Page 68 of Promise Me Not

But I do.

“Did you make him a promise, too?”

“Stop,” she begs.

“Did he tell you that?—”

“You’re drunk, man. Just quit talking before you say somethin’ you regret.” Chase steps around the corner. “Let’s get you back to the house, huh? You need to?—”

“You need to stop trying to get with girls who aren’t available!”

Payton turns beet red, Ari gasps, and Noah’s eyes grow wide.

Brady steps up with his hands raised. “All right. Enough. Let’s take a breath here, and?—”

“Fuck you, Mason.” Chase cuts him off.

“Nah, fuck you!” I shoot to my feet, my arm shooting out to keep balance. “I’m trying to talk to her.”

“Not like this.”

Rage rolls through me, and even my spine starts to shake. “You think you can speak for her?”

“You guys,” Brady tries again.

“At least she’sspeakingto me!”

My fist flies so fast no one’s stopping it. My knuckles come down across his cheek, and Chase’s head snaps to the side.

Instantly, everyone screams and shouts.

Security barrels over, and I hear my friends yelling, but my feet are already being dragged across the floor. I’m eating a mouthful of dirt in seconds, my head pounding, vision as foggy as a winter morning.

Someone helps me to my feet, and when I look into Chase’s eyes, I yank away.

“Get off me, man.”

“I’m helping you, jackass.”

“No, you’re fucking with me. Everyone is.”

He shakes his head, and I stomp my way toward the Airbnb, the soft murmurs and footsteps of the others not far behind.

When we reach the door, I stumble to the side, letting someone else open it.

No one bothers to tell me to come in, so I let it get shut in my face, wondering when the wall behind me is going to stop wobbling.

Who knows how long I stand there, but eventually a waft of warmth greets me as someone steps out.

“Oh my god, your hand.” Soft fingers brush my wrist, but I yank it back.

“Don’t pretend to care.” I blink, pretty blue eyes coming in and out of focus.

“That’s not fair,” Payton whispers.

“You know what’s not fair?” I rasp, my head rolling to the opposite side, lids too heavy to keep open. “What you said andwhat you’re doing. You’re killing me.” I breathe, forcing my lids to open and meet the prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen. “I’m fucking dying here, baby.”

Her beautiful face is blurred, so I raise my hand to make sure she’s really there, that I’m not imagining it. The second my knuckles meet her silken skin, I jolt. Pain slices through me, and I stumble away in panic, gripping my wrist.

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