Chapter 23 Tate
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
TATE
Despite the fact that I detest sand, I don’t hesitate to plop my ass down and take a break halfway back to Bumz.
It’s been so refreshing to disconnect for a little while and process my thoughts and feelings without any distractions.
When I finally check my phone, I’m surprised to find three missed calls from Spencer, two from Daija, and a shit-ton of text messages.
What the hell?
I check the clock to make sure I didn’t get abducted by aliens and lose time or something. Nope. All good on that front. It’s only ten-thirty. Why are they being so dramatic?
I tap on Daija’s text thread first.
Hey boo. I’ll be there in ten.
Here!
Where are you? I’m by the bonfire.
Tate. Please answer me. I’m starting to freak out.
Shit.
My poor baby. I send her a quick text to ease her worries.
Went for a walk on the beach. Be back soon.
I tap on Spencer’s thread next, desperate to know what he has to say to me. My traitorous heart starts thumping without my permission.
I won’t give up that easily.
Yeah. Duh. Figured.
When you’re ready to talk and not run away, I’m here.
At the bonfire.
Waiting.
My heart sinks into my ass. Shit. He’s at Bumz. Right now. Panic trickles in, and I’m fucking stressing. Caleb could technically still be lurking around here, too.
That would be my worst nightmare.
Deciding not to overthink it, I quickly text Spencer the same exact thing I sent Daija. Copy. Paste.
Went for a walk on the beach. Be back soon.
Three dots appear before I have a chance to close the app and slip it back into my pocket. I was going to dodge reality and stargaze for another ten minutes before I actually went back.
Which direction?
With a reluctant breath, I give away my location.
Toward the pier.
Three more dots appear, and I wait with bated breath, while my pulse thumps wildly.
I’m coming.
Before I can reply, a deep voice from behind startles me, and I nearly drop my phone in the sand.
“You think you can talk shit and get away with it, you little punk? Huh? Not when you’re alone in the dark and vulnerable.”
I hop up, wobbling in the uneven sand, and the alcohol sure isn’t helping. “Caleb . . .” I say hesitantly, barely able to hear myself over the heartbeat whooshing in my ears. “Wh-What are you doing out here? Did you follow me?”
He ignores my questions, continuing to stare at me with a hateful sneer that sends a cold shiver down my spine.
“I’ll scream if you touch me,” I threaten.
Caleb tips his head back, barking out a loud laugh and making me jump.
“I wanted to finish our conversation. In private,” he says with faux sincerity and a fake smile.
“Where’s your boyfriend?” I ask, feeling extremely intimidated being alone with Caleb and losing all bravado quickly.
“Aww. Not so cocky now, are you?” Caleb taunts.
I huff, folding my arms across my chest. “I don’t have anything to say to you, Caleb.” I just want him to crawl back into whatever hellhole he came from. The man is the literal spawn of Satan, and I really need him to leave before Spencer shows up.
“Well, you sure did at the bonfire, and now, I want a fucking apology,” he demands condescendingly.
Is he serious?
My face scrunches up in disgust. “No way.”
Before I can turn around and leave, a bruising grip latches onto my forearm.
“Don’t walk away from me,” Caleb grits out, like I’ve struck a nerve. I try to yank my arm free, but he doesn’t let go. We struggle for a second until he roughly shoves me to the ground.
Oomph!
Sand coats my bare skin, and jagged seashells scrape at my arms. The wind is completely knocked out of me.
That fucking bastard.
“You did it to yourself,” he says with a sneer, staring down at me with contempt.
“Always so pathetic.” Caleb leans forward, getting right in my face and making me recoil.
“Mouthy little twinks disgust me because of you. Now say you’re fucking sorry!
” he shouts, and I flinch, cowering away from him.
Out of my peripheral vision, I see a dark shadow flying down the beach like a demon set on vengeance.
The next thing I know, Caleb is no longer hovering over me; instead, he’s rolling around in the water and grunting with the shadow.
I crab-walk backwards out of the fray, breathing heavily and slightly in shock.
Marco suddenly shows up and yanks the shadow off of Caleb. My heart stops, and I gasp when I realize who it is.
Spencer.
Marco restrains Spencer’s hands behind his back, holding him there, exposed to Caleb.
“No!” I cry out when Caleb pulls his fist back and slams it into Spencer’s stomach, making him double over and gasp for air. “Stop! Please!”
Caleb ignores my pleas, delivering a brutal uppercut next. “You got my new shoes all wet,” he growls as Spencer hangs limply in Marco’s arms. Something dark drips onto his white T-shirt, and terror grips my heart. Is that blood?
Tears stream down my cheeks, and I feel so helpless. I have to do something. Anything. Crouching low, I tiptoe across the sand, sneaking up on Marco and jumping on his back. I wrap my arms tightly around his neck and squeeze as hard as I can.
“Let go of him!” I demand, squeezing even harder until he finally drops Spencer and grabs my forearms roughly. He pries them off his neck, making me cry out when he digs his fingertips into my already scraped flesh.
“Don’t fucking touch him!” Spencer shouts at Marco.
“Aww, is this your boyfriend? Finally done being a little slut, Tate?” Caleb taunts, ducking as Spencer takes a swing.
He laughs maniacally like he’s getting off on this fight.
“Enjoying my sloppy seconds?” The douchebag continues to goad Spencer.
“Probably more like sloppy five-hundreds with how much he likes dick.”
“Don’t fucking talk about him like that,” Spencer grits out.
Fear and adrenaline pump through my veins.
Why is Caleb doing this to me?
“So you are fucking him?” Caleb sneers. “He takes it quite nicely, doesn’t he?”
“Shut your sick fucking mouth!” Spencer shouts with pure rage, and he ducks just as Caleb swings, countering with a jab to the face.
Caleb grunts and stumbles backward, cupping his nose as blood gushes through his fingers, shining crimson in the moonlight.
“Yeah!” I cheer loudly in Marco’s ear, just to rub salt in the wound of watching his asshole boyfriend get punched in the face.
“Get the fuck off me, you little shit,” he growls, grabbing at me while I remain plastered to his back like an angry koala.
He grabs my biceps and flings me off.
Oomph.
I hit the ground hard, landing right on my tailbone, and it takes all my breath away.
“Tate!” Spencer cries out, his eyes wide with worry. “You fucker!” he shouts before tackling Caleb into a crashing wave. They go under, and my heart sinks right along with them. They both pop up, but Caleb grabs Spencer by the back of his head and shoves him back under.
“No!” I shout, jumping up despite the ache in my tailbone and running toward them until two giant arms wrap around my torso and snatch me up.
Pressed to a hard chest, I scream like a wild banshee. “Let go of me, you freak!” I wiggle and squirm, desperate to get free.
Caleb still has Spencer’s head underwater, and I’ve never been more terrified. “Stop! Caleb! You’re fucking killing him!” I shriek in pure horror, unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.
“Please,” I hang limply against Marco, whimpering uselessly. Trying to plead with a cruel and heartless human is exhausting. “Don’t do this.”