Page 401 of Rock Me All Night
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Tom doesn't hitSweater Vest. Not yet. He stares until Sweater Vest is cowering.
"She said she wanted to kiss me. How am I supposed to know she's a tease?" Sweater Vest looks at the floor.
Wrong thing to say.
Tom pulls the guy closer and slams him against the wall again. For good measure I guess. My mind races, urging me to jump in, to stop this, but my body refuses to move. I try to talk myself down. This isn't Drew and Bradley. Tom is stronger, bigger, infinitely more tenacious. Sweater Vest doesn't have a chance.
That doesn't stop fear from seizing my throat. I open my mouth to saylet's get out of here, now. Let someone else deal with this asshole. Nothing comes. Air will barely make into or out of my lungs. Words are a lost cause.
"A tease? That's the best fucking excuse you can come up with?"
"She was into it."
"I'm gonna enjoy making you bleed." Tom pulls his arm back, ready to punch the guy.
"I didn't know she was your girl."
"You're not helping your case, asshole."
There's a thud as Tom's fist makes contact with the guy's face. The room goes silent. My thoughts go silent. The only thing I can hear is my heart pounding at the speed of light. Tom is going to kill that guy, and then he'll get arrested and go to jail. I can't live with that.
My mouth refuses to cooperate. Okay. Talk is cheap. Action is better. Let's do this, legs. Just stand up and walk out of here.
Nothing.
I'm frozen.
My stomach clenches with fear. My eyelids press together. I can't watch.
Thud. Another hit. Horrible mental images fill my brain. Blood and bruises and broken bones. I force myself to open my eyes.
Tom has the guy pinned to the wall with one hand. The other is curled into a fist. He's looking at me, studying me.
He makes eye contact. "You okay, kid?"
I open my mouth to respond. The sound that comes out is in no way comprehensible.
Tom looks back to Sweater Vest. "You're lucky I care more about her as much as I do." He grabs Sweater Vest by the collar and tosses him to the ground.
The asshole falls with a heavy thud.
Every single ounce of attention in the room is on us. The crowd parts as Tom steps towards me. He leans down and scoops me into his arms then nods to his purple-haired friend. They share one of thoseno, you kick his assguy looks of understanding.
God, I'm being carried out of a room like a damsel in distress in a cheesy B-movie. I can't bring myself to feel embarrassed. I slide my arms around Tom's neck, clinging to him, pressing my eyelids together.
His heartbeat is steady. His muscles flex against my back, cradling me. He's strong. I'm going to be okay. As long as Tom is here, I'm going to be okay.
A door opens, and cool air rushes around us. The pitter-patter of the rain fills my ears. Something goes around my shoulders. My hoodie. My feet make contact with the ground as Tom sets me down. He leans me against the wall and presses his body into mine, holding me in place. There's something comforting about the weight of his body, like a heavy blanket warming me on a cold night.
He runs his fingers through my hair. Over my cheek. My guard is down. I'm defenseless.
He stares into my eyes with an intense expression. "Are you okay?"
I can't pretend I'm okay. That this is even close to okay. I shake my head.
"You want to go home or you want me to beat that guy bloody?"
