Page 53 of Rascal

“What?” I ground out.

“Hellfire had bad shit happen, which in your eyes excuses their behaviour,” King stated.

“King, I was explaining why they overreacted.” I held his gaze, and King shook his head.

“Does that excuse work for me too? If I freak out and shove a gun into an old lady’s head because of my trauma. Is that okay?”

“Why would you do that?” I gaped at her.

“Because I’ve PTSD and the bitch got too close to me. Or how about I pistol-whip a brother, thinking he’s about to sexually assault me like the male guards did? Or I might boot an old lady in the stomach when she’s pregnant because—you know—trauma. Will you stand there, explain my story and say I’ve got a reason?”

“You’re twisting this,” I stated.

“No, I’m not. Get out, or I’ll have King throw you out. And King might hurt you because he’s been through a lot. They’re grown men who made the choice as a gang to frighten an injured female when she was alone. Then they added more bruises. Your VP is a woman-beater. Plain and simple.” Hallie glowered. She motioned between us. “Whatever you think this was, it ain’t. Now fuck off, Rascal, and stay the hell away.”

With that, Hallie got up and left. I stood to go after her, but King blocked me.

“Leave,” he ordered, and there was no movement in his tone. King was ready to throw down.

“I’ll be back.”

“Don’t bother, Rascal. You’re exactly the piece of shit I thought you were,” King stated and then walked me down the hallway. He locked the door and turned off the lights, his message clear. I leaned my head against it, knowing I had just hugely messed up—Hallie had called me Rascal.

Hallie

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” I turned to face King. He climbed into bed and dragged me into his arms.

“You were falling for Shane again.”

“And that’s wrong. Damn, I should have learned by now. Rascal can’t be trusted. Had he been sucking up to me to get those men off? Who knows, and who cares? I’m done with Rascal.”

“You’re hurt,” King growled angrily.

“No. Funny enough, I’m not. I’m disappointed. Rascal will never put me first. Truth is, I won’t come second to anything again.”

“Why should you? There’s an event on in town tomorrow. Let’s blow this joint and have some fun.”

“Sounds good, King,” I replied. I leant my head on his chest and nestled into his arms. Why couldn’t I have fallen in love with him and vice versa? It would have been so much easier. But life was never that simple.

“What do you want to eat?” King demanded as we checked out the food vans. So far, we’d been spoken to three times by various police officers. It was amusing but was also beginning to grate. In the end, Hawthorne had arrived and was following us around as a sort of bodyguard. He was back at work this coming Monday, so he had plenty of time to make sure I wasn’t harassed further.

“Hot dog?” I asked, and King nodded.

“Fries?”

“Of course!” I laughed. “I’ll grab a table.”

“Okay. Guess I’d best ask the cop,” King grumbled, and I chuckled.

“I’d make Hawthorne go hungry; you’re a better man than me.”

“Considering you don’t have the right parts, that’s not a hardship,” King quipped, and I shook my head and grabbed a spot. Moments later Hawthorne came and sat opposite.

“I don’t like you, don’t talk to me,” I stated, and he laughed dryly.

“Can’t get much plainer than that.”