I lead us through the house and get us back into the bathroom and quickly close the door behind us before high fiving Brooke on our sneaky incognito skills. The second I flick on the light, Brooke looks up into the mirror and gasps. She takes two big steps towards the vanity and practically shoves her head under the taps.
I fix myself up while I have the chance and start snooping around the bathroom while I wait on Brooke.
“I fucking know,” a voice laughs from the hallway outside. “I got the bastard in a headlock and fucking pummelled him. Think I broke a few ribs.”
Brooke meets my eyes in the mirror and we listen up to the conversation, always down for a little gossip.
“Fuck yeah,” a different guy cheers. “I bust that pretty boy’s lip and snapped his fucking arm,” the guy says as my stomach drops. “I made sure that fucker won’t be doing any more damage to my fucking face. Beat that.”
I look back at Brooke to find her eyes on mine once again. Her head tilts in question and I realize she’s thinking the same thing that I am. This is about Puck.
We had thought it was one attacker but now I’m realizing there were more, though, I don’t know just how far this is going to go, all I know is that I need Nate here, now.
I look to Brooke again and watch her pulling out her phone as someone slams a heavy fist into the door. “Who the fuck is in there?” an angry voice demands. “I need to fucking piss.”
Brooke types madly onto her phone and I realize we don’t have much time. If we leave now, we see their faces but we run the risk of them leaving and not finding them again, or we can wait a minute or two for the boys to come and handle this here, but then, what if the boys don’t hear their phones over the music? Then we’re fucked.
A third voice speaks up, one that sends chills down my spine. “Puck deserved a fucking lesson,” the voice says. “Next up is Jesse and then I’m going to save Nate for last. Make his little bitch watch as well.”
My eyes widen as my stomach curls. ‘Is that Josh?’ Brooke mouths to me in the mirror.
I nod my head then jump when the fist pounds into the door again. “You’ve got three fucking seconds and then I’m coming in.”
Crap. What do I do? What do I do?
“Three.”
I can’t be in a small confined space when the door opens. If Josh sees me here, he’s coming for me, no matter who’s around.
“Two.”
I need to get out of here. Give myself a chance to run. To find the boys.
“One.”
I grab Brooke’s hand and we haul ass. I rip the door open and throw myself back. The guy who was banging on it falls forward and we dash around him as he face plants into the ground with a loud groan.
My eyes lock on both the guys before they come to a stop on Josh’s. Recognition flashes in his eyes. First with anger and then fear, realizing I know exactly who hurt Puck and what’s now coming his way. He knows the boys won’t stop until he’s hurting much worse than Puck was.
He has two choices here. Run after us, hoping he can catch us both and shut us up, or he can run for his life.
I don’t know which option he goes with, all I know is that I have all of three seconds to get to Nate and end this. Once and for all.
Chapter 21
I run as fast as my legs can take me, barging my way through the crowd with Brooke on my heels. I search the people, hoping one of the faces would be familiar, but I’m getting nothing.
Shit. Where was he in this stupid house?
Brooke tugs on my arm and I stumble over my feet, but a hard body keeps me upright. “Shit, sorry,” I say to the stranger.
We get into what must be the den when I see Jesse leaning up against a wall. His eyes catch mine as I pass and just like that, he’s right beside me. “Where’s Nate?” I demand.
“What’s going on?” Jesse asks.
“Where’s Nate?” I yell.
“Over there,” he says with furrowed eyebrows as he points across the room.
I ignore his curiosity and scan the room. My eyes find his at the same time his find me.
Nate pushes up out of the chair and hurries towards me, making me wonder what the hell I must look like right now. He grabs me and pulls me, protectively, hard against him. “What’s wrong?” he demands, looking around the room for a threat.
“It was Josh,” I pant.
“What was Josh?”
“Puck,” I practically yell at him as I try to get the words out as fast as possible. “Josh did it with two other guys. They were at the bathroom bragging about it. A blonde with curly hair and a tall guy with… with…” I say, struggling to find something to describe him.