Page 80 of How We Loved

Her head drops with what looks like shame and embarrassment, which only fuels my anger more. No one is allowed to make Maya feel this way.

I place my finger under her chin, bringing her sight back to me. “Don’t worry. I’ll get both back. You go with Natalie, and I’ll meet you back at my place, okay?”

She nods so I give her one more hug, then hand her off to Natalie as us guys head toward my truck.

“Ben.” She stops me.

“Yeah, Sunshine?”

“Don’t fight him. It’s not worth it. Please just get my stuff and come home.”

I give a slight nod, but don’t actually respond, then get in my truck.

Dalton, who hops in the back seat, leans forward. “We’re going to fuck this guy up, right?”

I start the truck and look to both Eli and Dalton. “Fuck yeah, we are.”

A calmness washes over me as I drive to where I remember her being earlier, using the window factory that’s next to it as my guide.

There’s no question as to my actions or what is going to happen as soon as I get there—just pure focus on what has to be done.

I follow my location on the map, using it as a guide to get to where I want to be. When I see the group of trucks off in the distance, I lock in, never so ready in my life for what’s to come.

As I pull the truck probably closer than I should to the crowd, it definitely gets everyone’s attention, standing out like a shiny trophy compared to what everyone else has parked here.

“You guys just make sure no one else jumps in. This is my fight and my fight only.”

Dalton places his hand on my shoulder. “We got you.”

We all hop out, and instantly, the guys in the crowd stand to attention, knowing we aren’t here to just hang out. It’s obvious we have very specific business to take care of with the way we stride with authority, looking for one person in particular.

“You guys lost?” some guy asks.

I eyeball fuck him, then growl, “Trevor.”

Everyone rats him out like the pussies they all are compared to the three of us.

This proves he’s an asshole, and nobody gives a shit if we kick his ass. If someone showed up like this to a party of ours for any one of our friends, they’d have to get through a group of guys before they got to the one they wanted. Not here though. They are rolling out the red carpet for us, like they’re happy someone is finally going to put him in his place, when they look his direction to see he’s already wrapped up in some other girl.

“Trev, you got company,” I hear someone yell in the crowd.

He stands up, knocking the girl off his lap, when he sees me approaching him. “What the fuck are?—”

I don’t let him finish that sentence as I sock him across the face with so much force that I see a tooth go flying out of his mouth.

I hear commotion behind me, but I pay it no attention, as I’m only here for one thing, and I know Dalton and Eli have the rest of the crowd under control.

Trevor falls to the ground and looks back up at me, holding his jaw.

“Get up! Fight me like a man, you fucking pussy.”

I kick him as he tries to get up, knocking him to the ground again.

“What? You only fight pure, defenseless little girls, you fucking asshole?” I kick him again.

I can tell the commotion has stopped around me as the entire party goes silent. Every person here knows he came with Maya tonight, and every person must see that she’s not here anymore.

He tries to get up, and I don’t know why, but something in me snaps. I hop on top of him, punching him with a right, then a left. I pick him up, then slam him back on the ground.

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