Page 96 of Let the Light Shine Through

Roz

Where the hell does Gia think she’s going after pulling all…that? I’m already out of the hot tub, charging after her because no, no fucking way is she done.

Honestly, I don’t even know what all that was. I feel like I’m still playing catch-up. Like how long was that whole threesome shit even going on for? I tried to hurry, but damn, I wasn’t gone for that long. Was I?

Oh well. It doesn’t matter. I’m here now, and those fuckfaces—because they’re not fuckboys, at least not Gia’s fuckboys—are lucky they’re walking away with all their limbs the way they were pawing at Gia. I thought I made myself clear this whole time, but our blow-up must’ve tipped off everybody in a fifty-mile radius, making them think Gia was fair game.

She’s not. Not as long as I’m around. Yeah, I went fucking ham for a while, but I didn’t actually go anywhere. Not far anyway.

After I’d gotten most of my anger out, I tried getting my head in order again by revisiting my plan from earlier, the one I had Bryce help me with. I had no idea what I’d be coming back to when I was finished, but now that I do, there’s no way I’m giving up.

Gia can be scared. I get it. Damn, do I get it. But she doesn’t get to act like an asshole under the pretense of martyrdom. It doesn’t work like that. I don’t work like that.

Being near Gia is like being kissed by the warmest rays of golden sunshine, but the shadow cast from her absence is like being spat on by the harshest of downpours, and even though I’ve spent my life adjusting to cooler temperatures, I’ll never get used to that kind of cold.

And I don’t care what she says, I’m not a Mockingbird. I don’t give a fuck. I looked those things up, and yeah, no. Not me. Not now. Not fucking ever. The only time I’ve ever been aggressive in my life is when it comes to Gia and the need to protect her, to have her, to keep her. As for the rest…I’m done pretending.

The door to what was our shared room bounces off the wall as I fling it open and come to a full stop, staring down Gia’s back.

Oh yeah, this is happening. She pissed me off, but I’ve never been more sure of anything.

We’re both standing in our own puddles, but the lamp on the small bedside table casts an orange glow over the room that I pause for a second to absorb.

Gia looks over at me, asking, “Where’s my bag?” breaking the moment.

“Come with me and I’ll show you.”

“No, I told you I’m done. I’m done, Roz. If Kori took—”

“Kori?”

When I was moving our stuff out to my truck earlier, Kori came in asking if she could crash for a bit. Apparently, the room she was in originally was being used for some sort of board game—yes, real board games—competition, so she needed somewhere quiet to hang. Since I knew Gia and I wouldn’t be sleeping in here tonight, I left her to it, so I could get the rest of my shit done. Kori didn’t have a chance to touch anything, but how’d Gia know she was in here to begin with?

“Yes, Kori. The girl whose mouth you just had your tongue inside.”

“Same mouth yours was in,” I say, crossing the room and throwing her over my shoulder with a spongy smack to the ass.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” she grumbles, not sounding angry so much as tired.

She hits my back the entire way through the house, but there’s also a tremor no amount of half-strength blows can hide, telling me she’s intrigued.

“I’m gonna puke,” she groans, going limp, and I give her ass another slap, telling her, “Good. I need you sober for this next part.”

Rowdy blocks the front door with a frown firmly in place and asks, “What’s going on, Roz?”

“Nothing, man. Why don’t you go ahead and get the fuck out of my way, so we can keep it that way?”

Gia squirms in my hold, forcing me to tighten my grip on her hips. I’m not gonna fight Rowdy. He’s her best friend. I just need him out of my way. This night’s already on the brink of failure, and I refuse to fail anymore.

Turns out, I’m not very good at it. I’m much better at excelling.

“I can’t do that.”

Oh, this is where he draws the line? But that whole scene in the hot tub, where Gia was getting felt up while her eyes were close to rolling in the back of her head, was okay? Right.

“You got my—”

“That’s right, I got her.” I get in his face, everything around us going quiet. “I got her.” And I’d like to see him try taking her from me. I’d like to see anybody try, and that includes Gia, too.