I’ve finally made it into the party.
It took about fifteen minutes of sweet-talking the bouncer to get my Football Frat buddies in with me, but he finally relented when Grady offered to get him tickets to the opening game of the season.
They exchanged numbers, and Grady will deliver.
“Nice work.” Nylah grins at him. “I’ll get Dad to hook those up for ya. Now…” She looks around the party. “Let’s go have some more fun.”
Carson’s lips quirk into a smile as he wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her forward.
I spot Jed and Tobin within seconds, and my heart kicks out of place.
Is Dani here?
Did she make it?
I should go say hello to her old roommates—they can probably tell me exactly where she is—but they’re so wrapped up in conversation that I decide to bypass them and head farther into the fray.
And that’s when I see it.
There’s a movement of bodies, a gasping, rushed steps backward as people get out of the way.
I frown, stepping forward to investigate.
And everything turns into slow motion.
I spot the side of Dani’s face and have enough time to register that her hair has changed. It looks amazing! And then I see the fierce expression on her face, the way she lunges forward with her fists and starts attacking the guy with the long, straggly hair.
Why does he look familiar?
A breath catches in my throat, then turns into a thundering growl when the guy shoves her back, then fires his fucking fist into her face!
For a second, I can’t make myself believe it.
But the way her head snaps back sends a red haze splashing across my vision, and I can’t stop the roar busting out of me.
“Get away from her!” I push people aside in my bid to reach her.
I am so fucking enraged right now that I can’t even see straight. This white noise is buzzing in my ears, and the second I’m within reach, I snatch the guy’s fist before he lands a fresh one on her.
“Get the fuck away from her,” I shout, shoving him backward.
I’ve got a good five inches on the guy, not to mention a fair few pounds of muscle—seething, ready-to-break-something muscle. When he goes to stumble away from me, I pull him back, landing my elbow in his face so he knows what it feels like.
His head lolls to the side, this garbled laugh coming out of him as blood coats the edge of his mouth.
I can’t believe he fucking hit her.
What the hell went down between them to cause this?
I’m not even sure I want to know, but I want to finish him for hurting her.
“You little fucker!” I fist his jacket.
“Tyrell!” someone barks behind me.
It’s Grady, forever the voice of reason.
I spin back to glare at him, but my eyes catch Dani, swaying on her feet. Blake’s beside her, trying to get a look at her face, and I immediately release the asshole to make sure she’s okay.
