Page 43 of Beautiful Harmony

“Preacher, take him outside to cool down,” Gideon said.

Preacher nodded and yanked Lucas toward the door as Lucas glared at him. “Let me go, Preacher before I break your nose too.”

Preacher huffed laughter. “Like that’s gonna fucking happen. Come on, Rocky, let’s take a walk.”

Gideon knelt beside the still-blubbering Brad. “I want him fucking arrested, man. I want him arrested for assault.”

“Sit up,” Gideon said, taking Brad’s arm and hauling him into a sitting position.

“You’re the sheriff.” Brad held his hand to his gushing nose. “Fucking arrest him!”

Gideon raised an eyebrow. “You showed up drunk and uninvited to a private party and provoked one of my guests, Brad. If I were you, I’d shut the hell up right now.”

Brad glared at him as Gideon took him under the arm and yanked him to his feet.

“You okay, Emma?” Gideon asked.

“Fine,” she said. “I’m…”

She trailed to a stop. Everyone in the room stared at her, and her face flushed bright red. She hated being the center of attention, hated standing out in a crowd when she so desperately wanted to blend in. Her stomach tensed, and her palms went sweaty.

“Excuse me,” she mumbled, “I have to go.”

She pushed through the crowd, her face blazing and so nauseous she wanted to vomit. She had no idea where Rayna was, but she didn’t care. She would fucking walk home if she had to. She couldn’t be in this house with everyone looking at her for one minute longer.

She hurried down the hallway toward the front door, tears pricking her eyes when Rayna caught up to her and, without saying anything, gripped her hand and followed her.

Emma yanked open the door and stepped outside, the cold air a welcome relief against her burning face.

“Emma!” Lucas stood at the end of the driveway with Preacher. He shook free of the tattoo artist’s grip and hurried over to her. “Baby, are you okay?”

She glared at him, anger and embarrassment boiling in her veins. “I asked you to walk away!”

“I know, but he said -”

“I don’t care what he said!” She pulled away when he tried to take her hand. “Everyone was looking at me, Lucas. Everyone!”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think. I just reacted and -”

“Just stop,” she said and walked past him. “I can’t talk to you right now.”

“Emma, wait.” She could still hear the anger in his voice. “I don’t let people talk shit about my friends.”

“Then maybe we shouldn’t be friends anymore,” she said.

“Are you kidding me?” Exasperation joined the anger. “Emma, stop so we can talk -”

“No,” she snapped, stomping down the sidewalk and taking Rayna with her. “Leave me alone, Lucas!”

CHAPTER12

Emma paced back and forth in her living room. Rayna had dropped her off only a few minutes ago, but Emma had asked her not to come in. She loved Rayna, but she was still pissed off and upset and didn’t want to be around anyone.

Lucas was trying to help.

She smacked her hand against the couch. “I know he was trying to help, but he made it worse.”

It was kind of hot how he came to your defense, though.

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