Chapter 44 #2
Ashton and I are forced back further when Dale McKenzie and Asher Stone fortify the two-person wall in front of us.
"They're going to fight, aren't they?" Ashton whispers to me.
"If Blake doesn't back down, probably."
Blake rips his hand out of Sky's hold, shoving him back. He laughs lowly, menacing gaze finding me over Sky's shoulder before turning back to him.
"Of course. The boyfriend," Blake sneers. "I should've known you wouldn't be far behind."
"He asked you a question," Carter interrupts. "I wouldn't test him if I were you."
"Fuck off, Hayes. The fuck are you doing with these assholes, anyway?"
"Uhm...they're my friends. So is Jace." Carter shrugs. "You fuck with one of us, you fuck with all of us. I mean...that's kind of the way you guys roll, right? Surely, you understand."
Blake doesn't have the chance to retort some snide remark.
"I'll ask you again," Sky pushes, invading Blake's personal space. The other three move with him, less than a foot away. They barricade Sky, attention locked onto Blake's friends who helped him vandalize my car.
"What were you planning to do? Hit him again? Was my warning from yesterday and your bruised up face not clear? Here's the deal, Dalton. I'll overlook the damage you did to his car, let it slide, if you back off and let him leave."
If I thought Sky appeared calculated and calm the day the break in happened, he's on a different level now. Calm? Yes. Calculative? I can't tell.
He's looking at Blake like he wants to murder him and doesn't care that he has an audience full of witnesses.
Blake laughs, spreading his arms. A direct challenge.
I still don't know what happened back in the gymnasium yesterday evening. I didn't see Blake leave but his face this morning was pretty bad.
"You think I'll run away just because you gained the upper hand once? Besides, this is between Conner and me."
Blake shoves Sky with both hands but it barely affects him. Sky's shoulders move but that's about it.
"So, fuck off," Blake threatens. "And mind your business."
Sky clicks his tongue. "If you've figured out our relationship, you know that's not going to happen. Everything that concerns Jace is my business." He crosses his arms over his chest. "Offer still stands. Don't make me do something we'll all regret."
"I'm not scared of your stupid threats, Daniels," Blake spits – literally. Spittle goes flying out of his mouth, a ball of it landing on Sky's shoulder.
Murmurs erupt from the crowd, many speculating that this isn't going to end well for Blake. Personally, I hope it doesn't. Sky shouldn't get himself in trouble defending me, but he's got every right to defend himself when it's Blake's intention to get a rise out of him.
I should get involved. Say something. Do anything. I know how these guys operate and a tactic they love executing is provocation. Blake will say and do whatever he has to in order to get a response from Sky. A reason to throw a punch.
A muscle ticks in Sky's jaw, his shoulders tense. He doesn't give Blake the satisfaction.
"I'll forget that happened," Sky says, his voice so low and quiet – almost like the growl of a wild predator – it makes goosebumps erupt along my arm. It is taking every ounce of his willpower not to attack. "Get out of my way."
He makes a shooing gesture. Since I've been booted out of my usual parking spot, the one I've taken is closer to where Sky usually parks. His black SUV is two spaces away from my Camaro. He turns around, catching my gaze, the unspoken command to leave with him as clear as day.
Blake could attack now that Sky doesn't have his full attention on him but thankfully, he doesn't. It's not that he doesn't want to – I see it on his face that he's thinking, trying to figure out a way to make him fall into his trap.
It's that he can't. The others form a barricade between the two, watching Blake for the slightest movement while still keeping an eye on his football buddies.
"What about my car?" I can't put into words how angry it's made me that Blake vandalized my car and Katy's filmed it.
"We'll take care of it," Carter replies. He pats my shoulder, nudging me closer to Sky. "Don't worry about it. You should leave before he loses his temper."
I barely make it past my own parking spot when Blake lunges. He grips my wrist and starts pulling me toward him but that's all he manages. It all happens so quickly that by the time anyone has a moment to react, Blake's agonized scream rips through the parking lot.
He's on the ground on his stomach, his right arm twisted painfully behind his back, cheek pressed into the asphalt still hot from the day's sun. Sky's knee digs into his lower back. He has one arm tangled with Blake's twisted one, his other hand keeping his face mushed to the ground.
But that's not all.
Shocked gasps ripple through the crowd as they take stock of what's happened. I can hardly breathe noticing how unusual Blake's shoulder appears and the three broken fingers of his right hand which is also his dominant hand.
"Aw shit." Carter sighs heavily, turning around as he wipes his face. "Here we go."
"That's strike two, Dalton," Sky says. The menace of his tone drags my full attention back to him. "Make it to three, and your father will be planning your funeral."
Blake writhes in pain when he's let go but thankfully chooses the wiser path of keeping his mouth shut. He might have just saved his life because I think everyone here could tell that Sky isn't making idle threats.
I'm ushered toward the SUV. Sky unlocks the doors and I slip into the passenger's. He doesn't get in right away, instead stomping across the crowd which parts for him since no one wants to get on his bad side. If the look on his face is anything to go by, it's best to stay well away.
He stops in front of Katy who immediately lowers her phone and tries to hide it behind her back.
His mouth moves. People glance nervously to each other.
I can't tell what he's saying but it's enough to wipe that look of cluelessness she's aiming for.
Reluctantly, she hands over the phone, her mouth twisting in a sneer.
"What now?" I ask when he slides into the driver's seat.
His body is rippling with tension, jaw clenched tight. I feel it like a physical weight pressing down on me when he leans over and opens the glove compartment to toss Katy's phone in.
"Are you planning to scrub evidence of the video?"
He still doesn't say anything as he buckles himself in. I follow suit, sensing that my talking may be having the opposite effect of calming him or distracting him. He's too worked up and while I know he's probably not angry with me, I can't help but feel bad over my part in it.
He's in this mood because of me. It's as if that's all I do when it comes to him.
Without a word, Sky peels out of the parking lot, forcing students to scamper and jump out of the way.