Page 64 of Someone Like You

My heart practically exploded.

God, I was going to lay him down, maybe even tie him up—would he like that? Was Brody into that kind of thing? Good lord, the thought of him with his wrists tied to the headboard, that magnificent body spread out before me, unable to stop me from doing whatever I wanted to him…

Fuck, this wasn’t the place to get hard. I had three minutes left in class, and then I needed to hightail it across campus to the bookstore for my shift. I sat through the last few minutes trying to think of anything other than Brody lying spread eagle on his bed for me. Suffice it to say, I was unsuccessful.

When class was over, I shoved my things into my backpack and raced out the door. It was warmer now, the April air allowing for lighter clothes even though I preferred to keep wearing a hoodie. As I sped across campus, all my thoughts were on Brody and how I would tell him my feelings. Should I write him something? A poem? A little letter? Or just blurt it out and be done with it? It would be easier to write something beforehand, collect my thoughts and then read them to him. I’d probably choke up in the moment if I didn’t, not say things right or forget certain things.

When I saw Brody walking toward me, for a brief second, I was pretty sure I’d dreamed him up and that my brain was playing tricks on me. But, no, there he was, backpack slungover one shoulder and a huge smile on his face as his eyes held mine. I slowed and then came to a stop, smiling back. Maybe I should just tell him right now? Why wait, when he was right here looking more beautiful than ever?

Brody picked up the pace and my heart was galloping in my chest. That smile of his was making my knees go weak. Then his eyes slid to the left, widening, and his expression shifted to pure terror. He burst into an all-out sprint right for me, shouting my name as panic and confusion locked my knees. I didn’t know what had freaked him out until I was hit from behind by what felt like a wrecking ball. All the air was knocked from my lungs as I was shoved, stumbling forcibly until Brody caught me against his chest, his arms banding around me as he swung me around.

“What—”

“Are you okay, Isaac?” Brody’s voice was shaking as he held me—his entire body was shaking, trembling against mine as he ran his hands all over my torso. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No, I?—”

Brody stumbled forward, taking me with him, and then someone was shouting. “You fucking piece of shit, let me at that little?—”

Brody let go of me, and I was finally able to turn and see him shoving—fuck, Gavin? Are you fucking kidding me? What the fuck was he doing?

He looked like a feral animal; his face was red, his lips pulled back in a vicious snarl, and his eyes were gleaming with hatred. My heart jumped into my throat when he shoved Brody, and I shouted, “Stop! Fucking stop it!”

Brody kept himself between me and Gavin, and other students were starting to gravitate toward the disturbance. All my focus was on Gavin and Brody, though, and when Gavin surged forward, his arm raised, fist flying toward Brody, I felt so useless and helpless and I’d never been more terrified forsomeone else in my life. I yelled Brody’s name when Gavin’s fist connected with Brody’s face, and I stepped out from behind the man I loved and shoved Gavin as hard as I could. “Don’t fucking touch him, you asshole!” I screamed, pushing against his chest and trying to move him back. But Gavin was built like a brick wall and my efforts to budge him did nothing.

“Isaac, no!” Brody shouted behind me.

Gavin snatched the front of my shirt in his fist and dragged me up onto my toes, shoving his face into mine and snarling, “I lost everything because of you! It’s all your fucking?—”

Brody’s fist came out of nowhere, plowing into Gavin’s face and making him let go of me as he staggered backwards, his hand coming up to his nose. Blood was gushing through his fingers and down his mouth and chin, and then someone else was shouting off to the left. Brody hauled me up against his chest and dragged me away from Gavin, who looked like he wanted to kill me, and my head was spinning in a dizzying merry-go-round of fear and adrenaline. It was only then I noticed all the people standing around us, some with their phones out, and as I was about to scream at them for not doing anything to help, someone pushed their way through the throng of students to stand in front of me and Brody. He was big—bigger than Gavin—and said to Gavin, “The cops are coming so you better back the fuck off.”

Relief had me sagging in Brody’s arms. He was holding me so tight that it was hard to breathe, but I didn’t want to be anywhere but in the safety of his arms. He was still trembling, his chest heaving behind me, his panted breaths puffing against my hair, so I started stroking my hands up and down his forearms, trying to reassure him that everything was okay.

Gavin took a step toward the huge guy who’d come to our aid, fists raised, then stopped when he said, “Don’t make me knock you down, Forster.”

“Fuck you, Beck,” Gavin spat, blood spraying everywhere. He looked around him, as if finally noticing the scene he’d caused, and wariness crept into his eyes.

“Isaac,” Brody murmured. “Baby. Are you okay?”

Before I could answer, two campus cops shoved through the crowd and Beck—I guess that was his name—pointed at Gavin. “This guy attacked these two students. Unprovoked.”

Someone in the crowd yelled, “I got it on video, officer!”

Ugh. Of course they did.

Gavin was growling like an animal as the cops drew closer to him, but didn’t resist when they dragged his arms behind his back and cuffed him.

Then the chaos in front of us started fading around the edges when Brody sat down hard, taking me with him. “Brody?” I said, voice a little panicked because I was worried he’d been seriously hurt. “Brody?”

“Yeah,” he grunted. I shifted in his hold, turning so I could look at him, so I could make sure he was okay now that the cops were here. As soon as I was facing him, Brody’s hands were cupping my cheeks, his eyes darting over every inch of my face.

“Oh, Brody,” I whispered when I saw the bruise forming on his cheek. I brushed my fingers underneath it, and my vision started to blur as tears spilled from my eyes. “I’m sorry,” I croaked. “I’m so sorry.”

Brody pulled me against him and pressed my face into his neck, cradling the back of my head in his palm. “Shh. It’s okay. You’re okay, sweetheart. I’m right here.”

I threw my arms around his neck and buried my fingers in the hair at his nape, twisting them in the soft strands. Brody held me until the tears stopped, murmuring soft words that vibrated through every fiber of my being until both of us weren’t shaking anymore, until we were just holding each other, each heart beating against the other.

“Hey,” came a soft voice from behind me. “We’ll need to get your statements, if you’re able. Do either of you need medical attention?”

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