Page 61 of Meant to Be

He barreled through the door, forcing me to step back or be run over.

I watched as he fully moved into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind him.

He tilted his head, eyeing me carefully, sizing me up. “Want to tell me what happened out there?”

I wrinkled my brows, frowning, but avoided his eyes. “What are you talking about?” I was proud of myself for managing to keep the stutter out of my words.

He pushed out a heavy breath before advancing on me again. I backed up until my back hit the wall of the bathroom stall. He placed both of his palms at either side of my head.

“Trust isn’t something I give readily, especially not the second time around.”

I frowned, wondering where the hell this was going.

“But I gave it to you … twice. I trusted you as a friend and you left for seven years. I trusted you again and allowed you to move into my home. All I’m asking is for you to return the favor.”

“Wh—”

“What happened out there?” he questioned again, his tone brokering no room for bullshit.

I sighed and looked out over his shoulder to the corner of the bathroom, remembering the conversation that’d sent me spiraling into a near panic attack. Then I started to get angry.

“It just pisses me off,” I blurted out, turning my eyes to meet Joshua’s, “how people vigorously defend one group of people without knowing the full truth. They automatically assume the police were right and those boys were wrong. It’s bullshit.”

Joshua pulled back, lowering his hands but still eyeing me carefully. “The police? That’s what had you so upset you had to get up from the table?”

I nodded. “Yes … and no. It’s the adamant defense of them. As if they can do no wrong. He wasn’t there.” I pointed angrily at the door.

“He?”

“Carlson. He wasn’t there to see what happened but he was so damn sure those kids were wrong. It’s not right. Police are people just like the rest of us. They can be wrong sometimes, but this freaking hero worship that’s …” I trailed off knowing that I was too irate to continue without spilling my secrets. “It’s just not right. Sometimes the people we turn to be our saviors are the very ones we need protection from.”

I pushed out another hard breath; my chest was heaving but I’d felt as if I’d gotten a little bit of the weight off of it. That was, until I looked into Joshua’s storm-clouded eyes.

“The poli—” Whatever he’d been about to say was silenced by a loud knocking on the door.

“Hey, you still in there?” someone called through the door.

“Wait a fucking minute!” Joshua growled back before turning back to me. “Tell me what happened,” he demanded, his chest heaving.

“I—”

Another knock. “Come on, buddy. My lady’s really gotta go!”

Pissed, Joshua turned from me, stomping over to the bathroom door, yanking it open. “Look, motherfucker, I told you—”

“No!” I chimed in, placing my hand on Joshua’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, we’ve been in here a long time. Please,” I begged, taking Joshua’s hand in mine, pulling him from the bathroom entrance.

After another tug of the arm, Joshua finally looked from the guy at the bathroom doorway to me, silently agreeing and moving out of the bathroom.

“Dance with me,” I insisted, pulling him in the direction of the dance floor.

Somehow, Joshua took the lead, escorting us to the middle of the dance floor. A slow song just happened to be playing. We weren’t the only pair out there. In fact, it was almost difficult to find enough space for us, but as always, it seemed Joshua was able to bend those around him to his will. A space opened up for us, and his muscled arm moved around my waist, pulling me into him. My body immediately heated with the closeness. Comfort and the feeling of safety, I hadn’t even realized I was longing for, filled my entire body.

I leaned my head on his shoulder and let his strength wrap itself up in me, making me forget everything except his embrace.

“Whoever it was that hurt you, I will kill them.”

My body went rigid at the deadly tone in his voice. But Joshua kept dancing right in time with the music.