Page 77 of Battered Moves

“I thought someone was watching us, but maybe I’m just being paranoid,” I say, a shiver running down my spine.

“We should get you home,” Gunner suggests, gently prodding us to start moving again. I turn to Chris.

“Want to join us?” I ask her. “We could order sushi and start a new series.”

“Sounds great,” Chris says, her face lighting up. We turn to make our way back to Gunner’s car, ready to continue our day indoors. Just as we catch sight of his Land Rover, a shrill voice cuts through the chatter around us.

“That’s her! The bitch that ruined his life!”

My eyes grow wide as I turn to Gunner, panic flooding my system as we search for the source of the accusation. Suddenly, I’m shoved from behind, but Chris just barely manages to catch me. Gunner, dropping all the shopping bags, moves quickly to defend us as a crowd begins to gather. A blonde girl steps forward, her face twisted with rage.

“You fucking whore, look at you! Living your best life, riding four different dicks, while he’s locked away all because he trusted you.”

Chris steps in front of me as Gunner takes a protective stance at my back.

“Watch your mouth and get the fuck out of here,” Chris says, her voice calm, but there’s an undercurrent of threat in her words. With a snarl, the girl steps towards Chris.

“Oh, what’s going to happen? Are you going to call her little posse of lovers to defend her?” she asks.

Behind us, Gunner keeps the growing crowd at bay, his tall frame a solid barrier between us and them. Amidst the chaos, another girl lunges, pushing me hard. I stumble backwards, falling onto the cold concrete, and the contents of my purse scatter everywhere. The fall scrapes my palm open, a sharp sting radiating from it. My gaze shifts from my injured hand just in time to see Chris striking back, her fist colliding with the face of the girl who shoved me. She gets ready to hit Chris back, when Gunner intercedes.

In a flash, he’s there, stepping between the two girls and us. His eyes hard and his stance firm.

“That’s enough!” His authoritative voice echoes through the tense air, immediately drawing everyone’s attention.

The girl who shoved me stares at him wide-eyed, her bravado faltering. The crowd watches, waiting to see how this standoff will turn out. Gunner turns to face the girls, a cold fury in his eyes.

“This is your last warning,” he says, voice chillingly calm. “Walk away now.”

With a huff, the girl that shows me backs away. Her gaze lingers on me for a moment before she turns to leave, her friend following suit. The crowd slowly disperses as the excitement dies down.

Gunner helps me stand, while Chris picks up my purse and its contents from the ground. They’re both visibly concerned but try to mask it with nonchalant expressions.

“Are you hurt, Liv?” Gunner asks, inspecting my scraped hand. I shake my head, wincing a little.

“I’ll be okay. Let’s just…let’s go home,” I say.

We quickly gather our shopping bags and make our way to the Land Rover, leaving the whispers and murmurs of the crowd behind us.When we get in the car, I look over to Chris.

“Girl, you are vicious,” I say, but she just shrugs.

“Nobody hurts my BFF.”

* * *

We’ve barely stepped foot inside the guys’ house when I realize something is missing. As I reach into my purse for my phone, my fingers close around nothing but empty space.

“Damn it!” I shout, frustration bubbling up inside me. Gunner, ever vigilant, is by my side in a heartbeat.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, his eyes scanning our surroundings.

“My phone’s missing. It must’ve fallen out when that girl shoved me,” I say, cringing at the memory. Chris quickly hands me her unlocked phone.

“Here, call River. He can wipe your phone remotely so no one can get a hold of your data,” she says. Nodding, I quickly dial River’s number.

“Hey loser, I already told you there will be no revenge. You suck balls, live with it,” River says as he picks up, and his light-hearted greeting brings a smirk to my face. I’ve never heard River speak so casually, and it’s amusing.

“Never thought sucking balls would be a bad thing,” I say, chuckling.

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