“Kyler, wait up,” Maddy said, running after me. “I’m coming with you.” She stopped me in my tracks, steel in her spine, trying to make herself look bigger than she was.
“Whatever. Just stay the fuck out of my way.”
“So we’re back to this again?” she asked, stopping just outside the doors again.
“Look, mouse, we had a moment. That’s all it was, a fucking moment. I don’t have time to deal with your hurt fucking feelings. I have shit to do.”
She looked at me with those soulful, warm eyes. Those goddamn eyes. Things would be a lot easier if she didn’t have the most beautiful fucking eyes I’d ever seen.
I sighed, turning to her. “Some fucker gave my sister the date rape drug. I’m going to go back there and kick the shit out of every low life scumbag until I get some fucking answers. Those motherfuckers messed with the wrong girl. Give me the keys.”
“No.” Her voice shook, but determination shaded her gaze. “I’m not letting you go half-cocked to make things worse than they already are.”
I couldn’t believe that she actually thought she now had the right to tell me what to do. Nobody told me what to do. I walked up to her, inserting myself right in her face.
“You are nothing. You don’t matter. Now give me the fucking keys.” I went in my pocket and took out a crumpled fifty and threw it by her feet. “Call a cab and keep the change.”
I held my hand out, waiting.
“Fuck you.” She snatched the keys out of her pocket and held them in the air. I was a little shocked at the vulgarity coming out of her mouth. “If you’re going, I’ll drive you. Someone has to be there so your poor mother doesn’t have to shuffle between the hospital and a prison cell. Now let’s go.”
“Whatever, mouse.”
13
“Before him he saw two roads, both equally straight; but he did see two; and that terrified him--he who had never in his life known anything but one straight line. And, bitter anguish, these two roads were contradictory.” ― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables
Madison
In under ten minutes, we were back at the party. Kyler jumped out of the car before I’d even placed it in park. He was so reckless and out of control. I wasn’t sure what he was hoping to get by coming here. None of these people would admit anything to him. I’m sure to the outside world it would look like another reason for Kyler to act out, but I’d seen how ruined he was as we waited for news about Tammy.
“Go home!” he yelled at me as he walked to the party. I parked the car and ran after him.
“Oh no, I’m not going anywhere,” I said once I was by his side. Kyler stopped walking, turning to look at me.
“Go home, mouse. I can’t be worried about you. I told you, I have shit to do.”
“You really think going in there and threatening everyone is going to do something?” I moved in between him and the front door. Kyler peered down on me, his height completely engulfing, making me feel every bit the mouse in comparison to him. He was larger than life.
“Listen, Maddy, some fucker in there drugged my sister in the hopes of raping her. You better believe I’m going in there to pound some faces in, until the fucker admits what he did.” His normally blue eyes were dark and cloudy, he grabbed his lip ring between his teeth and I was worried that his temper would pull it out, violently. “Maddy, you either have to move out of my way or I’m going to have to move you.” He stood there, just watching me, and when I didn’t move, he placed his arms around my waist and lifted me off the ground, then placed me to his side. Once I was in place--as if I was nothing more than a discarded toy--he marched into the house, almost kicking two kids sitting nearby.
“Kyler, please!” I begged, chasing after him. But he ignored me, moving quickly to the kitchen. Once he was there, he grabbed the first football player by the collar and hoisted him up against the wall.
“Who drugged my sister?” He asked, calmly, venom lacing his words. The football player twisted his face in shock, his hands raised into the air, his drink falling on the floor, clear liquid splattering like a Jackson Pollock painting. I grabbed Kyler’s arm, trying to get him to leave the guy alone and look at me. I wasn’t sure why I thought I could get Kyler to stop what he was doing. All he’d done was treat me like garbage before now.
Except in the waiting room.
For a second, I could see reason flash in his eyes. The insanity in them evaporated. Then he looked down at my arm and I immediately moved it as I remembered his aversion to being touched. Only this time he didn’t yell at me, this time he let go of the guy and let him slide to the floor in a relieved slump.
“Make sure you pass it around. Tell your fucking asshole buddies that if any of them go near Tamlin Sinclair they are dead.” He then turned, grabbing my hand and heading to the door.
“From first string quarterback to loser. What happened, Kyler? We used to look up to you, now you’re a waste of life. Your sister? Nothing but a slut. She was begging for it. Dressing the way she does, flirting with anyone with a cock,” the guy said, swaying as he stood, obviously very drunk.
Kyler dropped my hand and tumbled the guy onto the floor. He was on top of the football player, pummeling his fist into the other guy’s face without mercy. Pure white rage took over Kyler--he was merciless and violent. Blood dribbled and spurt from the football player’s face. I didn’t know what to do, I stood frozen, shock cemented on
