His head whips back, but he doesn’t move as he looks at me and widens his smile. Cocky asshole, guess he isn’t going to fight back after all. I deliver another blow to his jaw, before sending one into his stomach. I jump on the balls of my feet as I start to smile, and then… he kicks me.
Right in the stomach, I can’t catch my breath as I stumble backwards and then he drops his elbow down onto my back.
I roar as I get my second wind and charge into him, we knock into the TV on the wall, sending it hurtling to the floor. Before Thallon gets the upper hand and knocks me into the coffee table. We drive fists into each other’s ribs, jaw’s, stomach, whatever we can reach.
“Stop.”
It isn’t shouted, but it’s more powerful than any order that my father could have bellowed. I freeze, and Thallon drives his knee up into my stomach one last time before he stumbles back. I look up to see Luna staring at us, eyes wide, and lips parted. Tom is expressionless and Mad just looks like he expected this.
“Why are you doing this? You’re bleeding.” She moves to step forward, but Mad stops her. I don’t know if that makes me happy or angry, maybe I’ll just settle somewhere in the middle.
“Yeah, Prince, why did you do it?” Thallon asks with his never ending lazy smile. What is wrong with this guy?
“Because he put you in the goddamn raft,” I shout, and I don’t even know why I’m shouting at her.
“Wait a minute, that’s why you did this? Oh, come on, mate, I didn’t do that. I have more finesse than to leave someone in a river, and what the hell do you mean by a raft?” His eyebrows are drawn, as are Tom and Shane’s.
“I don’t think he did. He doesn’t even know me, why would he try to kill me?” she asks, and her naivety worries me. Then again, it is our fault, we are keeping too much from her but if we told her… no, she wouldn’t keep it quiet, no matter what Tucker thinks. Poor fucker, I wonder if he’s given in and accepted his fate yet.
“Get out of my room, before I call your daddy.” He laughs and my fingers twitch but it’s Scott that pulls me back and leads me out of the room.
“Not now, Emmet, it isn’t worth it. If someone did do that to her, then you’ve got a bigger problem than Thallon on your hands,” he says, before he goes back into his own room.
No I haven’t, they all just add up into one huge web of problems that I can’t control.
“I think we should leave these two alone for a while,” Mad says to her little friend and she gives Luna a quick hug before walking away.
“Come on, I think I saw a first aid kit in the bathroom.” She grabs my hand and I don’t know if she’s even aware that she’s done it, but I’m not about to complain.
We walk back into our room and she leads me into the bathroom. I sit down on the edge of the bath as she gets out the kit and finds whatever she needs. I don’t have a clue what she’s doing, I can’t see why I can’t just wash off the blood and find something more fun to do. With her.
“This may sting a little,” she says as she pulls a wipe out.
“I’m a big boy, I think I can handle… ow, fuck. That stings like a motherfucker.” So much for being a big boy.
She rolls her eyes at me as she gets rid of the blood and cleans up my spilt knuckles before wrapping them up. It’s pointless, but she clearly feels like she needs to do this. It’s her pressing her lips to each knuckle when she’s done that makes my breath falter and my… nothing. Nothing else remotely sappy is happening here.
“You can’t solve all of life’s issues with your fists and face.” She bites down on her lip and I just know it’s to stop herself from laughing.
“I don’t, only when I feel like someone needs a good beating and it’s the only way they’ll learn.” I wince as she wipes at my face and applies strips across my eyebrow.
“Are you going to kiss that better too?” She looks at me and her cheeks flush, as her tongue darts out to wet her lips. I think I make her nervous, but I like to think it’s the good kind for once.
“That wasn’t an order,” she breathes out, and my dick twitches as I suppress my groan.
“Star,” I growl and I watch as her lashes flutter and her eyes become half hooded. “Kiss me.”
She steps between my legs and my hands fall onto her hips as hers rest on my shoulders. I like to think it’s to help her maintain balance, I get this strong satisfaction in knowing that I unsteady her.
“What if it hurts? Your lip is split,” she says softly as I pull her in even closer.
“I…”
“Do not say you’re a big boy,” she admonishes. There are very few people who can get away with interrupting me but I think I can let her have it just this once, especially as we’re alone.
“I’m fine, now do as you’re told.”
Her lips meet mine and I steal her breath as I draw her tongue into my mouth. I suck hard on it, and she moans loud as my fingers dig deeper into her hips.
We kiss hard and fast as her legs start to shake and I move a hand up to cup the back of her neck before I pull her away from me.
“Tell me what you’ve done, Star.”
“Just t-the u-u-usual,” she mumbles as she stares at my lap.
“Well, the usual could mean anything depending on who you’ve been with, so let’s try that again. Have you had a cock in this pretty little mouth of yours?” I pull her lip down with my thumb as she nods. “Has anyone tasted this?” I ask, as I cup her over her leggings and she flushes scarlet as she nods again. “Have you been on top, below, what? Come on, Luna, tell me.” I drop my hands away and I just stare at her.
I’m only fucking human, there’s only so many times I can kiss her and touch her while holding onto my restraint.
“Both, and from be-behind. Against a wall, there’s been ice and…”
She looks at me as I stand up and place my hand across her mouth to shut her up. Turns out, I didn’t really want that much detail.
“Is this it then?” she asks as I pull my hand away. “Y-you w-w-want to have sex?”
“Why? Are you scared, Star?” I ask with a smirk and she nods, which makes my smirk fall away with no resistance.
“Because you’ve made me scared, with all your warnings about needing to be ready first. For all I know, you’ve got a mega size in your pants,” she huffs while throwing her hands up and I bark out a laugh.
“Oh, my Star, it’s the things I like that I warned you about, not what I have. Although, I may be a little different to what you’ve experienced so far.” She pops her hands on her hips as she narrows her eyes at me, while I just continue to sit here.
“Why, what do you have?” Her eyes drop to my zipper and I laugh even harder, until it hurts too much.
Fucking Thallon, if he’s ruined this then I’ll kill him.
“Come on, let’s get you to bed. You need to lie down.” She takes my hand and I follow after her, biting down on my tongue to not say something stupid.
“You’re not going to try and tell me I’m tired, are you?” I say while arching my brow and she downright smirks at me.
“Lie down, Emmet, please.”