Page 19 of Under the Waves
I could’ve gagged and it would’ve been more entertaining.
Miya’s vicious eyes slid to mine before glancing behind me to where I assumed Poppy stood. The urge to turn around and tell her to sit down in case she had another concussion ripped at my heart. It took everything in me to ignore it. First, I had to shut this little argument, if it could even be called that,down.
“All this for that attention seeking whore?” Miya spat, rolling her eyes. “So pathetic. Why are you even back here, Poppy? Was my demonstration last time not enough to keep you away? Oh, don’t worry, I’d be happy to show you again if you need–”
That. Was. It.
“If any of you so much aswhispera single fucking word in her direction, I will tear those empty heads from your necks with pleasure,” I yelled, glancing at everyone in this damned room before narrowing in on Nate and Miya. “Are we clear?”
I told myself I wouldn’t say anything.Hell, I shouldn’t havesaid anything. But Poppy…she didn’t deserve the disgusting way Miya talked to her.No one did. I kept trying to convince myself that if it were anyone else Miya said that to, Iwould’vedone the same.
I would’ve.
Right?
“You and yourbuddiescan get out, or we canmakeyou get out,” I said, voice lethal yet deathly calm as I stalked towards Nate, completely ignoring Miya, which just seemed to annoy her more, “which one is it going to be,princess?”
Oh yeah, I’d heard that remark he threw at her alright.
His teammates wasted no time hurrying out of here, and eventually Nate got up, teeth barred and head shaking.
“All that for that whore, Jasper?” he laughed, smirking at me, before walking out and slamming the door behind him.
Without wasting a second, I turned around to see the crowds of people standing around watching us. “What the fuck are you all standing around here gawking at?” I yelled and within minutes, the crowd dispersed, and the blazing sound of the music began to boom through the halls.
“Take Lia home, Sonny,” I said, trying to keep my voice from fucking shaking like an idiot. “Don’t take any detours and make sure she gets home safe.”
“Yes, Cap,” he grinned, saluting before tugging Lia out the door with him despite her protests. I overheard him promise her he’d get her a sundae on the way home.That fucker—ignoring my stress onno detoursbut I wasn’t entirely mad if it meant she’d be home safe before nine. If she wasn’t, I’d kill him, because I knew what it would mean for her.
That was something we never talked about since she promised me to not bring it up.Ever again. Whilst Iwasn’thappy about it, she desperately pleaded with me saying that my interference would just make everything ten times worse. Once I’d scanned the internet and read every foster care story there was online, I agreed I wouldn’t speak a soul about what happened in that house, unless she or her siblings were in trouble.
Every fiber of my being screamed at me saying this was wrong but there was nothing I could do to fight her on this. It was something I simply had to have faith in and trust that shecould take care of herself, and that she would talk to me if it became more than she could handle.
After I was certain Lia was gone, I turned to Xander expecting at least a pathetic lie of defense on Kai and Lachlan’s behalf. I didn’t know why I did, the guy was silent and broody and only spoke if it benefited him. I swear we were all pawns in a chess game of his. That mind inside his head was a dark and calculating and caging place to be.
Xander said nothing, didn’t even blink as he walked away. Sometimes I really did wonder how he, Kai, and Lachlan were friends—he was an emotionless, cold and stoic asshole most of the time, whereas at least Kai and Lachlan treated others like human beings instead of chess pieces.
Sometimes, I even wondered if Kai and Lachlan werejustfriends.
“What do you want us to do, Cap?” Kai, always the voice of reason, asked.
“Take care of this mess down here. Make sure they all leave in the next fifteen minutes and whatever alcohol is left is all yours until Jakson gets back to kick your asses for drinking all his favorites without him.”
Both of them smirked before disappearing into the crowd, no doubt hurrying to get everyone to leave. I looked down to where Poppy was still laying on the floor, unmoving, and against my better judgment, I fell to my knees and gathered her in my arms before making a headline straight to the stairs and up to my room.
This was wrong,my brain screamed at me as I pushed past drunken students on the stairs, but I didn’t care. I wouldn’t let them all stare at her like she was the whore Nate called her out to be. If anything, I was the only one who could spar with her because Iknewanything I threw her way, she could take it and return it back twice as hard.
I kicked open the door to my bedroom with my foot and guided us both inside. I had no idea what I was doing but that didn’t stop my body from walking over to the bed and laying her down on it. Maybe she was concussed again? I should stay just in case she was.
No.I shook my head, breathing out a frustrated breath.What the fuck was happening to me?My fingers twitched anxiously, and Iscrunched my hands into fists, flexing and scrunching.I couldn’t look at her like that.
Walking over to the bathroom, I picked up the trash can and grabbed a few pills. Placing them down on the nightstand, I put the trash can by the side of the bed and then scooped my hands around her waist. Gently pulling her over onto her side, I made sure the trash can was in line with her face in case she woke up and puked everywhere.
Water. She needed water.
I hesitated before walking out the door, my gaze falling down on her body. She still wore those small, light gray jean shorts that made her ass look fucking fantastic. I noticed some of the guy’s downstairs thought the same but they were being taken care of.
They didn’t get to see her like that.I did.