Page 34 of The Retaliation You Deliver

“Hey,” I say, a confident smile curling at my lips.

“Dance with me?”

I hesitate for a second and hurt covers his face.

“It’s not like that, Mace. I just wanna hang out with my friend.”

“O-okay,” I stutter, concerned about leading him on.

He grabs my hand before I have a chance to change my mind and pulls me toward him, although not up against him and I sigh in relief.

“Relax, Mace. What I did earlier was a mistake. I’m sorry. I’m glad they managed to get you here though, you deserve this.” He spins me away from his body and I squeal in excitement.

We dance like idiots together for the longest time. A wide smile plays on my lips as I just enjoy this time with my friend that I never would have had if I kept myself locked up in my bedroom.

Maybe this kind of life isn’t so bad.

“Oh no. No, no, no,” someone squeals behind us. “If you think you get to just turn up here and expect—”

I spin around just in time to see Ella’s tiny palm connect with a guy's face.

Anger flickers through his expression as the red handprint on his cheek blooms but it's soon pushed aside for something else. Something I wouldn’t have recognized if it weren’t for my time with Leon.

Heat.

It surges through him like a tsunami as he steps toward Ella. His eyes wide and dark, his nostrils flared.

If I were her, I’d probably be terrified because the guy is huge, but thankfully Ella isn’t me because she squares right up to him.

“Uh… who’s that?” I mutter to Nate who’s standing behind me, watching the show.

“That’s Colt. He’s the Panther’s running back.”

“R-running b—” I don’t get to question him about it because my answer appears in front of me as Kane sweeps Letty into his arms, while Luca Dunn does the same to Peyton.

“I-I need to get out of here,” I breathe, keeping my eyes on the floor, too terrified to find him and have to look into those eyes again.

“Y-yeah, okay. Let’s go.”

Nate laces his fingers with mine and begins pulling me through the crowd.

My skin tingles more with every step we take. And I know exactly why.

He’s here.

And he’s watching.

7

Leon

Iwas planning on going home after my visit to Harrow Creek, but when I got to the intersection on the border of Maddison, I found myself heading in the opposite direction toward Rosewood.

I parked at the very end of the beach and walked to Luca and Peyton’s spot.

I figured that if it helped give him some clarity over the years, I thought it might be worth a shot for me because I really needed to clear my head.

I stare at their initials carved in the tree with my hands buried deep in my pockets, my heart like a lead weight in my chest.