He ignores me to look over my shoulder. “You left me on read today. I know you saw my messages.”
Why the fuck hasn’t she blocked him? Yeah. That’s gonna change. “You’re not going to hear from her, asswipe. I’m closing the door.” If I don’t, I may hurt him. I’m good at smiling and blowing off shit that bothers me, but this guy—yeah, I’m not sure I can pull it off with him.
“Liam,” Taryn chastises me. Is she serious? She wants to talk to this asshole? Didn’t we agree that we were done with other people? Wait. Did she ever actually agree?
“Move out of the way,” Sam tells me. “Taryn and I need to talk. There are things I need to tell her.”
I’m about to respond when Taryn answers, “Go home, Sam. This isn’t the time.”
So therewillbe a time? My jaw hurts from how hard I’m clenching my teeth.
“Really? I’m abothernow?” Sam asks her before he turns his attention to me. “You know she doesn’t want to marry you, right? I thought you, of all people, understood that just because she’s a good fuck doesn’t mean you need to put a ring on it.”
Taryn gasps but I don’t fully register the sound because my fist is moving too fast. The crunching sound is satisfying as I make contact with his face but it’s not enough. Sam has the audacity to sneer at me as blood pours from his nose.
“You made a mistake.” His eyes glisten as he takes a step back. He wipes his face with his forearm. “I came here to warn you,” he snarls at Taryn, “but you can’t even answer a text? Fuck you, Taryn.”
Warn her? I don’t even notice that I’m not wearing shoes as I step out into the snow to meet him. I shove him hard. “Talk to my girl like that again, asshole. Go ahead. Give me a reason.”
“Liam. Stop,” Taryn implores behind me.
Sam shakes his head and backs up a little more. He must see how absolutely unhinged I’ve become because he’s not smirking now. But, then, it’s as if he can’t help himself. “We both know she can’t wait to get away from you. Shit. I lied. The sex wasn’t even that good,” he says as he turns to walk away.
I lose it. I can’t recall ever having an out-of-body experience before, but I’m pretty sure that’s what’s happening. I’m watching myself beat Sam Rutherford to a bloody pulp on Taryn’s front lawn. He gets in a solid punch, but then he falls to the ground with my next hit. Yet, I can’t seem to stop. The snow is turning red as I land blow after blow.
Before I know what’s happening, I’m pulled off Sam and thrown a few feet. I stumble as I try to find my balance. I’m vaguely aware that my jaw hurts, not only from Sam’s fist but also from how hard I’ve been clenching my teeth.
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Liam.” Rowan O’Toole is standing between me and the bloody mess on the ground. “Are you trying to kill him? Here? On campus? What in the absolute fuck?”
I grunt. We both look at Sam, who is in the fetal position in the snow. Rowan sighs. “Go inside. I’ll take care of this.”
“I don’t—”
“For fuck’s sake. At least go put some damn shoes on. You’re going to get frostbite.”
I shake my head to clear the red fog. He’s right. I’m standing in the late January weather in wet socks with no coat, Sam’s blood coating my fists. “Yeah. Okay.”
I turn around and stomp back inside in search of my shoes and jacket. I pull off my soaking socks, willing myself to calm the fuck down, when Taryn touches my arm. I can’t place the look on her face. Disgust? Fear? Concern for me? For Sam?
“I—I don’t know what to say,” she whispers. “Are you okay?”
Am I okay? I flex my fingers in and out of a fist. Gonna need some ice for that. I shake my head as I put on my shoes.
“You still want to talk to Sam?” I ask hoarsely.
“Wh-what?” She seems confused. “No. No, I—”
“I need to go.” I can’t have this conversation. My adrenaline is crashing, and I need to figure out what Rowan is doing here. More importantly, I need to figure out what to do about the mess I created on the lawn. I shrug into my coat.
“Liam—wait.” Taryn sounds desperate. She’s probably worried I’m going to run outside to finish Sam off since I obviously can’t handle that she’s been with other guys. No need. Not happening. I’m beyond done with this night.
I walk around her to step outside. One of Sam’s friends is helping him into the back of a G-Wagon, while Theo fucking Nicopolis is having words with Rowan. He glares at me when he notices that I’ve joined them.
“You shouldn’t have done this,” Theo tells me. He sounds tired, not threatening.
“He shouldn’t have come here, running his mouth about my fiancée.”
Theo shakes his head, but he doesn’t disagree with me. “This is so fucked. You’re right. He shouldn’t have come here.” He glances at Rowan. “None of it needs to be like this.”
