creaked open and a harsh cut of light framed the bed… and the two people dry humping on top of it.
Time suspended as Jackson lurched upward. His hands gripped my hips and his eyes bulged out of his head, face draining of color as he looked over my shoulder.
I couldn’t look behind me. I couldn’t.
I didn’t need to see it. I could fucking feel his pain from here, because it was an extension of mine. Because I fucking loved him. And because the worst kind of pain could only be inflicted by the people you loved most.
It all happened so fast. I didn’t have time to react. One minute Jackson was under me; the next he was halfway across the room, on his back, Leon’s arm a blur as it swung again, and again, and again.
Tumbling from the bed, I landed hard on my elbow and hip, and then I looked up. My eyes blew open at the same time as my mouth did.
“Leon!” I screamed, scrambling toward them as Leon used the tight grip he had on Jackson’s hair to slam the back of his head into the hardwood. Once, twice…
I shouted again when Leon drew his arm back and smashed it into Jackson’s nose. Blood sprayed up, splattering over Leon’s shirt and face.
Horror engulfed me, and I stumbled to my feet and out the door, running to the top of the stairs. My voice bordered on hysterical as I shrieked for help. Bodies appeared at the foot of the stairs, but Reno got to me first, quickly followed by Riley. I struggled to form words when they both crouched in front of me on the top step.
Ren grabbed either side of my head, and I blinked. “Hey, hey, look at me, Liss. What the fuck’s going on? Did someone hurt you?” His face hardened, head craning to look around me.
I shook my head and met his eyes. “He’s going to kill him, Ren.”
Reno frowned, then looked down the hall. He let go of me, and he fucking ran.
I got up in slow motion, walking toward the room in nothing but my underwear as more bodies climbed the stairs, and crowded behind me. I watched as Ren tackled Leon from behind, shackling his arms behind his back and heaving until they both went hurtling to the ground.
Leon thrashed, crazed, his body striving to get back to Jackson. I let my eyes trail over to Jackson. I wheezed, my lungs burning. His face was a mess of matted blood, and he wasn’t moving. He wasn’t fucking moving.
“Calm down, Le. Fucking take it easy.” Ren spoke directly into Leon’s ear, his arms tight around his best friend.
“What the fuck?” Danny came up behind me as Leon sagged back, his head drooping to his chest.
Danny pushed into the room and sank to his knees in front of Jackson. Leon’s gaze snapped to him, his jaw pulsing as he stared down. Then he slowly slid it over to me.
Disgust warred with agony, rippling through his beautiful blue eyes as they travelled over my nearly naked form, and then he twisted away, clearly unable to stand the sight of me.
Lashes of untamed agony hit me all at once.
Riley pressed into my side, taking my hand, and linking her fingers through mine. I clutched onto them, knowing I had no right to her comfort but needing it, anyway.
“Come on, dude. That’s it. There you go,” Danny muttered, voice filled with relief as Jackson coughed and groaned, rolling to his side, his battered face scrunched up.
What the fuck have I done?
Repulsion snaked down my spine, a living, breathing entity that had me shaking. How the fuck hadn’t I anticipated this? I’d used him. Set one guy up as bait to emotionally annihilate another.
What the fuck had I done?
“Get the fuck out!” Ren boomed, his deep voice enraged and his dark eyes glaring at every single person behind me as they peered in through the doorway.
I was dimly aware of Riley letting go of my hand to run into the room and grab a sheet from the bed. She draped it around my trembling body, but I couldn’t stop shaking, my teeth clacking together forcefully when she stood in front of me and closed the fabric tight across my chest. She stared into my eyes; hers brimming with unspent tears and unspoken questions, and I felt the weight of my actions like an anchor strapped to my ankle, yanking me down.
Jason appeared and started herding everyone down the stairs.
Leon pushed out of Ren’s hold and got to his feet.
My eyes fell to the ground, to the black paint coating my toenails.
I saw out of the corner of my eye as Jackson dragged his body into a seated position, resting against the wall with a groan, eyes closed. Riley moved to my side again, her hand squeezing mine.