Big Time Mess

Nikolai

“Bloody no fucking way.” I frowned, anger bubbling through me. “I’m not fucking participating in any fucking tutorial program.”

Professor Keller flinched.

Actually flinched.

The man was in his late fifties, balding, wire frame glasses sliding down his nose. His office smelled like old books and cheap coffee. Diplomas framed neatly behind him. Awards. Certificates.

All useless.

He cleared his throat. “Mr. Carrington, this isn’t optional.”

I leaned back in the chair, spreading my legs slightly, arms crossed over my chest. The movement pulled at the bruise along my ribs.

He sighed. “You’re failing your classes, and your athletic privileges won’t account for it. Unfortunately you have dropped too badly that the committee won’t overlook it this time.”

I stared at him.

“The committee?” I repeated.

“Yes.”

I let out a slow breath through my nose.

“They overlook plenty.” Especially since my father is willing to throw money in their faces.

I’m mostly nonexistent to their academic nonsense.

“Not this,” he said quickly. “Your attendance is almost nonexistent. Your coursework is missing. Your exam scores are…” He hesitated. “Catastrophic.”

“Professor Keller, I’m sure my father would handle whatever the fuck you’re babbling about.” I leaned further, staring at the old man dead in the eyes. “I don’t give two flying fucks okay.”

Heavens, this whole school is insufferable.

Probably banging his head against his fucking desk would stop him from all the babbling, the voice whispered.

“Mr Carrington.” He had a pained expression. “Your father will not be pleased if he should find out that your grades would indirectly affect your hockey career. I’m sure you understand what that means…” he leaned a knowing eyebrow.

My features turned completely deadpanned.

The room felt smaller.

Colder.

“What do you mean?” I asked quietly.

He swallowed. “If the committee places you on academic suspension, you will be benched. Immediately.”

Silence.

“And if you’re benched,” he continued carefully, “your father will be notified. Formally.”

“You drop below average,” Keller went on, “and the board cannot justify keeping you active on the team roster.”

My jaw tightened. Something snapped in the back of my head. It was my father’s angry face that flashed through my eyes.

“The tutorial program is the only way to uplift your grades, so that your athletic career doesn’t get affected. I’m sure you understand what I’m saying Mr Carrington.”

My thick silence followed.

He continued, “I will have you signed up, and assigned with a tutor.”

Fuck, fuck, fuck and even more bloody fuck.

I cracked my knuckles as I strolled out of his office. What a perfect way to bullshit my life even further. Fuck… Grey will fucking have me if anything should slightly affect my hockey game.

Running my fingers through my hair while walking out from the building, someone threw a hand over my shoulder, and I stopped immediately, edging a glare at the person.

“Let me guess, you fucked up again?” Clinton smirked, and I fucking wanted to punch the smirk from his stupid face.

“Hands off, unless you don’t appreciate your fingers anymore.” And I was fucking dead serious about it.

“Easy hot chocolate.” He unwrapped his hands from me, raising his hands in the air, but his madness of a smirk hooded his features.

And it didn’t take me long to notice how dilated his pupils were.

I yanked him by the collar, pushing him against the wall.

“Are you fucking on drugs?” I scanned his features, his lips cracked, and his twitching eyelids. Yeah he was definitely fucked on something.

“It’s just some fucking molly dude. Chill.”

I gritted my teeth, slamming him hard against the wall. “Fucking molly? Are you trying to get yourself suspended Clinton. Fuck that, are you trying to get the both of us kicked out. What happened to the fucking rule of no drugs during school and practice hours?”

The sick motherfucker, it’s not still late to fucking bury his guts somewhere.

“Relax Niko. You’re really being a pain in the ass right now you know?” He pried my hold off him. “You look fucking paranoid, and could use some molly or smoke?”

“I don’t need that shit.” I pulled my hands off him, exhaling. “Did you find anything about the guy?”

Clinton frowned a bit. “What the fuck do you plan on doing with him Niko?” He leaned closer. “I can’t fucking have you going on another killing spree.”

