I let go of Austin, and she takes three steps away from me, sucking in a deep breath. I turn to the guys, putting my back to her. “We need to vote his ass out.”
Shane sighs heavily. “He’s just going through a hard time.”
“Bullshit!” Deke snaps. “He’s always caused problems for us.”
“Cole?” I hear Austin’s voice behind me, but I ignore her. I’m busy at the moment.
Shane looks at Deke. “I can see where he’s coming from. I’m still skeptical if she should even be here.”
“She’s not going anywhere,” I growl.
“Cole?” she snaps. I still ignore her.
Bennett raises his hands. “This will blow over. Just let Kellan cool off.”
“He’s been this way for months now. He was like this before Austin ever came into the picture. He didn’t even want to be involved with Jeff, and that makes me question his loyalty to the group,” Deke growls.
“COLE!” she yells.
“He was just worried that we would get caught,” Shane tells Deke.
I snort. “He just didn’t wanna get his hands dirty.” I hear the faint sound of a door opening and closing behind us.
“Cole?” Deke says.
“What?” I bark.
He looks over my shoulder. “Austin just left.”
AUSTIN
As I come up to his car, I hear someone exiting the barn behind me. I know it’s him. “Take me home!” I order, not even bothering to turn around and face him before I fall into the passenger seat and slam the door shut.
My body physically shakes with rage for what Cole just did.
He gets in and looks over at me, but I keep my eyes straight ahead. My hands ball into fists in my lap, and my heart pounds in my chest.
He offered me up to Kellan. To fucking Kellan of all people! I thought he had been protecting me from him these past two weeks, but I was so wrong.
And my mind can’t seem to process that. I know Cole is a fucking savage. I have seen firsthand what he will do to get what he wants. But to just offer me up to any of them? Like I’m some toy they can just pass around? Is that why they wanted me to join so badly?
“Austin!” he growls my name, his irritation showing.
I turn and glare at him with hatred. I’m fucking panting; I’m breathing so heavily.
His narrowed blue eyes are on me like it’s my fault. As if I should have said yes, Kellan, if you want me, then go ahead and take me.
“Austin …”
I do what he once did to me, reach over and turn up the volume, blaring “Bitter End” by The Veer Union. Then I sit back in my seat, dismissing whatever the fuck he planned to say.
He allows it, putting the car into gear and throwing gravel as he takes off.
When he pulls up to my house, I’m out of the car before he can even bring it to a stop. I walk in, slam the front door, and run up to my room. The moment I shut it, it opens. I turn around to see him entering just as fast as I did. “Get the hell out, Cole,” I say, pointing at the now closed door.
“No,” he says simply.
“Get the fuck out!” I shout.
He takes a step toward me, and I throw up my hands, taking a step back. “Don’t you dare come near me.”
“Austin—”
“No, Cole!” I interrupt him. “What you did back there was completely unacceptable!”
“I—”
“You were out of line!” I shout, fisting my hands down by my sides. “You don’t own me. And you can’t just decide to offer me up to one of your buddies.” I give him my back, planning on locking myself in my bathroom to get away from him.
He grabs my shoulder and yanks me back to face him. “I can do whatever I want.”
My skin is boiling; I’m so mad. “No! You can’t. This is my life!” I scream.
“Need a reminder?”
“No!” I jerk away from him. I wasn’t expecting him to let me go, and I stumble backwards but manage not to fall. He smirks. “I don’t need you to remind me that you are a man who doesn’t care if he hurts a woman,” I snap.
His eyes narrow on me. “Don’t push me, Austin.”
“Push you?” I ask and snort. Spreading my arms out wide, I say, “Do your worst, Cole.” What else could this bastard do to me that he hasn’t already?
“You don’t mean that, sweetheart.” He takes a step toward me; his eyes look me up and down, and he licks his lips.
“Not only did you offer me up to Kellan, but you have also humiliated me at school,” I growl. “You recorded us …”
“You begged me for it. The video proved it.”
My mouth falls open at his words. He knew he was coming to the party, and we were going to have sex. And he knew he was gonna have Deke record it.