Jamie’s eyes went wide. His mouth formed an O as he sensed the sudden shift in the room. It’d been easygoing with undertones of tension, but that tension was loud and clear now. It rose to the top and there was no going back.
His eyes darted around the table. “What’s going on?”
“Take that back.” Jesse spoke to Cord, but his eyes caught mine. His head moved in the tiniest of shakes. He wanted me to stand down. Fuck that. My gaze was simmering at Cord, a whole host of anger rose in me, anger that probably had nothing to do with him, but I was bursting to let it out. I needed to let it out.
Jesse’s eyes narrowed. He saw I was nearing my end. “Jamie, take the girl out.”
“What? Why?”
“Because,” he clipped out, “no stranger should know this shit about me. Take her home.”
“No way. I don’t even like her.”
“Take her home!” Jesse shouted now.
Jamie’s mouth closed with a thud and he shoved back his chair. Flicking an impatient hand at me, he shot Jesse a dark look. “Come on, girl. Let’s go.”
I didn’t go. I didn’t even move.
“Hey! You!” Jamie grabbed a hold of my arm.
The contact sent me in motion. I lunged for Cord, needing to hurt someone. Before my hands touched him, I was caught in the air. Jamie wrestled me down, but I gave it my all. Kicking, hitting, punching, I didn’t care if I was hurting him. I needed to get at Cord. He had opened a can of worms that he shouldn’t have.
“Fuck, bitch.”
“Here.” Jesse’s arms slid around me. I was transferred to him and he wrapped his arms tight as he murmured for my ears only, “Stop it. Stop it, Alex. Jamie will start wondering. Calm down.”
I bucked at him, trying to get free. Rage like no other was clawing to get out of my chest. It was seething up and down, my breathing labored. The need for vengeance had overtaken me.
“Her name’s Alex,” Cord spoke, startled as he backed away from the table.
“Alex,” Jesse spoke again. “Alex, calm down.”
“The girl’s a whack job. We should kick her out of the group. Fuck this. I’ll call the professor tomorrow.”
“Jamie, shut up.” Jesse’s arms had an ironclad hold over me. He started to carry me from the room and spoke over his shoulder, “Cut her some slack. Being in a room with you, I’d snap too.”
“Ha ha. Not funny, Hunt.” As Jesse started up the stairs, he called after him, “Where are you going?”
But he wasn’t listening and I was carried all the way to the second floor. He kissed my temple, whispering, “Calm down. Don’t wake up Tiffany.”
I tried. I really did and managed enough so I stood on my feet now, still encircled by him, with my chest heaving up and down. He knocked softly on a door. When it opened, Derek was there in boxers and shirtless. He rubbed at his eyes, his hair sticking in the air. When he took us in, his eyes lurched awake and he stepped through, closing the door behind him. He asked, a low murmur, “What’s going on?”
“I need the codes for the backdoor from Kara. I have to take her girl home.”
Derek frowned. “Why you?”
“She flipped out on Cord.”
“Oh.” He nodded in understanding, going back inside.
I thought it was funny that Jamie wasn’t brought up. A giggle started in my gut and worked its way up my throat. It was loud and nearing hysteria by the time I let it loose. Jesse hushed me, clamping a hand over my mouth, and turned me into him so my head was pressed against his side. My shoulders continued to shake as the laughter boiled from me. I was unable to stop it, not anymore, and I scraped my teeth against his chest, through his shirt, before biting down on his nipple.
He jumped, muffling a curse, as he covered my mouth again. “Stop it!”
Derek emerged again, shutting the door once more as he joined us in the hallway. He handed Jesse a piece of paper. “She said it’ll open the back door, but don’t go until the hour mark. I guess they got a security guard to make the rounds. She doesn’t know when he walks through, but he always has to be at his office on the hour mark.”
“Thanks.” Jesse took the paper and glanced at his watch. “We can go now. I’ll get her in right away.”
“Hey, man.”
Derek stopped him, a twinge of concern in his voice.
“Yeah?”
“Secrets get out, Jess. This one will get out too. I don’t know who she is, but I know that’s her brother downstairs.”
I’d been giggling softly into his chest, but at that, they turned to sobs. I couldn’t stop and I didn’t even know why I was crying, but I was. Jesse stiffened, but his hand cupped the back of my head and his hold turned from controlling to sympathetic. He bent low to my ear and whispered, “Ssh, Alex. Hold it together, just for a little while.”
I tried. Drawing in a deep breath, filtered through his shirt, I tried to quench the hysteria unleashed inside of me. No avail. More sobs burst from me and I doubled over into Jesse’s chest. Tears trickled from my eyes and I couldn’t stop them. He bent over and lifted me in his arms.
“She okay?” Derek asked.
There was no response. Jesse carried me back downstairs. When he stepped through to the kitchen, I heard, “Oh shit. What the fuck’s wrong with her?”
Cord’s voice was closer, quieter. “What happened?”
“Breakdown.”
“Dump her on the streets. Why do we have to take care of all the emotional chicks?”
“Jamie!”
“What? I’m just saying. Make sure there are no pics on her phone. I can see her turning around and claiming rape or some other crazy shit. Look at her. She’s nuts.”
“Go to bed, Jamie.” The irritation settled in Jesse’s chest as he went rigid against me. His hands tightened on me. I knew the signs. He was gearing up for a fight. His roommate had two seconds before Jesse was going to let loose on him.
Pushing past the pain that was blinding me, I looked up and touched the side of his face. When I felt moisture on his cheek, I withdrew my fingers. Surprised, I saw what must’ve been tears on the tip of my finger. Jesse had shed a few of his own tears. He looked down, a mirror of my agony clouding his face. I held my breath. He understood.
“Go to bed, Jamie. Go and get laid by your woman,” Cord growled at him.
“Get laid?” He smirked back. “More like get shot down you mean.”
“Go.”
“All right, all right. Why are you two worked up? You’re like girls. Seriously.”
“Jamie.”
“I’m going.” He lifted his arms in the air, surrendering his defeat as he left the room and disappeared up the stairs.
Cord came closer and softened his voice, “I’m sorry for my dig.