Page 151 of Endgame

That was it.

That was all it took to make Rourke snap.

Shoving past me in a violent haze, Rourke plowed into Daniel. Both boys went crashing to floor, their fists a blur, and my screams were swallowed up by the hooting and cheering of everyone at the dance who were now forming a circle around the boys.

“Rourke!” I screamed, attempting and failing to shove my way past the circle of onlookers, desperate to get to my boyfriend and stop him from doing something that could potentially get him thrown off his beloved football team. “Rourke, stop!”

Relief flooded my body when I watched a trail of security guards, led by Mr. Trimble, our teacher chaperone for the night, break through the crowd and drag the boys apart.

That relief was quickly replaced with sheer fucking horror as I watched Britt walk right up to Rourke and throw her arms around him.

Rourke didn’t push her off or try and step away from her, either. He just continued to launch slur after slur at Daniel who was being half dragged, half carried out of the room by two security guards, his face a bloodied mess.

If I was just a passerby and didn’t know better, I would have sworn Rourke and Britt were a couple. They looked like a couple with Britt fawning all over Rourke and dabbing her fingers against the cut on his bottom lip, and him standing there,letting her.

And then Rourke was also moving, being escorted from the room by security with Britt hurrying along after him in her pink princess-cut dress and stupid blonde hair.

Rourke

“ROURKE, YOU’RE BLEEDING! Omigod, you’re bleeding!”

“Back the fuck up, Britt,” I warned for the tenth fucking time, jerking my head back from her. I was fully aware I was bleeding.

Westbrook busted my mouth up tonight. My only consolation was the fact that I’d beat him to a pulp. The satisfaction I’d felt when I watched him being helped from the room tonight had somewhat calmed my temper. I was still burning mad though. What he’d said about Six? I should have fucking buried him in the ground.

Motherfucker.

“I’m trying to help you,” Britt hissed, reaching up with a cotton pad to swipe my lip.

“And I told you, I don’t need your goddamn help. Christ!” I snarled, catching her hand and knocking it away. “Why are you even here?” I demanded, gesturing to the small room security had placed me in while management called my father.

Tonight was one of those rare nights I thanked Jesus that Gabe was my father. His name and my mother’s money were the only two reasons I hadn’t been hauled off in handcuffs tonight. My father owned half the town and he was a respected business man. Not by me, but the grown-ups of Ocean Bay seemed to like him and, right now, those were the ones I needed on my side.

Christ, Dad was going to be mad as hell with me when he found out I’d been fighting again. I’d barely gotten off without serving time in juvie last time.

In my defense, what brother wouldn’t beat the shit out of the prick he caught molesting his sister?

Courts didn’t see it that way though…

“I didn’t ask you to come with me,” I added, turning my attention back to Britt. And I certainly didn’t want her here. “So, why don’t you just go?”

“Rourke!” She looked genuinely taken aback. “I’m here because I care about you.” She sniffled, before adding, “Because I still love you.”

I didn’t reply to that because in all honesty, what could I say?

That I hated her?

No.

That I didn’t care about her?

I couldn’t say that either.

“I don’t…” I paused and pinched the bridge of my nose as I searched for the words to make this as painless as possible. I didn’t want to hurt Britt, but I needed her to let me go once and for all. “The boy in me will always love you, Britt,” I finally said with a pained sigh.

“Then take me back, Rourke!” With tears streaming down her cheeks, she continued to beg me “Please. I’m sorry, I am. I’ve learned my lesson. Just take me back.”

“But the man?” I held a hand out, warding her off. “The man in me got over you a long time ago.”

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