I Love You, I Hate You: Part 1

I walk further into her room, my blood boiling hotter with each step. Danika groans her head rolling to the side. It takes every bit of self-control I have not to beat Gunner’s face in, but I need to know what all they’ve done to her.

I play it cool, looking around the room with an uninterested expression that’s really hard to hold.

“Want in?” Gunner asks, completely unaware of how fucked up this situation is.

I always knew he was a low-life prick. I just never realized how low he was before tonight. “What the hell are you two doing?”

Melody giggles. Her annoying fake schoolgirl laugh grates my nerves. It’s always bothered me, but tonight it’s intensified. “Just having a little fun.”

“Dude, it’s not like you aren’t going to tag her anyway,” Gunner says, unbuckling his belt. “What’s the problem? You’re just getting a head start.”

“You’re my fucking problem!” Is this what he does? Drugs girls who refuse to sleep w

ith him? I shove Gunner’s arm, pushing him back a step. “This isn’t cool, Gunner. You could go to jail for this shit!”

Melody snickers and steps off the bed. She saunters to her dresser and grabs her phone, her thumbs incessantly tapping at the screen. “It’s not our first rodeo, Logan. Relax.”

I grit my teeth and point a finger at her face. If she were a dude, I’d break her fucking face. “I swear to fucking God, Melody. If you so much as turn that phone on, I’ll bury you in so much legal shit your rich daddy won’t be able to afford that Ivy League tuition you're shooting for.”

Melody crosses her arms, a sour look on her face. “I’d like to see you try.”

I smirk. My dad may be a piece of shit who beat on me when he was drunk, but he’s one of the best lawyers in town. “Watch me, bitch.”

“I’ve been half-ass decent about the Danika shit you’ve put me through,” Gunner warns. “But threaten Melody again and we’re done.”

“We were done the moment you laid your hands my girl.”

Gunner takes a step toward me, chest puffed. If he wants a fight, fine. He’s got one. What’s another ass kicking on a night like tonight. I clench my fists, waiting for him to make the first move—dad told Cooper it’s always self-defense if you don’t strike first— when someone screams.

“Shit,” Gunner mumbles as Sarah runs into the room. He leaves without another word and I let him because all I want to do is get Danika out of here. I’ll make him pay for what he’s done. Just not tonight.

“Oh my God! Logan!” Sarah looks at me with tears in her eyes. Her shaking fingers trail across Dani’s cheek. She frantically pulls at the ties on Danika’s wrists, struggling to free her.

“I don’t see what the big deal is,” Melody chimes from the corner. She kicks one hip out and crosses her arms. “The bitch needed to loosen up.”

Sarah finally frees Danika’s wrists and pulls her limp body into her lap. Sarah turns to Melody with fire in her eyes. I’ve never seen Sarah mad before. She usually lets everything slide. I’m glad to see she has a backbone. “What about you?”

“What about me?” Melody snarks.

“Should I drug you and let you damn near get raped so you can stop being a raging bitch? Because if that’s how I can get you to loosen up, then by all means tell me where your stash is.” Sarah hitches her thumb over her shoulder and glances at the door. “Or should I chase down Gunner again? I’m sure he’s got a few roofies left in his pocket and a hard dick. He can loosen you right up.”

“Watch yourself, Sarah,” Melody says through gritted teeth. She steps forward, attempting to establish dominance, but I see her for what she really is. A scared little girl. “Keep talking like that, and you’ll be dead to me.”

Sarah chuckles darkly. “If this is who you’ve become this year, I don’t want anything to do with you. Call me when you remember how to be a semi-decent human being. Until then, stay the hell away from me and Danika.”

I shimmy Danika’s black lace panties up her thighs, ignoring how sexy they are because everything about this situation is wrong. When she’s decent again, I slip my hands under her back and legs and lift her into my arms. She groans and rolls her head into my chest. “Uh, a little help.”

“Oh. Sorry. What can I do?” Sarah asks.

“Move her arms. They’re throwing me off balance. I don’t want to fall down the stairs.” I don’t think I would, but I’m not taking any chances.

Descending the stairs, the party is still in full swing. No one seems to notice I’m carrying an unconscious Danika or if they do, they don’t care, which speaks volumes about the people here. We make it outside and Sarah opens the passenger door to my car. I bend down, setting Danika in as gingerly as possible, then close the door. “You should probably text Rachel.”

“Oh! Right.” Sarah pulls her phone out and shoots a quick message. Her phone pings almost instantly with what I’m assuming is a reply. “Rachel wants me to drive her home. She doesn’t feel safe staying the night tonight.”

“I don’t blame her.”

Sarah chews her bottom lip, mulling over her words before texting Rachel back. Hesitantly, she looks up at me. “I don’t know how I feel about leaving you alone with Danika in the state that she’s in.”