Page 147 of Tight Ends & Tiaras
“Go home, Derek. You’re drunk.” I glance down the yard and notice his car is half-parked on the sidewalk. Headlights down the street have me hoping that’s Maggie. “Don’t drive if you’re wasted. Hold on, and I’ll call you an Uber.”
I’m not his biggest fan, but that doesn’t mean I want him to die on the road or have an accident.
I turn to grab my phone when I get shoved and land hard on my hands and knees. My eyes sting, and I’m about to ask what the fuck is wrong with him when he slams the door shut and rolls me over.
But before I can yell at him, he winds his hand painfully into my hair and throws me on the couch where he yanks me in for a disgusting, wet kiss.
For a terrifying second, I’m paralyzed.
But then all of the self-defense training Melvin gave me suddenly kicks in, and I knee this asshole in his balls as hard as I can. He screams and lets me go, but before he gets far, I shoot out my sneakered foot toward his knee and connect with a crack. He goes down in a heap.
“You bitch! What the hell d’you do to my knee?”
When I stand, I stagger and try to catch my breath.
I’m shaking when I see the destruction in the living room. All of my books are everywhere. The coffee table is in pieces since that’s where Derek landed. My knees and elbows are scratched and bleeding.
The front door flies open, and Ben storms in. He looks me over, and I realize that my tank is torn and hanging off my shoulder. Turning to Derek, Ben’s face is murderous.
“What the fuck did you do to her?” He picks Derek off the floor only to knock him down with a right hook.
“I’m okay!” I grab Ben before he kills this idiot. “He’s not worth it.”
Derek tries to get up, but Ben shoves him to the floor. “You’re the one who ransacked her room. Weren’t you?”
Derek moans as he grabs his knee. “It wasn’t like that. I love her. I’ve always loved her.” He hiccups. “Cal didn’t appreciate her. I do. I was gonna prove to her I was the right man for her.”
After a pause, he continues with his confession. “Cal was supposed to talk her into a three-way, and I thought that would be my chance, but he blew it.” He rubs his eyes. “And I only took her bracelet.”
“What the hell, you psycho!” I shiver. “That’s not how you show someone you love them! You don’t trash someone’s house and steal their stuff! Where’s my passport?”
“Oh, yeah. The passport,” he mumbles. He must’ve found it and talked it over with Janelle that night.
Ben growls. “And you show your affection for her by attacking her? What the fuck, Fowler? How did you even know she lived here?”
Derek wipes the blood off his mouth. “Asked one of the cheerleaders to ask Amelia. Figured she’d know ’cause you and Olly are tight.”
Freaking Amelia.
Derek shifts, andBen shoves him down again.“Don’t even think about getting up.”
A moment later, strong arms wrap around me, and I burrow my face against Ben’s chest. It’s not until I’m in his arms that I realize how hard I’m shaking.
Ben came. When I needed him most, he somehow knew.
Blowing out a breath, I rest my head against him and close my eyes. Wrapped in his arms, I’ve never felt safer.
