Page 76 of Scapegoat

“Well, right now I want to go to the concert.”

Xavier groaned. “We need to work out where we’re going.”

“Tomorrow.” I bounced up on my tiptoes and flung my arms around his neck. “Tomorrow, I promise.”

“Tomorrow when you’ve got a hangover and all you’ll want is a bacon and egg sandwich,” he grumbled, as he swept me up into his arms and carried me through the gates, both of us laughing.

I got what I wanted. Atlas stood in line with me as we went to buy food, while the others promised to get me a few different drinks to see what I’d like. It was weird being on the other side of the counter. I could see the girls at the food stand moving like lightning, putting together peoples’ orders, but I didn’t feel any need to help. It was nice being waited on, rather than doing the waiting. But right as we stepped close to the counter, a familiar voice had us turning around.

“I thought that was you.” Brent was one of the other shearers we’d met at Vicki and George’s place. He’d hung around with Ned, but I couldn’t say if they were friends or not. He smiled now, as he looked the two of us over, then focussed on me. That smile twisted in a way that if he was a wolf, it’d mean he saw me as weaker, less dominant than him. “So, you made your choice, huh?”

“What’re you doing?” Atlas’ question came out in a sharp bark, loud enough that other people turned to stare at us. “Don’t talk to her.”

“Why? You’re the one that won, right? So where are your brothers?” Brent’s smile widened. “Did you ditch them for a piece of skirt?”

I was shoved behind him then, Atlas’ body forming a wall between me and Brent. It caused a ripple in the crowd though, with people thinking we were trying to push them out of the queue.

“Don’t fucking say a word to Kai,” Atlas growled. “You’ve got no fucking idea—”

“You didn’t, did ya?” From over Atlas’ shoulder, I caught sight of Brent chuckling. That just made me marvel at the balls the man had on him, especially when he continued. “All four of you are real fucking close. So, where are you mob headed?”

“That’s none of your fucking business,” Atlas shot back, but Brent just shrugged.

“Only asking so I can head the other way.” The smile faded as his eyes slid up and down Atlas. “You pricks shear too fucking fast and too neatly for me to want to share the same shed. Boss starts looking at me like why can’t I do the same.” We stepped forward in the queue then, all of the humans before us having got their orders, leaving the girls looking expectantly at us. “How about I shout you a feed?”

“We’ll get our own food,” Atlas said, turning to the girl in front of us and delivering our order. But by the time we’d paid and received our items, Brent was gone. “Stay close to me.” Atlas encircled me with one arm, balancing the food we’d bought in the crook of his other arm.

“He’s just some idiot—” I started to say.

“He’s not coming anywhere fucking near you,” was Atlas’ final word on the matter.

We found the others, claiming a spot on the gentle slope of grass that ran down towards the stage. I took a bite of my sausage sandwich, laden with onions, sauce and mustard and then tried some of the rum and Coke can Jayden had bought. He was right, it tasted a helluva lot better than the beer. They’d laughed as I spluttered my way through a mouthful of that. But as I was sipping my drink and watching the opening band come out on stage, Atlas told them what happened.

“Someone has eyes on Kai all night,” he told them, and I rolled my eyes as the others growled. “We ran into Brent…”

His voice faded as I felt my phone begin to vibrate. I put my can down on the grass and pulled it out.

“Jamie?”

“Just inside the gates,” she replied. “Where are you?”

“I’ll come find you,” I told her, leaping to my feet.

“Hey, you don’t need to—”

But I wanted to. Once I was standing, I was scouring the crowds for sight of her, then gave up when I couldn’t, catching sight of the gates. I took off then, as the guys continued to discuss how to manage me.

I wasn’t being careful, cautious and I didn’t want to be. The crowd, the music, the rum, it all combined to make me feel I was free, free to do whatever the hell I wanted. That’s what they’d offered me, right? Choices, the freedom to make my own choices. So I wound my way through the many people streaming into the place, my heart beating so fast—

Right up until I saw him.

My feet stopped too fast, my body still moving, forcing me to stumble, because there in the crowds was a familiar face. Not the right one, though. Ned smirked from where he was sandwiched in amongst a million other people. Those eyes, they slid down my body, taking in my dress, my boots, everything that I was, and his smirk just got wider. I didn’t know why I froze on the spot, and as soon as I thought that, I moved, straightening up, staring him down, daring that stupid fuck to make a move, when I heard my name.

“Kai!”

Jayden swept forward now, pulling me into his side, but I didn’t want him right now. I fought my way free, searching for that insidious gaze, but by the time I stood on my own, Ned was gone.

“I thought we talked about this,” Xavier said as he reached my side. “You need to stick with us.”

---