Savage Love (Ash and Innocence 2)

By the end of the hour, I was wishing Zoe would come rescue me, but she and Marcus were thoroughly absorbed in a conversation on the other side of the room.

I took a deep breath and slapped my knees awkwardly when Hugh finished his sentence. “Well, it was really awesome to meet you. I came with a couple friends though and should probably make sure they’re all doing okay.”

Hugh grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to the couch we’d been sitting on. Except he pulled me into his lap, where he wrapped his arms around me, letting one of his forearms rest right under my breasts.

My heart felt like it wanted to stop, but I tried to stay calm. I pulled at his arm, prying it off me and stood. He reached up for my ass, and I only barely managed to move my hips out of the way at the last second.

I swirled on him, ready to unleash a verbal torrent, but I decided the smartest thing to do was lose him. I needed to get outside and get some fresh air, and it wasn’t worth making a scene over some pervy asshole, anyway.

I left him sitting on the couch and headed out. It appeared the growing cold of the night had driven almost everyone inside, because there were far fewer people outside than before. I took a quick look around for Clint, who I suddenly wished I could find.

Once I decided he wasn’t outside, I headed back in the house and started pushing my way through the crowded rooms. I managed to get beer and liquor spilled on me a few times and had to push off a few drunken advances from guys I didn’t recognize.

I felt claustrophobic. Like I wanted to run outside and never come back in this smelly, stupid party. But I didn’t have a ride without Clint. I also suspected all my friends wouldn’t be ready to leave after an hour.

Upstairs, I stuck my head in a few rooms and tried a few locked doors. Eventually, I found an empty bedroom and let myself inside. I locked the door behind me and lay down on the bed. I could just text Zoe and ask her to come get me before she left, I decided. Maybe I could sneak in a nap despite the booming music and roar of voices.

The door opened a few moments later. I shot up. Hugh towered in the doorway. He let his head lull to the side, making no secret of where his thoughts were as his eyes moved up from my feet to my eyes. “You’re right. It was time to find a spot where we could be alone.”

I scurried off the bed and tried to rush past him. He planted his arm on the door in my way, then lowered it and pushed me back when I tried to duck beneath it.

I was about to scream when I saw Cassian appear behind Hugh. Even though he hadn’t made a sound, Hugh seemed to sense Cassian’s presence.

Cassian thrust his hands in his pockets, watching calmly.

“The fuck you want, Stone?” Hugh’s voice was a growl. I was sickened to think of how it made me think of a dog snarling at another dog who was eying his food bowl.

“Don’t mind me.” Cassian sounded disinterested. “You’re welcome to my sloppy seconds.”

Hugh gave me an appraising look, not completely taking his attention from Cassian.

“And half the school, actually. She has been making the rounds through the guys at Parker. I guess that’s why she’s looking at Calvary, now. But hey, you guys will roll over for us in the playoffs if half your team is brimming with STDs, right?”

I wanted to bite out a response and call Cassian a liar, but I could see the gears turning in Hugh’s head. He eyed me again, pressing his tongue to the inside of his cheek as he considered me. “You’re not worth it.”

“Yeah, no shit,” I said shakily.

He gave Cassian a look, as if waiting to see if Cassian was going to take a shot at him. But Cassian just slid his broad shoulders out of the way and let Hugh leave.

I gave him a look. “If you’re waiting for me to thank you, don’t count on it.”

“Oh, you mean you didn’t actually want to fuck him? Damn. I was trying to ruin that for you.”

Without another word, Cassian wandered off.

I sat down on the bed again and looked down at my hands. They were shaking. Because I knew how close I’d just been to having something terrible happen to me.

I stared at the doorway where Cassian had been. A knight in shining armor, he was not. If anything, it felt more like being tangled in a deal with the devil, where everything had a hidden cost. All I could do was sit and wonder how long it’d be before he tried to collect the debt he thought I owed.