They stopped in the middle of the street while the one with the nosebleed pointed to his own face; the bend in his nose. “You think she can get away with this?”
I did that?
Dean glanced back at me, and then back to the jock. “Let me get this straight... You planned on confrontin’ her, three to one, because she put you in your place when you tried to have your way with her drunk, underage sister?”
Caught in his bluff, the jock puffed up his chest. “Fuck you.”
“Fuck me?” Dean pushed away from the car, hands in pockets, and the boys receded a step. Regret washed over their expressions when they realized they had underestimated how tall he was up close. “Why don’t you head inside before I demonstrate why consent exists, hm? Startin’ with you and that fire hydrant,” he said, nodding to the red hydrant on the street corner.
My eyes widened slightly.
The jock gulped but lifted his chin. “You can’t touch me. You’re outnumbered.”
“Am I though? I doubt these fuckers you call friends would step in to help.”
The two he referred to shifted nervously on their feet. Then stumbled backward when Dean stepped forward, seized the back of the jock's neck, and tugged him closer. “You’re lucky I didn’t throw you out the second-floor window, you piece of shit. Now get inside... And don’t touch any more girls or guys, or I’ll cut your fuckin’ balls off and shove ‘em down your throat. Got it?”
The jock nodded as if his life depended on it before Dean released him. He hightailed it back to the house, leaving his friends to catch up.
I wasn’t sure what to feel. Concerned? Surprised? Impressed?... Heart palpitations?
Dean turned back to the car, massaging the back of his neck before his eyes caught mine. His mouth twitched before he rested his arms on the roof of the car, cocking a brow. “I thought I suggested you get in the car.”
“I thought you might need backup,” I joked, lifting my bruising hand.
“Okay, Balboa.” He huffed a laugh and pulled away to open his door. “But we do need to get some ice on that.”
“Yes, we do,” I said eagerly, climbing into the front seat.
The apartment was quiet when we got in. I figured Kira was staying at Aiden’s again as Dean helped me bring Jane to my room. She was able to walk a little but still swayed on her feet. Which was why I thought bringing her home with me to sober up was better than bringing her back to our parents. A lecture from them was the last thing she needed.
After sitting with her while she emptied her stomach into my bathroom toilet, I brought her to bed with a glass of water and aspirin and then drew the curtains. Shrouding the room in darkness save for the light streaming through the gap in the door as Dean stepped into the room. Bucket and a bag of frozen peas in hand.
“Thank you,” I whispered as he placed the bucket on the nightstand. “I don’t think I would’ve been able to get her out without help.”
He brought me the frozen peas, keeping his voice to a whisper too. “You’re the one sockin’ people in the face.”
I smiled as I took the bag and pressed it to my knuckles, wincing when the cold bit into my skin. “Maybe I should’ve kicked him in the balls instead.”
He chuckled quietly. “I’d pay to see that.”
We left the room, closed the door quietly behind us, and headed for the pastel blue couch. Still wearing the clothes we sweated in while playing basketball, I hadn’t realized how bad they smelt until I lifted my T-shirt collar to my nose.
“I need a shower.” My nose wrinkled as I dropped my shirt again, and I slumped into the cushions. “But I’m also exhausted.”
Muscles I didn’t know existed were aching in my legs, arms, and stomach.
“We could just take our clothes off if they smell that bad,” Dean suggested casually. My stomach fluttered as I looked at him sitting beside me. His face was unreadable apart from the way his eyes shone. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. “Clothes are overrated.”
My heart backflipped and something like a strangled laugh escaped my lungs. Pushing aside the image in my head of Dean sitting on my couch with nothing but a pillow in his lap, I stood. “I still have those clothes you let me borrow, if you wanted to shower and change? We’d have to use Kira’s bathroom though.”
His brows rose suggestively. “We?”
“Separately,” I said pointedly as the blush seeped into my skin. “I’ll be back in a second.”
I plopped the bag of frozen peas on the coffee table and walked back to my room. Aware he was watching my every step until I slipped quietly into my bedroom. As Jane snoozed soundly, I was in and out quickly, unable to shake the way Dean made me feel.
With our clothes folded neatly in my hands, I closed the door and turned back to face the living room. Only for my steps to falter when my eyes came to Dean.
