Between her cries and her mourning, I can hear her whisper, “Thank you.”
“You’re happy,” Stella says with a smile as I settle into the sofa.
I chuckle. “Yeah, I am.”
As if on cue, my happiness walks into the room. The short pink dress she has on flows in the breeze she creates with each step as she walks to the couch, falling into me as she sits down.
Sophie and Rose walk into Becca’s suite a moment later, followed by Brooke, who looks like she just stepped out of a sauna, yet is wearing a black hoodie.
“Oh my God. Why are you so sweaty?” Becca whines.
She takes a drink from her water bottle before answering, “Since all this Austin shit happened, I decided I’m done feeling helpless. So, I signed up for self-defense classes. And this is the outcome of an hour-ish-long one-on-one lesson with the instructor.” She plops down on the love seat, stretching out.
Stella gasps, “Oh my God, we should all do that!”
Cade laughs. “Yeah, I’m good. I don’t need a class to learn how to kick someone’s ass.”
I smile and open my mouth to agree. But Becca beats me to it. “Yeah, I think you guys can sit this one out. But we should do it, all of us.”
She looks around the room to the rest of the girls. And one by one, they nod in agreement.
“I’ll let Silas, the instructor, know tomorrow and get you guys the paperwork. You guys can join the main group class. It’s great. I also have my private lessons with him too. I think those are totally worth it.” She pants, still out of breath.
A wisp of vanilla hits my nose, and I follow it, leaning down and kissing the top of Becca’s head.
CRACK!
The door flies open, crashing into the wall. And Austin walks through the door, face red and fuming.
I instantly stand up and block Becca. Stalking to him, I watch his body, waiting for his hips to move. If football has taught me anything, it’s that hips give every move away.
Cade stands up next to me, in front of Stella, who’s hyperventilating, making my fists clench.
The other girls scurry behind the couch.
“You stupid fucking bitch. Both of you.” His right hand is in his pocket as he walks farther into the room. He meets my eyes and then Cade’s.
If raw fury took human form, it would be Cade right now.
With a flick of his wrist, Austin pulls the knife out of his pocket, and light glistens off of it. “You should’ve stayed quiet and kept that pretty mouth shut. Now, I have to hurt your little boyfriend …Stels.”
She gasps, and Cade lunges.
Austin jabs the knife out, but Cade catches his wrist in one move, snapping it instantaneously. The break of every bone in his wrist sends a chill down my spine. The knife clatters to the floor, and Austin cries out in pain.
Cade grabs Austin by the throat and slams him against the wall. “If you ever look at her again, speak to her again, I will make sure it is the very last thing you do.”
I blink, and I’m suddenly beside Cade, grabbing on to Austin’s broken wrist.
“Fuck!” Austin cries out, whimpering like a little bitch.
I squeeze harder, feeling the clean breaks of his bones under my fingers.
Cade’s thumb digs into Austin’s throat as he pushes him higher on the wall until his toes lift off the ground and he’s completely held up by Cade’s hand.
He leans in, seething, teeth bared, and says, “Oh, come on. Stop fighting, Austin.You owe me this.”
Austin’s face starts to purple, and he squeezes his eyes shut.
