Tommy takes the opportunity to grab my boobs now that they’re not behind my books. He shoves me against the wall again, and suddenly my mind flashes to an image of Lexi being stripped in the pool, and how nobody helped. Adrenaline shoots through me, and I look for an opening, wondering if I can get my knee in his crotch for a good kick in the nuts.
“Maybe we can have our own party,” Tommy says. “You and the football team. The senior girls are all sluts this year. Aren’t you in the Slut Club with Lexi and Marilyn and—”
Before he can finish, someone shoves through the crowd and grabs him around the neck from behind. I get one glance of Maddox, and then Tommy hits the floor. Maddox is on top of him, his fists flying as he bashes Tommy in the face four or five times within seconds. The guys jump in and drag him off, and Tommy rolls over, coughing out a spray of blood and bits of tooth onto the smooth, pale floor.
Maddox shakes off the guys, his face red with exertion, and turns to me. I shrink back at the stormy, furious look on his face, but he grabs me by the back of the neck and pulls me forward. “This bitch isours,” he growls at the football players, shaking me like a rag doll in front of him. “In case that wasn’t clear to you fuckingmalparidos.She’s fromla ollaand she’s hosting our party, which means she’s the Crows’ girl. She’s off limits to every fucking person in this school who didn’t ask our permission. Anyone else touches her, or evenlooksat her, you pay the price.¿Comprende?”
A few of the others nod and glance at each other.
“She’s a Crow?” Randy asks.
“Why don’t you fuck around with her and find out,” Maddox snaps, glowering at him.
The guy shakes his head and steps back, as if he wants to disappear into the crowd.
“My dad’s a cop,” Tommy whines. “You’re going to fucking pay for this, North.”
“I don’t give a fuck who your daddy is,” Maddox says. “Let him come for me. You’ll see what happens.”
Tommy groans and spits more blood, pushing himself to a sitting position.
“Now pick up her books,” Maddox says, his voice so cold it makes my blood freeze. He kicks Tommy lightly in the thigh.
Tommy groans and drags himself onto all fours, pawing my books into a pile before lumbering to his feet. Blood is streaming from his nose and mouth, drown his chin, and onto the front of his Big Johnson t-shirt. He shoves the books into my hands and starts to turn, but Maddox grabs his shoulder.
“Apologize.”
Tommy glares, his eyes full of belligerent hatred, and I can’t help thinking that Maddox just made things even worse for me. Our dads work together, so there’s usually a wary distance between us.
“Sorry,” Tommy mutters.
“It’s fine,” I say quickly.
“Now get the fuck out of here,” Maddox says, shoving him away. “All of you.”
I start to go, but he pulls me back, securing me against his chest. We watch the others walk away. Scarlet glances over her shoulder with a look that says she despises me even more now that I have Maddox’s blessing. Then she turns to follow her friends.
I can feel Maddox’s heart pounding against my back, his ragged breath heaving in and out, the trembling in his arm as it holds me firmly against him. I can’t help but wonder if it’s just the adrenaline from the fight, or if he needs me in some way and kept me here for his sake, not mine.
“You good?” he asks quietly after everyone is gone and we haven’t moved for a whole minute longer.
“Yeah,” I say, leaning back into his solid chest and trying not to swoon at how good it feels against me. I close my eyes and inhale the scent of him, like rain falling on hay that’s freshly dried in the sun. Then I jerk my eyes open and focus on the blood on the floor to bring myself back to reality. I do not need to be thinking about how good this boy smells, how right he feels against me, or how much I want to stay here.
“You?” I ask faintly.
“De nada,”he says, releasing me. “Just a scuffle.”
“Since when am I yours?” I ask, stepping away and turning to face him. “I thought you hated me.”
I expect him to make a cutting remark, but he just looks down at me with hooded eyes and flexes his bloody fist. “You’re growing on me, little girl.”
“I can’t say the feeling is mutual,” I mutter, staring at the crow tattoo on his neck, the wings wrapping around it like a hand. “But thanks. For what you did just now.”
He tips his chin in a quick nod of acknowledgement. “You live on our turf,” he says. “That comes with certain… Benefits.”
“Benefits?” I ask, my voice a little squeaky.
“Protection,” he said, his voice a slow, accented drawl as his face settles into its usual maddening smirk. “As my mother would say,no des papaya.Always use protection.”