Evan swung back around to look at me, his face nauseatingly close to mine. I could smell the nachos he must have had for lunch as well as the putrid stench of stale smoke. There was a good chance I would vomit. And I wanted to. I wanted to be sick all over the fucking bastard.
“You’ve messed with the wrong guy, you prissy cunt.” He sneered, and then he was stumbling backward.
Because Evan wasn’t standing in front of me anymore. He was on the ground, and there was someone standing over him, fists colliding with skin. Over and over again. Evan tried to get to his feet to defend himself but was promptly dropped back on his ass with a punch to the jaw.
“I warned you once and you didn’t fucking listen!” Maxx yelled as he brought his arm back and let it fly, fist connecting with face. The sickening thud of flesh and bone made my stomach turn, and April screamed again.
Evan scrambled backward and held his hands up, trying to protect himself. He had given up on trying to fight back, and now he was simply trying to stop himself from bleeding any more.
Maxx was a machine of violence. He kept hitting Evan. I experienced a horrible sense of satisfaction seeing Evan whimper in the dirt, but then I realized the potential implications of what was happening.
The last thing Maxx needed was to get into any more trouble. Particularly since he was most likely still on probation. I chanced grabbing ahold of his arm. “Maxx! Stop!” I yelled, pushing myself up against him. Maxx fought against my grip, still trying to get to a cowering Evan, who wasn’t so big and threatening anymore.
Now he was a crying heap of pathetic.
“You donotneed an assault-and-battery charge. Please, just stop!” My voice was shrill in my own ears, and I was feeling adrenaline rush through me. I started shaking as I realized everything that had just happened.
Shit, I was going to lose it.
Maxx seemed to instinctually recognize my changed demeanor. He dropped Evan and immediately turned, his hands coming up to frame my face. “Are you okay? What did that fucker do to you?” he demanded, his voice harsh, but his touch gentle. His thumbs stroked the tender skin of my jaw, and I felt the sharp sting of tears in my eyes.
“I’m going to kill him,” he whispered, his eyes narrowing, and I knew he meant it. Before Maxx could go after Evan again, I gripped his arms as hard as possible.
“I need to go home,” I said in an agonized whisper, my hands shaking so badly that I could barely hold on to him anymore. My bag fell from my limp hands and dumped out onto the ground at my feet. Maxx’s eyes clouded with concern, and I saw smears of red on his knuckles as he reached down to collect my things. The sight of Evan’s blood on his hands caused my stomach to heave.
“I need to leave,” I repeated, and swallowed bile thick in my throat.
Maxx put his arm around my shoulders, holding me up. “Of course. Let’s get you home,” he said softly in my ear, steering me away from Evan, still lying on the ground. I looked up to where April had been standing and saw that she was gone.
“Will he be all right?” I said. I don’t know why I cared. But Evan hadn’t been moving, and I really only worried about Maxx getting into trouble for intervening. Though my mind wouldn’t let me even begin to think about what would have happened had Maxx not shown up when he had.
“Fuck him,” Maxx said with a vehemence that shook my already trembling body. I didn’t say anything else as we walked across campus toward the south-end parking lot. “My apartment’s back that way,” I said, pointing in the direction we had come.
“I know. But I’m driving you. You can’t walk home right now.” Maxx held his car door open for me as I got in. I wasn’t about to argue with him, because he was right. I didn’t think my feet could make the journey.
I leaned my head against the window and closed my eyes, not opening them again until Maxx pulled up in front of my apartment building. I got out, not wanting to feel like a complete loser by having him help me up the stairs. Even if I was shaking so badly my teeth were chattering.
Shit.
Evan had wanted to hurt me. I had never seen such cold hatred in someone’s eyes. I should report him to campus police. But what would that mean for Maxx? Evan wouldn’t let himself go down alone. He’d pull Maxx right down with him. Of that, I was certain.
Maxx fished my keys out of the side pocket of my bag and unlocked the door. He took my messenger bag and dropped it onto the couch. I didn’t say anything. I pushed open my bedroom door and kicked off my shoes. I sat down on the edge of my bed and stared blankly at the wall.
Maxx stood just inside the entryway, as though not sure what he should do.
“I think I just want to close my eyes for a bit,” I said tiredly.
I didn’t wait for Maxx to say anything. I crawled up onto my bed and tucked my hands underneath my head, curling into a ball. My body shook and I felt like I should cry. But I didn’t want to give Evan any of my tears. That asshole didn’t deserve them.
After a few minutes, my bed dipped and I felt Maxx lie down beside me. He didn’t touch me, but I could feel his body heat against my back. The sound of the hypnotic rhythm of his breathing lulled me to sleep.
chapter
twenty-three
aubrey
iwoke up feeling groggy and winced as I moved my arms. My muscles felt bruised, and it took me a minute to remember everything that had happened earlier.
