13
“You were her what?!” Drake roared as he jumped off of the couch he was sitting on. I flinched back against Damien’s side. Damien gently gripped my knee, silently reassuring me that he was there. Diego stood up as well, his jaw clenched as he faced Drake. “There is no way in fucking hell you were her fiancé because she was with me for the past few fucking years!”
“She was cheating on you with me,” Diego stated calmly. He turned to look at me. “I’m sure her best friend has the proof.”
Drake turned his angry eyes to me. “You fucking hid this from me?” Drake snarled at me, taking a threatening step in my direction.
Damien shot off the couch, moving to stand protectively in front of me at the same time that Tyrone jerked to a standing position, gripping Drake’s shoulder to hold him back.
“She didn’t hide shit from you,” Damien snapped at Drake. “She just found out a couple of hours ago.”
“How did you find out?” Drake snarled at me over Damien’s shoulder.
“Get the book and the picture, darlin’,” Damien softly instructed me.
I stood up from the couch and went into our room, grabbing Lacie’s diary and the picture of her and Diego together. Drake stormed over to me as soon as I exited the bedroom, the rage in his eyes so alarming that I stumbled back against the wall. Suddenly, he was snatched back from me, and Damien’s fist collided with his face. “Stay the fuck back from her,” Damien barked at him.
Drake swung his fist out to hit Damien, but Damien ducked. When he ducked, somehow, I got hit across the face with Drake’s fist. I cried out in pain, dropping the book and the picture that I had been holding as I reached up to clutch at my cheek, my vision beginning to blur as tears flooded my eyes from the pain.
I heard a gunshot ring out, and I screamed as Drake dropped to the floor, his lifeless eyes staring blankly up at the ceiling. “Put your fucking guns down!” Damien roared as he protectively stood in front of me, Miles quickly moving to stand beside him. “This place is fucking surrounded by my men, and if someone decides to pull their trigger that’s not me or Miles, none of you will walk the fuck out alive.”
“You just fucking killed my cousin!” Tyrone roared.
“And he just punched the fuck out of Hayley because he was too blinded by his fucking rage!” Damien shouted back at him. “Had it been Scarlett, he wouldn’t have lived past the moment he made her afraid!” Damien reminded him.
“That would be my call; he’s my mother fucking family!” Tyrone barked, not backing down from Damien.
“Put your fucking gun down,” Damien snarled. “Now, Tyrone. Or I swear, Rod or Shaun will be next, you got me?”
My heart was pounding hard and fast in my chest. Everything had escalated so quickly, and now, Drake had paid the price all because I wanted answers.
Suddenly, I didn’t think the answers were worth it anymore.
Tyrone clenched his jaw, his eyes blazing with fury, but he knew better than to go against Damien when he was adamant about protecting me. With a curse, Tyrone tossed his gun on the floor, nodding at his brothers and cousin to drop their weapons as well.
“Well, that was tense,” Diego commented as he carelessly sat back down on the couch, not at all bothered by what had just happened or the fact that his ex’s dead boyfriend was now laying by my feet.
I kept my eyes locked on Damien as he turned to face me. I couldn’t bring myself to look away from him, even as I felt nausea beginning to churn in my stomach.
“Why?” I asked him quietly, my voice trembling as I tried to keep my emotions in check. I wouldn’t break—not right now.
“He fucking hit you, Hayley,” Damien told me, his voice calm and controlled despite the muscle ticking in his jaw, letting me know just how furious he still was.
“That punch was meant for you, Damien, and you know it,” I reminded him. Damien’s eyes flashed with anger at me before he smothered it. “Drake was a friend, Damien,” I choked out, tears beginning to swim in my eyes.
“Hayley—" he said hoarsely, his eyes revealing his panic as I stepped back from him.
“Don’t,” I snapped at him, swallowing hard despite the pain in my face.
I turned away from him and stormed into our room, slamming the door shut behind me and locking it. I knew a locked door wouldn’t keep Damien out if he really wanted to talk to me, but I was hoping that he was still trying to be the new Damien. If he was, I knew the new Damien wouldn’t break the door down no matter how much he wanted to.
I collapsed onto our bed and curled into a ball, stuffing my face into my pillow as my shoulders began to shake with my sobs.
I’m so sorry, Drake.
I priedmy eyes open when I felt someone running their hand over my hair, their other hand holding my own, rubbing their thumb over my knuckles.
“Hayley, baby, I am so sorry,” I heard Damien quietly rasp. “I didn’t think; I’ll admit that. I was so blinded by my rage that I did the first thing that came to mind,” he admitted.