Page 60 of The Wallflower

Stewart moves his hand like he's about to throw the drink in Drew's face, but Drew grabs him by the wrist, holding him there with what seems like minimal effort. Being this far away from the crowded carnival and with darkness approaching fast, no one can really see or hear us, so getting the attention of someone to help isn’t going to happen.

"Drink it," Aries orders from behind Stewart. "Or we'll make you drink it.”

His tone has an equal amount of menace as Drew’s. I don’t like this, not at all.

"What’s the big deal with the beer? If he doesn't want to drink, he doesn't have to," I chime in.

Stewart’s eyes fill with panic, and he tries to wrench away, but Aries grabs him around the shoulders and holds him back against his chest. Drew snatches the beer, grabs Stewart's nose, pinches it closed, and dumps the drink into his mouth.

My entire body trembles. "What the fuck? Why would you do that?”

Stewart makes a gurgling sound as if he’s choking, and all I can do is yell. “Help him! He’s choking.” Neither Drew nor Aries makes any attempt to help him. Instead, they release him and watch as he falls to his knees, his shirt soaked with beer.

Rolling to his side, he starts coughing, and I hear him suck a ragged breath into his lungs. Relief washes over me, but it is short-lived when Drew crouches in front of him. I can’t stand here and watch him bully someone who had no idea what he was getting into. Who cares if he touched me or asked me out? It’s not like anything happened anyway.

I try to jerk free of Lee’s hold, but there's no give. He tightens his grasp, which is now almost bruising. "Let go of me!"

"Wait for it," he insists, his tone softer, gentler, like he's coaxing a small animal.

I'm two seconds away from kicking him in the balls when Aries stands, holding up a baggie between his index finger and thumb. "Wonder how long it takes to kick in? I sure as shit have never had to use it. What do you say, Stew? How long until you can't even remember your own name?"

I glance back and forth between Aries and Stewart, looking at the bag, confused as to what I’m seeing. There's some cursing as Stewart pushes himself to his feet. Drew doesn’t let him move an inch without towering over him.

"Not only do you take out my girl but you try to drug her, too.No. Don't look at her, don't talk to her, and you sure as shit will keep paying for the tutoring you won't be getting, or I'll find you, and I promise you, I won't call the cops. I won’t talk to theschool. I’ll deal with you as you should be dealt with. Dead. Six feet in the fucking ground.”

There's no reprieve. No give. Nothing but cold hard steel in every word he says. The reality of what could’ve happened presses against me. Was it too much for me to think he might actually want to go on a date with me? Not drug me and have sex with me? I blink back the rapidly forming tears from my eyes. I get it. It wasn’t like I was honest in accepting his invitation, but his intentions were to hurt me.

Drew motions to his friend, not even looking at me. Shame coats my insides as Lee releases his hold on me. My skin feels tender, and I try not to rub at my arms and give away my discomfort. It’s the equivalent of blood to sharks with these men. Instead, I wrap my arms around myself and ignore the cold settling into my bones.

How stupid could I be?I should’ve known this was a setup.

“I should kill you right now,” Drew taunts, his body a wall of pure fury. “What do you have to say for yourself? Can’t get a date any other way?”

“Nah, I could. Just wanted to see what all the fuss was about.” His eyes drift over my body, and he licks his lips like he’s getting ready to take a bite out of me. Gone is the easygoing, kind gentleman he showed me in the library for the past month. It was all a lie. A mask he wore to get me to do what he wanted. Rage burns through me, white hot, and I clench my fist tightly and take a step toward him.

“I can’t believe I thought you were a nice guy,” I growl and haul my fist back before slamming it against his cheek.

Pain lances up my arm, and my knuckles burn at the impact, but I ignore it. Landing a hit on him is worth it. He teeters to the side, his body off balance from the blow, but also the drugs which are now probably active in his system.

Lee and Aries move forward and scoop him up under his arms. Drew steps between us like he’s shielding me, and he looks at me for the first time during this whole thing. His eyes shine with what I can only describe as disappointment and surprise.

“Take him to the dungeon. We'll deal with him later.”

“On it,” Lee and Aries say in unison.

Once they drag Stewart away, I'm left alone with Drew, his gray long-sleeved Henley stuck in wet spots across his broad shoulders almost like he didn't bother drying off completely before he came to find me. We stare at each other, a long moment loaded with unsaid things between us.

I should say thank you, but the words are stuck in my throat.

"You got anything to say?" he prompts, his voice fury and fire now compared to the cold burn it was when he spoke to Stewart.

I swallow hard and stare at my scuffed-up boots. "Not really." Even I hear the sullen note there.Fuck. I sigh. "I didn't realize that’s what he would do. He seemed nice."

Drew grabs me by the arm and hauls me closer to his body, then he reaches out and wraps the other hand around my throat tightly enough to get my attention but not enough to scare me. "You shouldn't even have been with him. You belong to me."

"So you keep saying," I croak. “You’re also confusing me. You made it seem like I was your girlfriend when you were talking to him. And you called me that the other day in front of your football friend. But you treat me like shit on the regular. What the hell am I supposed to think?”

His fingers pulse like he's tempted to tighten his grip. "We can discuss that later. Right now, we have more pressing matters. And don't think I’ll just let that little dunking booth incident go either. Before the night is over, you'll be sore in a couple of holes as punishment."

---