Page 1 of The B Side

Chapter One

Juliet’s very chemical make-up felt like it was imploding, but her hands were steady.

Somehow, that combination both made no sense and was the only thing that did make sense right now, as she and Darcy left through the hallway that was set up backstage, just for the fair. The temporary crossover was long and boxy, and the exit in the distance would spit them out right near the back of Harrison’s mansion. Which, in turn, would leave them with a very short walk to their car.

That was where she needed to go. She wanted to take Darcy out of here, away from this place. She wanted to get away from this place, for good. Forever.

She’d done it.

This moment that she’d thought about, fantasized about, been terrified of for so long. It had happened.

She’d kissed Darcy on stage. She’d officially come out.

She could still hear the fallout from the crowd, even though they were decently far away now, and enclosed in here. She knew that it was impossible, but she swore she could hear the explosion happening on the internet. The pictures and videos and announcements of what she and Darcy had just done. The buzz that it was going to stir up already seemed so loud; it was echoing through Juliet’s very being.

“Juliet.” Darcy’s voice was low, echoing around them slightly, mingling with the echo of their footsteps. “Do you want to take a beat?”

“No.” She only allowed herself to pause for a second as she turned to look at Darcy. Mostly for herself, just to take her in. Take in those green eyes and those pouty lips and the steady love she could feel pouring out from her. And with that love, she could also feel Darcy’s amazement and her concern over what had just happened.

Which – was fair.

“Let’s take a beat when we get out of here,” she added. “I’ve never been able to breathe here. And I want to fucking breathe.”

Funny, because Harrison’s property was so damn big, and so much of it was beautiful, open nature. But because it belonged to him, it was oppressive to her. Every breath she’d ever taken on this estate felt weighed down by him.

“Deal,” Darcy agreed, squeezing her hand.

And, in true Darcy fashion, she walked a little faster, tugging Juliet along, until they burst through the door, out into the night air.

Only for Juliet’s inhale to be abruptly, sharply cut off when she felt a clawing grip on her arm, yanking her back so sharply that she had to release Darcy’s hand to move with the motion, or it was likely her arm would be dislocated.

She knew it was Harrison even before she saw him, his grip remaining tight and bruising on her upper arm as she came face-to-face with him.

His cheeks were a deeper red than she’d ever seen, the vein in his forehead visible, and even with the pain shooting down her arm, she’d never felt so fucking satisfied at having been the cause.

For all of the pain he’d caused her, she relished seeing him suffer in any way, especially at having caused it.

“What the fuck was that about?!” His voice was so loud, it echoed above the din of the general fair sounds in the night air. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

“Don’t touch her,” Darcy bit out, a fire in her eyes as she stepped forward and placed herself angled in front of Juliet, reaching for Harrison, her hands in tight fists.

Some of Juliet’s satisfaction dropped, her eyes snapping to track Darcy’s movements as if in slow-motion.

Juliet’s heart leapt to her throat – uh, no. No, the fuck not.

She grabbed Darcy’s wrist with her free hand and tugged her back. From the physical signs of his anger and given how rough he’d been with her, it would probably take nothing for him to get physical with Darcy.

And she didn’t have a clue what would come over her if that happened. But she knew she’d see red, and she knew the best thing for her was to be as controlled as possible right now. If she went totally unhinged and berserk on Harrison, she knew without a doubt the free-and-clear-of-him future wouldn’t be possible. Not with Mr. Litigious.

She tried to pull her arm from his grasp, but it felt like she was locked in by some sort of machine. “Let go of me.” Even if Harrison didn’t answer, it felt so good to be able to bark an order at him without being afraid of whatever would come next.

He did not. Instead, he shook her, making her teeth clack together.

Still, she kept her hand firmly on Darcy, and she could feel Darcy literally vibrating, ready to pounce. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Darcy whip out her phone. “I’m calling the police. That’s assault.”

“Go ahead and call Jed; I’d love to see him,” Harrison spat back, referencing one of his best buds, Jed Atkinson, the sheriff.

Still, though, he loosened his grip enough that Juliet was able to wrench her arm away from him. He’d turned to focus on Darcy more than her, though, jabbing his finger at her, pointing at her face.