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Catching her eye, I mouthed okay? She tipped her chin up and made a face before sticking a thumb up sarcastically and calling out, “Never better.” Then she turned her charm on the guy draped all over her. He had no idea what was about to hit him.
Pasting on a coy smile, I glanced up at the asshole who hadn’t heard of deodorant, or cologne, or anything that smelled nice, and fluttered my lashes.
“Hey, I need a drink.”
His eyes gleamed as he led me toward the house. He thought he was in. God, what type of people frequented these parties that this kid thought he’d get lucky with some girl who’d just walked through the door thirty seconds ago? My eyes widened at the sight of a slim blonde sandwiched between two guys, each with one hand under her tight, red skirt and the other kneading her exposed breasts. Well, that answered my question. Pulling my eyes away, I looked back to make sure Liss was following. A small group of girls stood just inside the gate, the same ones who’d tracked our entrance with down-turned lips and cold, narrowed eyes. They tracked our exit the same way.
Distracted by the heavy thump of the bass, the suffocating mass of bodies crowding the small space, and the cloud of smoke obscuring everything around me, I lost sight of Liss as my new friend pulled me along the hall and into a tiny kitchen littered with yet more bodies, more smoke and enough alcohol to supply a small country for a year. I needed to get eyes on Liss. She could handle herself okay in a normal situation, but I wasn’t about to drag her to this crack den in the ass end of Richmond, then leave her to get molested or attacked. Trying to escape this guy was proving difficult, though. His grip on my arm tightened before he slammed it down around my shoulders again, leaning the bulk of his considerable weight on me.
Not particularly giving any fucks if I caused a scene now that he’d escorted me inside, I bent my elbow, brought it up, then rammed it back into BOs ribs as I smashed my heel down on his foot. He grunted, doubling over a bit, but not enough to let go of me. In fact, his face twisted, dropping right in front of mine before he planted his forearm under my neck and pushed me back, knocking people out of the way. Drinks swilled, spilling sticky liquid onto my bare legs.
Goddamn.
He pushed until my back met the solid surface of the wall and then thrust his arm up hard, crushing it into the underside of my jaw. Staring him down, I ground my teeth together and bit out, “I need to find my friend.”
Leering eyes roved my face before the tip of his tongue darted out, stroking over his cracked bot
tom lip. Slowly, he swung his head from side to side.
“Nah, girl. You need to stay right here and suck my di—”
His face disappeared before he could finish telling me to blow him. I barely caught sight of his body hurtling through the air before it slammed against the counter, sending bottles crashing to the ground. Some people scattered, others lunged forward, as shouts erupted and the guy dropped to the deck, sprawled out and groaning.
I swallowed, eyes wide, as the person I’d come here for stalked over to the asshole writhing on the floor. Reno looked a breath away from tearing him limb from limb. I couldn’t drag my eyes away as he grabbed a fistful of the guy’s hair and started swinging.
Twenty-Five
Reno
My bloodied hands framed Riley’s flushed cheeks as I dipped low. Bringing our faces level, my sweeping gaze assessed every inch of her. I couldn’t press pause on the image of that fucker’s arm across her neck. A low growl rumbled in my throat, fury coursing through me like acid. Tucking my chin into my chest, I squeezed my eyes closed, trying to work through the rage. I wanted him dead. For daring to lay a finger on her, I wanted to fucking end him. But Riley was here. In the fucking slums of Richmond, at a party full of addicts and fighters. I needed her out of here more than I wanted to stay and pound that guy’s face to dust.
Shaking it off, I brought my eyes back to her face and smoothed my fingers over her cheekbones, frowning at the sight of smeared blood coating her skin from my touch.
“We gotta fucking split, dude,” Leon yelled behind me. “Move your ass, Lissa!”
Gripping Riley’s hand in mine, I tugged her behind me, shifting my grip to her wrist when it kept slipping in my hold.
Blood. Why was there always blood between us these days? I shook my head as we ducked out of the door, a chorus of shouts ringing out behind us.
My heart was still pounding, beating like a mother-fucking train. It had been since Liss had appeared out of thin air, shouting about some guy hauling Riley off. I’d been two seconds from passing out, ass planted on a battered sofa that had more of its foam scattered around the room than inside the fucker. Liss' words had hit me like a bucket of ice water.
Scrubbing a hand over my face as we raced down the sidewalk, I slanted a glance down at Riley, who still hadn’t said a word to me. Snaking an arm around her waist, I increased my pace, moving us down the sidewalk. I could hold my own, so could the guys. Probably couldn’t hold fifty of them between us.
Stopping outside of Leon’s truck, I gripped the handle and flung it open, tossing Riley inside. She dropped onto the seat without argument, shifting along before stilling suddenly, her head snapping up. “My mom's car! I came in my mom’s car. I can’t leave it!”
Looking down at her, I exhaled roughly, pinching the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger as I shot a glance behind us. I tapped my fingers against the door impatiently, thinking, debating the probability of being able to drive Riley’s car back without totalling it—given the bottle of whiskey I’d downed tonight, it seemed low.
Puffing out a breath, I thrust out a palm. “Keys.”
Riley reached under her butt and fished around in her pocket before depositing a bunch of keys in my hand.
“Here, man,” Mack called, arm raised. “I got it.”
Tossing him the keys, I waited until he and Danny rounded the side of Riley’s car, then I hopped into Le's truck and slammed the door closed. Liss sat perched on her knees in the passenger seat, facing the back of the car, her eyes trained on Riley’s bent head. Leon thrust the car into drive and sped off down the street.
“You okay, babe?” Liss asked Riley, leaning forward to tap her outstretched fingers along Riley’s bent knee.
Riley’s head jerked up. “What? Oh, um, yeah, I’m good.” She nodded, lips flattening before she twisted to face the window. Liss patted her knee once more before spinning around in her seat, then flying halfway across the center console when Le rounded a corner too sharply.
