Page 15 of Stay With Me

Oh shit, this isn’t good.

“Fuck you, Tripp. She’s my girlfriend, not yours. So back off.” Travis shoves Tripp’s chest, then leans around him to find me. “Magnolia, let’s go. We’ll wait for our ride outside.”

I’m too dazed to be angry because all I feel is relaxed and happy. Glancing at Noah, I notice her toothy grin, and by the way she’s hanging on Landen tells me she’s beyond trippy.

“Landen, take ’em to my truck. Now,” Tripp says without glancing away from Travis.

“Dude, no. You can’t have her. She’smine!” Travis sounds like he’s ready to kill him.

“Why’re you being so goddamn loud? It’s a party! Let’sdance!” I raise my arms and lift up on my tiptoes. “Oh my God, I love this song! Noah, let’s?—”

“No!” Tripp grabs my hand and pulls me away from the dance floor. Landen follows with Noah in his grip, and I pout.

“It’s my birthday! I don’t wanna go!”

“Me neither!” Noah whines. “We can have a dance party at my house!”

“Yes!” I shout at the same time Tripp and Landen bark out, “No!”

“The fuck?Magnolia!” Travis catches up, grabs my arm out of Tripp’s grip, then raises his fist. Before I can warn Tripp, Travis punches him in the nose.

“Oh my God!” I squeal, falling back into another body.

Landen shoves Travis, then kneels to check on Tripp.

Shit, I see blood.

“Let’s go!” Travis yanks me toward the door, making me lose my footing and my heels.

“Slow down!” I bend to grab my shoes, but before I can, Travis hauls me into his arms.

“Those are my favorites!” I whine.

“I’ll buy you new ones. We need to get outta here before…”

Before the cops show up.

“Magnolia!” Noah shouts behind us with Landen on her tail. “We didn’t ride the bull!”

“Oh my God! We have to!” I yell back, then turn to Travis and kick my legs. “Lemme down!”

“You hate the bull, Maggie. It’s just the Molly. It’ll wear off.”

I scrunch my nose. “Who’s Molly?”

“You definitely have some in your system. Why would you share your drink?”

“Asks the person who put drugsinmy drink,” I mock as he searches for our ride in the parking lot. Perk of being in a small town is not having to wait long for an Uber, but a part of me doesn’t want to go back to his house. I don’t trust him even if I am feeling an adrenaline rush.

“Maybe I should stay with Noah and go home with her so I know she’s okay,” I say when he sets me down.

Travis opens the passenger door and shoves me inside. “Just shut up and buckle yourself.” He slams the door in my face before I can respond.

Oh, he’s more delusional than I thought if he thinks he’s getting anal after this.

Chapter Three

Tripp