I stare at their backs, unsure what to do. I've never had anyone protect me like this, and my instincts struggle to process it.
"Just let them handle it, okay?" Lily gently places her hand on my arm, causing me to jolt and press the button on my taser. It zaps, and she jumps and squeals, her eyes widening.
"Sorry." I shove my taser back into my pocket and return my attention to the guys.
They're arguing about what Will did to Lily. Surprisingly, Finn is the one getting the most riled up. He's usually all jokesand lightness. But not with this. He's in Will's face, towering over him, and the bouncer is watching it like it's live porn.
"This is a trigger for them," Lily mutters with her head tipped down toward the sidewalk that's littered with cigarette butts and a used condom—gross. "They've had to bail me out of a situation like this before."
I whirl toward her. "You've been almost drugged at a northside club before?"
Shaking her head, she meets my gaze. "No, it was at a Royal party."
It clicks. "Eli?" I ask, and she unsteadily nods.
I knew Eli had done messed up stuff to Lily, but not to that extreme.
I want to talk to her more about it, but the sound of glass shattering captures my undivided attention. I'm not even sure where it came from, but panic lashes through me.
"I don't like this. I feel like Will's crew is watching us." My fingers hover near my pocket as I peer around at the club, the busy bar beside it, and then at the alleyway between the two buildings. Across the street are vacant, boarded-up brick buildings, and a few people are loitering on the sidewalks, kicking bottles, so maybe the shattering glass noise from that. "What did Will say to convince you to come here?" I ask Lily.
"Not much. Wren and I were at this party. We were drinking, and Will was there. I knew he was from northside, and I'll admit, I was intrigued by it. He approached me, we talked and flirted for a bit, and then he convinced me to come with him. He said we could dance and drink and have some fun… I just got into the car with him without asking any questions." She groans. "I'm so stupid."
"Lily," I scold. "Seriously? That's so dangerous."
"I'm sorry. Eli was at the party, and I had too much to drink." Tears well in her eyes. "Plus, this guy I like broke up with me.
I might've continued to lecture her if I hadn't spotted movement in my peripheral vision. I turn just in time to see five guys walking out of the shadows of the alleyway.
"Dammit, we need to go," I hiss at Lily, shoving her toward the street corner. Then I grab the nearest guy's shirt, which happens to be Noah's.
His head snaps in my direction as he trips over his feet. "What the hell, Maddy?"
"We need to go. Now." I point at the group of guys stalking toward us.
"Shit," Noah mutters under his breath as he reaches for Finn's jacket sleeve.
Finn is reaming out Will with his fists clenched at his side, like he's about to take a swing. He's so close he's probably spitting in Will's face as he shouts at him.
"We need to go!" Noah shouts over Finn's yelling as he yanks on Finn's sleeve.
Finn shuffles backward, his shoes scuffing against the concrete. "What the hell's your problem?" He scowls at Noah but then notices the group of guys, and his expression plummets.
River tracks Finn's gaze and backs up, stiffening as he lets out a string of curses.
Will smirks as he retrieves a knife from his pocket and flips open the blade, which glints in the low lighting of the lampposts. "You're in big trouble now, royal fuckers."
The five of us silently agree to take off running, spinning around, and barreling toward the corner where the parking garage is looming in the distance. Lily is slow in her heels, and Will and his group are right behind us. This won't end well if we don't devise another plan.
"Keep going," I shout to River as we near the corner. "I'll distract them."
He gapes at me. "Are you crazy? I'm not letting you do that."
"Oh, River, I think I already established you can't make me do anything." I retrieve my taser from my pocket and zap it a few times, the buzzing causing him to jolt. "I'll be okay. I know my way around here." I offer him a cheeky, very forced smile before I grind to a stop and reel around.
Will and his crew are confused and slow down, uncertain what to do next.
"What're you doing, Maddy?" Will calls out as he stops just short of me. "Trying to be the hero?"
