Page 35 of Redeemed

“He’s an angry man,” I explain. “He takes it out on the whole team.”

“Oh.” She looks disturbed, but we’re all distracted a moment later by Colton calling out to us. She turns, and a bright smile blooms on her face as she waves at him.

With his bag slung over his shoulder, Colton jogs over to us. He kisses Haven on the cheek, which makes her blush, before settling down in our circle. “Hey, angel. Your day going okay?”

“Mmhmm.”

The way she beams up at Colton has jealousy curling around my heart. I get that she’s known him longer, but I want her to look at me and Xan like that, too. I already can’t stop thinking about what it’d be like to have her sandwiched between the two of us in bed, both of us inside her. We’d have to work her up to it, I’m sure, butgoddo I want it.

“You have any plans tonight?” Colton asks Haven, forcing me back to reality.

She nods. “Actually, I should probably head back to my dorm. Athelia is trying to teach me how to do makeup, and we don’t have a lot of time before the party we’re going to tonight, so—”

Xander’s thigh goes stiff under my hand.“What?”

Her eyes turn wide and questioning at his harsh tone. “She’s taking me to a party tonight?”

“Just the two of you?” I ask, already knowing what Xander is worried about.

“Um, yes? Our original plan was to go with Wesley and Cal and Kellan, but something happened last week, and now they’re not talking to Athelia.”

“Figures,” Colton mutters under his breath.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Xander asks.

“Nothing.” He shrugs. “Wesley is just an asshole, that’s all. So are his friends. It’s good that they dropped Athelia. She’s better off without them, and so are you.”

“I didn’t realize.” Haven’s brows pull together, and her eyes go unfocused. “They were so nice to Athelia up until last week.”

“I’ve known Wesley practically my entire life,” Colton says flatly. “He’snotnice.”

“Oh,” Haven says quietly.

“Okay, but can we get back to the point?” I ask. “What the hell is this party? Where is it at? And why the fuck do you think it’s a good idea to go alone?”

Haven shoots me a confused look. “I’m not going alone. Athelia will be with me.”

“Yeah, and what’s she gonna do if some random jackass starts groping you?” Colton says, tone flat.

At that, Haven pales. “People would—people would do that? To a stranger?”

Xander’s expression turns pitying. From what little we know, it seems like she’s been through hell and back. I see a lot of the same hangups in her that I saw in Xander while he was trying to undo everything his childhood church did to him.

Yet Haven has maintained such a high level of innocence and naivety. It kills me. Watching her slowly learn about how horrifying the real world is only makes me want to shield her from it more. She doesn’t deserve to get caught up in all the bullshit life has to offer.

“Not to you, they won’t,” Xander says through gritted teeth. “No one is getting anywhere near you.”

“What time are you two heading out?” I ask her.

“Um, seven, I think?”

Colton nods. “Then we’ll meet you at your dorm at six-thirty.”

. . .

The party is at some random frat house, so it’s exactly what we were expecting. Music is blasting from somewhere inside, there’s a shit ton of alcohol, and the smell of weed clings to us as we walk inside.

Immediately, I notice how overwhelmed Haven looks. I’m not sure she’s ever been to a party like this, so I slide my arm around her shoulders and squeeze reassuringly.

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