AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Victoria?” Ryan’s voice registered from where he stood off to the side. “I should’ve known you’d be here.”
She tightened her grip on the mug, already planning on how she’d smash his face with it if needed.
Stay calm. Sound casual.
“Knocking out your cousin isn’t very nice, Ryan.”
“He’s fine. But, yeah, I shouldn’t have done it.” He scowled. “Now my vodka is all gone. You got any alcohol?”
“I think you’ve had plenty.” She walked to James and knelt to check on him. His pulse was steady, and his eyelids showed movement beneath.
The relief nearly brought her to tears. Her gaze drifted to the glass shards from the partially broken bottle of vodka that was near his head.
“All of this started because of you, you realize that? You’re trash.” He slowly stumbled toward her. “You think my cousin loves you? You’re the rebound.”
She rose and backed away from him. “Oh, are you giving me relationship advice now? This is fun.”
“You’re nothing but a shiny new toy to him right now,” Ryan went on. “Yeah, you’re hot and probably fun in bed, but it’ll never last long term. James is a nice guy who’s going to settle down with a nice girl. Someone from a good family like his own.”
She wanted the words to roll off her—he was drunk and rambling—but they had little barbs that hooked under her skin.
“He’ll want someone who’s not just a pretty face, but who looks good on paper too.” Ryan waved his hand in the air. “Not someone who got paid to play video games half-naked, while guys jerked off. You’re a smart girl. You must instinctively understand all this.”
She did. They were all the little insecurities and fears she’d tried so hard to talk herself out of. And Ryan was tapping right into them.
Where the hell were Blake and Kris? Her gaze slid to James again. Relief spread through her when she saw him start to stir.
“You need to leave, Ryan.”
“Don’ttellme what I should fucking do.”
He rushed her before she could even think about smacking him with the mug. That whole sloppy drunk thing had given her a false sense of safety.
His hand closed around her throat. “You made me lose my job today, bitch. You had my own cousin turn on me.”
Before fear could kick in, she spotted James over his shoulder.
“Out of all the women I’ve had to resort to with these tactics, why were you the hardest?” His gaze slid over her. “You were basically a college whor—”
His words ended on a gurgle as he crumpled to the ground. James stood behind him, still bleeding, with a lamp clutched in his hand.
The air rushed back into her lungs, and she let out a cry of relief. James dropped the lamp and pulled her into his arms.
“Are you okay?” He hugged her tight, stroking a hand down her back.
“Yes.”A little numb.
“God, when I saw him grab you by the throat.” James’s eyes flashed with rage.
“I need to get my phone.” Tori lowered her gaze. “I’m calling the police before this jerk comes to. I’ll check out your injury in a second.”
She eased out of his embrace and went to make the call. While she was on the line, she heard Kris and Blake arrive in the other room.
By the time she’d ended the call and stepped back into the living room, Kris was wide-eyed.
“Oh my god, Tori. What even happened?” her friend choked out. “My cousin did this?”
“Yeah, he’s a real charmer.”
