Page 12 (1/2)

3 years ago…

"Youe hit the beach on the outskirts of town A bonfire blazes in the firepit, andto the sound of the rock songs puh the speakers soht of the su it out in style

"What did you do, rob a liquor store?" One of the guys takes in our haul

Jace laughs, unloading our stash of six-packs and bottled beer "Help yourselves" he tells the h the crowd

"Way to buy us some favor," I murmur to Jace, amused

"Give the people what they want and they’ll love you forever" he winks

And the people love Jace When we first dropped by these beach bonfire hangouts at the start of suave us a wary side-eye We’re outsiders, after all, and worse than that: rich su brother, and soon enough Jace had the out of the palm of his hand with free beers and his effortless char, not even suspicious townies

We reach a spot in the sand with a prime view of the party Jace pops the top on a cold one and hands it tothe scene "It’s now or never"

"For what?" I ask, feeling the beer buzz work its way into ht Mo about my class schedule for the fall, and all the clubs and activities they expect ht that college would be a fresh start for oing to be the same old story in a nen

"For your waitress," Jace replies, pointing across the sunset beach

I see her there in the crowd, and I stop

Brittany Ray

I’ve been watching her all suirl just screams out to be noticed It’s not her crazy dyed hair, or herdeeper than that, the furious challenge in her eyes

Danger

I’h So despite everything in o say ‘hi’ every tied to stay away, keep ht in a fli, choppy in her eyes Walking te you, ive her a beer I’ you drool every tiue weakly

Jace just shakes his head "You’ve got to uys will beat you to it Huh," he adds, glancing back across the beach "Looks like someone already has"

I try to play it cool, but I can’t help turning back to check out what hein on Brit They’ve got her trapped between theht of the fire, I can tell, she’s not laughing

Before I can think about it, I’h the croards them

"Back off!"

I hear her protest as I approach theuys, but he just catches her around her waist, pulling her in against him

"What do you say?" thean outsize football shirt, a red band of sunburn across the back of his thick neck "Think she can handle the two of us?"

"Fuck yeah" He grabs Brit’s ass "You like it crazy, don’t you, slut?"

I see red

Without a word, I pull hi with bone in a satisfying crack

Someone screa at me He lowers his head and tackleson the football tearound, I’ve twisted on top of hi sharp punches down on his face and neck until an arm comes down aroundheavily It’s the first guy, with a bloody nose now and murder in his eyes He punches me hard in the stomach before I have tih me, and I stumble back, bent double I try to recover to uy can follow up, Jace is on hih!" Jace orders

"Are you kidding? He started it! He’s fking crazy!" The guy yells, still swinging Jace doesn’t budge

"And you’re an asshole, but here we are" Jace looks over at the guy I left on the ground, now groaning on his hands and knees "You OK?" Jace calls out

"I’uy splutters, then spits out a mouthful of blood

"Sure you could" Jace rolls his eyes, before continuing in an even voice "But then I’d have to pile in, it would get out of hand, soet you guys some beers, and we call it quits? Hunter will behave, won’t you bro?"

I growl, fists still clenched atlook If Douche and Douchier’s buddies pile on, we’ll be way outnuritted teeth "I’ the other guy fro his head towards the shore

That’s when I realize, Brit is nowhere to be seen While ere fighting over here, punches flying, she just walked away

I don’t give the guys another look I take off in the direction Jace is pointing, down along the shoreline until the party is way behind us and I can see the dark shadow ahead of me

"Brit!" I call "Brit, wait up"