Oh no.
I look at Ellie. She’s squeamish when it comes to blood. I feel like it’s the only thing she’s afraid of. As I expected, her eyes are big and glassy, and her face has a greenish tint to it. She sways slightly, her grip on my arm loosening.
“You son of a bitch!” Chad screams. From the corner of my eye, I see he’s stepped back, likely not wanting to take another hit.
I turn to Ellie, who’s trying to make a quick getaway. And as if it happens in slow motion, she slips from my grasp, teetering to the side, heading face-first toward the floor.
“Help!” I cry.
Both Penn and Travis whip their heads around.
“Shit.” Travis rushes to grab her before she crashes to the ground. She falls limp into his arms, and he sets her carefully on the seat.
I step toward Penn, but Chad reaches out, snagging my arm.
“What the—” I yelp, stumbling into him before I can right myself.
“Liv, this guy is a psycho! I can’t leave you with him.” He wipes his nose on his shirt, but more blood continues to pour out. It appears slightly crooked now, too. I wonder if it’s broken.
“Get your fucking hands off her,” Penn seethes, stepping in his face again. The low, dangerous tone sends chills down my spine. I should not find this hot.
Chad’s grip loosens enough for me to shake free, and I latch onto Penn’s arm, trying to pull him back.
“Come on, dude, let’s just go,” Tyler says, attempting to drag Chad away.
“Last chance, Liv,” Chad says, shoving Tyler. “Leave with me now, or we’re done for good.”
Penn tenses beside me, and I lace my fingers through his, giving him a reassuring squeeze. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” I say firmly. The nerve of him to think I’d drop everything and leave with him after what he did to me.
His nostrils flare, and he clenches his fist, the one that’s not holding all the blood from his nose. He stares at Penn and tries to look smug, but his busted nose makes it comical. “This is her slutty phase. Her parents will never approve of you. She’s a good girl who does what they tell her, right, Livvy? So don’t get too comfortable with my sloppy seconds.” He laughs, blood coloring his teeth.
I stiffen, his words stinging. I don’t have time to formulate a response. I’m tugged backward as Penn’s fist connects with Chad’s face again.
“Get the hell out of here before I fuck up your face so bad, not even all of Mommy and Daddy’s money will be able to fix it,” Penn barks, shoving Chad back into Tyler.
Behind them, I see two security guards heading this way.
“Ah, shit,” Travis mumbles.
I turn, realizing he was the one who grabbed me, and I’m sitting on his lap. It’s as if he knew what was going to happen before Penn did.
Ellie is beside us, her head on his shoulder, eyes closed.
“Oh my gosh, are you okay?” I ask, stroking her hair as I slide off Travis’s lap.
“I’m okay. Is the blood gone?” she asks, peeking one eye open.
I look over in time to see Chad and Tyler finally moving toward the door.
“Yeah,” I tell her. I smooth my hand over her hair, trying to soothe her even though my own nerves are on edge.
Penn and Travis come back and Penn grabs my hand, leading me toward the exit. I keep quiet, sensing the tension coming off of him in waves. His shoulders are stiff, his face a hard mask. I shrink back, he’s probably pissed at me. This is all my fault. He secures his grip on my hand, giving me a comforting squeeze that has me heaving a sigh of relief.
30
PENN
When I sawthat fucker sitting next to Olivia, I immediately knew it was him—Chad. The crisp fucking polo shirt gave him away. No one else was dressed like that except for him and his friend. I thought he was there for her, but then I saw the panic on her face as she searched the bar forme.
