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Brynn steps forward, her steps slow and deliberate as she walks by me, brushing past Teagan, and coming to a stop only a foot in front of Knox, lifting her chin. Holding her fist out, she uncurls her fingers like the fronds of a fern slowly unwinding, to reveal the leather cuff nestled into the meat of her palm. “I think this belongs to you.”
A hush falls over the room.
I can feel the questions swirling around us from our friends. I can hear the breath in my lungs, and the beating of my heart.
Knox swallows, and it’s then that I see it. The split second of worry flickering in his eyes, the guilt that he’s been found out. But it’s replaced as quickly as it appeared, by a hardened look that shows no remorse. The muscle in his jaw ticks as he stares wordlessly at the bracelet. “So?”
“It snagged on my dress when you put your hands on me.” Tears glisten in her eyes. “The bracelet caught on my strap and tore it.” She tips her head. “Do you remember? Because I do. I remember everything from that night.”
A deafening roar comes from beside me like a charging bull at the same time Teagan flies at Knox. His fist connects with his chin. But he’s wild with anger, and Knox delivers one back before he growls at us to control him.
Across from me, Graham folds his arms over his chest. And behind me, Atlas’s arms fall. A subtle acknowledgment of whose side they’re on. Teagan lands another blow to Knox’s face, this time popping him in the nose. He stumbles back, and Teagan’s on him again, lifting him by his shirt as his fist thuds on the side of his face. The rest of us watch on, equal parts shocked, angry, and regretful.
“Enough!” Brynn calls from behind at the same time Knox falls back against the entertainment unit, knocking the television from the stand where it falls to the floor with a crash.
“I don’t know what to fucking do. Do we stop them?” Atlas asks.
I shake my head, watching Knox with a sick kind of fascination as Teagan lands another blow, then reaches out and grabs his throat.
“Jace!” Brynn comes to my side, gripping my arm in her hands, her eyes wide with alarm. “You have to stop them. He’s gonna kill him.”
I stand there entranced by my need for vengeance as I stare into her eyes, torn between being the better man and wanting him to pay. But I can see this is upsetting her, and that’s the last thing I want, so I nod and step forward just as Knox makes a feeble attempt to defend himself and they fall to the ground.
I cross the room in two long strides and Atlas and Graham help me pry them apart. “It’s over,” I grind out. “Stop.”
Atlas and I each handle Teagan, and I hiss when a fist meant for Knox connects with my lip. In the meantime, Graham shoves Knox toward the door as Teagan points at him. “You better never show your fucking face again, or I’ll finish this, you hear me?”
“She went to that locker room willingly,” Knox says both and admission and what I imagine he hopes is a defense while his gaze darts around the room, hoping to find someone on his side.
My pupils flare and a take a step forward, ready to kill him myself when Brynn touches my arm. “Jace . . .”
Beside me Teagan, clenches his jaw and wrestles in Atlas’s arms like a rabid dog, and I turn to him, gripping his face in my hands. “Let it rest now,” I say, meeting his fiery gaze. “It’s over. Brynn wants it to be over.”
His nostrils flare, his chest heaving as he shakes his head at the same time the slamming of the door draws our attention to the front door. Outside the large windows we see Knox jog down the Nichols’ yard toward his car.
Teagan darts to the door, but I hold onto him like a lifeline. “Let him go.”
“What the hell . . .?”
I close my eyes as Mrs. Nichols’s voice echoes through the room. When I blink them open, Teagan’s face is ashen as his gaze swings toward the sound.
Nikki stares at the mess around us. “Not again. Teagan . . .” Her gaze bounces between us, and I hang my head.
I have no idea how we’re going to explain this one, and I’m not looking forward to trying, but to my surprise, Brynn steps forward and grabs her mother’s arm. “Mom, I have something I need to tell you guys.” When her voice breaks on the words, the bloom of anger fades from her mother’s cheeks, and she nods.
“Okay. Let me go get your father.”
As soon as she leaves the room, Teagan turns toward our friends. “You guys should probably go.”
We watch as they quickly right the furniture, then head for the door and say their goodbyes, with Mackenzie pulling Brynn in close as she murmurs, “Call me any time, you hear?”
Brynn nods, and the rest of them leave one by one. They probably have more questions than answers, but an explanation will have to wait for another time; Brynn has to deal with more pressing things.
Nikki and Joe rush into the room not more than a minute later, and I turn to leave, giving Brynn’s hand a squeeze as do. But, she pulls me back.
“Stay.”
CHAPTER 42
