Page 79 of Girl Violence

Nodding, Vince backs away from them and comes over to her. Josette flinches when he takes her hand, only now realising the tears on her face.

“Come on.” Vince pulls her to his car. Once they’re near, he opens the door and helps her in. Josette glances across the lot, seeing Jason on top of Ian and beating the shit out of him. Everyone watches, some even enjoying it. Alyssa and Tyler are pale as they watch Jason’s fist slam into him again and again. Josette knows why Jason did this. So she didn’t have to watch Vince do it. Because she wouldn’t have been able to handle it.

She wouldn’t have at all.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE

Strong gusts of wind bash against the windows. The car rocks and Vince’s knuckles whiten as he grips the wheel to keep control. Well, the knuckles of his good hand turn ivory. The one that isn’t angrily red.

They’re silent as he drives carefully through town, the wipers struggling to throw off the now heavy rain pouring down on them. Even with the heat blasting against her skin, Josette is still cold. Her teeth chatter together endlessly, her body tensing painfully like someone keeps twisting a coil inside of her.

She should fear the storm. It’s the worst she’s probably ever seen. Only, she’s not. Even though they should be inside where it’s safe and not risking their lives by driving in it, Josette isn’t scared. Her thoughts are a million miles away with twisted games and violent bad boys.

“I’m going to have to stop,” Vince says, veering off the road and pulling into a spot that’s not too close to the trees swishing viciously back and forth. He looks around, probably to double-check that they’re safe. “I think we’ll be okay here.”

Josette glances around, seeing they’re opposite a long row of hedges. They’re nowhere close to home, but it doesn’t look like anything can harm them.

The car goes quiet despite the horrendous noises from outside, and it only dawns on her now that they’re truly alone. Alone with everything they haven’t said.

She quickly steals a glance in Vince’s direction, seeing his elbow propped against the door and his finger resting against his lips. But the moment her eyes are on him she can’t stop. He’s staring out of the window, deep in thought, watching the storm play out. His hair is damp from the rain, his face pale, and his eyes tired.

Eventually, his shoulders rise and fall in a silent sigh, and he turns to face her. Their eyes meet, and they stare at each other for a while, neither of them knowing how to start.

Josette knows she should maybe say thank you for what he did. Only, for some reason, the words don’t sit well on her tongue even though she is grateful.

Thankfully, he’s the one to break the silence. “Are you okay?”

“I... I don’t know,” she says honestly. She doesn’t know what she’s feeling or thinking.

“You’re in shock,” he says, and maybe he’s right. “I’m sorry for upsetting you, but I’m not sorry for what I did.”

“I’m not asking you to be sorry.” Josette knows Ian deserved it. But she can’t deny she’s shaken up from it all.

“Look at me.” When she doesn’t, Vince reaches out and puts his finger under her chin, turning her to face him. She shivers from the contact as he strokes his thumb against her face. “What are you thinking?”

“I hated it,” Josette admits, biting down on her bottom lip when her eyes sting. “It scared me. You scared me.”

He nods, his chest falling as he drops his hand. “You must regret it now.”

“Regret what?”

“Sleeping with me.”

Josette stares at him, seeing all that self-loathing his dad helped put inside of him come back. Shaking her head, she turns her body to face him. “Of course not. Why would you even say that?”

“You said I scared you.”

“Vince, I was scared because I was worried something bad might happen to you. I didn’t know what was going to happen. That Austin would turn sides.”

“You weren’t the only one they were messing with, Josette,” he says. “I called Austin to tell him everything and what I would do. Turns out he has his own problems with the three of them. He said he’d help if I left Alyssa and Tyler to him.”

“Why? What did they do to him?”

“I didn’t ask. It’s why I didn’t go near Tyler even though I wanted to.” He leans back against the seat and breathes out a deep breath. Josette hopes this hasn’t anything to do with Jenna. Only, something tells her it is.

“Where does this leave us, Vince?”

“What do you mean?”

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