Page 25 of Ride or Die (The Shores #1)

CHAPTER

TWENTY-FIVE

brAWL

LAYLA

When we get back to my house, I look up at the place that I share with my shitty sister and parents. I don’t want to be here if I don’t have to.

“Would you mind if I stayed at your place tonight?” I ask quietly, looking over at him. He smiles.

“I was hoping you'd ask. I could use a good cuddle to sleep. One night away from you was too much.”

I giggle. He is so cute with me, and I am not lost on how ironic that is, considering how he just fucked me.

“Come up with me to help me pack an overnight bag?”

Colt nods and gets out of the car. Once we get inside, we go straight to my room.

He sits on the bed while I start packing some clothes, my laptop for schoolwork, and my personal hygiene products.

I’m still standing at my dresser when Colton comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me into him.

He burrows his face into my neck, breathing me in.

“Mmm, you always smell so good,” he mumbles, sending shivers down my spine.

“If you keep distracting me I won’t be able to pack and get out of here so we can cuddle like you want.” I rest my head back against his shoulder, and he groans.

“You’re right. Pack for a few days. I’m not going to be able to let you leave. Fuck it, you should just move in with me,” he says passively, like he didn’t just come out with something so monumental. My eyes widen.

“Oh, don’t look at me like that. We’re always together anyway, and my mom doesn’t give a shit what we do. If you want to, you can stay however long you want. This is our life now, babe.”

Happiness overwhelms me, and I throw myself against his broad chest, hugging him tightly. He squeezes me back and kisses my head.

“I love you so damn much,” he mumbles into my hair.

I take his advice and throw in a couple more outfits. He’s right. I don’t want to be here anyway, and if he wants me to, I’m more than happy to stay at his place more frequently.

Once I’m packed, we get back into the car and go to the store for some snacks and drinks. When we pull up to his house, we find a whole crew of people who have just let themselves in uninvited, partying in the garage after the races like they always do.

“The fuck?” Colt says under his breath as his headlights fall upon the bustling garage.

Of course, Simone and Serena are there, being their usual slutty selves. They have some fucking nerve showing up to Colt’s after their little stunt.

Rage fills my insides.

“It’s okay, babe. Just ignore them. I’m going to kick everyone out of here. I don’t know why they’re here when I didn’t invite them. I wasn’t even at the fucking race. They can go to Axel’s.”

“No, no. I gotta do something first.” We get out of the car and I slam the door, seeing him wince in my peripheral vision.

I storm over to the bitches who attempted to lure my boyfriend and then sent me a video to make it look like he cheated.

They went to some fucking great lengths to get between us, and it almost worked.

Thankfully, I made at least one friend while being Colt’s girlfriend, and she talked some sense into me.

But I'm sick of this shit. It ends today.

I march right up to Simone, who has a smug look on her face, then she sees Colt behind me and her smile drops.

“You fucking bitch!” I shriek as I pull my arm back and crank her right in the nose. I feel the crunch under my fist, and she yelps as her nose immediately begins to bleed.

She did not see that coming.

Everyone in the garage gasps as they look on. Serena’s beside her, and her mouth gapes wide open. I bring my hand back and slap her so hard across the face it stings from the impact. The sound echoes through the garage, and a collective “oooh” is heard from the party-goers.

“Oww!” she wails, grabbing her cheek while Simone sits on the floor completely stunned, her nose bleeding everywhere.

“Holy fuck!” Colt yells. He comes up behind me, his arm encircling my waist to hold me back from them before they attack me, or I go at them again.

But I step out of his grasp, pointing at the two of them.

“Enough of your bullshit! I’m Colt’s girl!

Get used to it and stay the fuck out of our business or I’ll fucking come at you again!

And next time it'll be even worse!” I scream.

“That goes for the rest of you too!” I point to the rest of the girls in the corner.

My heart is racing, my hand is aching, and my body is buzzing with adrenaline.

“Hey! Don’t fucking touch them!” Nate emerges from the crowd, crouching to check on Simone and Serena. He looks over at me with a scowl, then storms towards me and angrily shoves my chest. I stumble back into Colt, who grabs my shoulders to stabilize me.

