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Chapter Three

Descent into Madness

Erin

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“IWONDERED WHAT YOUwere going to say to her then, mate!” Miles laughed, dropping his enormous backpack to the floor.

“Why?” James snorted, slapping Miles on the shoulder. “Did you think I was going to say her tits?”

Watching the interchange between the two purported men, shock resounded. How could Chelle be in love with someone who talked about her that way?

“Well, that’d be nice.” Miles’s grin knotted the growing disgust in my belly. They were talking about my friend as though she were nothing but an animal. “I’m sure she has a decent rack.”

“Her tits are the best.” James’s smile stretched wider. “Maybe if you’re lucky, you’ll—"

“Are you going to let him talk about you that way, Chelle?” In the end, there was no choice but to interrupt their diatribe.

Chelle had asked me to give James a chance, but even if she was okay with the public derision, I couldn’t abide his disrespect.

“He’s only joking.” Chelle flushed, somehow able to make excuses for the rudeness inflicted upon her.

“Yeah, lighten up.” Miles sighed. “Just because no one wants to see your tits doesn’t mean you have to have a tantrum.”

“You’re pathetic!” I prodded a finger in Miles’s direction. “There’s nothing funny about this.”

“You do need to lighten up.” James leered. “It’ll be the last time Chelle invites you on one of our little getaways.”

“Thank God for that!” Dropping my bag to the ground, adrenaline galloped through my system. “But Chelle deserves respect whether I’m here or not!”

“Oh, settle down.” James feigned exasperation. “It’s just banter, and Chelle’s all right with it, aren’t you, love?”

His stare drilled into Chelle’s reddening face, encouraging us all to look her way.

“Are you, Chelle?” I prompted, struggling to believe she found anything about James’s performance acceptable.

The woman I knew had clear boundaries about respect and how she deserved to be treated, but it appeared that being with James had eroded them.

“Erm.” Chelle’s gaze flitted between us all, the panic flashing in her eyes suggesting she wished the ground would just open up and swallow her. “I’d rather we just all change the subject.”

“I said, aquickbreak.” Eli’s voice permeated the rising tension, and glancing behind me, I found him leaning against the nearest tree, his pack deposited by his feet.

He hadn’t said anything overtly to criticize or condone James’s behavior, but I had the distinct impression he was getting fed up with him too.

“If all you’re going to do is argue,” Eli continued, “then we might as well keep going.”

“No way.” James shook his head. “I want pictures! Chelle, where’s the camera?”

“I’ll grab it.” Opening her backpack, she searched around inside.

Perturbed at her lack of response to James’s blatant misogyny, I did the same, rummaging around in my bag in an attempt to avoid eye contact with anyone. Finding my water, I pulled out the bottle and slowly unscrewed the lid.