Page 59 of The Game
“I’m not your girl, Darryl, so you don’t get to come over here. Please leave.” I try to put as much steel into my voice as I can despite my trembling fingers, but I can’t control the fearful quaver.
“Jazz. Please. I can’t live without you. I’ve tried but seeing you with that hockey guy. It makes me livid. How dare he put his hands on you?”
I glance around, looking for my phone. Shit, where did I put it? Bathroom counter maybe. If I make a run for it, maybe I can lock myself in there, but what if I didn’t leave it in there and then I’m trapped with him inside my apartment waiting me out? I’d give anything to be at that scary movie with Cole right now. Reality is so much more terrifying. My breath is coming faster, fingers going numb.
He seems to read my move, grabbing my arm in a painful hold before I can dart off. My heart is racing out of control now as he leans over me.
Chapter 21
The Enforcer
Cole
I drive Mabel aroundthe neighborhood aimlessly, trying to gather my thoughts together. Students are spilling out on all the sidewalks downtown, stumbling and laughing, and it feels like a fun house. I’m in my own personal hell of regret. Wishing I had told Jazz how I feel, asked her if she could maybe give me a chance.
Finally, I turn around and park in front of her building. Trying to gather to courage to go in. Yes. I need to do this. If she says no, then that’s it. I’ll leave her alone and we can be just friends as painful as that might be. But if she says yes. Everything inside of me is hoping that she does.
She gave me the code to buzz into her building, so I let myself in, climbing the scuffed stairs two at a time, too impatient to wait for the old creaky elevator.
As I shove through the heavy fire door, I hear her voice shaky with fear. “Darryl, let me go. You need to leave.”
Burning rage rips through me like a wildfire at the sight of that asshole towering over her. My girl. It’s so much more intense than the rage that had me pounding on Jeremy’s face until it was far past the point of “you asshole, you slept with my girlfriend.”
“Get your fucking hand off my girlfriend.” I growl, advancing on my prey. He’s gripping Jazz’s arm in a hold that has her struggling to escape.
He doesn’t even turn around until I grab the back of his shirt and yank him away from her. Then makes a wild swing at me that sends him reeling on his feet. A bitter laugh rips from my chest.
“Really? That’s all you got?”
He’s too stupid to read the dark promise of pain in my eyes. “She was mine first.”
Jazz is shaking all over as she turns to me with gratitude in her wide eyes. “Cole.”
I should comfort her, pull her into my arms, and call the cops. Instead, I turn back to the worthless piece of shit, punching him in the gut so hard he doubles over.
“She was never yours, you pathetic excuse for a man. She’s mine, and you will never touch her again.” I slam an elbow into his back, and his legs give out. He hits the floor with a satisfying thud. I give him an extra kick in the ribs as he scrambles to get up.
A dark sense of satisfaction fills me as he curls in around himself on the floor, but I’m so not done with him. I drag him to his feet, holding him up as I sink another knuckle cracking punch in the face. Hot blood spurts from his nose, splattering my hand, and there’s a satisfying crunch.
“Leave my girl alone. Don’t even fucking look at her again.”
I’m about to land another hit when a soft whimper behind me jerks me out of the red haze, and a hand lands on my back. I spin around, all senses on high alert as the adrenaline races through my blood. My arm is drawn back, ready to take another swing when I spot my attacker. It’s Jazz. No. There’s terror in her eyes.
I’m shaking all over as the fear on her face washes away the rest of the anger at her ex. Fuck. I’ve scared her. What was I thinking? Why did I come here?
I drag in a few deep breaths to get myself under control. There was a reason I came here. I was going to ask her to be my girlfriend for real. But now. Now she’s looking at me the same way she was looking at him. I can’t blame her.
“Cole?” Her eyes are wide.
“Jazz? Are you okay?” I drop my voice to a whisper, wanting nothing more than to pull her into my arms. That would be the only thing that could soothe me right now. I reach out for her, needing to touch her. To reassure myself that she’s okay, but she backs away and I cringe in on myself.
“I need to know you’re okay. Can I see your arm?” I’m pleading now.
She shakes her head.
“I should call the cops.” I reach for my phone, even though I’m sure I’ll be the one that comes out looking like the bad guy in this situation, but I think it’s the right thing to do. To make sure this guy doesn’t try anything with her again. And maybe it was foolish of me to think we could keep him away with the fake relationship thing. Maybe I’ve made things worse for her. Set off his jealousy.
She shakes her head. “No. I’m sure he’ll leave me alone after that.” She waves her arm at his bleeding nose.