Page 10 of False Start

This is exactly what I was afraid of.

Calvin, of course, doesn’t stay down. He moves right back into Vaughn’s space—too stupid to not go toe-to-toe with Vaughn when he’s this mad. “This is none of your business, Vaughn.”

“You were about to hit my best friend. That makes it my business. What the hell is your problem?”

“Vaughn, stop,” I try, but he’s foaming at the mouth. Poised for a fight.

“No.” He looks at me over his shoulder. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I know it’s something, and it has to do with this asshole.”

“Who you calling an asshole, asshole?” Calvin shoves Vaughn’s shoulder, stupidly poking the bear.

“Don’t,” I say to Calvin as I grab Vaughn’s arm and make him look at me. “I told you to knock this shit off.”

Katie and Vanessa are near, but most of the rest of the party are unbothered. The music is loud, and I’m grateful for it. I don’t want a scene. “I’m never going to stop standing up for you.”

“See, this is what I mean, Van. Are you really going to spend the rest of your life watching your boyfriend defend Austin?”

Katie pisses me off, and I send her a sharp glare. “I didn’t ask him to.”

“No. I know.” She tosses her hands up. “He just runs to your rescue any time he thinks his little Austin is in trouble.”

“Why are you busting my balls?” Vaughn looks over at Katie, who has clearly had a lot to drink but isn’t fall-down drunk. She’s just defending her friend, I try to remind myself. He looks at Van. “Why are you letting her?”

“Seriously?” Van asks and folds her arms over her chest, annoyed, and I can sense one of their epic fights brewing—one where poor Vaughn doesn’t even have a clue what’s going on. This got out of control really fast.

“Look, it doesn’t matter.” I try to bring the attention back to me. “He’s an asshole.” I gesture to Calvin, who’s still seething. “But I can handle it.” I look over at Vanessa. “Why don’t you take Katie back to the party. Have fun. I can handle this.”

Vanessa doesn’t seem nearly as irritated with me, but I don’t think she wants to leave either. Katie for sure doesn’t. She’sready for the fight, and Vanessa is smart enough to know it, so she leads her away.

I turn back to Calvin. “You need to leave me alone.”

“No. You need to back the fuck off before I smash your face,” Vaughn adds totally unhelpfully.

“I have it handled, Vaughn.”

“Aren’t you two just adorable?” Calvin taunts, and I see the mirth playing in his drunken expression.

“Shut up,” I command, my blood pumping a little more. Afraid of what his drunk ass might say.

“What’s your problem with him?” Vaughn’s jaw is pulled tight with tension and anger as he steps into Calvin. “Leave him alone. I won’t tell you again.”

“You know...” Shit. I can feel it coming. It’s like a trainwreck, moving slowly as Calvin cocks his head to the side and sizes up Vaughn. “He’s not your boyfriend. He’s not yours to protect.”

Vaughn grabs his shirt and slams him against the truck. He’s a few inches taller than Calvin, and right now, it might as well be an entire foot. “He is mine to protect. That’s where you’re wrong.”

I hate that my dumb little heart stutters in my chest, hearing him say that. Hearing him claim me like that. But I try like hell to remind myself it means nothing. He means just as a friend.

“Is that your problem, Calvin?” No, Vaughn. Don’t. I’m screaming internally but can’t get the words to work. “You want him? You can’t have him.”

My eyes flutter closed and then open again as Calvin turns his gaze toward me, fire burning in his eyes. “You told him? You’re so fucking dead.”

He tries to lunge at me, but Vaughn has a good grip on him, and he’s pinned to the truck. “Told me what?” Calvin looks shaken as he looks at me and then Vaughn. He doesn’t say aword, and Vaughn’s eyes slide carefully to me. “What’s he talking about?”

It’s like I’m underwater, my ears full of fluid, and that weird rushing sound takes over. “Nothing,” I choke out.

He looks back at Calvin. “What the hell are you talking about?”

He takes advantage of the moment and shoves Vaughn backward, making him stumble but not fall. “None of your fucking business, Montgomery. Back off. You know nothing.”

---