Poughkeepsie Begins (The Poughkeepsie Brotherhood #0.5) by Debra Anastasia Page B

Dentist’s run. Sorry, pup.” Kick’s voice filled the room, but Beckett just stared into the man’s black eyes.
    Beckett hit Dentist so hard the man went down like a bag of bricks. Just out fucking cold.
    “Shit.”
    “Son of a bitch.”
    Beckett looked from Dentist to Kick’s face. “Either I do that to him every time I see him, or he reports to me.”
    It was the people in the house who let Beckett know he was on to something. The reviews were in, and he’d caused a visceral reaction.
    Kick nodded. “Okay, pup. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

    Candy walked into class with Zyler, but sat next to a sleeping Beckett. He was out cold, head resting on his folded arms. She gently tapped on his desk as Mrs. Drivens called the class to attention. No response. She touched his wrist softly.
    Like a rattlesnake, quick as a blink, he snatched her wrist in response. She gasped as he opened his bloodshot eyes.
    “Sorry, pink princess. I wake up loaded for bear.” He let her arm go.
    “She’s talking about our project.” Candy pointed to the front.
    Beckett nodded and sat up, running his hand over his face.
    They watched a video of three debates, illustrating how theirs should go. By the time Candy was done taking notes, Beckett was sleeping again.
    When Mrs. Drivens gave the class time to brainstorm with their partners, Candy let him sleep. There was something so exhausted-looking about his face. She wrote down their topic: for and against the use of animals in the circus. She gave him the task of conveying the “for” side. The bell rang, and he didn’t stir. Zyler walked up and smiled at her.
    “You’re stuck with a great partner, right?” He tapped Beckett’s foot with his own.
    Without opening his eyes Beckett gave Zyler the finger.
    “Hey, Candy, I’ll carry your books?”
    Candy no longer took her backpack from class to class. She had her schedule and locker stops down.
    “Just give me a second? I’ll meet you in the hall. Thanks.” She smiled back at him.
    He left reluctantly.
    Beckett ran his hands through his hair, messing it up.
    “Listen, I want to work with you on this. But I’m serious about my grades. Are you busy tonight?” She stood as he did the same. He had nothing to grab from the desk. “Do you even have a pencil?” she asked.
    He shook his head and grinned, both dimples showing up as his eyes sparkled.
    She handed him one of her pink Candy pencils.
    He took it and stuck it behind his ear. “I’m busy every night.”
    “Well, you’re going to have to figure out when to see me.” She gathered her books in her arms.
    “Fine. I’ll take you home today.” His eyes smoldered as he looked her up and down.
    “Great. Meet you in the parking lot after the last bell.”
    He looked both surprised that she’d agreed and a little worried. He covered it with a shrug. “I’ll be there. Thanks for the pencil.” He stepped close to her, so close she thought he was going to kiss her. He looked from her lips to her eyes and back again. “Candy.”
    When he walked away, she exhaled. Her heart clenched when he looked into her like that—like he knew so much more about life than she did.
    That was why she’d kissed him that time.
    She turned toward the exit and saw a surly Zyler puffing his chest.
    Beckett walked by and slapped his shoulder. “Keep it up, Cyler.”
    “Zyler.”
    “Whatever.”
    Candy caught up to him as Beckett melted into the foot traffic in the hallway.
    “He’s such a jerk. I bet we can get Drivens to put you in our group. She knows he’s scum.” Zyler held out his books for Candy to pile hers on top of.
    “I don’t know why you’re always so mean about him. He seems okay. Just tired.” She walked down the hall next to Zyler, thinking about Beckett.
    He shouted to a few guys across the way before returning to their conversation. “If running drugs was an Olympic sport, he’d medal every damn day.”
    Candy didn’t love that. She wasn’t a fan of drugs at