"I'm not lying! I saw you!"
"You didn't see anything because I wasn't with Bree." My hands clench into fists. "Now get out of my house."
"I have just as much right to be here as all these other assholes.”
"Actually, you don't." Ashton appears beside us. "This house is for hockey team members only. You need to leave."
"Make me."
Wrong thing to say.
I'm about to physically remove him when Cole lunges past me and grabs Sutton's wrist.
"Just listen to me," he pleads, pulling her toward him. "Please, Sutton. I'm trying to protect you."
"Let go of me!" She tries to yank her arm back.
That's all it takes.
I grab Cole by his shirt and shove him away from her. Hard.
He stumbles backward, barely catching himself on the beer pong table.
"Don't fucking touch her," I growl.
"Or what?" Cole straightens up, puffing out his chest. "You going to hit me? Big, tough hockey player?"
"If you don't leave right now, yeah."
"Declan, don't." Sutton's hand on my arm. "He's not worth it."
But Cole's not done. He gets in my face, reeking of cheap beer.
"She's going to leave you anyway," he says. "When you go to Seattle, she'll realize what a mistake you are. And I'll be here, waiting."
I snap.
My fist connects with his jaw before I can think about it. The satisfying crunch of impact. The shock on his face as he staggers backward.
Then he's coming at me, swinging wildly.
We crash into the beer pong table. Red cups fly everywhere. People scatter.
I land another punch to his ribs. He gets one on my cheek.
We're grappling, both of us trying to gain advantage, when strong hands grab me from behind.
"Declan! Stop!" Ashton hauls me backward.
Pierce has Cole by the shoulders, pulling him the other direction.
I'm still trying to get at him when pain explodes through my right hand.
"Shit!" I look down at my hand. My middle finger is bent at the wrong angle.
"Oh my god." Sutton's voice cuts through the noise. "Declan, your hand!"
The adrenaline is already fading, replaced by throbbing pain.
