Page 70 of Before You
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I’m awoken by the sound of banging and the lack of JJ’s body heat as he climbs out of bed.
“What time is it?” I whisper, a pit in the bottom of my stomach as I throw the covers back, moving to follow him.
“It’s almost two,” he says, moving toward my bedroom door as more banging sounds. “Stay here, Marley.”
As much as I want to stay here and hide, I’m not letting him answer the door by himself, and Bria’s here. “No, I’m coming with you,” I insist, and thankfully, JJ doesn’t try to stop me.
“For fuck’s sake, do you have any idea what fucking time it is?” Bria yells through the door as JJ flips the kitchen lights on, illuminating the darkness. The expression on Bria’s face is murderous, but the pounding from the other side of the door doesn’t stop.
“Bria, who is it?” JJ asks, his entire body coiled as he stalks toward the door.
“I don’t know. They covered the peephole with their hand!” Bria smacks on the door a couple times in return. “Fuck off, you fucking coward! I hope you choke on your own dick.”
I’m sure later this will be funny, but at the moment, it feels like my heart has leaped to my throat.
“Should we call the police?” I ask, and JJ falters, seeming to contemplate the suggestion.
“Dial it just in case, but don’t call until we know who it is. It’s closing time at the bars on a Thursday night. Could just be some drunk kid thinking this is his apartment,” he says, and it makes sense, even if it doesn’t make me feel any better. I’m definitely glad Dad had a locksmith change the lock.
“If you call the police it’s because I’m going away for murder. Some of us actually need sleep,” Bria shouts at the door again, and JJ’s hand hovers over the lock as the pounding increases.
“You’re not helping by yelling through the door,” he says, and she scoffs, disappearing into her room to return with her phone in hand.
What if it’s not some drunk guy at the wrong apartment? I just have a bad feeling this is all about to go horribly wrong. A part of me wants to tell Bria to call anyway because it’s exactly what we’d be doing if JJ weren’t here.
He glances back at me, worry twisting his features, and I hold my breath as he flips the lock, opening the door. To my surprise, Trent falls against the opening door, grabbing the frame to catch himself.
“Marley, I’m so fucking sorry,” he slurs, and I gasp in surprise, but he’s also the only person I know crazy enough to do something like this.
“Trent?”
JJ looks at me in shock, clearly not expecting this either.
Trent’s brown eyes find me, then Bria, and I see the confusion in Trent’s expression. My stomach drops when Trent finally looks at JJ, still holding the door partly closed as the muscles in his arms bulge under the pressure from Trent’s body leaning against the door.
“Walker? You’re here?”
Oh shit. This is really not good.
“What the fuck are you thinking showing up here, drunk off your fucking ass to bang on the door where two women live alone? What the hell is wrong with you?” JJ asks, his voice low and trembling with a rage I haven’t heard from him before. I won’t even argue with him if he tries to sayI told you solater—I’m just so damn glad he’s here.
“I want to talk to Marley,” Trent says, rubbing his eyes as his balance wavers.
“No,” JJ and Bria say at the same time.
“C’est bon. Je vais lui parler,”19 I correct them, stepping forward.
JJ frowns, clearly disagreeing with me.“Je ne te laisse pas seule avec lui quand il est comme ça.”20
“Please, babe,” Trent pleads from where he stands.
I nod to JJ, silently telling him it’s okay to let him in.Bad idea, Marley. Don’t do it.I drag my hands over my face, taking a step closer to JJ as Trent stumbles into the apartment. My nose immediately wrinkles, protesting the smell of booze following him. Bria pops a squat at one of our barstools, scowling at Trent as she does.
“You wanted to talk to her, so fuckingtalk,” Bria seethes, crossing her arms over her chest.
“She’s got a lot of bite, JJ. Watch your dick so you don’t lose it,” Trent says, making the mistake of taunting Bria. I don’t have a chance to see her reaction because I’m focused entirely on how JJ bristles at his comment.
