That left only one other option. But it’s a weekend and he could be on a date, and what if I’m disturbing him, too? Shaking my head, I stood under the shade of a tree. Cold water sluiced down my hair, falling on my crossed arms and making me shiver. I averted my eyes when a pair of two men walked past the other street, eyeing me.
I remembered his words from before. When I had walked downstairs after getting ready for the party. He had looked at me with a frown and said, “Call me if anything happens.”
Anything includes getting stranded in the rain, right?
I dialed his number, rubbing my arm to stop the goosebumps. My fancy blouse and shorts were drenched. I didn’t want to imagine how my face looked with mascara running down my cheeks.
He picked up on the third ring. His rich, velvety voice purred through my ear, “Where are you?”
Biting my lip from smiling, I rocked on the soles of my shoes and asked, “How did you know I’m in trouble?”
“Are you in trouble?”
“No.”
“Then should I go back to my date with Julia, who’s waiting for a very special dessert?”
Irritation pricked through my skull, and I regretted calling him. I should’ve gone to Caleb’s house like everyone else. “Oh, shoot. I’m sorry for disturbing your date.”
“I’m kidding.” Relief poured through me, and I hated that it relieved me when it shouldn’t. He was my father’s bestfriend. Itwasn’tright. “Tell me where you are.”
I told him the street name and heard the keys jingling and the door slamming shut through the phone.
“Stay there, princess. I’ll be there in ten.”
The sound of his smooth voice soothed the panic, and I stayed still even when the rain got harsher. Tiny prickles of shiver climbed up my spine as the rain dribbled faster. I jumped when thunder struck the dark sky, goosebumps skittering all over my body.
I rocked back and forth on my shoes, my heart beating faster as I waited for his car to show up. It was way past my curfew, and just before I could call him again, my phone died.
“This is great,” I muttered underneath my breath and bumped into something. My head shot up, and I blinked at the guy standing in front of me. “Sorry.”
“Who are you?” I tried to walk beside him, but he held my elbow. His voice was slurred, and he seemed drunk. “What are you doing out here at this hour… wearingthat?”
“Excuse me?” Frowning, I struggled with his hold on my arm, but his fingers tightened on my skin to the point of hurting. “Who the hell are you, trying to hit on an underage girl at this hour?” I clenched my jaw and pulled away, but he didn’t budge. “Let me go or I’ll scream and kick you in your family jewels so hard that you’ll never be able to procreate.”
“So you’re underage, drunk, and all alone in this rain, drenched in your skimpy top?”
“Thanks, Mister Obvious, but I’m not drunk.”
“You’re coming with me.” The leering smile on his face made me want to puke.
“No, I’m not.” I knew kicking him in his balls wouldn’t work as he was already dragging me away from the street where I told James I’d be waiting, but I could stomp on his feet as hard as I could.
“Let her go.”
I sighed in relief at seeing him standing in front of me. Rain had stopped pouring for a while and the only sound I could hear was the loud hammering of my heart against my ears and my breathing.
“I found her first,” the stranger said with a disgusting smirk on his face. “You can get in line.”
My jaw dropped hearing his crude words as heat creeped up my neck. I did the only thing I could do. I pinched him.Hard. The guy squealed in a high-pitched voice and let go off my arm.
“Disgusting prick.” I rubbed the red marks of his fingers on my skin.
A warm coat hugged my shoulders, and I glanced at his sharp face leaning close. “Are you okay, Mia?” His deep blue eyes were concerned and a little angry.
I nodded, too afraid to speak anything at such proximity to his face. His fingers brushed over the red hue on my arm and glared at the guy who was too busy to notice James’ sharp look.
I stifled my gasp when he prowled towards him and punched him so hard that he fell down. James held the guy by the collar of his neck and there was blood on the corner of his lips. He said something to him. The stranger’s eyes flickered to me in fear as he nodded and James let him go. He scampered away without looking back at us.