Page 62 of Deviant
“You’re a fucking coward,” he says. “You know exactly what you are and you’re choosing to lie about it because you’re too scared to lose something that was never going to make you happy anyway. And what’s worse is you’re willing to hurt both of us to keep the lie intact.” He tilts his head. “I hope it’s worth it.”
I throw the first punch.
I don’t decide to, my fist just moves—muscle memory of a different kind. Rage launches itself before my brain can intercept it, and my first connects with his jaw, snapping his head to the side.
And for one second, everything goes quiet.
Then Colt turns back to face me.
He’s not surprised. He almost looks like he was waiting for it. He clenches his jaw once, then he’s on me and we go down together. He punches me in the eye socket. All I see is a white light, followed by that deep, specific throb that tells me it’s going to be black by morning.
“Fuck you,” I spit out.
“Fuck me? No, cowboy. I fucked you last night and you loved it, so I think the correct phrase would be ‘fuck me.’ And if that’s what you meant, then you forgot theplease,” he says back at me.
I get a leg under him and shove. We roll. I end up on top for about two seconds before he reverses us and I’m back on the gravel with his forearm across my chest. We’re both breathing hard, and my eye is already swelling.
“Hey…HEY!” Cash’s voice.
“What the actual—” The barn door slams open.
Cash closes his hands around Colt’s arms from behind, and he allows himself to be pulled off me, chest heaving, jaw already going red where I hit him.
An arm hooks around my shoulders—Dad, hauling me up.
“Both of you, stop,” Dad’s voice booms.
“What the hell is going on? Rhett…your eye.” Cash has Colt by the arm and is looking between us like he’s trying to do math that isn’t adding up.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine, you’ve got a?—”
Dad interrupts, “Cash,” and Cash closes his mouth.
Colt and I aren’t looking at each other. I’m looking at the barn, and he’s looking at the ground.
The grip on Colt’s arm loosens and he rolls his shoulder, stepping back. Colt looks at me, his expression somber.
He looks at Dad. “Sir, I apologize for this. It won’t be a problem again, though, because I quit.”
“Colt—” Cash starts.
“I appreciate the opportunity,” he says to Dad. “I’ll make sure my hours are documented for the internship office.” He turns, walks to his motorcycle, and puts his helmet on.
The engine turns over.
He doesn’t look back.
I watch until he’s gone.
“Rhett.” It’s Dad’s voice, right beside me. “Inside.”
I storm over to the main house, watching my mom lean against the doorframe. She just watched the entire thing unfold, but her eyes are soft and her smile lines deepen as I approach her. “C’mon, sweetie,” she says, and I follow her in.
Cash hovers in the doorway, and Mom looks at him once. “Give us a minute.”
Cash leaves, and Mom gets an ice pack from the freezer before setting it on the table in front of me. Then she sits down in the chair across from me. I pick up the ice pack and press it to my eye.
