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After searching the space around me, I gazed down the hill. I saw a girl rushing steadily up it with a backpack slung over her shoulder. I took a step forward and studied her. The way she hunched over, wiping at her face. The way she tried to make herself as small as possible while her towel hung out of her backpack. The hair gave her away, though. That soaking wet, almost-black hair that swung with every step she took.
Is she crying?
“I swear to fuck, if you don’t stop--!”
“Leave me alone,” she said breathlessly.
My skull pounded with anger. The second I heard her sniffle, my world exploded with fury. I watched Dani come up the hill, knowing that if I intervened before I could get my anger in check, I’d kill him. I’d kill my own damn cousin for this girl.
You're in deep shit, Max.
Benji burst into a full-blown run, racing to catch up with her. He had his eyes locked on her, coming for her as quickly as his feet would let him. When I saw the glistening of her tears from the corner in which I stood, I came out and reached for her, cradling her elbow in the palm of my hand.
“Dani, it’s me.”
“Just stop touching me, Benji!”
The way she jerked away from me made me sick. But what she said confirmed my suspicions.
“Max?” she asked breathlessly.
“Bambi, when I ask you to do something, you--”
I saw Benji’s hand come out of nowhere, ready to touch down against her shoulder. Oh, hell no. Did he not realize I was standing right here? Was he that thick-headed? My hand moved at the speed of light, slapping around his wrist and yanking him away from her. I pulled him to my face, standing him on his fucking tiptoes as my free hand fisted his leather jacket.
“Hey! Max! Uh… you mind putting me down?”
Dani sniffled, and I had to draw in a few deep breaths to keep from strangling the kid.
“Want to tell me why she’s crying and trying to get away from you?”
He snickered. “You serious right now?”
She drew in a shuddered breath. “He cornered me in the pool.”
Benji scoffed. “I’m not even wet.”
She interjected. “He wrapped his arm around my waist and physically pulled me out of the pool. I tried to get away from him at the shallow end--”
“Wow, you’ve really got a mouth on you, Bambi.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t you call her that.”
I tossed him to the ground, sending him sprawled out on his back. Right on his fucking ass. I took a step and straddled him, looming over him as my body blocked out the afternoon sun.
“He’s not worth it, Max. Really. I’m okay.”
Her sweet voice was the only thing keeping me on my fucking leash.
“What the fuck, Max? Are you serious?”
Benji’s growl infuriated me. “Is he bothering you, Dani?”
He chuckled. “Oh, so she’s ‘Dani’ now? When the hell did that happen?”
I pointed at him. “Stay there, or you’re done. You hear me?”
I peered over my shoulder at Dani and saw her still wiping at her face.