I pushed him off. “I’m not killing the worthless piece of trash.” At least not yet, because I was really interested to know who the kid was who was sent after my brother. The amateur messed up pretty badly, including the fact that he injected me and knocked me unconscious. Yeah, that was the unforgivable part.

Clinton let out an insufferable sigh, scratching the back of his neck. “I really don’t want to be responsible for the death of anyone man.”

“Just fucking tell me who the kid is.”

“A medical student,” Clinton said finally, voice tight. “Scholarship parasite. 300 level.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“300 level?” I repeated slowly. “So, he’s smart enough to be dangerous, but dumb enough to touch me?”

Clinton shrugged, still keeping a safe distance. “Apparently.”

I cracked my neck, feeling the tension in my ribs flare up. The voices were buzzing again, low, soft, hungry.

Good. They liked this.

“Do you know his name?” I asked. My tone didn’t give him an option.

Clinton swallowed. “Nathaniel Lockwood. He’s a nerdy student. Which makes me wonder what the fuck he was doing there, going after your brother.”

I drummed my fingers against the wall. Exactly, the dude looked like a complete idiot and really incompetent. So what the fuck was he doing coming after Liam?

“Maybe it was paid work?”

I also thought about that.

“He had drugs on him too, like he was delivering it, so he might not be actually innocent like he looks.” And the thought alone irritated me. I hated people who used their looks for deception. Thick glasses, hoodie, and looking absolutely pathetic.

I rolled my tongue. “Find everything about him, even down to the kinds of bitches he fucks.”

“Niko…” Clinton exhaled. “Why don’t you leave him for me to handle? Or hand him over to the brotherhood instead?”

“He fucking messed with me, that bloody bastard messed with me Clinton.” He messed with fucking Nikolai Carrington.

Do it. Break him. Show him who owns this.

I twitched my neck. I really need to get my meds on.

Clinton didn’t respond. He just nodded. “You’re going to kill him right?”

“Depends…”

Before Clinton could speak again, a voice cut through the tension like a knife.

“Mr. Carrington.”

I spun toward the doorway. One of the school staff, looking nervous, shifting weight from one foot to the other.

“He… uh… your elder brother, Liam, is outside,” the man stammered. “He says he’s been waiting.”

Liam? Fuck.

He has been calling my phone like crazy, and I kept ignoring his calls.

Walking towards the second gate, I spotted Liam.

And I hadn’t even closed the distance between us when a fist collided with my jaw. Sharp, fast, precise.

I stumbled back, teeth clashing, head spinning. Stars popped behind my eyes.

“Seriously?” I gasped, touching my jaw. “What the hell…”

“You didn’t follow the plan,” he said, calm again, like he was commenting on the weather.

“Well you weren’t specific enough.” I wiped my lips with the back of my palm.

“I should have known something would go wrong when it involves you.”

I smirked. “I can’t help it if my charm goes around fucking everyone.”

“It’s not fucking funny Nikolai.” He glared hard, and I raised my hands in the air surrendering.

He pinched the flesh between his brows before saying, “I know you already have tails on the kid who knocked you out. Find him and bring him to me. I will handle him my own way.”

“No can’t do Liam.” I lazily dragged, rubbing my cheek.

“What?” His eyes narrowed.

“The guy messed with me. So I will handle him myself, and I will get whatever information you want from him. So leave him to me.” My eyes met Liam’s, where he gave me a not too impressed gaze, which I barely gave a fuck about.

“And how am I sure that you won’t fuck this up too.”

“Trust me brother.” I clicked, giving a cynical look. “The motherfucker fucked with me, so let me have him my own way.”

Nathaniel Lockwood fucking belongs to me.

Yeah, he belongs to us.

“You really need to get your head checked up you know.” His eyes pressed harder. “What did he inject you with?”

“Didn’t get the chance to ask him,” I replied dryly. “I was too busy blacking out.”

He exhaled, checking his watch. “I will have dad off your tail as promised, but I can’t guarantee that he won’t come fucking you up.”

And I can’t fucking wait for the day I will soil my hands with my father’s blood.

“Don’t do anything stupid Niko. He’s watching you.”