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He scoffs. “You’re lying to make yourself look like less of a scumbag.”
It’s Ava that breaks into laughter. I look at her with a lopsided grin. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. If Adam says she told him she was single, it means she told him she was single. It looks like you need to clean your own house before coming into someone else’s and saying it looks like shit.”
Her buzz is obvious in the whacked-up analogy. Oakley must notice it, too, because he pulls her protectively into his side.
“We could press charges, you know?” Gracie asks, standing beside Tyler now, her arms crossed. “Not only did you give him a black eye, but you could have a concussion.”
“What’s your name?” Tyler asks when my attacker starts to get nervous and fights Oakley’s grip on him.
He blanches. “No way I’m telling you.”
Tyler laughs menacingly. “You don’t really have a choice here.”
I push up on my elbows and watch as Oakley switches his grip on the guy to one hand before starting to root through his pockets. He pulls out a wallet and opens it, sliding an ID out of the front slot.
“Royce Halton from California,” he notes.
“A Cali boy. How unexpected,” Tyler grunts.
Panic fills Royce’s eyes, and I sigh. “Let him go, Lee. I don’t think we need to worry about him knowing who you are, but in case he ever finds out, I don’t want this shit on you.”
“Okay, hand him to me, then. I don’t give a fuck about that, Adam. Let me throw him in the ocean,” Tyler says. He moves to stand in front of Royce and bends to look him in the eyes. “You can swim, right?”
“I second Tyler’s proposal.” Gracie straightens her back and tries to glower at Royce but fails. I chuckle.
“This isn’t a debate, Gray. Although I appreciate the comradery,” I say.
It takes way too long, but I somehow get myself up and out of the sand without help. My ribs ache from the hit they took, and my head pounds. I don’t even want to think about my eye right now. At least until I get some ice on it.
“I don’t want to spend our last night here dealing with this guy. Plus, a black eye is badass,” I add, trying to sound as confident as I can.
I’ve never been a fighter, and even now, that hasn’t changed. Tyler and Oakley do enough fighting for the three of us and then some.
“You want to let him off with the shit he just pulled?” Tyler asks, confused. He shakes his head. “You’re a different breed, Adam.”
Ava comes to my side and, with a firm hand, turns me to face her. She gives me a sympathetic smile before softly inspecting my eye.
“Fine. But if we see you again before we leave, you’re going to walk away looking a lot worse than Adam. Am I clear?” Oakley asks Royce.
“Yeah. Shit, sorry.” Royce takes off, his feet stomping in the sand.
Gracie blows out a breath. “What a dumbass.”
“Let’s make sure from now on you’re being a bit more careful where you guys stick your dicks, yeah?” Oakley asks.
“Yeah, Dad. I promise,” I tease. If there’s anything that serves as a good reason for a bit of celibacy, it’s being attacked by the boyfriend of a woman you thought was single.
Tyler doesn’t say anything, and when I spare him a fleeting look, he’s staring at his feet. I know right then my gut was right. His eyes lift—filled with both a dare and threat—and meet mine. I push away the discomfort in my stomach and nod in reassurance.
We’ll talk about this when we get home.
* * *
OAKLEY
Ava nuzzles her head beneath my chin as I pull the duvet over her bare back. She hums against my neck.
“I don’t want to go back tomorrow.”
