Page 49 of Cream Pie

Chapter 13

Javier

The first hit hurts.

A lot.

Marshall’s a big fucking guy, after all. But also, I’m not fighting this, and I’m not fighting back. Hell, I’m not even really defending myself.

I deserve this—every hit, and there are plenty. Amy is screaming, Jackie is screaming, and at some point, as my friend’s fists rain down on me, I’m aware of Kendall being there too, also screaming.

“Fight back!” Marshall roars, slamming a fist into my center. I grunt, doubling over onto the floor and shaking my head.

“No.”

“Fight back you fucking pussy!” he bellows, whipping one across my jaw that has me hissing as I hit the ground.

“Fight me, you little prick!”

“I’m not gonna fight you, man,” I hiss, groaning as he yanks me up and then pops me right in the nose. My vision swims, but my hands stay right there at my sides.

I’m not fighting my best friend, not even when he’s beating the shit out of me. Not after the shit I’ve pulled—not after the lines I’ve crossed.

“Hit me!” he roars again.

“I’m, not gonna hit you, Mar—”

“Well I’m going to fucking hit you.”

His huge fist slams into me again, this time sending me careening backwards into a wall. I wince as my head slams into the drywall, denting it as plaster and paint fall down my shoulders.

Yeah, that’s gonna leave a mark.

“Dad!”

Amy’s screaming at him, and I blink my loopy vision away to see her flailing at him, grabbing his arms and tugging him away.

“Wait outside, Amy!” he roars back, still glaring at me.

“No! Dad, you listen to me!”

“Wait outside!”

His eyes narrow at me, his teeth flash, and he raises a fist as he advances on me.

“Marshall—”

He hits me once, Amy still screaming. He winds back, and he’s about to do it again, when I just let it out.

“I love her, man!”

The whole room goes still, like time’s just frozen for a second.

Amy gasps quietly, her eyes immediately finding mine. Jackie hisses and shrivels back. Marshall freezes right where he is, hovered above me ready to send his fist through my skull.

“What,” he growls deeply.

“I love her, Marshall,” I say quietly, looking him right in the eye. “I mean I really fucking love her.”

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