“Stay with us,” Holcomb whispers, getting closer. “Come home with me.”
Tears pool as they sandwich me, and as Holcomb dips his mouth into my neck, I start to cry out.
No.
But just then, a hand wraps around my wrist and yanks me free of them. I gasp, stumbling off the dance floor and right into Kaleb as he pulls me into his body. He brings me in, my forehead meeting his, and I look up at him through my watery eyes.
He presses his lips hard to my forehead, and I still for a moment.
Kaleb…
Holcomb and Cici’s words swirl in my head, but as Kaleb’s warmth washes over me, everything they said starts to fade away more and more until there’s nothing but him.
I exhale, closing my eyes.
They’re not my parents. This is real. They care about me, and they want me here.
Kaleb draws back, our foreheads meeting again as he looks down into my eyes, unblinking. Swiping his thumbs under my eyes, he dries my tears.
I go to assure him that I’m okay, but before I can, he drops his hands, his gaze turning dark, and he shoves me behind him before lunging for Holcomb.
Grabbing him by the neck, he throws Terrance into the jukebox, knocking into other people on the dance floor in the process.
I wince, watching the guy hit the machine, the glass case cracking.
All hell breaks loose. Motocross guys go after Kaleb, a bottle crashes to the floor, and a group of women gets pushed into a table, the legs scraping across the floor.
“Kaleb!” I cry.
Cici takes her opportunity while he’s distracted, shoving me in the chest, and I stumble back, my eyes burning with anger. Noah grabs my hand and yanks me away, my eyes burning into hers as she disappears in the crowd.
He pulls me across the bar, and I look back at the pit of brawlers on the dance floor, not seeing Kaleb anywhere. Do they have him on the floor or something?
The bartender leaps over the bar with a baseball bat, and Jake takes me from Noah as Noah runs back for his brother.
“Are you okay?” Jake asks.
I nod quickly, too worried about the boys. I can’t even say someone else started it. Kaleb technically made the first move.
His kiss still warms my forehead.
“Get in the truck.” Jake shoves his keys at me and pushes me toward the door.
I step backward, the music stopped and bystanders watching the fight. My heart hammers in my chest, feeling like this is my fault for some reason, but I know it’s not.
If I weren’t here, though…
Jake digs through the fray, finding his sons, and I spin around, running outside and to our truck parked on the curb.
Snow falls, fat flakes hitting my hair and bare shoulders, and I rip off my heels, jogging across the frigid, wet pavement to the truck.
Climbing in, I toss my heels in the back and start the engine.
I shiver, turning on the heaters and starting the wipers. Thankfully, the windows haven’t frosted yet, and I blow into my hands, trying to warm them up. I left my shawl inside, dammit.
The door to the bar flies open, and I look over, seeing Kaleb charge out, followed quickly by his father and brother. He heads around the truck for the driver’s side.
“Are you okay?” I ask as he opens the door.
But I know I won’t get an answer.
Pushing me over, he climbs in and shifts the truck into first as Jake takes the seat next to me and Noah climbs in the back.
I take the hint and scurry into the back seat to join him.
The bar door opens again and guys rush out, Terrance leading the pack, and I barely have time to look at Kaleb before he shifts gears again, putting the truck in reverse this time.
“Aw, fuck,” Noah says like he knows what Kaleb is about to do, and I whip my head around just as Kaleb slams on the gas. Our truck heads straight for a row of bikes, and I grapple for the handle above my door, taking hold of it and squeezing my eyes shut as the truck drives right over the dirt bikes.
“Kaleb!” Jake yells.
But it’s too late. We rock side to side, crawling over the motorcycles, and my heart lodges in my throat, but I almost want to laugh, too.
They deserved that.
“You motherfucker!” I hear someone yell.
And then a loud bark. “You’re dead!”
I look out the window and suddenly see two cops across the street, dressed in heavy jackets and winter hats as they step out of their cruiser.
“Oh, shit,” I gasp.
“Kaleb, go now!” Noah yells, seeing what I’m seeing.
He doesn’t hesitate further. Before the officers can stop him, Kaleb hits the gas, speeds off, and I look out the rear window, seeing the guys scramble for their bikes and the cops jump back in their car.