I’m thrown across the basketball court and hardly have a chance to steady myself before all hell breaks loose. Slade rears back and delivers a devastating blow to Roman’s face that has blood spurting from his mouth and splattering over the court.
Slade is fucking lethal. He fights like a warrior and it’s the most beautiful and deadly thing I’ve ever seen.
Roman’s friends jump into action as Damian curls his fingers into his palm with a wicked grin, showing me a reckless side of him that I didn’t realize he had. Slade and Damian dominate just as I knew they would but I’m not some defenseless girl who’s going to stand back while the big boys fight it out.
I throw myself into it, pissed off that Slade had the nerve to push me out.
I find Roman and launch myself onto his back while digging my elbow into the base of his neck. It probably won’t do much damage but it sure as hell looks uncomfortable, especially as he desperately tries to buck me off while Damian slams his fist into his stomach.
Someone from far away screams ‘fight’ and soon enough, there’s a crowd beginning to gather. Someone grabs at my back and I look around to realize it’s someone completely new.
Fuck. Cops.
Slade and Damian are good to go all night but the boys from Hunters High instantly retreat at the sight of the police, showing that they’re more than happy to dish it out but aren’t willing to accept consequences.
Roman puts on a show of his injuries and the cops instantly go for my boys. “No,” I scream, rushing in and throwing myself in front of Slade as the cop reaches for him. “Leave him alone. He didn’t do anything.”
I stand between them, pressing up into Slade and forcing him back away from the cop, but he keeps coming. “Get out of the way, girl.”
“No. They started this,” I say, pointing at Roman who stands with the other cop, holding his face while Damian and Slade wear their injuries like a badge of honor. “They should be the ones getting in trouble.”
Slade’s hand finds my hip. “Out of the way,” the cop roars.
I stand my ground, clenching my jaw and showing that I’m not giving up on this, but the cop has other thoughts. My arm is grabbed and he pulls me into his sweaty body before pushing me hard with both hands.
My weight is absolutely nothing to him and I go flying, slamming down into the ground. My legs scrape against the asphalt of the court as my hand comes down on a stray piece of glass. I cry out in pain, clutching my hand as blood begins to seep out between my fingers.
Damian dives for me, but Slade dives for the cop, jaw clenched, and fists swinging.
Chapter 21
I slam my good hand down on the counter. “Let him go. He didn’t do anything.”
“Ma’am, he assaulted an officer,” the cop behind the desk says. “I can assure you, Slade Cruz won’t be coming out of there for a while. Now, I’ve asked you three times already to please take a seat, otherwise, you will be asked to leave.”
A frustrated growl tears out of me. “That’s bullshit. The cop deserved what was coming for him.”
“How so?”
I hold my hand up and wave it his face. “Because he assaulted me first.”
His eyes are narrowed into slits as he looks over my hand. Disbelief radiates out of him and it’s clear he thinks I’m just some ridiculous teenager spouting shit to get a friend out of a bad situation. “And do you have any proof of said assault?”
“Apart from my legs being all cut up and my hand possibly needing stitches, yeah, I have a whole park full of kids, Slade and that dickhead back there,” I say, pointing behind me to where Damian sits, slouched back in the stiff chairs as though he’s about to request room service.
The cop glances up and meets Damian’s eyes and he’s quick to nod. “It’s true. The fucker got what he deserved. If Slade didn’t get to him first, it would have been me.”
I give Damian a warm smile of thanks for being so ready to defend my honor, though he should know that had I not been down on the ground with blood saturating my hand, I would have been the one throwing punches.
I look back to the cop who presses his lips into a tight line. “This is a serious allegation,” he warns.
“Damn straight it is and if you guys intend on charging Slade with assault, then I’ll be slapping assault charges on your officer.” I tilt my head, pretending to be deep in thought. “Did I mention I’m only seventeen? A minor,” I question, glancing back at Damian. “Doesn’t that kind of make things worse?”