Page 87 of Beautiful Defiance

“No, shit, Sherlock.”

“Put a sock on it, Defiance.”

“You’re telling me to shut up?”

“Yeah, I did. Not a word, Leigh, or else I hike up this damn dress of yours and show everyone your ass.”

That shuts me up fast. On our way out the door, I bypass Henry. Dare, Midnight, Rue, and Red look on with curiosity and amusement. Henry is pissed.

“Where were you guys?” My words slur. I glare. Dare opens his mouth.

A heavy hand smacks my ass. I suck in a breath. Dare shuts his mouth. I don’t miss the gleam in his eyes. Boys. I am done with them.

Sighing, I hang my head. Not difficult to do slung over Seven’s shoulder like prey after a successful hunt. I shouldn’t be mad at Seven or my new friends. Compared to Jackson, they are golden.

“What are you doing here?”

He ignores my question, walking for what seems like forever before he stops in front of his truck parked blocks from the party.

He sets me on my feet. “You need to throw up at all?”

I’m in awe he’s not out of breath carrying me the distance. This boy has stamina and strength. Believe me, I am not light. I shake my head.

“If you do, I have barf bags left over from when we came home from the hospital.” He opens the passenger-side door. “Get in.”

I tip my chin. He grasps my chin and tilts my face up.

“I’m done with your defiance, beautiful. You are mine. Now please get your ass inside before I put you over my knee and spank obedience into you.”

For him saving me from being a number on Jackson’s list of random screws, I climb inside Seven’s truck. He gets in, starts the engine, and gets on the road.

“Explain what the hell you’re doing at a party getting ready for some guy to crawl up on you?”

“I don’t owe you one. Why are you in Dumas, anyway?”

“Take a guess, Leigh. It has something to do with you letting that fucker Dare touch you.”

Shit, the IG post of Rue’s.

“We were testing a theory, that’s all.”

“He had his hands all over you. All over what’s mine.”

“I’m not yours.”

“Keep telling yourself that, Defiance.”

We sit in tense silence. I ball my hands in my lap. He’s right. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to be Seven Shanahan’s girlfriend.

“Where are we going?” He took a turn onto a side road lined with these cute houses that look like cottages out of a fairy tale.

“My place.”

“Your parents have a house here?”

“I bought a place with the birthday money they gave me.”

“You are one hundred percent certain you’ll be going to DU.”

“I plan on playing ball for them.”

I chew on my bottom lip. He could be DU’s next quarterback. King of the game. A new kingdom to rule over. His pick of girls. Why would he pick a girl with scars on her body? Who isn’t a part of the popular crowd? I am outcast material. A rebel. I would never fall in line with his crowd of jocks and cheerleaders.

“That’s great, Seven. You have your future all planned out.” Swell. In that future picture is a beautiful cheerleader.

I should be glad he has his head on straight enough to know what he wants in his future. Then why does my heart break knowing I will never be a part of it?

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