Gale shrank under the insult, losing two shades of color. His gaze drifted to the pavement, and fury lit a fire in my belly.
Olivia rolled her eyes—at Jazz or at Gale, I wasn’t sure—but otherwise, not a single person reacted to the asshole’s comment.
Well, fuck that.
“I’m sorry. Say that again. I’m not sure I heard you right.” I stepped forward, aiming to get in Jazz’s face, but Olivia pressed a hand to my chest and held me back.
“Enough. We don’t have time for displays of machoism.”
“Oh, I’ve got all the time in the world if that piece of shit wants to flap his gums some more.”
“Bring it, asshole.” Jazz hitched his chin, taunting and daring me.
I shoved against Olivia’s restraining hold, but Noah, who I didn’t see approach, grabbed my shirt and pulled me back. “Not now, Oz. He’s not worth it.”
“Oh, he’s worth it.”
“Dude, if you go home scraped up, Mommy will have a fit,” Vern added. “Do you want that drama?”
“Fuck you, Vern. Leave her out of this.”
“Just saying.”
“If you want to take your car, then take your fucking car, but we have to go.” Jazz glared at Gale, then spun and marched away.
Olivia and Noah released me. The former held my gaze long enough to ensure I wasn’t about to fly off the handle.
“I’m cool.”
“Stay that way.” Olivia spun and followed Jazz.
Maggie and Roe followed her.
Vern glanced between Gale and me, then thumbed at the camera guy. “Charles is going to love this.”
“Fucking cameras,” I muttered under my breath. Even with them in our face, it was easy to forget they were there.
Lex whistled from across the parking lot. He stood beside Black Bug, waving an arm to encourage us to get moving. Vern and Noah took off at a jog, leaving me alone with Gale.
He kicked at a pebble and blew out his cheeks. When he spoke, it was quiet, and he couldn’t meet my gaze. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“No big deal.” Except it was a big deal on so many levels. Jazz was supposed to be his teammate. Olivia was his sister. Where was the team support? I had a lot to say but didn’t know where to start. “Come on.”
We tidied our meal and raced to get ready.
I grabbed a rain jacket from my room while Gale located his camera and slung the strap over a shoulder. His body radiated tension. I sensed the storm inside his head was as rough and angry as the one brewing outside. The more I got to know him, the more I suspected that his inner storm was a result of a chaotic mix of his environment, his severe introversion, and his secrets.
How much pressure did Olivia put on him? Was this normal? It worried me to consider what he held inside. If I saw the cracks in his façade—a guy who had known him only a short time—then how compromised was his foundation? Storms were not meant to be contained or controlled. They had the power to devastate landscapes and leave buildings in ruins. What might they do to a person’s mind?
I suspected that if I broached the subject, Gale would find a way to avoid answering. We didn’t know each other well, and Gale seemed to have trust issues.
I’d never met anyone so locked up. So withdrawn. It was impossible to know whether I’d done the right thing by offering to take us in my car. Everything made Gale squirm, flinch, or grow shy.
Jazz’s mumbled comment ate at me. Why did no one come to Gale’s defense? Why did Olivia brush the insult aside like it didn’t matter? Was I out of line standing up for him? Did myactions highlight something he didn’t want highlighted? Was he mad? Should I have kept my mouth shut?
Before we left the safety of the room and joined the others, I blurted, “Are you okay?”
Gale emitted a quiet huff. “I’ve never been okay.”
