Page 64 of Hazel and Elijah Find Out: First They F*cked Around

“Fuck you.”

“Jesus, you’re touchy.” His shoulders squared and his weight shifted.

In theory, I didn’twantto get in a fight with a drunken backwoods townie. But into reality, I actuallyreallywanted to. The will it took for me to shake my head and walk away was almost more than I could manage, but I did it anyway.

“You’re just gonna be a bitch about it?” Shane shouted at my back.

“Sure.” At least I sounded like he wasn’t getting under my skin.

“No wonder she’s looking for new dick.”

Keep walking.

His footsteps came up, fast and angry, behind me.

I was almost at the door when he shoved my shoulder, hard.

The contact broke through my logical mind. I whipped around, fists up, and narrowly blocked his punch from landing on my nose. His knuckles grazed my cheekbone, and my vision blurred. Blinded by my rage, I lunged. My shoulder hit his sternum, and we both went down. He scrambled to roll me under him while I threw sloppy strikes. I coughed and grunted every time one of his blows landed, but the pain wasn’t enough to cool my blood.

I attacked the hands that grabbed my shoulders and pulled me off Shane. I didn’t stop when those same hands locked around my arms, their hands interlocked behind my head. I rocked from side to side, trying to get to my captor. It was no use; I was trapped.

“You’re okay,” a calm voice said at my ear. “You’re okay.”

Shane got to his feet, and I kicked and pulled in his direction. The mountain behind me lost his balance for a heartbeat, but held firm again.

“Fuck you!” Shane yelled.

“You don’t know shit!” I yelled back.

Ransom moved between us, his arms held out to either side, blocking Shane from moving around him. “Walk home.”

“Fuck you, man.” Shane spat at the asphalt, blood mixed in the saliva.

“Walk home,” Ransom commanded.

I struggled less against the hold on me and it began to loosen.

What the fuck did I do?

I had to close my eyes as blind hatred left my blood, replaced by shame. It washed over me, grimy and filthy. I was supposed to be better than this.Shane Briarwas the guy who got under my skin? He had the finesse of a rhino. He knew nothing about me and meant nothing to me.

How had I fucked up so badly?

Remi released his hold on me. I raked my fingers through my hair, pulling too hard at the tangles.

Shane still screamed obscenities as he stumbled out of the parking lot lights. He must live close because he seemed to be walking in a specific direction.

Ransom waited a bit before following him from a fair distance. “Gonna make sure he gets home and doesn’t freeze to death.”

“You good?” Remi asked.

I looked up from my shoes and found him assessing me. “No. What the fuck was that? I don’t do that shit.”

“Then why’d you do it?”

“He fuckin’ pushed me. He pissed me off, and then he fucking pushed me, and I… I lost my shit.”

Remi sucked in a deep breath. “You should go home. Clear your head.”

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