Page 99 of Wolf.e
“For a newbie sweetbutt, you sure are a mouthy one, darlin’, it’s kind of refreshing.” She laughs like I’m the butt of her joke.
“So glad I can refresh you,” I say as I pick up one of Chris’s shots from the table between us.
Chris chuckles. “Calm down, tiger,” he whispers to his side.
I nod.
Chelsea distracts herself when she sees another woman she knows and gets up to hug her.
I take the moment of peace to force myself to turn back and engage in conversation with Layla. I will not let this woman ruin my mini vacation.
I will not.
“Hold up, settle this,” Chelsea calls to our group not five minutes later, rearing her ugly head. “When was the first year we rallied in Harmony?” she asks.
“Three years ago?” Chantel offers. I pretend I don’t hear them.
Chelsea knocks back another shot. I watch a beautiful smile take over her face in my periphery. “That’s right. The night we had the party at St. Henry’s old resort… I missed half of it because that’s the night Wolfe took me into the shed and we…well, you know. I think we’re due for another rally out there, aren’t we?” She smirks right at me.
“Chels,” Chantel warns.
I know she’s trying to goad me. I know all about girls like her, I was bullied when I was younger by girls like her. My mother always told me they were jealous and maybe she was right because there should be no other reason for her to goad me. Chelsea knew the first day I met her that there was something between Gabriel and me, and she’s trying to show me who the true Veteran is here and who doesn’t belong.
“What?” Chelsea is a little more loose now after a few shots. “Fucking Sandra Dee comes in and we can’t reminisce?” She turns to me and guffaws a real hearty sound. “I have news for you, sweetheart. If you’re going to flinch because Wolfe and I hooked up, you might as well not even look around because”—she leans in—“I’m pretty sure he’s hit every chick here.”
That’s it. I go to move but Chris sticks his arm out in front of me and stops me dead. I look at him and he just shakes his head no.
“You’re gonna get my ass kicked if you get in a fight. She’s not worth it.” He looks right up at Chelsea. “You have him. You win,” he says loud enough for her to hear.
Bless him for defending me.
“Shehas him?” She laughs. “Tonight maybe, tomorrow he’s a free agent again.”
“She’s with him,” Chris says, trying to take the heat off me.
She shakes her head “Uh-uh. Y’all are fucking with me,right? Wolfe doesn’t have an ol’ lady. Especially nother. He’d fall asleep before his jizz hit the condom.”
I look up at her and something in me snaps. Suddenly, she is every single person who has ever tried to knock me down, told me to take a seat, act like a lady, fold my hands, or keep my mouth shut. She’s the epitome of them, right here in front of me.
“I’m not anoldanything but you will respect me, and my name is Brinley, you bitch,” I seethe as I stand.
Layla rises too, and I swear I hear Chris mutter “fuck me” under his breath.
“You can’t be twenty-years-old, and I know that pussy would bore him to fucking tears. What are you, someone’s kid he’s trying to do a deal with?”
“Chelsea, if this is true, Wolfe will have your head for talking to her like this,” her friend warns her.
“She’s right, he will,” Layla chimes in.
I look at her friend but speak directly to Chelsea. “Your friend is smart enough to keep her mouth shut, but you don’t seem to be. So, I’ll tell you this only once.” I close the distance between us in two steps with Chris on my heels. “Gabrielis mine, if you want to keep that face pretty, I suggest you keep those eyes focused on the grass and your well-used mouth shut when he’s around.”
“Or what?” she spits out, pushing me backward. “You won’t invite me to your next slumber party,Sandra?”
I see red. I lunge at her. Maybe it’s because Gabriel’s been training me so frequently that hitting her just seems like second nature, or maybe it’s because she’s been grating on my nerves since the moment we met. Or maybe, I don’t even care what the reason is. I instinctively bring my handsup and throw a right hook, making sure I follow through with my entire body. I hit her square in the face and it’s a good one. Chelsea falls backward, landing right on her ass in the muddy grass. Blood starts pouring from her nose. Before I can hit her again, or even get near her, Chris has my body in his arms, pulling me back.
“Bitch!” Chelsea yells, clutching her nose.
Someone grabs a hold of her and presses a bandana or a rag against her face to help stop the bleeding.
