Page 172 of Collided

Shooting him a glare, I swing my arm and break his nose. Blood droplets follow through and he stumbles back.

I don’t stop.

With hit after hit I turn him blue and black until he signals the speaker who calls off the match.

I’m still heaving in anger, itching to get another fight, when Sebastian’s peculiar gaze from the crowd puts a stop to my plan.

The speaker makes my victory announcement, I walk out.

Sebastian follows me silently to the room, but I can feel the tension radiating off him. He’s worried for me—the last thing I want him to be.

I sit down on the floor and chug down an entire water bottle.

I’m burning with heat. The erratic beats of my heart roar in my ears like a drum. Still, my mind is unable to steer away from the teary brown eyes I saw today. Whenever I close my eyes, they appear right in front of me.

The way she flinched, stiffened, and refused to meet my gaze.

I can’t stop thinking about it.

I want to punch the bastard who hurt Hope. I want to break his bones and make him feel the same way Hope does. For the first time, I want to use my strength and fighting skills to hurt someone.

I won’t feel one bit of remorse. I never do.

Some people don’t deserve kindness or mercy. Unfortunately for him, I won’t grant him either.

I don’t know what I’ll do if it’s a woman. She won’t be receiving mercy from me though. I’ll get Marie to beat her or better yet hire someone. I’ll make her pay for hurting Hope. I’ll make anyone pay for hurting her.

Sebastian takes a seat next to me. “For the first time, I don’t like the look in your eye.”

I break out of my thoughts and realize that my hands are shaking.

I’m on the edge of getting to the bottom of this matter without asking Hope. I just want to know.

“I’m fine,” I grumble.

“That’s not what I said, is it?”

“That’s my fucking answer.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Sebastian puts his hand on my shoulder and squeezes. I’m half tempted to break his wrist, but I swallow the urge. He’s looking out for me like he always does.

“You know, I'll always stand by your side. You’re my best friend, James.” Sebastian only calls me by my middle name when he’s dead serious about something. He knows I hate it because Emery used to call me that all the time. But on occasion I let him slip up. Maybe because I miss being called that.

Looking over at him, I give him a confident nod. “I know.”

“Then what’s up?”

“Nothing.”

“You’re a tough dough.”

“It’s cookie.”

“That’s reserved for sweet people. You’re bitter.”

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