Page 252 of Storm (Elemental 1)

When she didn’t respond right away, his expression turned cold. “Boyfriend busy?”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” she snapped.

“Yeah,” said Gabriel. “There’s another term for that. Friends with benefits? Or do you just prefer f**k bud—”

Becca hit him. Hard. Right in the face.

As soon as she did it, she wanted to go find Hunter and give him a kiss or write him a check or promise him her firstborn child. Because it was a solid punch, with power behind it, and Hunter had taught her exactly how to do it.

Nick and Chris were on their feet, but they hadn’t moved from the bleachers. She’d struck Gabriel hard enough that he’d rocked back, and she realized she should be counting her lucky stars that he wasn’t coming after her.

He touched a hand to his face, looking a bit stunned.

“Holy shit,” said Quinn. “Would it be wrong if I applaud?”

Becca glared at Gabriel, enjoying the redness across his cheek. “You’re an ass**le,” she said, feeling strong for the first time in a long while. “I came here to apologize to Chris. I came here to thank you for helping me last night. I didn’t ask to be part of this. I helped your brother because he was getting hurt. I warned you guys at that party. I didn’t sleep with Hunter.”

Skepticism flickered in his eyes. Becca shoved him in the chest, hard enough to push Gabriel back a step.

“I didn’t,” she cried. “I was scared, and he came over. That’s all.”

“Whatever you say,” he said. He glanced off across the field, as if he were merely enduring her theatrics.

“Look at me.” Her eyes felt hot, but she ignored it. “I heard what you said to Chris. I heard your little warning. Do you have any idea what that feels like? To know everyone thinks you’re something you’re not?”

He didn’t move, but now she had his attention. She had to get her breathing under control or she was going to go to pieces. Her cheeks felt hot, and she was deathly afraid she was about to cry.

“Everyone’s willing to believe I’m screwing half the school, but no one wants to believe I’m not. I never slept with all those guys they say I did. Drew McKay was drunk, but I really liked him. I didn’t even know what he—it was just—his friends were there, and they’re, like, ten times stronger than I am, and—”

Then she was sobbing into her hands and this was the most humiliating day of her life.

No, the second most.

Arms wrapped around her. Quinn, holding her tight, murmuring the same reassuring crap Becca had been saying twenty minutes ago.

“Merrick!” The coach was calling from the center of the field. “Quit screwing around.”

“Go on, dickhead,” said Quinn.

Gabriel didn’t say anything. Becca heard nothing but her own sobs, then a quick swish of cleats through grass.

She thought Gabriel was leaving, but Quinn muttered, “Oh, crap.”

“Come on, man.” Drew’s voice. “What are you—wait. Becca?”

Becca lifted her head. Her face felt like a punching bag. She wished, wished, wished she hadn’t used up that punch on Gabriel. Because now her rage was a puddle in the grass. And Drew was the one who really deserved it.

Gabriel still stood there, looking down at her. His eyes, that same blue as Chris’s, were cold and unreadable.

Drew punched him in the arm. “Let’s go, dude.” Then he gave Becca that signature smile, the one that used to melt her insides but now mostly made her want to puke. “Wait—you’re not breaking up with her, are you? You know, most guys don’t date her, they just—”

Gabriel punched him.

Becca gasped. It was a good thing Quinn was holding on to her, because shock would have knocked her down.

Especially since Gabriel grabbed the front of Drew’s jersey, hauled him forward, and slugged him again.

Drew went down. His nose was bleeding. He couldn’t seem to get his joints to organize.

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