I Promise You (Dare 2)

“Yes …”

Cole grabs him by the collar of his polo shirt and yanks him to his chest. Trenten has probably a few inches on him, but that won’t stop Cole. He’ll take on anyone. And he always wins. People whisper that he’s crazy. When most would back down, he eggs others on. If he picks a fight with you, he’ll even let you get a few hits in ’cause that’s what he likes. Pain. Blood. It’s all like a fucking drug to him.

“I just fucked her mouth downstairs. Wanna fight me?” he growls.

Trenten’s eyes narrow down on Cole’s. His hands fisted, ready to strike. Cole just glares up at him.

“Come on, man.” Kellan slaps Cole’s shoulder. “She’s not worth it.”

The girl cries into her hands, turns, and runs out of the room. There’s gotta be fifteen people just standing around watching the exchange, and another twenty littering the backyard gawking through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The music has stopped, and no one says a fucking word. No one even breathes. They’re all waiting to see what is gonna happen next.

I help Eli up off the floor, not sure how the hell he got involved. He stumbles once on his feet.

“No,” Cole agrees with Kellan but keeps his eyes on Trenten. “She’s not. But you are.”

A flash of regret crosses Kellan’s face, and I wonder if he set this up. If he planned for Cole to get in a fight with Trenten. Cole may not brag about who he sleeps with, but he also doesn’t hide them. Kellan knew that Cole would own up to it, but he probably didn’t expect Cole to stand up for him like he is. As I said before, we may fight, but we are brothers. And brothers have each other’s backs.

“What’s it gonna be, Trenten?” Cole asks with an arch of his brow. Then he leans in closer to the guy and smiles.

Oh, shit! I know that look.

I’m already pushing a dazed Eli onto the couch and out of the way when my friend speaks again.

“You should thank me.” Cole lowers his voice, but you could hear a pin drop in this house. “I taught her a few things. It’s amazing how much dick she sucks, yet she couldn’t get me off …”

Trenten shoves him back and swings his right fist, hitting Cole in the jaw. People gasp as Cole takes a stumbling step back. But he just gives a bloody smile and then runs at him. Wrapping his arms around his waist, Cole picks Trenten up and body-slams him to the floor.

And then all hell breaks loose. Girls run screaming out of the room. One of Trenten’s teammates jumps on my back. Kellan pulls him off just in time as another one runs toward me as though I’m the quarterback on the opposing team he wants to sack. I get a few punches in before I’m hit in the back of the head. I feel the skin split, and an instant headache takes over. Falling to my knees, I try to blink away the pain.

I spot Cole on the floor across the room. Trenten’s still underneath him as Cole pounds on his face with his fists.

Eli yanks on my arm, trying to get me to stand, but I push him away.

“What the fuck is going on?” I hear Bennett’s voice ring out through the madness followed by a half-dressed Maddox and Landen skidding into the room.

Breathing heavily, I hang my head and shake it, thinking that will clear the fog, but it makes it worse. The room begins to fade in and out.

“Deke?” I hear Eli call out. “Deke, are you okay?” His voice fades as the ringing grows louder in my ears. I feel something running down the side of my face. Blood. What the …?

I don’t know how much time has passed, but I look up and no longer see Cole on the floor.

“Deke?” Instead, he kneels in front of me, snapping his fingers in front of my face. He has blood dripping from his busted knuckles and a cut on his upper lip. His right eye already turning purple. “Can you hear me?” he asks, breathing heavy. A thin layer of sweat covers his forehead, and blue eyes are hard on mine. “Deke?” he snaps.

I nod. “Fine.” But even as I say it, I flinch. “Fuck. What happened?” I ask as Cole grabs one of my arms while Eli grabs the other. They get me to stand and place my arms over their shoulders. I blink several times, but the pounding won’t stop. I notice we’re now alone. Even the backyard is clear.

“Denny hit you on the back of the head with my mother’s glass cross,” Bennett growls.

My head hangs, and blood drips from the side of my face to our feet.

“Come on,” Cole orders. “I’ve already messaged Shelby. She’s expecting us.”