Page 32 of Under the Influence

Cori insisted on hitching a ride with Grady and his girlfriend since he was leaving anyway. I trust him to take her home. He's been my boy basically my whole life.

"Hey Mad, do you mind dropping me off downtown? There's something I need to take care of."

I knit my brows together, "Lainey, it's almost ten o'clock. The only people out downtown on a Monday night at this time are homeless people and drug dealers."

"And me!" She winks, "Come on, Mad, just drop me off, and then you can come back here and do whatever."

I want to push for more information, but I nod, knowing it won't do any good. No matter what kind of trouble Lainey has gotten herself into, I'll be there. Dropping her off, picking her up, bailing her out, whatever.

We get in my car, and she instructs me where to go, smiling the entire time at her phone screen. It's a bit odd, honestly, and I won't lie and say I'm not curious.

We pull up, and I'm livid when my eyes land on the white version of Nash's black Jeep. Drayton.

Is she insane? She's not leaving with him.

"Hell no!" I bark, flinging my door open.

Lainey jumps out, rounding the car quickly to jump between us.

"What is this, Drayton?" I demand, wanting to know what the hell is going on.

He holds his hands up, "I'm not here to fight. I just want to see Lainey."

I roar out laughter, "If you think this is going to be a way to get at Nash, you're wrong!" I yell. "Nash hates Lainey."

Drayton steps closer to her, making my skin crawl, "Dude, it's not even like that. I barely even know Nash."

Lainey's eyes are dark, and I can tell she's furious, "Madden, have you ever thought that maybe someone could want me just because? No ulterior motive."

Shit. That's not at all what I meant.

"I don't trust him!" I cry. My voice is desperate at this point.

Drayton pushes Lainey behind him, "Why are you yelling at her, man? I don't trust you!"

Lainey brushes her hand down the back of his arm, "It's okay. Madden would never hurt me."

She steps forward, "Mad, I promise I'm fine. We're just going to hang out here for a bit, and then Drayton will take me home. That's it. I have my phone, and I don't trust him either, so trust me when I say my guard is up."

I swallow the nervous feeling in the back of my throat and shake my head, giving Drayton a warning stare. He gives me a knowing nod, one that says, "I understand you will kick my ass if I mess with her." Lainey grabs his hand without another word, and both of them turn toward the park.

My skin crawls.

I open my car door with a shaky hand, slipping into the seat.

I know it sounds a bit stalkerish and weird, but I can't just leave her here. It's not who I am.

She'll flip out if she knows that I'm watching her, though, so I slip out of this parking lot and drive a street over, hiding my car in the playground parking lot. I get out and walk over to the swings behind some trees, where I can still see her, but she can't see me.

I sit in the swing, taking in my surroundings. Watching as Lainey and Drayton sit on a bench near the fountain. She laughs, and I wonder what the heck he is saying that she could possibly find so funny.

A sound pulls my attention away from them as I notice a soft glow to my right in one of the playground tunnels. I stand up, slowly approaching, wondering who could be out here this time of night. Surely not a child.

I climb the jungle-themed structure, reaching the tunnel from which the soft sound is coming. She sits up straighter, quickly wiping her eyes.

Avery.

Her phone falls from her hand, obviously startled by my arrival.