“Why are you wearing that shit on your face? You want one of these guys to fuck you?”
Shawna inhales again, and this time I can see her hand is trembling. Shit. I can’t imagine what she’s been through with him if this is how he’s prepared to talk to her in public.
“Sean,” I say softly. “We need to get Shawna away from him and Cox out of this house.”
“This is bad,” he says. “Cox was bad when they were dating, but he’s worse now. He’s got bigger too. I keep thinking maybe he’s taking something.”
“That wouldn’t be good.”
“He needs to get the fuck out of my yard,” Gordon hisses, his jaw ticking with fury.
I put my hand on his other shoulder. “Stay calm,” I say. “You’re not in the best position to deal with this, okay? Let your brothers handle it.”
When Gordon turns to me, his eyes are filled with turmoil. He knows that I’m right, and the responsible part of him wants to do the right thing, but the piece of him that values fairness and justice can’t comprehend sitting by. “You need to be playing that game,” I tell him. “You guys have too much history.”
“Cox, back off,” someone yells. It’s Donovan, and he’s managed to get close enough to Shawna to get in front of her. Her hand holding the cigarette has dropped to her side, and she’s looking at Cox with fearful eyes.
Cox shakes his head, his hands already clenched into giant fists. “Back the fuck off, whichever fucking triplet you are. This is none of your business.”
Donovan puts his hands up calmly. “No one here is looking for any trouble, but it looks like you are. I’m just stepping up to remind you that this is a party and that you’re a guest here. This isn’t the place.”
“No place is ever the place for that kind of talk,” Logan says. He’s made his way next to his brother, and between the two of them, Shawna is completely shielded by a wall of man.
“You see, this is your problem. You think you’re so above the rest of us, but you’re not. This house is just a gathering of fucking reject pussies who’d rather fuck their sister than hit on any of the willing girls that are out there.”
His words hit me in the chest like a fist, knocking the air from my lungs. How the hell does he know?
“I’m going to say this again, Cox, one last time. You need to back the fuck off.”
“And what are you going to do about it? You gonna push me like your weak-ass brother and end up running laps tomorrow, or maybe even get yourself suspended?”
“Nobody is shoving anybody,” Logan says. He seems calm, but then I notice him rise up on the balls of his feet, and I can see he’s primed for a fight. Fuck.
Cox starts to walk forward, and before I know what’s happening, I’m flying across the garden. “I’m calling the cops,” I say loudly, my phone in my hand. “You need to get the fuck out of this house right now.”
Cox’s friends glance at each other nervously, but Cox only grins his creepy smile again. “See what I mean. You’re all weak-ass men who need a girl to stick up for you.”
Dwayne puts his hand out and grabs me around the waist, preventing me from getting too close. My fingers fumble over the screen, dialing 911. I’m not playing here. The cops are coming if Cox isn’t leaving.
“You think I’m bothered by the cops?” Cox crosses his arms, his biceps bulging to massive proportions.
“You have a game on Friday. They could keep you in the cells. You’ll miss the chance to show the scouts your game.” I try to keep my voice confident and strong, but my throat is closing up with anxiety. Nothing about Cox’s behavior so far has told me that he’s thinking rationally, but there’s a subtle change to his expression when I mention the game. He doesn’t want to risk his position on the team any more than my foster brothers do.
I watch as he seems to hesitate over what to do next. He’s definitely not the kind of man who likes to back down, but it’s either that or risk getting arrested. “Shawna’s a skank. You’re welcome to her.” He turns his head and spits onto the ground. His eyes meet mine, and they are filled with a cold hatred that sends a shiver down my spine. I wait for him to say something else, but he doesn’t. When he turns and strides back into the house, I can feel the frantic thud of my heart in my temple.
“I’m going to make sure he leaves,” Donovan says. Logan follows him into the house, and everyone in the yard seems frozen. Dwayne pulls me into a hug, kissing me fiercely on the forehead. A minute later, Donovan and Logan return, and there is a collective sigh of relief.