“Yeah. I know, not sure why I’m helping you either.”
A laugh fights its way out, but I hiss from the pain, my head or ribs, not sure what’s worse. “Where we going?”
“You know.”
I start shaking my head, but her hands grab the sides of my face to hold me still.
“Stop fucking moving. And as if I would take you anywhere else and deal with the aftermath of that. No thanks.”
“Fuck,” I groan and it has nothing to do with the pain of my body.
A few minutes pass, and I’m jolted when the car is thrown into park.
“We’re here—” She starts but cuts herself off and yells, “Shit, they’re running!”
I blink several times to see all three guys flying down the porch, each going to a different door. Mine’s thrown open, while the others are yanked out of the car.
“What the fuck!” Maddoc growls loudly, his eyes horrified as they travel over my face. He goes to grab the hem of my shirt, where a huge muddy shoe mark sits, but I smack his hand away and he starts shaking in rage. His nostrils flare and he reaches for me, but I force myself to sit and push against his chest so I can slowly stand from the car. I use the door as support to steady myself when everything blurs. That earns me another glare from Maddoc.
“Someone better start fucking talking, right now!” My eyes snap wide when that comes from Captain.
I look his way to see he has a glaring Victoria pinned against her door while Royce has the driver by the collar against his.
“Let them go,” I rasp, fighting to swallow past the dirt in my throat. “They just gave me a ride is all.”
“Don’t fucking lie for them,” Royce warns, and I wave him off, hitting the hood.
“Let them go.”
Victoria shoves Captain away and flips him off, while the driver keeps his hands up like there’s a fucking gun on him.
“Thanks for the ride, but you can get out of here, Mike. I’ll walk to the house,” Victoria tells him when she sees how nervous he is.
He doesn’t make eye contact when I thank him but slides behind the wheel and backs away.
The boys crowd me in the next second.
“What the fuck happened?”
“Nothing.” I shrug, struggling not to wince as I do.
“Nothing?” Maddoc gets in my face. “Nothing. Your face is busted, and I’d bet your ribs are fucked too. You trying to tell me you fell?”
Forcing a hardness I don’t feel, I glance between the three. “I fought tonight.”
“Raven—” Victoria goes to step forward, but I snap my head to her, my hand shooting to my temple as I do to dull the ache.
Don’t say anything...
She swallows and looks to the ground, but the guys aren’t dumb.
“You’re lying,” Maddoc accuses, but when I pull the money from my pocket and throw it in his face, he’s not so sure.
He frowns at the cash as it blows across the dirt.
Royce starts picking it up, then hits it against his hand. “We told you no fighting. If you needed money, you should have asked!”
“Don’t act surprised.” I lift my chin in challenge, lying through my teeth, and fight not to feel two feet tall when each one looks at me with absolute disappointment.
I don’t want to disappoint, not them.
The realization has me swallowing past the lump growing in my throat.
“And I’d never ask you for money. You all knew—” I’m cut off when a tiny rice rocket peels through the trees, kicking up dirt behind it.
The boys square up and move to block me, but when I see who jumps out of the car, I let my head hang.
Fuck.
Bass runs forward, his eyes wide in panic as he tries to take in my injuries, but of fucking course, Maddoc rushes him and knocks him back against the hood, his hands wrapped tight around his throat. Bass is a scrapper by nature though, so he slips his arms over Maddoc’s hold and drops his weight in his elbow, allowing enough space for him to knock Maddoc across his jaw, forcing his hands to loosen enough for Bass to shove him back an inch.
“You’re fucking done!” Maddoc yells in his face and Bass clenches his jaw. “I told your bitch ass if she set foot in that fucking ring again, you were out!”
“The fuck are you talking about?!” Bass screams, getting in Maddoc’s face now.
The boys take a half step forward and I grow anxious.
“Her busted up fucking face!” Maddoc shoves him, but Bass stays on his feet. “And ribs, and if any other part of her is wronged, I’ll fuck you up!”
“Why the fuck you think I’m here?” Bass shouts back, not fighting back when Maddoc shoves him once more. “I heard what happened and came to check on her!”
“You weren’t there?”
“Yeah, I was fucking there! Running the damn ring like you pay me to do!” Bass shouts, then flings a hand my way. “She was ju—”
“Bass!” I shout, cutting him off.
He freezes a second then, a low laugh leaves him as he drops his head back to look at the sky. He shakes his head.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Maddoc booms.
Captain pushes against Victoria who glares up at him. “What happened tonight?” he demands, and she scoffs, turning the other way.
“Please, buddy. I know this game.”
Captain glares at her then me.
I look back to Bass.
“Come on, girl. Don’t do this shit.” He shakes his head, his eyes solemn. He won’t rat on me, but this is his livelihood. I can’t fuck him over for personal gain.
I sigh and go to lick my lips but hiss when it stings.
I look to Maddoc openly.
“You were jumped.” He figures it out, his tone full of complete and total shock.
I nod, running my tongue over my teeth, the taste of copper from my bleeding gums has me frowning.
“Wait, seriously?” Royce shouts.
“You know who it was?” Maddoc demands.
“I have an idea.” I glance at Bass.
He frowns but then his wheels start spinning, his eyes widen.
“Did your boy know I was coming to talk to you tonight?” I ask him and he curses.
“I told him you might.” Bass looks to the three angry guys at my sides. “Honestly, I didn’t think you’d show.”
I snatch the money Royce has of mine in his hands and hold it out to Victoria.
She frowns looking from it to me.
I sigh. “Just take it, and please don’t say anything.”
“I don’t need your fucking money to keep my mouth shut.”
I grin. “I know. But I want to give it to you. This is me thanking you for tonight. You didn’t have to run over and scare them off, but you did, and you brought me here. Thanks.”
She eyes the hundreds and I can see the need in her stare, but her pride is keeping her from taking it, especially with them watching.
I wink and stuff it in my pocket, and she nods before heading down the dirt road. I’ll give it to her tomorrow when no other eyes are on us.
I blink a few times, grabbing my head and Maddoc steps closer. I look up and his forehead creases, his fingers moving to trail across my cheek making me wince.
His face falls. “Baby, who did this?” he whispers and something inside me thaws. I lean into his touch.