Page 114 of Lavender and Lightning

And just because I can, I kick his legs as I head out the door to find Lydia and get the hell out of here.

fifty

Lydia

“Run,Lydia!GettoCaleb!”

Rhett’s shout shocks me out of my frozen stupor, and I obey without a second thought. Darren and Rhett are locked in combat, fists flying and blood splattering. I stumble out into the hallway, running into the wall opposite as I try to gain my balance. I realize I’m hyperventilating as I continue to lurch toward the doorway to the ballroom. Everything is spinning, with the edges of my vision turning gray.

“Lydi, what the hell–what happened?”

The touch of Jason’s hands on my arms, and the sound of his voice over the pounding music, makes me jump and yelp. I try to sort through my thoughts as I look up into his face, but they slide like sand through my fingers.

“R-Rhett… Darren… I need–I need Caleb. We need to get to Caleb,” I say, starting off stumbling but finishing on the edge of hysteria.

“Okay, it’s okay. Let’s get some air, okay?” Jason says soothingly.

I nod and let him lead me out of the front door and onto the path that leads toward the parking lot. I pull out my phone, my fingers shaking so much that it takes twice as long for me to fire off an emergency text to Caleb. Jason stops us about halfway down the path. The music is muffled out here, the only lights coming from the solar powered path markers.

“So, what’s happened with Rhett and Darren?” Jason asks, turning around to look back toward the entrance.

I gulp down air, leaning forward and putting my hands on my knees. “Darren–Darren followed me into the bathroom. There was a knife, and Rhett’s hurt–”

“Jason? Lydia? What are you doing out here?”

Jason and I turn at the sound of a voice, and my eyebrows shoot up as Sam and Adam step into the light from behind a row of bushes. As they get closer, I wrinkle my nose at the pungent smell coming from them, straightening to stand again. Adam’s gaze is unfocused as he looks at us, but Sam looks much more alert. His eyes catch on my torn dress and come up to my face.

“Are you okay?” he asks, concern pulling his brow down low.

I open my mouth to deny it, but I settle on a shrug and a shake of my head. Because my face throbs and my heart still pounds like a war drum in my chest.

“You look… rough, Lydia. You sneak off into a corner with your boy toy?” Adam snorts, words slurring together. He breaks off, laughing at his own joke, but none of us join him.

I narrow my eyes at him. “Are you fuckinghigh, Adam?”

“How else am I supposed to get through this? No offense, Sammy, but–”

“Yeah, yeah, fuck off. But seriously, are you hurt?” Sam asks, turning back to me.

“Darren cornered me,” I say simply, not sure I could even adequately describe what just happened.

“Here we go again. This is getting old, you know. Darren is a nice guy,” Adam says dramatically.

“Are you seriously defending him? After all the shit he’s done, you’re seriously taking his side?” Jason growls, stepping up to stand between me and them.

I look back at the front door, heart throbbing anxiously, my fingers twitching to do something. Where is Rhett? He should have been right behind me.

“All we have to go on is his word and hers. And he’s done nothing but help our pack and work hard over the last few years. What has Lydia done?” he says, pointing an accusatory finger at me.

“Wow, that’s quite a magic trick. I see your lips moving, but all I can hear coming out of your mouth is Mom’s voice,” I retort sarcastically, not even bothering to turn around and acknowledge him, my eyes still locked on the door.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” he asks harshly, a low growl in the back of his throat.

I whip back to face my brother so fast my hair fans out and hits Jason’s shoulder. “Darren fuckingrapedme, you obnoxious, self-absorbed dickwad. He’s been having me followed and stalked, and you think because he’s spent the last four years kissing Mom and Dad’s asses that he’s this innocent little angel?” I shoot back, voice rising to nearly a shout.

“It’s always got to be so dramatic with you. Have you ever thought that maybe if you–”

“You think that I want any of this? I ran away to get away from Mom and Darren and all of their manipulation and abuse. God, you’re as bad as them,” I shout, throwing my shaking hands up.

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