“Wait, man.” Hemsworth’s face pales. “I didn’t do anything to her. I swear.”
“Bullshit!” I roar. “Look at her, she can barely keep her eyes open.”
“She showed up hammered, and she drank at least two more wine coolers downstairs,” he rushes out. “I didn’t give her anything or do anything to her, and she readily agreed to come up here with me, so fuck you. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“You were taking advantage of her,” I say through gritted teeth, instinctively moving for him again, but getting nowhere thanks to my mates keeping a tight hold of me.
“She fucking wanted it!” he yells. “She agreed to come up here. Itwasconsensual.”
“It’s not consensual if she’s incapable of keeping her eyes open or forming the word no!” I shout.
“Call the cops, Goodrich,” he hisses. “Nothing will come of it because you know who my dad is, and I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“His dad’s the mayor,” Thor says in my ear. “And he’s right. Unless Astrid tells us differently when she sobers up, it doesn’t look like he did anything.”
I work hard to calm down and lower my voice. “This needs to be Astrid’s call, and she’s too out of it to make that decision now. We’re all witnesses. If she wants to make this official, we can all give statements tomorrow.”
Thor nods before grabbing my head. “I know you want to deal with this piece of shit yourself, but Astrid needs you more. Trust the guys to deliver justice on your behalf.”
“Make him hurt.” I grind my teeth and flex my jaw. Astrid is my priority, and I trust Thor and the guys to deal with this prick even if I wish it was me. “We both know what would’ve happened if we hadn’t busted in here. Teach him a lesson so he doesn’t try this shit on her, or any girl, again.”
“Trust me, he’ll get what’s coming to him.”
“’Kay.” I squeeze his shoulder. “Thanks, mate.”
Riley stuffs a sock in Joe’s mouth to shut him up before they drag him from the room. He glares at me as he passes, and I fix him with a poisonous look. He’s lucky the guys are delivering justice. If it was left to me, I’m liable to murder the bastard for what he tried to do.
The guys only release me after Hemsworth has left the room, and I nod at them, grateful they had my back. They leave until it’s only Thor and me in the room with Astrid. “Can you give me a shirt?” I ask, walking slowly towards her. “And I need water and lots of strong coffee.”
“I’ll get Renee,” Thor says. “She’ll want to help.”
“Who did she come here with?” I ask, already suspecting the answer.
“She arrived with Gwen.”
“Keep her away. She encouraged this, and I’m fucking pissed at her.”
“Gwen would walk over hot coals for Astrid, Hunt,” he says, walking to his dresser. “Don’t blame her for being a good friend.” He fixes me with a pointed look as he removes a black shirt, tossing it to me. “Ana did this. And you. I know what happened earlier wasn’t your fault, but you should’ve made it right immediately.”
“I fucking tried,” I hiss, wringing my hands. “I went straight to her house, but she wasn’t there. Then I went to the lake, but by the time I figured she must’ve gone to Gwen’s, they were long gone from there. I came straight here then.”
“Make it right, Hunt.” His features soften as he looks at the bed when Astrid stirs again, mumbling something under her breath. “This isn’t her. She doesn’t do this. You really hurt her.”
“I’m going to fix it. I swear.”
“Don’t let her down again. She is the last girl who deserves to be treated badly.”
“I know, mate. I know. I am going to take care of her, and when she’s sober, I’m going to tell her what I should’ve told her all along. Hopefully, I haven’t completely fucked it up, and she’ll give me a second chance.”
30
ASTRID
My stomach lurches violently, and I bolt upright, clutching a hand over my mouth as nausea swims up my throat.
“Astrid.”
I turn at the sound of Callan’s voice, frowning when I see the pinched worry on his face. How is he here? And where am I? I scan my surroundings, wondering how the fuck I ended up in one of Thor’s guest bedrooms with Callan. Alcohol sloshes wildly in my stomach, and I gag, scrambling off the bed and staggering toward the en suite bathroom, barely making it to the toilet in time before I drop to my knees and heave into the bowl.
