Page 33 of Survival

“At least, you’re up front about it.” She slipped off the tailgate, tugging on his hand for him to follow, and Kyle smirked, hopping down.

“See y’all later.”

“Yeah…I’m not that easy.” The girl on Corey’s lap looked over her shoulder at him, and he shrugged, taking another swallow of his beer.

“I’ve got time.”

We chatted for a while, and it was about the time I saw Noah disappear with Trisha through the mass of cars that I pushed myself off the truck. “Refill.” I held up my cup before taking off for the tailgate across the crowd.

The line was down right now, and I refilled my beer, chugging it down to shove back the haunting thoughts that were trying to surface. I’d just filled my cup again when Nic came up.

“Oi, Tucker, save some for everyone else.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Did you want some?” I smirked and downed my cup again before sticking it back under the spout of the keg.

Nic’s grin slipped. “No, I’m okay.”

I frowned, noting the turn. “What’s up?”

“Just not feeling the party vibe tonight.”

Well, fuck. Wehadkind of roped him into it. “Why don’t you give Izzy a call? She’d give you a ride.”

His brow raised at the idea. “Yeah, I might do that.”

I waited as Nic called, sipping on my next cup of beer, the images and memories I hated flashing through my thoughts even as I fought them. I was always fucking fighting them. Tonight couldn’t come soon enough, when I could pull Izzy into my arms and let her embrace chase all the ugly shit away.

“Thanks,” I heard Nic say as someone stepped up behind me. I moved to the side so the next person could reach the keg.

“So, is she coming for you?”

“Yeah. She said to give her a few minutes. It sounded like she’d been working out.”

I nodded. “Probably in her studio.”

“So, Izzy’s going to be at the party after all.”

I made a strange noise at that voice, somewhere between a groan and a growl as my stomach knotted.When the fuck did that jackass get here?

“She’s just giving me a ride home,” Nic replied.

“So, she’s traded up, then. Decided she’d rather be with an older guy than a pathetic friend who screwed her up, huh?” Zane’s smooth voice mocked.

“Fuck off. It’s just a ride home,” I grated through my teeth.

“Just a ride, huh? I’d like to give her something to ride.”

I glared as Zane smirked up at me, my free hand clenching into a fist at my side. What I’d give to beat the shit out of this guy, but I’d fucking learned my lesson.The hard way. Ihaveto keep my cool.

But even as I thought it, the wild array of images I’d been shoving back flashed through my head: Izzy lying broken at the bottom of the stands, the overwhelming look of terror and surprise covering her face as she fell,the blood from the gash in her head smeared across my hands. Zoey hurt and unreachable, dying inside of her, her lifeless, tiny form resting in the palm of my hand. The way Izzy had thrashed and screamed, her very spirit broken when she’d learned we’d lost her.

My grip relaxed, but my stomach grew tighter, nauseous now.

“Keep dreaming. You’ll never get her,” I managed to retort with a coolness I hadn’t used with the guy since before he’d started dating Izzy.

Zane filled his cup and took a drink before he smirked. “Oh, I will. And don’t forget I had her first.”

I took another long swallow, using every ounce of restraint I could muster and keeping my eyes on Nic who was glancing between us, wary. He should be. I was way too close to turning around and beating the guy to a writhing pulp on the ground, making him beg for mercy. Which I was pretty sure I wouldn’t grant. Someone would have to drag me off him to get me to stop.

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