Page 68 of The Pact

“Gavin, can you take a fucking hint? Why am I even asking that? Of course you can’t. You couldn’t take any for twelve years. So naturally, you’ll be just as dense now.”

Gavin’s jaw tightens. “I don’t think you understand. I’m not leaving without you and my patience is wearing thin.”

I want to laugh at the irony of his patience being thin. If his is thin, mine is non-existent.

“Are you going to grab me again? Push me? Here in front of everyone? Are you going to hurt me? Hit me?” I spit the words at him and he has the audacity to be taken aback, like he's never harmed me. “No, you’re not. I’ve decided that you don’t get to lay another hand on me ever again.”

He recovers, pulling himself up straighter. His brows lower and his eyes darken. The thought hits me again—I should be scared. Yet, I can’t bring myself to feel it. Maybe it’s the last of the tequila dulling me or maybe I’m still riding the high of the adrenaline from the Ferris wheel.

“I saw you with those guys.” The revelation doesn’t get a rise out of me. I’m honestly not surprised. I figured he’d been keeping an eye on me since he followed me into Sutton’s bookstore. “Is that why you don’t want me back? Too busy getting railed by four pricks? And Sutton is one of them? How pathetic.” My blood starts to boil.

I smile sweetly. “Oh no, that’s not why I won’t get back together with you. Your receding hairline, small dick, and shitty attitude are why I don’t want you. Getting railed by four cocks is just a bonus of being single. I’m making up for lost time.” That’s it. That had to have taken his ego down its last few notches.

I turn to leave, but Gavin reaches out and grabs my finally healed wrist. “You think you’re somebody now? Just because those freaks want to pass you around? You’re not. You’re still the same slut who let me fuck her on the second date.” My eyes narrow as I try to twist out of his grip. He’s holding on too tightly.

So much for not letting him lay another hand on me.

How the hell does he even know anything about them? I’ve never been seen with Damian or Wesley in public. The gossip is the only thing I can think of. He’s either overheard it or he’s been asking around about me.

I’m about to lay into Gavin some more, and hopefully distract him enough to get loose.

“Is there a problem here?” Damian’s voice calls out, drawing my attention. I look to see the four of them approaching and a wave of relief washes over me.

WESLEY

I’m letting Damian take the lead on this, but damn it if I don’t want to tear across the distance and rip this guy limb from limb. My eyes are laser focused on where he’s holding Thea in place. His knuckles are white from how hard he’s gripping her.

“Breathe,” Sutton mutters, so that only I can hear.

“I’m trying,” I grit out. I take a few deep breaths—it doesn’t help much.

You’d think that this idiot would back down when four huge guys approach him, he doesn’t. Instead, he opens his mouth and really ticks us off. “This is between us. So why don’t you move along?”

Damian lets out a low chuckle. He glances back at us, then at her ex. “Let me fill you in, Gavin. If you have a problem with her, then you have one with all of us. Get your fucking hands off her or you’re going to find out how much of a problem we can be.”

“How do you know who—”

Damian stops him. “I know enough about you that you should be worried. Now, let her go.”

He doesn’t. Her ex stands his ground and my body tenses, ready to give this guy the reckoning of his life.

Gavin is about Sutton’s height. He might have been athletic once, however, he’s barely in shape now. There’s no way he poses a threat to us. But he has Thea and could do some damage to her before we get to him.

“This skank isn’t worth it, boys,” he tries to reason.

Sutton must sense that I’m at my breaking point because he lays a hand on my arm as if he’s holding me back. Damian still has control. I won’t overstep, at least physically.

I shake my head and smirk. “She must be if you’re working this hard to get her back.” Gavin snarls at me. I push him farther. “She must be so fucking worth it.” I draw out each word. My teeth rake over my bottom lip as I slowly take her in from head to toe. I want him to notice it all.

Thea’s blue eyes go wide in surprise. She has every right to be shocked. It’s not like I’ve been welcoming to her. Just when I start warming up, my walls slam back into place. This morning I woke up and decided to make a real effort.

It was working until Damian had to ruin it. He rocked the Ferris wheel on purpose, knowing that it would freak her out and she’d turn to me. She played right into his trap.

The way Thea clung to me, her heart beating wildly against me, her nails dragging over my skin, made me hard instantly. Then when she realized what she’d done and brushed her fingers over the marks… I couldn’t take it. She’s getting too close, too fast.

I watch my brother walk towards Gavin—he’s had enough. Pride swells. There was a time I stood up for the four of us, mostly because of my size. Although Damian quickly proved that he could give it just as good as me, maybe even better, considering his temper.

Gavin gets this look in his eyes, like he wasn’t expecting my brother to make good on his threat. Yet, he stands his ground, still firmly holding onto Thea as if that’s going to stop what’s coming.

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