice,” I agree.
“Is that everything?” Eraser asks the driver.
The guy nods and stands outside the driver’s door. “Are you good, sir?” he says to me.
“I’m fine.”
He stands there for another few seconds. If he’s waiting for a tip, he can kiss my bruised ass.
“I can’t believe they sent you home like this,” Vapor says.
“I’ve taken worse,” I say. Not since we were all locked up at Castle Correctional, but I don’t have to say it. They know.
“I assume you won?” Eraser asks.
The disappointment of the judge’s decision rings through my head. “I’m not allowed to say.”
“Am I right?” He tilts his head.
“Seldom,” I answer.
The guys chuckle at that. Normally, they’d throw a light punch or slap my back, but everyone looks like they’re afraid to touch me. Like, I’ll shatter into a million pieces from any contact.
They might not be wrong.
Juliet slams her car door and hurries over to me. “Griff.” Her voice comes out as a high, strangled plea. “Oh my God.”
