I’m blissfully drifting to sleep when I hear my phone buzzing from the inside of my purse. I groan and start to sit up, but Dare stops me with a hand on my shoulder.
“Where is it?” he asks. I point toward the door.
“In my purse.”
Dare squats to pick it up. “Got enough shit in here?” he asks, rummaging through my bag. “Found it.” He pulls my phone out triumphantly, walking back toward me. It stops buzzing but starts again by the time it’s in my hands. Jess’ name flashes across the screen.
“Hey,” I say. “How was practice?”
“Fine. Listen, don’t come home.”
“What?” I sit up so quickly, I almost crack heads with Dare. My heart threatens to pound out of my chest because I know, I just know, something isn’t right. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m fine. But I’m looking out the blinds right now, and either I’m super fucking baked or Eric is parked across the street. I think it’s both.”
Fuck. I didn’t even give him a heads-up because I thought for sure Eric would’ve given it up by now.
“I’m gonna go outside and have a little chat with him. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t on your way home.”
“I’m at Dare’s, but Jesse, do not go out there. I don’t know what the fuck Eric’s thinking.”
Upon hearing Eric’s name, Dare stands and practically runs up the stairs.
“I’ve been waiting a minute to fuck this fool up,” Jess says, sounding almost excited. I shake my head, knowing that Stubborn Jesse does whatever the hell he wants. Always has, always will.
Dare flies back downstairs in black sweats and a long-sleeved black shirt. He swipes his keys out of the pile of shit we left at the door in our haste, then throws his boots on.
“Where are you going?”
“Tell him to stay inside till I get there.”
“Goddammit, Dare! I don’t need you to fight my battles.”
“The fuck you don’t. Stay here,” he says, and then he’s gone, the door slamming behind him. I drop the phone, scrambling to find my clothes, but my leggings are ripped and full of cum. By the time I throw Dare’s T-shirt on, he’s already peeling out of his driveway.
“Fuck!” I kick the side of his couch.
“Lo!”
Shit. Jesse. I pick the phone back up, bringing it to my ear.
“Dare’s coming.”
“Oh, goodie. Two against one. This should be fun.”
“Please don’t do anything stupid.”
“Who, me? Never.”
I can hear the smirk in his voice, and it does nothing to calm my nerves. He hangs up without another word. I try to call Dare, for the first time ever, but it goes straight to voicemail. I clasp my phone between both hands, bringing them to rest under my chin as I pace the living room floor.
This night is never-ending.
* * *
THIS MOTHERFUCKER. I THOUGHT ERIC would have taken the hint, but clearly, he needs a little more convincing. I try to calm myself on the way to Henry’s, taking deep breaths, not wanting to lose control like I did last time.
But is it really so bad to protect the people I care about? Because I do. Care about Lo, that is. She’s wormed her way through the frozen cracks, and she’s been slowly melting the ice inside me ever since.
I flip on my brights when I pull onto their street. I see Jess on one side of the road, a cigarette dangling from his lips, casually holding a baseball bat in his right hand. Eric is outside of his Range Rover with his arms folded across his suit-covered chest. Douche.
I swing into the driveway and jump out, leaving the truck running. This won’t take long. I walk up to stand next to Jess. “What is this, the fucking Wild Wild West? Are we about to have a shootout?”
“I’m just waiting for this pussy to step foot on Henry’s property,” he says, flicking his chin in Eric’s direction. He looks over to me, lowering his voice. “I promised Lo I’d be good.” He shrugs. “But if he steps to me, it’s fair game.”
Cutting the bullshit, I walk over to Eric.
“Well, if it isn’t Logan’s knight in shitty tattoos, here to save the day.” His face is still busted up from the other day, and I get more satisfaction than I should from the sight of him.
“Did you come here for a reason, or were you just planning to stand outside her house like a fucking creep?”
“I came to talk to Logan. I’m simply waiting until she gets home.”
I suck my teeth before saying, “Well, you’ll be waiting a while. She won’t be coming home tonight.”
Eric huffs out a laugh. “Let me guess. She’s staying at your trailer tonight.”
“Yeah. Something like that.”
Eric’s eyes narrow, probably pissed that he missed the mark in his attempt to insult me. I don’t give a flying fuck what anyone thinks about me, especially this asshole. He leans in closely, but I don’t back away. This guy is used to intimidating people. He’s not getting that from me.
“She tastes sweet, doesn’t she?” He inhales deeply, closing his eyes like he’s reliving a fond memory.
My fists clench at my sides, but, still, I don’t react. Don’t even respond.
“You should have her do that thing with her tong—”
I bob my head in a nod as if to say, okay, we’re gonna do this? striding away before he’s even finished his sentence. He laughs, thinking he won. Jess knows my plan, though, because he casually hands me the bat once I’m within arm’s reach. The look on his face tells me that if I didn’t do something, he would. I turn back for Eric, and I see the moment the fear finally sets in.
“What, regular old assault isn’t enough? You’re going to add aggravated assault to the list?”
I don’t answer him. I’m completely calm on the outside, even though I’m raging inside, fucking dying to bust his head open. Once he realizes I’m not bluffing, he jumps out of the way. But I’m not going for him. I’m aiming for that shiny Range Rover behind him.
I hit one headlight first, then my bat cracks against the other.
“What the fuck!”
I go for the hood next, gripping the bat with both hands, swinging it straight down.
“Okay. Okay! I get it. You’re a tough guy. You’ve made your point,” he yells, holding both hands out in front of him.
“See, I don’t think I have. I’m just getting started,” I say between hits, and I hear Jess laughing behind me.
“You’re psychotic.”
“That’s what they tell me.” Heard a lot over the years.
I bash his side mirror off next, and it falls to the pavement with a satisfying crunch. Once I go for the windshield, Eric rushes to the driver’s side. It takes a good two or three hits before I’m able to bust through the tempered glass, but it finally gives right as he starts the engine, sending glass all over him and the seats. He hits the gas and speeds off down the street, sans headlights.
I walk back over to Jess and hand him the bat. “That was fun.”
“And I didn’t even have to get my hands dirty. Now Lo won’t chew my ass out.”