I snickered and leaned in close, dropping her hair, and whispered, “I needed a friend to stand against Testosterone Central. They take their competitions very seriously. It’s ridiculous.”
She tucked a wet strand of my hair behind my ear and kissed my forehead. “The things I do for the people I love.” She sighed dramatically.
I chuckled, glancing at our group who was still arguing with each other.
Until…
I heard the twenty-something’s gossiping behind us. I heard the terms “Lesbo’s” and “Pussy Munchers” and “All they need is a real man…”.
I froze as they continued on with their prejudice. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Ally fidgeting with her fly-away curls. I closed my eyes. She had heard them, too.
I had never had a problem with people’s prejudices against me. I actually felt a little sorry for the idiots who were so close minded to see that when two people are in love and they make one another happy, that’s all that mattered. But, Ally… Her mother and father had never approved of her lifestyle and had only just recently started speaking with her again. When some dummy said anything, it really hurt her on a deeper level.
I grabbed her hand and held it tight before turning around. Most people’s protective natures come out to the fore with a small woman around them, so I was usually the one being sheltered, but when someone hurts those I love…well, Zane’s “Cujo” comment wasn’t too far off base. It was time to show some teeth.
“Don’t,” Ally whispered, yanking on my hand, but I already had all the little pipsqueaks’ attention.
I put a hand on my hip and asked quietly, “Is there a problem, here?”
“No problem, cupcake. Just enjoying the view.” A blond jock leered at me. “You and Curly Q can keep on entertaining us, though.”
A bold, sandy blond haired jerk stepped up on my step and leaned down, whispering, “I bet I can bring you over to the other side.” His gaze was trapped on my chest.
“Are you so stupid that you think having sex with a guy stops a woman from loving another woman? You’re young, but you’re not that young,” I hissed at him. “Now back the heck up and shut your trap.” I glanced at all of them. “All of you could use to mind your manners and grow up.”
Amazingly, some of their group actually appeared sheepish. Blond Jock was still cocky and Bold Jerk hadn’t moved from hisperch next to me, but apparently they weren’t all rotten. I wasn’t going to back down though. If I let this kid push me around, he might do it to someone else.
I could still hear our group arguing behind us, moving farther up the stairs. That was a good thing. I wanted to deal with this mess on my own. Something’s you just had to do for yourself.
Bold Jerk, touched my face and I slapped his hand away, as he kept on with his aggressive attempts of seduction. He grinned, showing a dimple in his cheek, as he murmured, “I bet it’s been a long time since you’ve had a good hard fucking. What you need is a man to bend you over and take you from behind. Teach you what you should have inside that pussy…instead of you eating one.”
I gaped at him and his crudeness.
He grinned and ran a hand behind my waist. I tried to step away, but I stumbled on the stupid mat I was holding. I was stuck from my own lack of foresight.
He grabbed my butt. And squeezed.
I gasped, and did about the only thing I knew how to do, acting on pure instinct.
I kneed him in the crotch.Hard.
He hollered and doubled over, releasing me.
I pushed him forcefully off the step, right into Blond Jock, who stared daggers at me as he caught his friend.
I heard pounding footsteps behind me, so I hurried up and stated harshly, pointing a finger at Blond Jock, “Keep your friend on a leash.” I took in the others that had gone mute a long time ago, and spoke to them, “You guys should choose better friends. These two will drag you down.”
I saw a couple of them give heated glances to Blond Jock and Bold Jerk and I felt a little better. They weren’t going to hang with them anymore, or at least they would know better than tomouth off when they shouldn’t. Some kids were still being raised right. Or, more likely, they learned from their mistakes.
Suddenly, I was being lifted off my feet – for what felt like the zillionth time today - and high into the air by unfamiliar steel arms and planted firmly against a heated, solid chest. I yelped, dropping my mat, and glanced over my shoulder, seeing Zane as my captor. Brent, Cole, and Stash charged down in front of us while Peter, Bas, and Chloe stood behind Zane and me. Ally got pressed against the railing and Stash. Her face was already white and frightened, but now she was positively trembling.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Cole asked brutally, glancing at the twenty-something’s group, his eyes pausing and sticking on Bold Jerk.
“Zane, is Ember all right?” Brent questioned, staring straight at Blond Jock, who was still holding his friend, and staring back wide-eyed, but still defiant.
“I’m fine,” I gasped, trying to squirm out of Zane hold.
He just grunted and held me tighter.
