Page 70 of Seth (Life in the Brohouse 5)

Stumbling forward, my hands reach out as I slam against the wall, breaking my fall. I don’t stop to turn around, knowing this is my only chance of escape. “Help!” I shriek, unable to step any further as Josh grabs my shoulder and spins me around.

I hardly get a look at his face before he backhands me, leaving me breathless. Pain shoots through my cheek and my hand lifts, touching the bruise forming there. Tears stream down my face. I’m unable to control them. They’re just coming as my legs give out. My vision is blurring. I need to pick myself up. I need to fight. I can’t let him get away with this.

“Help!” I cry as I feel my body being picked up.

Josh pushes me into the room and I wobble on my feet, struggling to keep my body stable as I stare back at Josh. He’s so angry. I’ve never seen him this angry before. I have no clue what he’s going to do. The door is still open. Someone might have heard our struggle. Someone still might come.

“Help!”

“Shut the fuck up!” Josh roars, his hands fisted as if he’s going to punch me.

I put myself between him and Lauren. She’s still passed out on the bed. “Leave her—”

“Why do you have to stick your stupid nose into everything?”

I blink away my tears. My face is throbbing. It’s hard to focus when there is so much pain, when I’m so scared what he’s going to do next. I think I’m going to be sick.

“This has nothing to do with you,” Josh says while waving at Lauren.

“It has everything to do with me,” I whisper, choking back a sob as he takes a step forward.

Josh scoffs, tilting his head, his eyes narrowing on me. “You’re just jealous.”

I shake my head. “No.”

“No?” Josh laughs bitterly. “Then why are you here? Why are you always getting in my way, Rachel? Don’t tell me you care about Lauren, when you and Charlie tossed her to the side when she didn’t agree with you.”

“That’s not what happened. You—”

“I what, Rachel? What did I do?” He takes another step forward while I take a step back, knocking the back of my legs again Lauren. “I liked you, Rachel. Was that so bad? The only thing I ever did was like you, want you.” I shiver, my hands trembling with fear as he closes the distance between us. “I still want you.”

Bile rises in my throat as his words wash over me. His hand reaches for me and I jerk away from him, smacking his hand away. I watch as he clenches his jaw, as anger gleams back at me and I know what awaits me and I will fight him with everything I have.

“That’s disgusting,” I whisper, not caring for the consequences.

He raises his fist and I snap my eyes close, turning away and bracing myself for the impact. Instead, I hear, “What the fuck are you doing?”

I recognize that deep voice. My eyes open, one at a time, and I watch as Hunter storms inside, grabbing Josh’s arm and throwing him away from me as if he weighed nothing more than a sack of apples. Josh slams against the wall, his head knocking against it. I wait for him to run back and attack us, ignoring Hunter as he tenderly touches my face, turning my chin from side to side.

“What the fuck did he do to you?” Hunter whispers, his voice shaking with either anger or fear. I can’t tell at this point. I’m too worried Josh will do something with Hunter’s back turned.

“Let’s go,” I say, quickly turning away and reaching for Lauren.

“What the hell happened?” Hunter asks while helping me grab Lauren’s shoulder.

“I’ll tell you later. Let’s just get out of here.”

Josh groans and I flinch as I see him pushing away from the wall. He stumbles toward us. Lauren whimpers, her body swaying from side to side as her feet hit the floor. She leans into me, her eyes cracking open.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” she croaks.

“It’s going to be okay,” I whisper, my hand tightening on her arm while Hunter puts himself between us and Josh.

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay down, asshole,” Hunter says, his hands fisting. His shoulders tense as he uses his whole body as a shield.

I struggle to get Lauren out of the room, trying not to focus on Josh. I can feel his eyes watching us, and I know this isn’t the end. Just because we have Lauren tonight, doesn’t mean he won’t try sinking his claws into her later. And she’s so drunk, she probably won’t remember any of this.

Lauren leans against the wall as I help her down the stairs, trying with all my might not to drop her. After several minutes of us taking one step down at a time, Hunter sidles close on Lauren’s side. He grabs her arm and throws it over her shoulder, his hand coming around her waist and pulling her close.

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