“Tessa, go back to the house with these guys and find a ride home. Kaden and I need to have a chat.”
“No,” she said, her voice rising. “Don’t hurt him, Doug. He didn’t hurt me. It wasn’t like that. Just let it go.”
Doug grinned, but it had no humor in it. “Don’t worry, babe. I’m not going to hurt him. We’re just going to have a talk to make sure he’s never going to come near you again.”
Tessa looked to Kaden, her frightened rabbit expression tugging at him, but he couldn’t bear to meet her eyes. She wasn’t standing up and telling the truth. She was letting all these people think he’d tried to take advantage of her. She wasn’t going to come with him to Dallas. She never had planned to. That kiss was going to be her kiss good-bye.
“Just go, Tess,” he said quietly. “I’ll be f-f-fine.”
“Kaden—”
He lifted his gaze to hers. “Go b-b-back and be with your friends, homecoming queen. Your court awaits.”
She winced like he’d backhanded her. And he immediately regretted the snark in his voice. But he couldn’t stop the emotions from spilling out. He’d pinned everything on tonight, had hoped that if he could really make things different, he could change the path for them both. But it’d been stupid to hope.
Things never changed. People were who they were. He was the freak and she was the future debutante. Their worlds would never fit together.
He would never fit.
And it probably wouldn’t matter because based on how Doug was staring at him, he may not make it through the night.
Tessa left with the group, peering back over her shoulder one last time, and Kaden waited for her to be out of sight. Then he did the only thing he could do. He ran. Like a coward. He knew Doug had no interest in talking. This was going to be a conversation of fists. He wasn’t stronger than Doug. The dude lifted weights daily for football. But he hoped he might be faster.
However, when he ran into the woods behind the high school, he could hear Doug calling his name from not far behind. Branches cut at Kaden’s face as he raced through the trees in the dark. He figured if he could make it home he could lock himself inside and call the cops. His house wouldn’t be far once he made it to the main road. But his Vans were no match for the gnarled roots and slippery ground of the forest floor. His foot caught a raised root, turning his ankle, and he went sprawling face-first to the ground. All his air left him as he hit.
He did his best to scramble upward, but before he could, a foot planted against his spine and shoved him back to the ground. He landed with an oof and pain shot up his back.
“Where you going, freak? Think you could outrun me. That proves you’re not just a freak but stupid.”
“Fuck off,” he ground out.
“Excuse me?” His booted foot swung into Kaden’s ribs with a painful crack. “Someone needs to teach you manners, son.”
Kaden’s knees pulled up and he rolled into the fetal position, the pain blinding him for a second. He tried to curl tight, protecting his midsection from another blow.
“You trying to take advantage of my girl?” Doug asked, his voice disconcertingly calm. “Think she could ever want a piece of shit like you when she has someone like me?”
“I’m n-n-not t-t-trying to take advantage of her,” he said, hoping to placate him, willing to suck up the humiliation if it meant he wouldn’t get kicked again. He needed to get up, get away, but his body wouldn’t cooperate. Knives of agony were stabbing his lungs.
“You’re n-n-not?” Doug mocked and kicked him again. Harder. “Then why is she kissing the guy who’s supposed to be her tutor?”
Kaden yelped even though he hated letting Doug know he’d hurt him. But that time he knew a rib had been broken. Tears sprung to his eyes, the sheer pain making it impossible to breathe.
“Yeah, I knew about that. I let it go because her parents are riding her about her grades. And I figured you weren’t worth worrying about. But Tessa’s weak. I realize that now. She buys into your poor me crap. She pities you and is mistaking that for feelings.” He shoved him in the side with his heel, flipping him onto his stomach and sending agony through his ribcage. Doug wrenched Kaden’s arms behind him and looped his belt around his wrists. Kaden tried to fight back but every movement made him want to weep. The pain made his head spin. “But you have nothing to offer her. You’re a fucking pussy, Fowler. You can’t even protect yourself, how would you take care of her?”
The toe of Doug’s boot made contact with his side and Kaden tasted blood. He tried to crawl away but it was near impossible without the use of his hands. He was going to die out here. Doug loomed over him and pulled him onto his knees.
“At least be man enough to look me in the eye and apologize.”
Kaden refused to lift his head and Doug started in with his fists. When knuckles crashed into his jaw, Kaden knew he was close to losing consciousness.
Doug crouched low, getting in his face. “Apologize, you pathetic piece of shit.”
Kaden spat blood in his face and Doug roared, backhanding him.
Kaden choked, his chest wheezing with effort. Black edged his vision. He forced words out through gasping breaths. “I’m sorry. Please. Just stop. Can’t breathe.”
“Oh, what was that? I couldn’t hear you,” he mocked.