Page 41 of Of Pranks and Passion

“Where are you? I’m on my way.”

I shook my head, forgetting for a moment that he couldn’t see me. “N-No! It’s not safe!”

He growled a very un-angelic sound that would’ve made my arm hairs stand up if I wasn’t still reeling from the attack. “I can handle myself, Gary. Where are you?”

I shook my head helplessly again. “I-I just want Easton. C-can you call him?”

He sighed heavily. “No. He’s at a fight right now. Will you let me come get you if I bring Coach? He was supposed to go with Easton, but he’s running behind. He’s still here.”

I whimpered out an acknowledgement. Not even my attacker would face down Coach. Right?

Waiting for them to arrive was torture. I couldn’t move. I sat on the floor and trembled, hugging my arms around myself for some form of comfort. Easton’s hoodie didn’t smell like Easton anymore. Now it smelled like blood and dirt. I wanted to take it off, but I also couldn’t make myself move to do it. It was the only comfort I had.

I startled hard and screamed when someone knocked on the door.

“Gary? It’s me, Angel. Open up.”

It took a minute, both from the pain and from the fear. I felt nauseous when I reached for the handle, paranoid that my attacker got a recording of Angel’s voice and would barge in the second I opened the door. I forgot completely about thepeephole. Cracking the door, I peeked out, and a sob of relief escaped me when I saw Angel and Coach standing on the other side.

Yanking open the door, I threw myself at Angel. He caught me, just barely, but he didn’t complain about me almost knocking him over. He hugged me tight, petting my hair and shushing me gently.

“It’s okay. Shh… You’re safe now.”

“We should get him inside his room, just in case,” Coach urged.

I shook my head quickly without looking up. “Easton…”

Angel sighed and nodded. “I know. We’ll go to him instead. Can you walk?”

Not with the way I was clinging to him, but I was afraid to let go. I was all alone tonight. The guy waited until I was unprotected to come after me. I didn’t want to be alone again.

Neither of them rushed me or made me move until I was ready. Angel tucked himself up against my side with an arm around my waist, supporting me while Coach locked my door for me. He took my other side, his hand resting on my upper back supportively. Even with them protecting me, I was terrified of going outside. We didn’t go through the front door, instead going down to the basement and out the back entrance. That’s how they got in without a key. The door was broken. I would freak out about that later.

My head was on a swivel, and I jumped at every sound while Coach unlocked Angel’s car and nudged us both into the back seat. When Angel scowled at him, Coach rolled his eyes.

“I’m not letting you behind the wheel again. You nearly killed us both trying to get us here. Besides, you don’t know where you’re going.”

Angel stuck his tongue out, but just the thought of him leaving me alone back here scared me, and I snagged the edgeof his shirt, clinging to it desperately. He sighed and patted my hand gently.

“It’s okay, Gary. I’m not going to have you sitting back here alone. Coach is just being an asshole. I drive just fine.”

Coach scoffed and shut the back door, locking it with the key fob behind him so we were safely locked in while he went around the car to the front. I looked, but I didn’t see any sign of anyone watching us in the parking lot. I still didn’t let go of Angel, though.

“Fuck, you’re tiny,” Coach grunted. He couldn’t even get in the driver’s seat without forcing it all the way backward first. He had to adjust the wheel and recline the seat to make room for his massive frame.

“You’re ruining all my settings,” Angel complained.

“Are you even legally allowed to drive?” Coach grouched.

Their banter was teasing, not cruel, and once we were moving, it distracted me enough to keep me from crying the whole ride there. I focused intently on their conversation, and every time my mind tried to replay what had happened and tears spilled over my cheeks, Angel’s grip tightened and he petted my hair again.

We pulled up outside of what looked like an abandoned warehouse in the middle of a bunch of other abandoned buildings. There were tons of cars in the parking lot, though, and a few bouncers at the door. Coach parked in a marked spot near the front and came around to my door to help me out. He led me away once Angel locked up and took my hand again, and the bouncers didn’t look twice as he stomped past. Once we got farther into the warehouse, I could hear shouts and jeers and my anxiety shot through the roof. Like he could sense it, Coach turned around to look at me.

“I’ll lead the way. All you have to do is follow. You can hold the back of my shirt if it makes it easier.”

I appreciated the gesture and accepted, fisting the back of his shirt, my other hand still clinging to Angel, who didn’t look bothered at all about being here. He glared at anyone who got too close, and together, he and Coach led me through the rowdy crowd to an area off to the side where fighters were wrapping their knuckles and warming up.

“W-Where’s Easton?”

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