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“You think we wouldn’t see? That you could touch him and get away with it?”
He had the nerve to roll his eyes. “Ah, okay, so Gavin came and cried to you like a little bitch. Should’ve known he couldn’t keep our shit private.”
“You piece of shit.” I grabbed him by his fancy-ass shirt and jerked him in close, and this time he didn’t look so smug. In fact, I could’ve sworn I saw a flash of fear, and it made the savage beast inside me purr. The only thing that would make it better was if he pissed his pants.
Out of the corner of my eye I could see his friends all getting to their feet to help Joey out, but if they thought their odds were good at four to one, they’d soon find themselves shit out of luck.
“Take your hands off him,” I heard his friend Carl say.
“Like the way you took your hands off Gavin?” I said, my voice low and deadly. When Joey didn’t say anything, I tightened my hold on him and lifted him up so his toes barely brushed the floor.
“Stop.” He grabbed at my wrists and struggled against me, but I had him in a death lock. He wasn’t going anywhere unless I wanted him to.
“Is that whathesaid? Stop?” Fury blinded me, my jaw clenched so tight it was like it was wired shut. I couldn’t look at his face for another second without rearing my arm back to land another punch, this one aimed directly at his eye. Instead of the scream of pain I expected, the blow knocked the breath out of him, and I let go to let him drop onto the floor.
Someone rushed me from the side, but before Carl could get close, I shoved him so hard in the chest that he stumbled back and fell on his ass.
I refocused on Joey, who was on all fours and struggling to get up, but I wouldn’t let that happen. “How does it feel to be fucked with, huh?” I moved forward to kick him while he was down, but two security guards stepped between me and Joey, forcing me away from him.
“All right, break it up,” one of them said, giving Joey the space to finally get to his feet. The man pointed at me. “You need to leave.”
“I’m not the one pushing his boyfriend around like a coward,” I said. “Trust me, he deserves more.”
“Ex-boyfriend.” Joey spat more blood onto the floor. “Which I’m sure you’re happy about?—”
“I don’t give two shits about whatever’s goin’ on here,” the security guard interrupted. “Shut it down or I’ll call the cops on both of you.”
A good look at Joey’s face told me he was gonna have a nice shiner tomorrow, but even that wasn’t enough.
Unfortunately, it would have to be for now. Though it was tempting to say fuck it and spend the night in jail.
“Yeah, get lost,” Joey said, feeling braver with a couple of big guys standing in front of him. “Run home to Gavin and let him cry on your shoulder.”
His words hit their mark, and I lunged again, forcing the guards to hold me back, but they forgot that Joey was behind them. He balled his fist, and I knew where this was going. And for some fucked-up reason, I wanted it. I wanted him to hit me, just to give me an excuse to break his goddamn nose.
Sure enough, with their backs turned, Joey reared back, and I smirked and stayed right where I was, welcoming the weak-ass punch when it landed. Because two seconds later I shoved the guards out of the way and hit Joey’s nose with such force that there was a satisfying crack when my fist made contact. Music to my fucking ears.
Blood spattered one of the security guards, who groaned, “What the hell, man,” and again, Joey hit his knees, holding both hands over his face.
I backed away, not even breathing hard as I watched the chaos unfold. Joey’s friends clambered over each other fornapkins, thrusting them at Carl to deal with. When he had a handful, he rushed over and tried to help stop the blood pouring out of Joey’s nose.
The blood-spattered security guard looked at me and pointed at the door, and I held my hands up as I headed for the exit. But I was unable to resist looking at the aftermath over my shoulder.
“Can’t even blame him for that one. Dumbass.” The security guard shook his head at Joey and walked back to his station, like nothing had happened.
I felt the stares from the other diners, at least until I stepped back out into the cold, quiet night. My adrenaline was still pumping, but most of my rage had gone into that last punch. It would have to be enough. I’d already broken my promise to Gavin by going after him, but then again, I hadn’t killed him, had I? So maybe it didn’t count.
Heading back north, I stretched my fingers, barely even feeling the effects from the blows, and then pulled out my pack of cigarettes. As I lit one up, I tried to tell myself I’d done enough, that the punishment equaled what he’d done to Gavin, but there was no way it would. It wasn’t just anyone that had put his hands on him, but his boyfriend. Someone he trusted. Cared about. Someone he never thought would hurt him.
That motherfucker…
The turmoil that twisted my gut was enough to make me lose my shit again, but I forced myself to keep on walking.
Joey was done. It was over. He wouldn’t be stupid enough to mess with Gavin again, and that needed to be enough. Putting him six feet under would only upset Gavin, so hopefully he’d see my “restraint” when he found out. Unless Joey decided to skip classes while his face healed, Gavin would see the damage sooner than later, but I wasn’t handing over that information. I’d just tell him I’d kept my promise—half of it, anyway—and ifJoey’s pathetic punch showed up on my face, I’d tell him I ran into a cabinet door.
That shit was more believable anyway.
THREE
