I frown, confused, and look in the direction of his gaze.
It’s Jenna, standing at the coffee machine with her back to us. I’d recognize that body anywhere, looking fashionable in a pair of black skinny jeans with high-heel ankle boots, a fitted turtleneck in the exact shade of Titans purple. Her long, golden hair hangs in waves to her mid-back, and I alone know exactly how soft it is. Long after she fell asleep on my chest last night, I sifted my fingers through it.
She’s got the top pinned back in a barrette, and while such details of a woman’s hair would normally be lost on me other than to note that it’s pretty, I understand that by pulling it back, Jenna’s exposing the scars on her jaw and neck not covered by the turtleneck. It’s an intentional effort to put herself out there. To be her true self because those scars are part of what makes Jenna, Jenna now.
“Will you look at that ass?” Keller says, his tone salacious and creepy, and I’d forgotten that it was his comment that caused me to look Jenna’s way in the first place.
The fact he’s got his eyes on her ass causes something dark and ugly to surge inside me. Rooted in possessiveness, coated in protectiveness, rage rises so fierce that the edges of my vision go black. My head whips his way, my voice low and deadly. “What did you say?”
Keller is oblivious, eyes pinned on Jenna. “Who in the hell is that woman, and why have I never seen her here before? I mean, that ass… am I right, Heyward?”
My hands curl into fists as I glare at Keller. And then I note his eyes go round, his lips curling with distaste. “Oh, shit… forget I said anything. Can’t look past that face no matter how fine the ass is.”
I glance back at Jenna. She’s turned partially our way, blowing over the steam coming from her coffee to cool it down. Her scars are visible to anyone who would look upon her, and it’s the biggest act of bravery I’ve ever seen.
My heart would absolutely melt in adoration if it weren’t so consumed by hatred for Keller.
I whirl on him, grab the front of his shirt with both hands, and push him out the door and into the hallway.
I barely register Stone’s voice as he mutters, “Oh, shit.”
My forearm comes across the coach’s neck as I barrel into him, nearly lifting him off his feet to slam his body into the cinder block wall. His mid-back catches the majority of the impact, and breath whooshes out of him. My arm presses into his throat, cutting off his ability to suck oxygen back in, and his face immediately turns bright red.
Leaning into him, I growl, “You better learn to watch your fucking mouth. It can get you killed.”
“Fuck,” Baden hisses as he and Stone each grab an arm and try to pull me off Coach Keller.
But I’m fueled by rage and adrenaline rushing so hot in my veins that I’m impervious to their strength. I press my arm harder, noting his skin tingeing purple now and his eyes bugging out.
Jenna appears at my side, but I don’t look at her, keeping my fury directed at Keller as he struggles to breathe. “Gage… let him go,” she says.
“I should knock your teeth down your throat,” I whisper to Keller, “and let you choke on them, you lowlife piece of shit.”
Baden and Stone pull hard on me.
“No one would cry about it either,” I say to the man as his eyes start to roll into the back of his head.
“Gage,” Jenna says, her hand tugging on my arm across Keller’s throat. “Please… let him go.”
And just like that, I release him.
Because Jenna’s touch instantly reinstated my sanity, and she said please, and I wouldn’t deny her a single thing.
Keller sags to his knees, clutching at his throat, coughing and choking. Baden squats beside him, and Stone pales with shock.
I look down to Jenna, standing before me. She lifts a hand to my face to comfort me.
Reaching up, I take her wrist and pull her away from Keller. I lead her down the hallway as Keller rasps out, “Who do you think you are?”
I glance over my shoulder at him as Baden and Stone help him to his feet. He’ll be all right, more’s the pity.
We hang a left down another hallway that leads toward the physical therapy room, and as soon as we are out of sight, I spin on Jenna and pull her into me, a hard hug followed by a swift kiss.
“Are you okay?” she asks as I loosen my hold on her.
“Fine.” I kiss her again. “You look beautiful today.”
Jenna frowns at me, hands pressed to my chest, and she probably thinks I’ve lost my mind. “What just happened?”