Justin glances at me over his shoulder as he’s dragged out of the building, and I have to stop myself from following them.
The least shocking thing of the night? Trevor is nowhere to be found.
Between the three of us, Romeo, Sam, and I managed to collect the seven hundred dollars for Gabe’s bail. It turns out this isn’t Gabe’s first run-in with the law. All Justin has to do for his release is sign a personal recognizance bond—something about promising to return and appear in court. Justin will pay us back on Gabe’s behalf once he gets out, but I’m not too worried about money at the moment.
We arrive with the money at the police station at dawn, and while Romeo and Sam go inside to pay, I sit in my car. I’m looking forward to putting this sleepless night behind me. I’ve been consumed by guilt while also wishing I’d punched Trevor myself. I really don’t understand why he came last night. Sure, he’s been hinting at getting back together with me since he returned but he hasn’t been persistent. And he showed no signs of being completely freakin’ nuts about me with Justin until last night.
I’ve been waiting in my car for over half an hour when Romeo and Justin finally come out of the building, with Gabe and Sam following behind them through the revolving door.
Even though this is stupidest—I’m blaming it on lack of sleep—time to be obsessing about appearances, I’m kind of wowed by the four men coming at me. Of course, with his dimples, green eyes, and swoop of dark blond hair, Justin’s brand of hotness is the most devastating. But Romeo, who’s as tall as Justin’s six foot two, has this dark, sensual thing going on. Then there’s Gabe. Tall too, maybe just over six foot. He’s all wiry muscle, with piercing eyes and a jaw so hard it’s like someone cut it from marble. Last is Sam, who is all energy and handsome cuteness with his buzzed dark hair and muscles bulging, even at seven thirty in the morning. Geez. You’d think they were models instead of bandmates.
After a few fist bumps, Justin, Sam, and Gabe come over to my car. Romeo has to get to work at the family center where he volunteers, so I offered to drive everyone else home when he and Sam and I met up this morning. Up close, the two who got sprung appear the worse for wear, with red eyes and exhausted expressions.
“Hey,” I say as Justin gets into the passenger seat. “You all right?”
He reaches for my hand and smiles softly. “Seeing you, I’m doing a shitload better.”
When Gabe and Sam get in the back, my car is overloaded with testosterone.
After a few minutes of arguing—everyone wants to help everyone else on this bleary Sunday morning—it’s decided that I’ll take Gabe home first, and then he’ll take Sam home. Really, I could take them all home, but it’s obvious they’re trying to leave Justin and me alone.
Gabe’s directions land us in one of the few seedy areas in town. The houses are rundown. Yards are overgrown, and junk covers almost every porch. As I pull in front of Gabe’s house, an older man opens the broken door and wobbles out onto the first step. Between the wobble and the beer can in his hand, he appears half-drunk.
Pointing at Gabe with the hand holding the beer, the drunk shouts, “You know I’ve got a scanner, you little piece of shit. I told you the next time you get arrested not to come back! Your shit’s going to the curb!”
Getting out of the car, Gabe gives the man the finger.
The man points his own middle finger at Gabe. “Come in this house and I’ll break that off and stuff it up your ass, you little fucker.”
Gabe ignores him and goes straight to the driver’s side of his truck, which is parked on the curb.
Sam gets out next and bends down to Justin’s open window. “See you guys later,” he says. The man on the porch yells something else and after glancing over his shoulder, Sam adds, grinning, “Hopefully, we’ll make it out of here in one piece.” He gives Justin a soft punch on his shoulder, then runs to the passenger side of Gabe’s truck while the old guy on the porch continues yelling obscenities as he whips his beer can at the truck.
Not wanting to witness any more drama, I take off just as the can hits the truck with a thud.
Keeping my eyes on the road, I ask, “Do you want to go back to the dorm? Or you could come to my house. I’ll just have to take you home by two, when I pick up Ben.”
“Got a washer?”
My glance at him is questioning.
“I have to get out of these clothes. Jail stank.”
“Ah. Yeah, we’ve got a washer and dryer in the hallway closet.”
“Then your house it definitely is.”
Turning a corner, I say seriously, “I’m really, really sorry about last night.”
“Why would you be sorry?” His tone is incredulous.
“If it weren’t for me, Trevor wouldn’t have come and ruined everything.”
“Shit, Allie, you don’t have any control over that asshole. Although after last night, you should file a restraining order against the prick.”
His words surprise me. “I hadn’t thought about that.”
“You should. But as for last night, don’t be sorry. He pushed you, and Gabe…Well, obviously, he has one crazy-ass temper.” He watches the passing scenery out the window for a moment. “I’ve always thought Gabe was a prick. Still do. But in the last twenty-four hours, I’m starting to understand why. He has one screwed-up life.”
“You guys talk last night?”
“A little. The shit he told me wasn’t pretty. After getting her ass kicked numerous times, his mom left him with that asshole on the porch when he was six.” He rubs his forehead. “I was seriously clueless about the shit life he has. I mean, we’re all aware there’s abuse and sick shit out there, but it’s totally different seeing it.”
I shudder at the thought of the person on the porch taking care of anyone, much less a six-year-old. I was really hoping the guy wasn’t related to Gabe. I was hoping for distant stepfather or maybe his mother’s awful new boyfriend.
“People like Gabe make me realize that my anger at my parents isn’t shit.”
I park in front of my apartment building, but don’t make a move to get out of the car. “Why are you angry at your parents?”
He shrugs. “Because they’ve always been too busy for me. Except when I fuck up. Then they stop their precious lives for about five seconds to bitch. But I’ve always had everything I needed and they’ve never been abusive.” He rubs a hand down his face. “Shit, Allie, did you see that house? Can you imagine if that was your father? I can’t imagine what Gabe has been through. Six years old…”
Yes, the glimpse we just got into Gabe’s life is heartbreaking. But the idea of Justin growing up and being ignored by his parents saddens me too. I reach for his hand and brush my thumb over his bruised knuckles. “You’re probably right. Gabe’s life has been far less pretty than yours, but that doesn’t excuse your parents’ negligence.”
“Forget about my parents,” he says, gripping his knees. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m worried about Gabe. They’re going to slap me with a class C misdemeanor if anything, but Gabe is going to get nailed without a lawyer. This is his third assault charge. The only way I’m going to get him to accept my paying for a lawyer is if I get one and he represents us both.”
“Can you afford a lawyer?”
“Yeah, my parents may not pay attention to me but they shower me with money.”
His tone is bitter, but since he doesn’t want to talk about his parents I simply say, “Then that sounds like a good idea.”
Nodding, he stares out the window, but I’m aware he’s not seeing anything.
“Hey,” I say, and pull him toward me. “How about a shower, then some sleep? You’ll have time to consider everything later. You need rest now.”