Cade
“What doyou mean she went back to her room?” I was stunned in disbelief as my mind raced. My back was against the wall seconds ago as I watched Shiner guzzle three shots, and then, suddenly, I was up in the girls’ faces like a rabid animal, looking for Journey.
I snapped my attention to the far corner of the room, knowing that Bain usually took that spot at these parties, and although he was there, surrounded by a few of his friends, I still didn’t feel relieved.
I don’t like that she’s alone.Why wouldn’t she take someone with her?
“She was pretty persistent that we didn’t go with her. Is there something going on that we should know?” Gemma asked, shooting Isaiah a harsh glare. “Secrets get people hurt. You guys know this!”
“You know what we know, babe. And look”—Isaiah nodded his head to where Bain was standing—“Bain is right there.”
“Why didn’t you go with her anyway?” I asked, voice slowly rising to panic mode.
Gemma gasped in frustration, crossing her arms over her bright shirt. “What did you want me to say? Oh, hey, I know that there is a threat on your life and that someone tried to kill you, but I’m not really supposed to know that, but I do, so…” She threw her hands up. “She already has trust issues! I didn’t want to cause any problems.”
“This isn’t Gemma’s fault, Cade. Back the fuck off.”
Tobias lazily stepped forward, pushing past a quiet Sloane. “I’ve taught her how to stab someone. She’ll be okay if it comes down to it. Trust me.”
Yeah, I fucking know. She almost stabbed me.
I ran my hands through my messy hair. “You’re right. It’s not Gemma’s fault. It’s mine.” If it were up to me, I would have been with Journey every second of every single day, but I knew that I needed to give her space, too. Journey had been on her own for all of her life, and I knew, deep down, she was a fighter by nature and as independent as they came. Being overbearing wasn’t something I wanted to become to her, but standing here, looking around the room full of my peers and not seeing her face, only set my heart racing—and not in the fucking good way.
I was about to become Journey’s fucking shadow, whether she liked it or not.
Make stupid choices, like walking alone in the place that you had once gotten attacked, and you get the consequences.
The music had been cut off as the Rebels grew alert, sensing that something was wrong. My teeth were grinding together as I passed by a group of girls who eyed me like I wasn’t going to be spending the party with Journey. I ignored every last one of them and pulled heavily on the door.
I leaned forward until I saw a flash of black whoosh in front of my eyes, landing in a heaping pile at my feet. I knew it was her without even looking down.
“Journey.” The word came out as a hoarse whisper, my breath sucked right out of my fucking lungs.
My knees hit the dirty floor, and her wet, gray eyes peered up at me from below, sending my soul straight to hell. They are fucking dead.
“I didn’t try to kill myself! I didn’t cut myself! Cade, do not let anyone twist this like last time! I didn’t do it! I promise. I didn’t do it!”
My shaky hands clamped down over her wet cheeks, feeling her chin wobble with rattling fear. I zeroed in on the blood on her mouth, coating those perfect bow-shaped lips. I convulsed on the inside, a raging need to kill someone sending me into blind action. “Where are you hurt?”
Her head shook, and her eyes squeezed shut. That was when I glanced down and saw the red, sticky blood all over her hands and wrists. The white zip tie was stained pink, and I had to focus to keep myself level with the raging beat of my heart on the inside. Dead. Dead. Dead.
“Jesus.” I looked over my shoulder, and all three Rebels were standing behind me, eyes narrowed and jaws clenched. The girls were bent down beside me, and I had no idea how or when they’d gotten there.
Then, a knife was flicked out, and Tobias gathered Journey’s hands in his and cut the zip tie, making her cry out. Her head hit my chest, and a sob erupted. The whispers around us cut through her cry, sounding like the pages of a book flipping in every corner of this room.
“Where else are you hurt?”
“It’s mostly his,” she choked, pulling back from my chest. “I stabbed him.”
“So, it’s a him?”
My head nearly fell off my shoulders as I snapped my attention to the one voice that completely had me unraveling. “Did you have something to do with this?” I asked, focusing on not squeezing Journey’s face with my anger for Bain. His jaw was steely, but it would look a fuck-ton better with my fist slamming into it.
“No.” He was quiet, looking down at Journey. “We need a description, Journey. Was he tall? Big? Did you see his face? Anything?”
Brantley's tone was edged with anger. “What the fuck is going on? Now you’re working with us?”
I stayed silent as Isaiah barked out orders. “It doesn’t fucking matter. Shiner, take the girls to Tate’s. Everyone else stays here until we say so. This is Rebel business, and if any of you go tell your parents or the faculty about this, consider yourself kicked out of this school. You all know the rumors. Consider them true. This is not something to fuck around with.”