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I hear a scuffling sound and another moan and I look over my shoulder nervously, my heart leaping into my throat.
Adam glances back at the two boys on the ground, then turns to me and smirks. “No worries, they’re not coming after us.” He ducks through the fence and straightens up on the path.
Dax walks over and points at Adam’s swollen hand. “I guess practice is out today.”
Adam frowns and looks at his distended fingers, “Yeah, guess so. Sorry mate, I’ll catch up with you later.”
Dax smiles brightly, as if he just left a theme park, not a bloody fight in an abandoned yard. “Right. Thanks for the good time.” He laughs, then his eyes focus on me and the smile vanishes. “Stay away from them,” he insists, walking away without waiting for a response.
“Which way to your place?” Adam asks, raking his uninjured hand through his sweaty, disheveled hair.
Too upset to move or form an answer, I start to tremble violently and tumble forward, right into Adam’s arms.
“Steady on. Are you alright to walk?” He watches me carefully with his bright hazel eyes, concern etched clearly into his handsome features, which are now just a few centimeters from mine.
“I-I ... I don’t know.” I grip my stomach. “I feel queasy.”
Adam laughs and helps me stand up straight. “Yeah, I can see how you would, almost becoming another one of Callum’s victims,” he spits out venomously. Adam wraps his arm around my waist when he realizes I’m too weak to manage myself, and holds me up against his side. “Let’s go then, which way?”
I point in the direction of my flat and we walk the mile in silence. Even though I was just traumatized beyond belief, all I can think about as we head to my place is how Adam’s lean, muscular body is pressed against mine and how beautiful his face is when he smiles at me. I must be completely mental to be having those thoughts after what just happened in that yard, but I am. Just by touching a part of Adam, even through heavy winter clothes, makes me feel safe.
By the time we reach the front of the dilapidated building that I now call home, I get the courage to speak. “This is it.” I look away, embarrassed by my shoddy council housing.
Adam doesn’t seem to care or even notice where I live. He stops and turns to face me, not saying a word about my crumbling building. “Here you go.” He holds out my bag and I hoist it over one shoulder, watching his eyes probe my face for something. Answers, maybe? To find out why I would do something so stupid with someone as dangerous as Callum?
I don’t want to hear him scold me for the obvious, and I don’t want to lose the delicious lightheaded feeling I have when I’m next to him, so before he can say anything else or walk away, I take his outstretched hand and hold it gently, running my thumb over his bruised and swollen knuckles. “Thank you.”
Adam’s eyes widen a fraction, and he looks from our hands back up to my face. His mouth parts and his warm breath hits the cold air when he gasps. I have no idea what possesses me or what makes me think a near death experience is the proper time for this, but I don’t hesitate as I bravely lean in and press a small kiss to the corner of his exquisite mouth.
The moment over, I reluctantly release his hand and walk towards the door, afraid that once I’m inside, Adam will vanish like a dream, taking this wonderful warm feeling with it. He doesn’t speak as I retreat, but watches me curiously with those intriguing eyes of his until I shut the battered door behind me. The swirling emotions I had been holding in release from me all at once. Sliding down the wall to the floor, I simultaneously cry and smile at the same time.
Is it possible for today to be both the best and worst day of my life? Touching my still tingling lips and feeling the throb in my stomach from Callum’s knee, I decide that yes, yes it can.
Chapter 3
Adam
“For fuck’s sake, Reynolds! Don’t you know how to throw a punch?”
Dax is angry, and rightly so. “I guess I don’t,” I mutter, feeling unbelievably stupid that I mangled my hand on that arsehole Murray’s face. I can’t do anything but watch as my best mate paces the length of his family’s flat.
“You stupid fucking sod! How are we supposed to play on Saturday? We finally have a chance for a real gig and your fucking hand is all busted up!” He yanks open his freezer, puts a few ice cubes into a towel, and shoves it into my chest.
Bristling at his crap attitude, I snatch the makeshift ice pack and shout back, “I can still play, you fucking wanker! I’m not letting a few bruises stop me, it never stops you! And what were we supposed to do, let that bastard rape her?” I hiss in pain when I press the cold towel to my swollen fingers.
Dax whips his head around and scowls at me, but his tone is softer. “Of course not, but you could have done it without breaking your hand. Didn’t anyone ever teach you how to fight?”
“My dad tried, but probably not in the way you’re thinking.” I frown as I attempt to ignore the freezing ice burning into the split skin. “Murray has a really hard head. You take him next time and I’ll get Mason, he’s a fucking marshmallow in comparison! And you know I hate fighting, Dax. We can’t all be like you, beating the shit out of people for fun.”
“Next time?” Dax’s eyes go wide and he stares at me like I’m daft. “You plan on making this a habit? Are you Batman now or something?”
Laughing, I shove him away with my good hand. “Bastard.” I manage to evade his question, not wanting him to know that I have every intention of making sure no one touches Ellie Palmer like that ever again.
School goes back to normal the next day, well, as normal as it can be when you find yourself inexplicably obsessed with someone and come up with every excuse you can just to stare at her. I start ignoring all of the girls who approach me, their attempts at being sexy lost on me when all I can think about is Ellie.
I can’t bring myself to be the confident flirt I was just a day ago, chatting her up after she was nearly raped yesterday. I’m sure the last thing she wants right now is a bloke all up in her face looking for a quick fuck.
I never manage to work up the courage to talk to Ellie about the incident with Callum or the kiss either, and she seems to feel just as awkward as I do, so we stick to exchanging small nods every morning and then go back to pretending that we don’t know each other.
