Chapter 23 #2
“Hey man, keep your dick in your pants for a second,” a male voice shouts over the crowd.
The owner rushes toward us with a lopsided smile and waves for Aiden to join him.
“You can’t just skip out on sharing a drink with me and the guys.
I’m sure your date will still be primed and ready after we’re done hanging out. ”
Aiden’s posture stiffens, his eyes narrowing as he turns to the familiar-looking man who looks like he has no life outside of the gym. It wouldn’t shock me if that’s true, what with his wide-set shoulders and chest that tucks into a narrow waist.
“No,” Aiden drawls, lacking emotion in his voice.
The man stops in front of us and rolls his eyes. “Can’t skip out, man. C’mon.”
He grabs Aiden’s shoulder and jerks him from the seat. I drop from his lap with a gasp and tumble forward. Right before I land on my face, an arm hooks around my middle and drags me against a familiar, lean body that smells as sweet as candy.
Aiden tightens his hold on me and glares at the man. “That wasn’t nice, Jake. Apologize to her.”
That’s why he looks familiar. It’s Jake, that overeager guy from the fair.
Jake scoffs and glances at me with a curl of his lip before turning back to Aiden. “She’s fine. She doesn’t need an apology.” His features twist from a humorless laugh. “Besides, I’m sure she’s used to being in that position. Ass up, face down. Preferably hidden, am I right?”
My fingers curl into my palms until my knuckles turn white. I cringe at the foul comment and his disgusting assumptions.
“No, I think I deserve an apology,” I say.
Jake guffaws, refusing to look at me. He stares at Aiden, waiting for my brother’s approval, like I’m nothing more than an animal that doesn’t deserve respect.
“What’s with her headphones, anyway?” Jake laughs and smacks the back of his hand against Aiden’s shoulder. “You really chose an odd one, man. She can’t handle a bit of music?”
Aiden’s laughter starts soft and increases, raising the hair on my arms and sending a chill down my spine.
Jake’s smile falters, and fear trickles into his gaze as my brother steps forward and drops his arm from around me.
He catches Jake’s wrist and, in a blink, Aiden has him bent over in front of him, screaming in pain as he holds his arm behind his back.
Aiden’s smile sharpens, his kind eyes losing their spark and appearing dead as he ratchets Jake’s wrist at a tighter angle. “What are you screaming for, man? I thought we were laughing. Why aren’t you laughing?”
My heart drops, and I can’t look away from the scene as my much smaller emo brother man-handles a jock who could crush a man’s head between his palms.
Those types of people never learn not to underestimate Aiden. He may not be buff like them, but he’s quick and knows what to do with his hands in more ways than one. He knows how to win a fight with men three times his size.
“It was just a joke!” Jake screams. “Don’t tell me you’re gonna let some mid female make you fight your friend.”
“We’re not friends.” Aiden grins, then yanks Jake’s arm. The jock shrieks, his legs trembling beneath him and threatening to give out. Aiden cackles and puts more of his weight on Jake’s arm.
“What was that?” Aiden cocks his head and eases Jake’s hand backward to add more strain through his wrist. “It’s just a joke, since we’re being funny now. C’mon. Tell the joke again.”
A crowd gathers around us, and nobody stops Aiden. I could if I wanted to, but I don’t.
Is it wrong of me to enjoy this side of my brother and how he’s standing up for me and punishing a man for being a piece of crap? Maybe. I don’t care and never did; he’s done it hundreds of times before.
As if he can sense where my thoughts are, Aiden’s dead eyes flick up and meet my gaze. His lips curve in a smile that holds more emotion than moments before.
I tilt my head. Tears stream down Jake’s reddened skin, snot dripping from his flaring nostrils, and he grits his teeth so hard I hold back a wince of sympathy.
I almost feel bad for him.
Aiden follows the direction of my stare, his features slackening and lacking emotion once more. “Apologize to her, Jake.”
Jake whimpers and bares his teeth in a grimace as my brother applies more pressure to his arm. “I’m sorry!”
Aiden raises his head, his empty gaze falling on me, checking if I accept Jake’s apology.
I purse my lips and fold my arms over my chest.
Keeping his stare on me, Aiden says to Jake, “Say you’re sorry and fucking mean it.”
Jake’s face turns a deeper shade of red, and he peeks at me, malice burning in his teary eyes. “I’m sorry,” he chokes out.
Aiden searches my expression for a sign that Jake’s apology is good enough. After a moment, his focus drops to Jake.
“Talk about my girl like that again, and I’m cutting your tongue out.” He releases Jake while kicking him in the ass with his boot.
Jake tumbles to the floor, and his face breaks his fall. He pants and rolls onto his side, glaring at Aiden with tears in his eyes.
“Get the fuck out of here. If I catch your face at any more parties, my buddies and I will make sure you can’t ever ride your stupid fucking bike again.” He glances at me for a split second, rethinks whatever he was about to say and grinds out, “Or use your dick.”
Aiden chuckles and sweeps his fingers through his hair. “Such big words for a man who just screamed like a little bitch.”
Movement behind Aiden captures my attention. Three jocks rush into the room, their expressions hardened and sights set on my brother. Aiden can take on one, maybe two, but he can’t take all of them by himself.
“Let’s go home,” I say, and leap past Jake as he struggles to his feet.
Aiden barely budges when I plaster myself against him and try to walk him backward. His dead eyes remain on Jake, and I know the look in them. He’s not done fighting.
I glance past Aiden and wince as the jocks close the distance between us. The guy in the middle drops his hand out of his pocket and flicks his wrist, and a blade springs out of its sheath.
My eyes widen, and I loop my arm through Aiden’s, then haul him out of the room. “Come on, pretty boy. We’ve gotta go.”
On our way out of the house, I lock eyes with Jake across the room. He smirks and holds up two fingers and his thumb in a gun gesture before turning away and disappearing into the crowd.
I don’t know what he meant by pretending to shoot us, but it can’t be good.