AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I stopped and slowly turned back around. The girl was now clinging to his side as he glared at me. I had done nothing but try and help the girl. It was obvious she needed help—and not just with those cuts.
“I came inside to get a break from the party. I heard a cry and then another one. I followed the sound and found her in here, bleeding. I was trying to help her. Or at least get her to put down the knife so I could get some help.” I hated that I sounded defensive. I shouldn’t have to defend myself for helping someone. I hadn’t been the one holding the knife. “I realize I scared her, and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
Blaise’s jaw stayed clenched, and his body was rigid. She whimpered against him and buried her head into his side. I still didn’t understand what it was about me that had upset her other than me catching her causing harm to her body. She should be glad it was me and not one of those sheltered princesses outside. I’d seen this and worse in my life. I was positive they had not.
“When you are at this house, you are Trev’s guest. Stay with him. This isn’t Moses Mile. You aren’t welcome to walk around as if you own it,” Blaise said with a coldness I had come to expect from him.
“Got it,” I replied and started to leave, but my stupid temper stopped me. Instead of going back outside to what could have by now turned into an orgy, I glared at Blaise. “She needs help. That will only get worse if ignored, and it looks like that’s what has been happening. You’ve got the money. If you care about her, then help her.”
I didn’t wait for a response before getting as far away from Blaise Hughes and his damaged Angel as I could.
Thirteen
I was sure there had to be a shortcut from the Hugheses’ house to Moses Mile when on foot or horseback, but I didn’t know it, and it was dark. So, I took the route I did know, which was the road. I needed to burn off some steam anyway. Going back outside to that party was not an option. Pretending like I was okay and not upset after that encounter wouldn’t have been possible.
Once I was off the Hugheses’ property and headed down the road leading to Moses Mile, I slipped the cell phone out of my pocket and sent a quick text to Saxon and then Trev. I claimed I had a headache and that I hadn’t wanted to bother them, but I was headed back to Moses Mile and going to bed. It was only a couple of miles, and if I hadn’t worn sandals tonight, I could have run back quickly. A run would have felt good, but a long walk was going to have to be enough. Hopefully, neither boy would realize I was gone or see my text until much later. I didn’t want them leaving a good time because of me.
The moon was almost full, so it wasn’t completely dark on the road, but the sounds of animals and others I didn’t recognize made me slightly nervous. Sure, I’d walked home alone on dark city streets many times, but I’d been prepared for whatever came at me then. I knew self-defense, and I had always carried a knife. I was sure neither of those would help me if I was pounced on by a wild animal.
Trying not to focus on that, I thought about other things. Like the possibility of letting Trev or Saxon teach me how to ride a horse. It was that thought I was fleshing out when headlights lit up the road, and I had to move off the pavement onto the gravel and shade my eyes to keep from going blind. I turned around just as the vehicle was slowing and decided that maybe my self-defense moves might be needed after all. I didn’t have a knife hidden in my combat boots since I wasn’t wearing any, but I still knew how to disarm a man.
When it came to a stop, I could make out that it was a truck, which wasn’t surprising around here. However, when the door swung open and Blaise stepped out, I was not relieved. He happened to be the last person I’d wanted it to be.
“Am I not getting away from you fast enough?” I snapped. “I would have run, but unfortunately, I am wearing these sandals. You’ll have to be patient.”
“Get in the truck,” he ordered me.
I let out a laugh. “You have got to be joking,” I replied, not moving.
“I don’t have time for this shit. Get in the goddamn truck.” He raised his voice this time.
“Fuck you,” I shouted back at him, then spun around and continued walking toward Moses Mile.
Perhaps I could take off the sandals and run. My feet were tough. I’d gone without shoes an entire summer once. What was a few miles on a country road?
“You can’t walk that far in the dark! You were supposed to go back to the motherfucking party.” His deep voice almost sounded like a growl.
I kept walking but looked back at him over my shoulder. “I have walked in worse places for farther distances. Trust me, I can hold my own. Now, go away.”
Blaise let out a string of curses, and that made me smile.
“Stop being a child and get in the damn truck, Madeline,” he roared. “I don’t have time for this shit.”
I stopped and turned around, placing my hands on my hips. “Then, leave! Let me walk. Why do you care?”
He began stalking toward me then, and I had a moment where I considered running. I could run fast, but these sandals had a heel on them, and I wasn’t sure I could outrun him in heels. I should have taken them off. Instead, I held my head up high and waited on him to reach me. If he wanted to yell in my face, I could take it. I’d yell right back at him.
None of that happened when he got to me. He was there one minute, and the next thing I knew, I was being tossed over his shoulder, as if I weighed nothing. For a second, I was speechless as I stared down at the ground and his boots, which were making the gravel crunch as they walked back toward his truck.
My voice finally returned, and I used my fists to punch his back. “Let me down!” I screamed, now completely furious.
He ignored me and continued walking.
“I don’t want a ride in your truck! I would rather be eaten alive by wolves!” I informed him with another whack to his spine.
“Don’t fucking care,” he replied as I heard his truck door open.
I was then tossed haphazardly into the backseat before the door slammed in my face. I opened my mouth to scream when my eyes met the same big, terrified ones from the kitchen in the rearview mirror. She sat quietly in the passenger seat, watching me.
