Page 25 of Bully

I groaned again, scooping up the annoyingly cute kid and sitting down in a chair at the end of the table next to Sloane, “Fine.” I sighed, settling her on my knee. “But if the angry rainbow stabs me with her knife, it’s all your fault.”

Rory giggled and clapped her hands together excitedly before reaching for a French fry off my plate. “Pretty rainbow!”

Sloane glanced over at Liv holding Asher and the grizzly bear next to her, then back to me, with Rory on my lap. “You have kids?”

Liv cringed and shuddered violently, “Ew, not a chance. The babies are ours,” She nodded to Madd and then glared at me. “But Rory there is obsessed with her uncle Tee-Tee and I’m afraid if we made him go missing, she’d never forgive us for it. Peyton’s my sister and this is my boyfriend, Maddox. I’m Olivia. And for the record, I’m the president of the ‘I hate Tamen’ fan club, something I’m sure you’re very willing to be a part of, so you’re safe around us.”

Sloane’s eyes rounded as she nodded once. “Blackmailed into letting him come around by the adorable kiddo. But would take him to the train station if you could get away with it,” She nodded again, grabbing a fry off my plate that I was reaching for and taking an aggressive bite out of it. “Got it. That makes total sense.”

Liv cackled as I stared at them both in confusion, “God, I like her. She can take your place in our family, T.”

IglancedoveratSloanefrom my chair and watched her as she tipped her head back and laughed at something Maddox said. Christ, did she have no taste in humor? The bear was the least funny person walking the planet.

Yet Sloane seemed to enjoy his presence. Everyone’s actually. She stormed into the restaurant an hour ago and melted right into the group like she had belonged amidst it for decades.

She fit in better than I did.

And the people in it were the closest thing I had to a family anymore, but they didn’t even actually like me.

They loved Sloane, however.

“I have to go.” I rose, pulling my wallet out from my pocket and tossing a couple of bills down on the table.

“Running away?” Dane mocked me, “Color me surprised.”

Thankfully, Rory was passed out on the couch with her head on Maddox’s lap; otherwise, she would have made it impossible to make an Irish exit, as the girl loved giving dozens of kisses for goodbyes.

“Whatever.” I sighed, sliding my arms into my jacket and nodding once to the group, “Have a lovely evening.”

I only made it a few steps from the table when I heard Sloane say something to the group that sounded a hell of a lot like a goodbye. Cringing, I quickened my pace, weaving through the crowded restaurant; I felt like I took two steps backward for every step forward as I hurried to leave.

By the time I made it to the dark hallway leading to the restrooms and the back exit, my palms felt as if red-hot pokers were running up the lifelines on them. If I didn’t make it out of the restaurant and into the quiet seclusion of my car quickly, I’d snap.

And then there was no telling who would meet my knife when I lost control. Remodeling Prism had kept me too busy to relieve my stress and sate my thirst for death, leaving me on edge.

Every time I ran into someone else, I envisioned what they’d look like with a gash across their windpipe as the contents of their circulatory system emptied itself down the front of their clothes.

Fuck. I was in trouble.

Clearing the back door, I walked through the dark parking lot toward my car as a thundering echo filled my ears, blocking everything else out.

Realistically, I knew she was following me, her heels made the same annoying sound on the restaurant floor as they did the blacktop parking lot, but when Sloane grabbed my arm as I got to the side of my car, conscious thought ceased.

Rounding on her, I swung us both against the corner of the brick building, slamming her against it with my hand around her throat. “Big mistake, Rainbow.”

She dug her nails into my hand, breaking the skin as she stared up at me with round eyes fighting against my hold on her. “Tamen.”

“You need to leave.” I growled, slamming my fist into the brick wall next to her head as I closed my eyes and fought to keep from tightening my hand around her throat anymore.

“What’s wrong with you?” She hissed, and I smiled in the darkness as I tilted my head to the side and ran my nose up the side of her face, inhaling her intoxicating scent.

“So many things.” I said and tightened my hand on her throat even though I knew better. “So many bloody things.”

“Get off me.” She cried, fighting me off with her sharp nails and swinging fists.

“Good girl.” I moaned, making her fight even harder. “Finally, show me what you’re made of.”

“Fuck off!” She grunted and swung her knee up into my groin and I coughed at the burn, curling forward with a grin on my face, nonetheless. Her hands continued their assault, hitting my face and sides as I held firm to her, fighting through my nausea and delirium.

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