Page 107 of Broken Ties (Rixon High 4)

“We walk right in.” I shrugged, adrenaline coursing through me. Poppy was in there. My sister was in there. If someone had hurt them… I shut those thoughts down.

They needed me.

“Come on,” I said, shouldering my door and climbing out. The security guy didn’t look twice as we slipped inside. Music pulsed through me, the air thick and heavy. I pulled out my phone and texted Poppy.

Me: We’re here. Where are you?

“Aaron, thank God,” Peyton appeared looking flustered.

“What happened? Where’s Sofia? Poppy?”

“They’re okay. They’re in the back. Come on.” She grabbed my hand and I motioned for the guys to follow me.

The hulk of a security guy let us follow her through a door marked ‘PRIVATE,’ the skin along the back of my neck tingling with awareness.

What the fuck had happened tonight?

But when I ducked into the room Peyton disappeared into, I would have never predicted the scene in front of me.

“What the fuck happened to you two?” I said as I scanned my sister and Poppy propped up against each other on a table.

Sofia pursed her lips and groaned, “Hi, Brother.” But Poppy barely looked at me, and it hurt.

It hurt so fucking much that the girl who used to look at me like I was everything to her now couldn’t even meet my eyes.

“Holy shit,” Cole and Ezra came inside and the blood drained from Sofia’s face.

“You brought them too?”

“I didn’t realize this was a one-person mission, Sofe. Besides, it’s just Cole and E.”

She buried her face into her hands.

“Will someone please tell me what the fuck is—”

Poppy finally lifted her face and the world went from under me.

“P-Poppy?”

The deep purple bruise along her jaw was already in full bloom.

“Okay, who the fuck do I have to kill?” Because someone had touched her. Someone had hurt her.

“Relax, Rocky,” Peyton said, lacing her arm through mine as if she was anchoring me into the room. “A fight broke out, and they got caught up in it.”

“Shit,” Ezra hissed. “Are you both okay?”

“A little shook up.” Sofia murmured, uncertainty swimming in her eyes. “I… uh, I may have fainted again.”

“What?” My voice shook with anger. “Why the fuck aren’t you at the hospital?”

“Because, asshole, I’m not going to run to the hospital every time it happens. I’m fine. Security brought us back here and their designated first aid person checked me over.”

Cole stalked toward her and pressed the palm of his hand against her forehead. “She feels okay.”

Sofia muttered, “Idiot,” under her breath and swatted him away. “I fainted. I don’t have a fever. Remind me not to get sick with you around, Dr. Clueless.”

Inching back, Cole ran a hand through his hair and down the back of his neck.

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