Page 205 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

“The fuck you think you’re doin’?!”

Air slams in when Andrew rips Hunter off me, shoves him into the brick wall. “You outta your fuckin’ mind?” His arm shoots behind him, searching for me. “Allison, you good?”

An invisible hand is around my throat.

I can’t speak.

I can hardly stand.

Andrew’s eyes turn crazed when he sees me shaking. “Jesus. Talk to me. The fuck he do to you?”

Hunter laughs against the brick, eyes nailed to me. His brown hair is buzzed now, his eyes unblinking with that same creepy hazel stare, that same fucked-up fixation.

Andrew snaps his head back at me, gaze lit with rage, hand coming up rough at the back of my neck, forcing my eyes on his. “Hey—look at me, look at me. You know this guy?”

My throat locks around my words,

bolting them down.

Nothing comes out.

The freeze won’t break.

The jukebox stutters,

track skipping like my pulse.

Hunter’s eyes narrow at Andrew’s grip at my neck, and his laughter dies. “Get your fuckin’ hand off her,” he spits, anger pouring out.

Andrew’s brows raise,

and his eyes slide off me,

head turning sinister slow.

“The fuck you just say to me?”

Hunter’s focus flies to me.

“Baby, he hurtin’ you?

“Nod once. I’ll get you out.”

I try to answer, but I can’t.

Every muscle in Andrew goes rigid as he stares at Hunter. “Talk to her again, an’ I’ll snap your fuckin’ jaw off.”

Hunter growls, teeth flashing feral. “Snap my jaw? Go ahead, ain’t surprised, you abusive piece of shit.” His finger stabs the air at Andrew, but his wide eyes are fixed on mine. “You think this punk gives a fuck about you? He’s the one you should be runnin’ from. Look at you—already got you scared.” He shakes his head, then reaches around Andrew to grab me. “You ain’t safe with him, Baby. C’mon, I’ll take you⁠—”

Andrew slams him back into the wall, cutting his words in half. Then he spins to me again, catching me at my waist. Confusion carves up his face, eyes darting quick between mine. “Allison, breathe. Talk to me, please. Talk to me. The fuck’s goin’ on?”

I finally choke it out, words scraping my throat. I shake my head so hard I feel it in my teeth. “You weren’t supposed to get out for another six months.”

Andrew’s gaze flies back to Hunter,

eyes cold, dark, and deadly.

The scariest I’ve ever seen his eyes.