Page 89 of All the Ugly Things
He shook his head, one edge of his mouth lifted into a smirk. “Inside before I hit this button.”
Something told me he was more stubborn than me, and I needed to get ready for work. “Bye, Hudson.”
“See you soon.”
I opened the door with that promise lingering in my ears and my cheeks hurting from a smile.
He liked me.
He really liked me.
22
Lilly
Seven Years Earlier
“I saidno.”
I shoved against the guy blocking my exit from the bathroom. Billy Palmetto. He didn’t go to our school and while he’d freaked out several of the girls tonight, creeping up on all of us, drunk and swaying, no one had kicked him out yet.
Now, he’d set his sights on me. Stupid. So stupid of me to leave Kendra and go to the bathroom alone. I thought putting space between me and him would make him lose his attention.
“Just a kiss,” he whispered, leaning in. He smelled like beer and bad decisions. And he was larger than me.
“Go away.” I shoved him again, but he leaned against me, ending up closer until his breath was on my cheek and his hands were fumbling at the waistband of my jeans.
“Stop it.” I tried to knee him. Tried to shove him off me but his hands had their grip on my button and his mouth was moving closer.
I turned away, shoving my cheek to the wall, and opened my mouth to scream when his other hand covered mine.
“Shut up. No one will hear you anyway and no one will stop me.”
I bit down on his hand, made him scream enough that he yanked his hand away from me.
His hand glared at his fingers, where I’d left teeth marks, and then that hand balled into a fist.
I cringed, bracing for impact when across from us, the door opened. Someone stumbled out of it so fast they knocked into the asshole who intended to harm me.
Billy swayed on his feet and it was enough for me to kick at his leg, sending him sprawling to the floor.
I didn’t look back. I ran down the stairs, and ducked into the kitchen that was filled with people, searching for Kendra but I stayed there, around people, and frantically texted Josh.
He’d fix this. He’d save me.
* * *
“Josh!”I screamed at him while he pummeled his fist into Billy’s face.
As soon as he showed up, rage poured from every one of his pores.
He took one look at my face, shoved his finger in my direction at the scratches on my cheek and shouted, “Tell me who in the fuck had the gall to fucking put their hands on you!”
I didn’t hesitate.
Billy had what was coming to him.
I didn’t expect Josh to totally lose his shit and still be punching his face even though the guy was already passed out.
