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“Okay.” Allie shrugs, stepping inside, making sure the door closes on CJ.
CJ mutters something under his breath as he follows, coming to a stop behind the line of people waiting to order.
“You are such a sore loser,” Allie grumbles.
“No, I’m not,” CJ defends. “We were going easy on you two, anyway.”
I burst out laughing, shuffling forward as the queue moves.
Allie and CJ continue to bicker back and forth, and my laughter becomes louder and harder. A cold wind breezes through the takeout place as another group enters, all chatting and laughing drunkenly. My guess is they’ve all come from the bar down the street. Apparently, it’s the go-to place for Whithall University students since the main club got shut down.
Too busy reading the food menu above the counter, I miss the sudden silence and tension around me, until it’s too late.
“See, boys? She’s already opening her legs for some other poor fucker. Rape—my fucking arse,” Logan sneers.
I clench my eyes shut, a wave of dizziness hitting me, causing me to lose my balance.
Cole reaches out and steadies me, and I glance up at him, showing him I’m okay. His jaw is clenched, his eyes narrowed into slits. Even though I know it’s not aimed at me but at Logan, it still gives me a chill. My entire body has tensed, unable to turn around and address Logan’s comment. I’m not ready. I’ve managed to avoid him around the university, never bumping into him once. It worried me at first. I thought I’d bump into him everywhere, but it seems lady luck wanted to throw me some luck. Until now. Either that or he’s been playing mind games with me this whole time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to come at me.
“Knew the sket was lying, mate. Had no doubt,” Alec speaks up, a bite in his tone.
Hearing his voice beside Logan’s is like the knife Logan shoved into my back being twisted. When did they become friends? Did they bond over my rape? My stomach twists once again. I’m no longer hungry. I’ve not seen Alec either since the ‘incident’, another reminder of that horrible nightmare of a morning. He’s not been on my radar. In the grand scheme of things, what he did is insignificant compared to what Logan did to me.
“What, got nothing to say, babe?” Logan taunts, and hearing him call me babe has my stomach curdling, twisting up in knots.
“Unless you want another arse kicking, I suggest you fuck off, right now,” Cole threatens menacingly, taking a step forward.
“Yeah? Touch me again and I won’t hold back on pressing charges this time,” Logan warns, sounding so much like his father it makes me sick.
“Yeah?” Cole states, moving further away from me. I’m still facing away, with my back to them all. I can feel all their prying gazes on me, judging me, waiting for my reaction. My breathing picks up and my head begins to swirl, a headache forming.
Clenching my fists, I take in a deep breath, remembering the words Jackie said to me about controlling my triggers. Hearing his voice feels like reliving that nightmare of a morning all over again. His scent, the feel of his hand on my breast, and the way he acted like a stranger. It was unnerving and frightening.
Breathe in: one, two, three…Counting onwards, my panic attack begins, and I manage to take in a breath without struggle or the urge to claw at my chest.
When everything around me begins to clear, I hear arguing and feel warm hands touching my cheeks. Opening my eyes, Allie comes into view, her eyebrows turned down and her lips downcast.
She flicks a brief glance over my shoulder, her pupils dilating. “Are you okay?”
I nod jerkily. “Yeah,” I tell her.
The sound of wood splintering jolts me away from Allie, and I spin around, coming face to face with the horror before me.
CJ has Alec pinned to the wall by his throat. My gaze moves briefly to Alec, surprised I feel nothing when I see him. Yeah, I hate him for what he did, but that’s all I feel when I think of him ? well, that and disgust. The left side of his face is red from where someone has clearly punched him.
To my right, more grunting and growls grab my attention. Two staff begin shouting at Cole and Logan to get out, that they’re calling the police, but neither Cole nor Logan look like they’ve heard a thing over the sound of fists hitting bare skin.
“She’s a fucking slut,” Logan snaps, blood dripping down his lip and smothered all over his teeth.
“You’re a fucking rapist,” Cole spits back, and is hauled back by two lads. One moves to Logan, pulling him back, and the other struggles to hold Cole back.
Logan pushes his friend into a table and chairs, uncaring that he just hurt his friend. His spits on the ground, glaring at Cole. “You think you’re gonna get away with this?”
“Yeah, I really do,” Cole snarls, not backing down.
“You hit first, dickhead,” CJ grunts, curling his lip.
“I’m going to bury you,” Logan growls, shrugging his mate’s arms off him when another tries to intervene.