Cole steps to the right, and Kellan comes into view. His eyes meet mine, and a slow smile spreads across his face when he sees my eye.
“You know … there’s a battered woman’s shelter at the edge of town who will take you in.” He smirks. “Unless you’re into that kind of thing. Then by all means, let him beat you.”
The room falls silent, and I swallow nervously as I see Cole’s body tense and eyes narrow in anger. He glares at Kellan who sits down on the couch. Kellan lifts his chin to me. “I still call bullshit. But if you wanna turn us in, then go ahead.” Kellan shrugs. “I dare you to.”
I go to open my mouth to tell him that I know what he did, but Cole speaks.
“Fuck it.” Then he storms out of the clubhouse.
Deke is the first one to jump up and follow him. I don’t wanna be left alone with Kellan, even if Bennett and Shane are in here, so I follow them too.
I shove open the door and walk outside. The sun is starting to set. I must have slept the day away. I needed it.
The door opens behind me, and the guys walk out as well. Cole pops open his trunk and reaches in. I take a step back when he pulls out a black and white baseball bat.
“What are you doing, Cole?” Bennett asks him.
I look over at Deke as he comes to stand next to me. Normally, I would take a step back, but I feel like he’s getting close to protect me from Kellan. Not harm me.
Cole doesn’t answer. Instead, he walks over to Kellan’s blue Corvette and lifts the bat over his shoulder, his grip tightening. Then he swings. It hits the driver’s side window, and it shatters into a million pieces.
“What the fuck?” Kellan roars, running over to him.
Deke goes after him and pulls him back.
“What the fuck are you doing, Cole?” Bennett demands.
Cole reaches in through the now busted window and opens the car door. He leans inside it and starts opening and closing compartments. Seconds later, he stands and faces us with my cell phone in his right hand.
“This your cell phone, sweetheart?” he asks me, but he’s staring at Kellan. The bat hangs down by his side.
Kellan breathes heavily as he glares at Cole.
“Yes,” I answer.
“Why is her cell in your car?” Shane asks in confusion. “And why is it busted?”
Cole places my crushed cell in the pocket of his jeans and walks over to Kellan and Deke. “You went into her home after the party this morning. Put your hands on her and stole her phone.” He arches a brow. “You wanted to delete what she had on you. But you couldn’t get the phone unlocked, could you? So you busted it.”
“Is this true?” Bennett demands.
Kellan takes a step toward Cole. He raises his hand, stretching out his arm. Kellan comes to a stop when the end of the bat presses against his throat. Kellan fists his hands down by his side as his eyes shoot daggers at Cole. “Go ahead. Beat me with the bat.”
Cole smiles, and it’s not friendly. “I don’t need a bat to hurt you, Kellan.” He lowers it and takes a step toward him. “I’m gonna kill you with my bare hands.”
Kellan swallows. “She is gonna turn on you.”
“I deserve that,” he says without hesitation. “And you, you will get what you deserve for touching what is mine.”
“You did that to her, Kellan?” Shane asks, pointing at me as if there’s another girl here with a black eye.
He smiles. “I did what you all were too afraid to do.”
“Jesus!” Bennett hisses, grabbing his hair. “What the fuck were you thinking? You could have killed her.”
Kellan laughs darkly. “All of a sudden we care who lives and who dies?” He shakes his head. “We knew going in that we all weren’t going to make it out. We started with eight, and already, we’re down to five.”
“That wasn’t Cole’s fault.” Deke snaps.
He smirks and looks over at me. “Right. It was Bruce’s. The man who raped his mother.”
Cole’s body stiffens. His grip on the bat tightening. And I know he wants nothing more than to knock Kellan’s head off right now.
“Kellan …”
“The guy who gave you the two most important women in your life.” He pushes his chest into Cole’s, cutting off Bennett. “But what you don’t see is he has the power to take them both from you.” Kellan smiles at him. “I’m not the enemy here, Cole. Bruce Lowes is. And he is going to fuck up your world more than you can ever imagine.” He looks over at me and winks. “Enjoy it while you can.” Then he walks around Cole and gets into his car before taking off.