“When Evan first went into the locker room, he heard his coach, the PE teacher guy.Whatever his name is.I don’t remember.”He popped his neck from side to side, his voice turning darker.“He was speaking to Ali, and if even half of what Evan said he overheard is true, then Ali’s been dealing with a lot of shit for a while now.”
I’d noticed something was off the previous Friday, and I’d put it down to her period and then her stress over passing her classes.What else would have been weighing on her?She would have told me if something was seriously wrong.
Unless it was something that would potentially get me into trouble…
“All I know is that the teacher has been harassing Ali.From what I got out of Evan, the bastard might have pictures or videos that he took of her when she was showering after class.”
That damn itch turned into a burn, the glass wall in my mind was falling, but I struggled to hold it up.If I let it drop now, I knew the end result would be catastrophic.And I needed to know everything first.
“You’re telling me that Ali’s teacher, some grown-ass man who is around her five days a week, has videos of her.Showering.”I struggled to keep my breathing even.“Pictures of her.Naked.Wet.”
“Yeah,” Bentley muttered, his jaw clenching.
“Without her consent.”It was a statement, not a question.Never a fucking question.
Yet Bentley answered as if it were, a note of defensiveness entering his voice as he popped his neck again.Left then right.A roll of his shoulders.Attempting to loosen up his muscles, like he used to do before a jiu-jitsu match, as if he were preparing to fight.Whether that was me or Ali’s teacher, I wasn’t sure and I didn’t care.“Dude, there is no way Ali would have let anyone take nudes of her.Maybe you, yeah, sure.Not that I think you would.You’re careful about stuff like that.But still, she wouldn’t let anyone else.I don’t care what Evan says.”
“What does that mean?”My voice came out quiet, but he still flinched.
“Evan wasn’t sure…” He groaned, scratching at his chin once more.“He said he doesn’t know if she was into it or not.She’s been hiding it.And I know her, she was probably scared.My bet is that she was worried about what would happen when you found out.Ali is so blind to everything but you, man.Just like you are with her.It’s not healthy, but I kinda get it.That’s your love language or whatever.”
“But EvanthinksAlimighthave wanted this motherfucker spying on her while she was showering?”
His sand-colored eyes glowed with a banked fury that was only now making sense.“That’s how it came across, yes.”
“Heaccusedher of it?”I was seething, losing control of my hold on the glass wall that wanted to slam down, while that burning itch in my brain became almost too much to bear.“Is that what you’re telling me, Bentley?That this guy, who is supposed to be her friend, who pretends he’s not head-over-ass in love with her, thought for even one minute that my daisy girl would want some pervert’s attention?”
Bentley nodded, his teeth grinding together.
“Get out of my way.”
He stood his ground, blocking me from getting into my car.“Look, we can figure out the teacher thing.I’ve got some favors.We can pay this asshole a visit together.”He stepped closer, not touching me, but close enough that he could grab me if he needed to.
“I’ll deal with that cocksucker tomorrow,” I snarled, pushing him out of my way.
“Where are you going?”
“To smash Evan Cutter’s face in.”
“Okay, but I’m driving.”
Sixx
Bentley pulledmy car into the Cutters’ driveway and killed the engine.“The only person home right now is Evan.Hayat is still babysitting Abi, and Lucy is out with Kin tonight.Harris is at work.Kin and Jace are going with them to Vegas tomorrow.They’ll be back Sunday.”
I sat in the passenger seat, not moving a muscle as I gazed at the beachfront house.Ali’s house was a short walk from there.“Where is Ali?”
During the drive, I hadn’t texted or attempted to call her.I didn’t want to upset her.We could talk later, after I dealt with Evan and then that motherfucking teacher.
“Evan took her home earlier.She’s been there since…everything.”He grunted, his tone cool, hard.This wasn’t easy for him either.Ali was his favorite cousin.She understood him better than almost anyone.As much as he adored his mother and sister, their relationships were complicated.Bentley trusted Ali on a deeper level than Caprice.And then there was Charlotte… “Hayat confirmed she was there, but in her room.”
She was alone, no doubt freaking out, stressing even more, which would lead to her making herself sick again.Fuck.After all this shit was handled, I’d take care of her.Pamper and spoil her until she grew sick of me being around.Which would be a quarter past never, because Ali loved all the attention and cuddles and the hundred other things I was constantly desperate to shower her with.
Right then, however, I’d only make the situation worse.I was barely functioning, trying to keep the invisible wall from slamming down and letting that violent part of myself take control.My hold slipped a little more with each passing minute.
Unlatching my seat belt, I opened the door and stepped out.Bentley followed, walking a few steps behind me until we got to the porch, and then he moved so he was standing half in front of me as he pressed the doorbell.Evan must have been expecting us because he was quick to answer.
Opening the door, he stood with his wild curls pushed back from his face with a sweatband.He was dressed in basketball shorts and a shirt that was long enough it would have touched the floor if Ali had worn it.Evan was at least half a foot taller than me, and we both still had a few years of growing to do.I’d never catch up to him in height, though.His dad was six-six, and Hayat was six-one, all three of them towering over Lucy’s average five-six.
