Page 32 of Drift
Kane lifted a hand in quiet warning. “Easy, Jax. She’s safe now.”
Jaxton blew out a harsh breath, rubbing a hand over his face. “Doesn’t mean I’m not pissed.”
I swallowed hard, bracing myself to explain everything I’d been too stubborn to tell him before tonight.
I laced my fingers together in my lap, willing myself to stay calm. “It was just a misunderstanding. A classmate who got a little too pushy about our project timeline. I think it’s all?—”
Chance’s voice cut through mine like a blade. “Bullshit.”
My head snapped toward him. His voice was low and controlled, but every word vibrated with fury. “It wasn’t a misunderstanding. He’s been harassing her for a while now. A fuck ton of calls and texts, and he showed up uninvited to her apartment tonight when she didn’t give him the address. Grabbed her wrist.”
The air in the room grew heavy.
“He what?” Jaxton’s jaw ticked once on the screen. “You said he didn’t touch you.”
I swallowed hard. “He didn’t hurt me. It just?—”
Chance cut me another look, sharp enough to silence me. He reached out, tracing a finger over the faint bruise on my wrist. The contact sent a shiver through me. “No ‘just’ about it. He dared to lay his hands on you.”
Kane leaned back slowly, folding his arms. “You mentioned texts. How bad are we talking?”
Chance didn’t hesitate. “Obsessive. Possessive. He’s watching her, or at least trying to. The guy’s spiraling.”
That was when I noticed the way both Kane and Jaxton were looking at him. Like they’d just realized something important.
I finally caught on to the implication of what he’d just told them. “I didn’t show those messages to you.”
Jaxton narrowed his eyes. “How exactly do you know what they said?”
Chance didn’t flinch. “Doesn’t matter right now. What matters is he’s stepping it up.”
A long silence stretched between the three men, taut and dangerous. Then my brother exhaled slowly, his expression hardening into something all business.
“Fine. We’ll handle the kid.” He leaned closer to the camera, his eyes hard. “But we’re not done talking about this, Drift.”
“Didn’t think we were,” Chance muttered.
My brother’s tone gentled for me. “Get some rest, Alanna. I’ll call in the morning.”
“Okay,” I whispered.
“Talk soon, Drift,” Jaxton warned.
Chance didn’t respond—just stood there with his eyes locked on the screen until Jaxton disconnected the video call.
That was when it hit me…whatever line he’d crossed to protect me tonight, he wasn’t planning to step back from it. I just didn’t know if I was reading too much into it.
Kane’s voice broke the silence first. “You’ve had enough for one night. Get some rest, Alanna. There’s a spare room you can use.”
I nodded, my throat too tight for words.
Chance started to move beside me, but Kane’s gaze cut to him—one sharp look that said more than any words could. I didn’t understand the meaning behind it, but whatever message passed between them made Chance nod.
“Come on,” he finally murmured, his tone softer now. “I’ll show you where it is.”
He led me down a narrow hallway lined with closed doors. When we reached the last one, he opened it and stepped aside for me to enter. “You’re safe here. No one gets through that door without going through me first. And they’d have a hell of a time getting this far with my brothers in the clubhouse.”
I managed a small smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “Thank you.”
