Page 77 of Midnights
I shoot Rachel a glare, even though I know she means well. Cam finally looks up from his phone, his expression as unreadable as ever, and I let out a slow breath, forcing my voice to steady. “I’m not excusing what he did, okay? I’m just saying it’s over, and I’m fine.”
I shift my gaze back to Kane, who still doesn’t look convinced. His jaw is tight, and his hands flex at his sides like he’s itching to hit something. I want to scream, but I settle for rolling my eyes.
“I don’t need a rescue team, everyone can chill now, alright?”
That’s mostly directed at Kane. Rachel raises an eyebrow but, for once, doesn’t argue. I can see Kane's jaw ticking but he doesn’t say a word. Cam gives me a small nod, but his fingers are still typing away on his phone.
They’re not letting this go. Fucking great.
“I’m going to get dressed, so everyone calm your tits.”
And with that, I spin on my heel and head for the bedroom. The second I’m behind the door, I let out a slow breath, shaking off the feeling that they aren't going to let this go.
I rifle through my clothes, tossing aside random pieces, mentally plotting to throw something at Rachel the second she walks in.
Why does Kane have to be so damn intense?
I yank a sweater off its hanger, feeling theirritation running wild. I'm perfectly capable of handling creeps on my own.Yet, no matter how hard I try to cling to that thought, the look in Kane’s eyes stays with me. I know that look all too well. It's the kind of anger that simmers just beneath the surface, waiting for a reason to come out.
Whatever. Not my problem.
Before I can shove those thoughts away completely, Rachel bursts into the room, practically vibrating with outrage.
“Dude, I can’t believe you have a bruise from that fucker,” she seethes, pacing like she’s ready for round two. “I swear, if I ever see him again...”
“Rach!” I cut in, grabbing a shirt and tossing it at her head. “Settle down. It doesn’t even hurt. I bruise easily. It's really not that deep. Can we please drop it and focus on exploring a freaking castle today?”
The truth is, it does hurt, but I don’t even care about the stupid bruise anymore. I just want to enjoy my day.
“Okay, okay” I can tell she’s still visibly annoyed. “I’m just pissed. And clearly, the guys are too. It’s not okay.”
She pauses, and I can see her frustration softening slightly as she flops onto the bed.
“Also, I don’t think castles work like that. We can’t just go frolicking around like it’s a movie set. There are rules, you know.”
That finally gets a laugh out of me, and the tension in the room eases slightly. I hate when people make a fuss over me, especially when I'm clearly fine. If I was making a fuss? Sure. Let the dramatics fly. But I'm not. I can handle myself.
Not that anyone else seems to get that.
I reach for my necklace, fastening it around my neck before slipping my stones into my pocket, just in case.
Chapter 13
Troubbble…
Kane
The girls disappear into the other room and I meet Cam’s gaze.
He nods once.Already on it.
Tyler actually owns the pub, though he prefers to call himself asilent partner. The long-time regulars know the truth, but beyond that, it’s not something he advertises. He’s had the place for years now. He won it in a card game, of all things. It's one of those stories you’d never believe unless you were there to see it happen.
There aren't any cameras in the pub. A fact that’s never bothered me until now.
My jaw tightens as the realization sinks in.That’s changing today.I don’t give a fuck if it’s overbearing. Men like that thrive in places where no one’s watching and they think they can do whatever they want without consequences.
I don’t take kindly to men putting their hands on women. She’s not mine, but still. Raven might think this was nothing, but my gut says otherwise. She brushed it off too quickly and she was working too hard to make it sound insignificant.
