Page 41 of His Secret Santa
“We’ll see,” Jamie mumbled and opened his door.
“Be careful.”
Jamie nodded and climbed out and headed for the house. He hit the doorbell three times in succession then pounded on the door with his fist. Open up, you fucking douchebag.
• • •
Fuck-fuck-fuck.
Lincoln paced his bedroom, fingers raking his hair. He cursed his “friends” for their bullshit stunt—and himself for other reasons. He knew what he should do, but his feet rooted to the floor whenever he tried to execute the action.
It isn’t your “feet” stopping you—it’s your cowardice!
He couldn’t deny it. If he wasn’t so chickenshit, he would’ve set the record straight with his friends tonight and put an end to this bullshit once and for all. Or started more bullshit. Probably so, but that couldn’t be avoided, now or later.
“Grow a fucking pair and—”
The doorbell rang, three times, quickly. Then…
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Lincoln frowned and went downstairs, eyeing the front door as he walked closer. Whoever was on the other side sounded insistent, maybe even… pissed? Lincoln opened the door and came face to face with a furious Jamie Dayton.
“What the fuck did you do to Holden?” he practically screamed in his face. “What—having everything in life isn’t enough for you assholes? You have to take from others, too? What did you do?”
Lincoln stepped back in the face of his rage, noting the tears in his furious eyes. “Look, man… I didn’t do anything—”
“Fucking liar!” Jamie cried.
“Hey,” Lincoln bit back defensively. “He wasn’t even supposed to be here. I told him not to come.”
Jamie huffed viciously. “So… what? Because he showed up, that gives you and the rest of the assholes the right to humiliate him? Treat him like shit? That’s what you did, isn’t it?” He scoffed. “Of course, it is, because that’s all you fuckers do—treat people like shit!”
“Listen,” Lincoln spoke calmly, struggling to diffuse the rage in the other guy. “I didn’t have anything to do with what happened. That was on McKenna and Troy. I made them leave, ended the party.”
Jamie stared at him, seething. “Why did McKenna say Holden ruined the party and ruined her relationship with you? What the fuck happened?”
Breathing deeply, Lincoln exhaled slowly. “Holden didn’t ruin anything,” he mumbled. “And my relationship with McKenna… what happened there… had nothing to do with Holden.”
“Then why did she say he ruined it?” Jamie asked tightly.
“Because she’s an entitled princess who never takes responsibility for her own actions.”
His face twitching, Jamie growled, “And you do? You’re an entitled dick. You’re no better than any of the rest of them. Now, tell me what the fuck your friends did to Holden—that you somehow miraculously had nothing to do with, even though it was your party and your house.”
Lincoln didn’t blame the guy for not believing him. Why should he? With much reluctance, Lincoln relayed the events of the evening, as he knew them.
“You fucking…” Jamie ground his teeth, eyes burning. “And that was funny to you? Did you get some kind of high from humiliating him like that?”
“I didn’t think it was—”
“Fuck you!” Jamie swung on him with no warning, nailing him in the mouth.
Lincoln stumbled back as the taste of blood spread through his mouth. He grabbed the doorframe to steady himself, a sudden ringing in his head.
Jamie stepped back, his throat working, tremors running through him. “You have no idea the damage you fuckers did to him.” He blinked as fresh tears formed. “Not that you fucking care. It takes a functioning heart to give a shit.” He backed away from the door as he jabbed a finger at Lincoln. “Stay away from Holden—all of you. Don’t speak to him, don’t even fucking look at him. Or I swear to God, I’ll find a way to make you pay.”
Jamie Dayton returned to his car and burned rubber out of the driveway, speeding away.