Page 165 of Wicked Little Darling

Oh,shit.

This was the guy who’d shoved Dakota at that party?

Anger flooded my veins, and I balled my hands into fists.

Fuck. I wanted to hurt him so fucking bad for touching Dakota with those dirty fucking scumbag hands.

No. I had to stay calm.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and kept buzzing, meaning someone was calling me and it was definitely Dakota because that was the only person who ever texted or called me these days.

I needed to try and defuse the situation.

How the fuck was I supposed to do that when I could barely control my own anger?

I held my hands up, palm out. That was a good start, right? “Look, I was really drunk and I don’t remember doing that but for what it’s worth, I’m…sorry.” I choked on the last word, but he didn’t seem to notice.

Daniel scoffed. “Yeah? Well your boyfriend’s gonna be sorry when I do to you what he did to Jared. An eye for an eye sounds good, don’t you think?”

“Oh? Not an ear for an ear?”

He growled and lunged at me, but Jared grabbed him back and I stepped to the side and held my hands up. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry, that wasn’t nice.”

I was ruining this.

“I’m sorry,” I said again, trying to seem sincere.

He spat on the ground to his left and glared at me.

“So you were saying? What was he supposed to have done to Jared?” I asked.

“Are you kidding me? He broke his fucking arm. He was in the hospital for three days. The only reason Dakota’s still here is because he’s the dean’s son.”

I looked at Jared, who was rubbing his forehead like this was giving him a headache.

“Yeah, except he didn’t do that, did he?” I said.

Jared’s surprised eyes flashed to mine.

“Did he, Jared?”

He looked wary and nervous now. “What are you talking about? Of course he did.”

“No, he didn’t. Nobody broke your arm, but what I don’t understand is why you’d go around telling everyone that. I’ve been wanting to talk to you, Jared.”

Jared’s mouth fell open in shock, and then he laughed nervously. “You’re as crazy as Dakota. Come on, Daniel, let’s?—”

“Should I go get Everett?” I threw my thumb over my shoulder, as if Everett was standing somewhere behind me.

This was a last ditch effort that I really didn’t think would work, but I was desperate. I’d do anything to clear Dakota’s name.

When Jared paled but didn’t say anything, I shoved my hands in my pocket and started to turn around. “Yeah, I’ll go get Everett. He’s practically my brother-in-law, y’know? We’re super duper close.”

Jared stepped forward. “Wait. Wait, I—” He looked at his companion and said, “Just go without me, I’ll meet you there.”

“No fucking way, I’m not leaving you with this little psycho, he?—”

Jared shoved his shoulder. “Go.Now, Daniel.”