Then she walks off toward the dorms, and it takes everything in me not to jump out of this car and drag her back.
“Let her go,” Oxy says, and his hand is on my arm, holding me in place. “Let’s follow these fucking Reapers.”
I nod because I can’t trust myself to speak. My phone is buzzing again—probably with another update—but I ignore it. I don’t need a scout to tell me what I can see with my own eyes.
The Mercedes pulls out and I follow. Not subtle about it. I want them to know I’m here, want them to understand that they fucked up. They fucked up so bad.
They’re heading east, away from campus, toward the industrial district. When the road opens up, I close the distance between us. The sedan speeds up and I match them, staying right on their bumper.
They pull over on a stretch of empty road bracketed by warehouses, and I’m throwing my car into park before they’ve even stopped moving.
I’m out and stalking toward them, ready to pound his fist into his fucking face.
Revan steps out, his face already set for confrontation, and I don’t give him a chance to speak.
I just blast him.
My fist connects with his jaw and the impact sends pain shooting up my arm, but I don’t care. All I can see is his lips on hers, his hands on her face, the way she smiled at him.
He staggers back, recovers, and comes at me swinging.
We crash together, but I’m stronger. He’s not winning this one. He gets in a hit to my ribs that makes something crack, but I’ve learned how to block out pain. Years of my stepfather’s shit taught me that lesson well—how to take a beating and keep standing, how to let the rage override everything else.
I drive my elbow into his face and feel his nose crunch.
He sweeps my legs and I go down hard, concrete scraping my palms. But I roll, come up swinging, catch him in the kidney.
“You fucking—” He doesn’t finish the sentence, just tackles me.
I could fight this motherfucker all day, and guess what? I have all day. I throw my fists, satisfied when they connect. His punches burn my bruised body, but it doesn’t stop me, it gives me more satisfaction when he tries to hurt me back and fucking fails.
Atticus and Oxy are shouting something from the sidelines but it’s white noise. All that exists is my fist connecting over and over. All I see red.
Then Revan flanks me in the ribs, a sick bastard move. He knew I’d back off. I stand to my feet and stop myself from doing any more damage. I don’t need this pretty boy here to come back at me harder.
We separate, both of us breathing hard. Blood drips from his nose, and I can taste copper in my mouth. My ribs are screaming and I’m pretty sure my left eye is already swelling shut.
“Vincent’s going to hear about this,” Revan says, spitting blood onto the ground.
Fucking rat.
“I’ll just kick your ass again,” I shoot back.
I turn toward my car because if I don’t leave right now, I’m going to kill him.
“I fucked her.”
I freeze. My blood stills when I hear the smile in his voice.
“Atticus and I took turns on that pretty cunt,” Revan continues, his voice sadistic. “Watched her scream my name.”
Something inside me shatters. I grab a rock from the ground—jagged, heavy—and storm back toward him.
Oxy intercepts me, his arms wrapping around my chest. “Not worth it, man. Fuck him. Come on.”
Revan pulls out a Glock, the metal gleaming in the afternoon light. He points it at me with steady hands. “Listen to your friend, Koa.”
I walk forward anyway because I’m too far gone to care about a gun. “Fuck you! I’d like to see you fucking try.” I stop in front of him, glancing at the gun. “I suggest you run back to your prestigious fucking university, Revan. You’re on the wrong side of town.” I lean in close enough to see the fear flicker in his eyes. “And if you so much as touch Lexi again, I’ll make sure that thing is aimed at your face, not mine.”
