“I didn’t choke,” I argue, realizing far too late how that sounds, and cover my face in embarrassment.
Dixon spits a mouth full of coffee all over the island. “You cuddled with her?” He wipes the amber liquid off his lips.
Dixon’s disbelief should offend me, but I know who I crawled into bed with last night. Marek isn’t the dating type. He’s the hump and dump, no room for attachment kind of guy.
“She isn’t lying.” Byron winks at me over the lip of his coffee mug. “About the choking thing, that is.”
Marek looks everywhere but where I’m standing, waiting to hear him confirm Dixon’s accusations. We did cuddle. Fuck, we did a lot more than cuddle. Instead, he moves a spatula around a pan and remains silent. What a quick change from kissing my head a few minutes ago to this shit show.
“Where’s Delaney?” I ask Breaker, knowing he’s the last one who saw her. I will use my best friend to get out of this situation if I have to.
“She already left.” Breaker shrugs, taking the eggs Marek has whipped up for him.
“Without me?” I glance around, expecting to see her come around the corner. After the shit that went down last night, I’d assumed she’d wait for me, and we’d head back to campus together.
“She had a headache, and we weren’t sure when you’d wake up after the sleepless night you had, so she said to make sure you got home safely.” Breaker pops a chunk of egg into his mouth. “Which I will do once I’m done eating this delicious breakfast one of your boyfriends made me.”
I watch for Marek’s face to change, a slip in his demeanor, or anything, but stoic he stays. “I can find my own ride home.” I wonder where the hell my shoes are.
“Oh, is that any way to be?” Breaker rolls his eyes and turns back to his meal. “Dick is meant to put you in a better mood, Palmer. Not what you’re exhibiting right now.”
If I could, I’d slam Marek’s pretty-as-a-painting face into the hot pan in front of him. Why is he acting like I’m not alive, and allowing his friends to speak to me like this? Not caring what anyone else has to say, I grab my purse from the island and head for the door where I luckily find my shoes.
In the driveway, I pull out my phone to see it’s dead. “Fuck me!” I shout to the sky.
“You don’t want to be that girl who’s passed around a group of guys. Trust me, we never respect those ones.” Breaker walks up next to me and lifts a key fob, and the lights blink on the black Escalade. He jumps behind the wheel and rolls down the windows. “Get the hell in, Palmer, or else.”
I open the door and climb inside. “Are you boys always so bossy?”
“We don’t have a choice.” He pops the gear into reverse and turns around in the driveway. He drives like his presence, authoritative and certain. We are almost down the hill when I feel him gawking at me. “I really hate cold eggs, Palmer.”
“No one begged you to drive me home. I could have walked.”
“Not going to happen, pretty girl,” he says, surprising me with the hint of anger in his voice at the thought of me escorting myself home.
“I walk everywhere,” I explain, hoping he’ll understand I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.
“Well, not anymore. If I see you walking by yourself, I will have no choice but to become your personal bodyguard.”
“What’s with the sudden urgency for my safety with you guys?”
“There’s weirdos on campus, Palmer. I’d hate to see something bad happen to you.”
For some reason, everything inside of me is telling me to believe his warning. “Okay, I won’t.”
“Good girl.” He parks in the only space available in front of my dorm building. I unbuckle my seat belt, then his warm hand wraps tightly around my forearm. “Things aren’t always what they seem, Palmer. Remember that.”
“I don’t do cryptic messages, Breaker, so say whatever it is you need to say.” I jerk away.
One shoulder lifts in acceptance, and he shakes his head, silently telling me his lips are sealed. That’s all he can give me. After last night, I’m not sure if I have the energy to process anything.
“Bye, Breaker.”
“Till next time, Little Weston.” At his goodbye, I slam the door and hurry inside, his words clearly sinking in, and now I feel like I’m being watched.
Little Weston. His reminder that there once was another one of us is painful.
I jump into the elevator and ride it to the third floor. The doors open, and I’m hauled from inside of the car and dragged down the hallway.
“Delaney, slow down.” I pull my arm away and stop in front of my dorm room. “What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?” She glances around the hallway.
“We’re alone. It’s okay.” I dig out my key and unlock the door. Delaney’s hands slam into my back and force me inside.
“No, it’s not okay.”
I throw my bag onto the bed and turn to find her glaring at me with her hands tight on her hips. The evidence of what happened last night covers her neck. The faint, barely there bruises are the perfect shape of Declan’s fingers. Worry plummets to the pit of my stomach.
“Your neck.” I brush my fingers over them. She winces and retreats from my touch.
“I know.” She covers the fragile skin with her hand. “I’m so stupid. I should’ve listened to you.”
“Neither of us could’ve known, Laney.” I sit down on the edge of my bed. “Are you okay, though?”
“I’d really like to put last night behind me, if that’s okay.” Her head lowers like she has something to be ashamed of.
“You know you didn’t do anything wrong, right? You’re not to blame for that asshole’s actions.”
“I know, but there’s something I don’t understand.” She sits down next to me. “Why did they come to my rescue, and better yet, why would you let me stay in the room with Breaker all by myself? Haven’t you heard the rumors about him?”
“I’ve heard the rumors about all of them, yes.” I fall back to the mattress, practically feeling Marek’s warm breath on my neck. “What’s your point?”
“Last time I checked, we hate them.”
“You have no reason to hate them.” I chuckle.
“But you do. And even though you’ve never told me those reasons, I’m smart enough to understand those reasons are enough for me to hate them with you. So, explain to me how last night went down.”
I relive the night, exactly how it played out, minus the little run-in with Byron and Marek in the bedroom. Those memories are only meant for me.
“So, without any questions, they came to my rescue?” She squints, doubting everything from the night before. “Boys like them don’t care about anyone except themselves.”
“I guess they saw how worried I was when I couldn’t find you, and they realized maybe you were in danger.” I walk over and flip on my coffee pot. My brain needs the caffeine. I should have never declined Byron. At least I would have been a couple cups in by now.
“There’s a common denominator in all of this, you know.” Delaney grins at me. “You. They came to my rescue because of you.”