“What?” My head was spinning. “Who’s ‘we’? Intervene with what? And by who?”
He ignored my questions. “I’m telling you this for your own good. Stay. The fuck. Away. From Cavendish. Keep your head down, work hard like a good little student, then when you’ve graduated, get the fuck away from Alstone.”
“Oh, and you’re threatening me, someone who’s weaker than you, because you’re too scared to say this to Caiden, are you?” I was a little bit scared, but I was mostly angry. And getting angrier by the second, as he held me pinned in place, his grip tight and bruising, his veneer of civility shattered.
“Shut up,” he hissed in my face, clamping his hand over my mouth. Not tightly enough; I managed to sink my teeth into his flesh, and he yanked his hand back with a screech.
“You fucking bitch.” His hand came out, and with a crack, he slapped me across the face, hard.
Tears streamed down my cheeks, the whole side of my face stinging from the slap.
“Shit.” He looked horrified at what he’d just done.
Too late for regrets. How fucking dare he?
“Fuck you,” I spat, my words turning into a sob, the tears clouding my vision, my cheek on fire, throbbing. “How—”
He suddenly let out the most inhuman scream, and then he was ripped away from me.
TWENTY-SEVEN
Ever heard the saying the red mist descended? I’d been in a fuckload of fights before, but until I saw Joseph Hyde rais
e his hand to my girl, I’d never experienced it—that all-consuming rage that blinded me to everything else except the need to make him fucking pay.
“I’m gonna fucking kill you!” I roared, yanking him backwards, my arm around his neck in a stranglehold, knocking him to the floor and punching him with all my strength. My fists pounded him over and over as he tried to throw me off, hitting me weakly. His drunken blows connected with the bruises I already had from paintballing, but I barely noticed the pain.
Arms pulled me back, lifting me off Hyde, and I gradually became aware of Cassius and Zayde both talking at me, holding me back.
“Caiden!” I blinked, my unfocused gaze sharpening as Cass got all up in my face, blocking my view of Hyde. “Caiden!” he repeated, his voice urgent. “Winter needs you.”
My head snapped round as everything came back into focus, and the sound of her soft, choked sobs assaulted my ears, sending a rush of pain searing through me. I took a step forward, needing to punish the one who caused her hurt, the rage building in my veins once again.
“No. Go to her. I’ll deal with him.” Zayde’s voice was like deadly, freezing ice. Cassius dragged me over to Winter, before running to the lift where Lena was about to enter the cellar. He pushed her back into the lift before she could see anything, slamming his hand on the button to take them back up.
I crouched down next to Winter, carefully scooping her into my arms. Her whole body shook with sobs—she was probably in shock, and she curled into me, her eyes tightly closed.
Standing, I carried her to the lift. As the doors closed behind us, I looked back to see Joseph Hyde lying prone on the floor, his face a bloody, beaten mess, and Z standing over him with his knife out and a savage, diabolical grin on his face.
Winter lay curled on the bed in Cassius’ old room, where I was supposedly meant to be crashing later along with the rest of my boys. I wiped down her grazed arm with an antiseptic wipe, wincing as her whimpers turned to cries of pain.
“Sorry.” I leaned down, brushing her hair away from her face and kissing her head softly. “I know it stings, but I’ve got to clean it.” Rage filled me again as I took in the redness all down the side of her face. What the fuck had Hyde been doing? I hope Z fucked him up so much, he’d never even think of hurting my girl again. Any girl, for that fucking matter.
“Here.” Cassius returned to the room, my brother in tow, handing me a bag of ice wrapped in a soft tea towel. I placed it on Winter’s cheek, holding it in place, and she hissed, then let out a relieved sigh, her cries growing quieter as I stayed with her, holding the ice with one hand, running my other hand up and down her back and over her hair, soothing her.
“What the fuck happened?” Weston’s eyes were full of worry, but as I told him what I’d seen, they darkened, a fury that I’d never seen before descending. “I’m going to end that fucker,” he hissed out through gritted teeth, breathing hard. Cass and I both stared at each other, taken aback. Maybe my brother was more like me than I realised. Maybe he was just better at keeping a lid on it.
“Z’s taking care of it,” Cassius assured him.
“Good.” He made a clear effort to calm himself, the anger finally dissipating, and he sat down on the bed, taking Winter’s hand and squeezing it lightly.
Dimly, I heard shouts and cheers coming from outside the room.
Cass glanced at his watch. “Midnight in five.”
“Go. We’ll be alright on our own.” I glanced up at Cass and my brother, both looking torn. “Really. Go. You wanna see the fireworks?” And just to lighten the heavy as fuck atmosphere I winked at West and added, “I hear Lena’s looking for someone to kiss at midnight,” earning a glare from Cass and a smirk from my brother.
They disappeared out of the room after assuring me they’d be back soon, and I stretched out on the bed next to Snowflake. She’d stopped crying, and she moved the ice pack off her face and rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling, unseeing.