“Who the fuck do you think you are, loser?” His words are laced with disdain, glaring at me with hate. Colt moves around me and gets right up in Nate’s face.

“That’s my girl, Campbell. Don’t you ever put your fucking hands on her again,” he warns through gritted teeth, staring him down.

“She put her hands on my girl first, Hawthorne.”

Colt snorts a laugh. “What, you’re with Simone? Or Serena now? Or both?” We all know you’ve already fucked Simone, so I'm pretty sure you’ve had them both.

“Serena and I suggest you and your bitch fuck off and keep your hands to yourselves.” Nate puffs out his chest in a last attempt to look large next to Colt.

Not gonna happen.

“Then tell your skanks to keep out of our business, Campbell. They were the ones who started shit, so you know what? Get the fuck off my property, and take your bitches with you.”

Nate laughs in Colt’s face. “And to think, the good girl bookworm makes The Colton Hawthorne a little pussy bitch.”

Without hesitation, Colt’s fist hits Nate right in the nose, giving him a matching injury to Simone’s.

Nate stumbles to the ground beside her, and he wipes his bloody nose.

Anger fills his face and he attempts to get up, but Colt bends over him, grabs his shirt collar and hits him again, knocking him right out.

A brawl breaks out in the garage between Nate’s friends and Colt’s. People are shoving each other, arms and fists fly through the air, girls are screeching. It’s fucking chaos.

I hear a shriek behind me, and Serena comes at me, slapping with her wild arms and hitting me in the face.

I manage to grab a fistful of her hair and pull her away from me, slapping her again.

I take hold of her and twist her around, pinning her arms tightly behind her back to subdue her when a huge smash stops everyone in their tracks.

Everyone looks over to Colt, who is surrounded by a shattered pane of glass, a hammer in his hand.

His face is beet red, burning with unrestrained anger.

Through the chaos, his eyes find me, still restraining Serena.

He comes over to us and gets right in her face, staring down at her with absolute disgust.

“I’ve had enough of your shit, Serena.” Colt grabs her by the jaw, making sure she hears every word he’s going to say.

She gasps, and I feel her tremble in my hold.

“You have no ownership over me. We never even fucked. You were just a bad blow job I got for giving you a ride home. Fucking touch her or come near her again and you will regret it. This is your last warning.”

Serena swallows audibly, and Colt looks over her shoulder at me, a glint in his eye seeing me hold her at our mercy. I flash him a smirk, knowing full-well how hot he thinks me defending myself was.

"The same goes for you, Simone. Keep the fuck away from us." Colt looks down at her, still on the floor, but she remains silent.

He turns to face the rest of the people staring at us.

“The way I see things, you're all in my house. Those drugs you’re taking? You got a deal from me! That booze you’re drinking?

Free because of me! The jobs you work for Williams?

Because of me! You don’t like that Layla and I are together?

Or the way I defend my girl? Or the way I do shit in my house?

Then get out! Anyone who sides with these pieces of shit, get the fuck out of here and don’t ever come back! ” he shouts.

He is full of anger, one fist balled up, and the other gripping the hammer tightly, showing so much fucking power and dominance. Here I am, feeling weak in the knees, watching him yell at all of these people, all in defense of me. Heart swoon.

“Serena, get them the fuck out of here. Now,” Colt says angrily, stepping over Nate and Simone.

I let her go, and Serena helps Simone and Nate get up. Without another word, they make their way out of the garage, still trying to comprehend what just happened to them.

“Ya know what? I didn't ask any of you to be here! Everyone get the fuck out!” Colt booms.

They all groan and start filing out. Daya looks at me with a huge smile as she turns to leave. I give her a nod of thanks. Thank god she’s a good woman—a friend—who helped me see things clearly. Otherwise, I could have really fucked things up with Colt.

She pushed me to be the strong person I am deep down.

I'm not sure whether it was her honesty or her support in putting these people in their place, but something changed in me during her visit.

Like she made me grow up and realize who I truly am.

I had to accept this life and toughen up for the person I love.

Sometimes the right people come through for you at the toughest moments. I am lucky to call Daya a new friend.

And I am even luckier that with Colt, I was able to find more love and friendship than I’ve ever had before.