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“Look at me, Guidry.”
I shivered at the cold, savage sound of Reed’s voice.
When Blake didn’t move fast enough, Reed planted his boot on Blake’s hip and shoved him onto his back.
“You better not be too drunk to hear this,” grated Reed, “because my words need to sink into your stupid skull.” He leaned over Blake, who flinched at the sudden movement. “If you ever lay a fucking finger on Anna again, I will end you.”
Then he strode over to me where I was still sprawled in the grass, completely dumbfound. Reed helped me to my feet and kept a strong arm around my shoulders as he guided me to his truck in the middle of the road, still running with the driver’s door open.
He walked me around to the passenger side and opened the door. I hurried to get in. By the time I was belted, he was tearing off down the road.
I didn’t make a sound as tears slipped silently down my cheeks. Shame engulfed me—at dressing so skimpy, sneaking out, and going to the kind of party I never should’ve gone to, at what Blake did and said to me, at Reed having to fight him off. And finally at the thought of what might’ve happened if Reed hadn’t been there.
“Are you okay?” His fists were tight on the steering wheel, his right knuckles bloody.
I still couldn’t speak, but I nodded when he glanced at me.
“Did he hurt you?”
“I’m fine,” I whispered as he pulled to a stop at a red light. Then he turned his attention fully on me and reached a hand toward my face. I flinched. He clenched his jaw then gently wrapped his fingers around my forearm and pulled my arm away.
I hadn’t realized I had my palm covering my neck where Blake had bitten so hard it stung. He hadn’t broken the skin, but it was sore to the touch. I’d never kissed a boy, much less make out and get hickeys or bite marks.
The red light contoured one side of Reed’s sharp features, while the other side remained in shadow. I’d never seen Reed look menacing, but that was the only way to describe the cold fury on his face as he glared at the mark on my neck.
The light turned green. He closed his eyes tight as he straightened in his seat.
“Fuck,” he muttered before driving on. “What the hell were you doing there, Anna?” he growled as he turned into my neighborhood.
“Please don’t yell at me, Reed. I know it was stupid. Nothing you say is going to make me feel worse about it than I already do.”
He glanced at me, but I kept my eyes forward as he drove slowly down my darkened street. A few houses down from mine, he pulled over, parked, and turned the headlights off.
My house was dark. I could sneak in and then tell Mom in the morning that I’d decided to come home late when they were already in bed. Not a lie. I’d just omit why. I was a homebody, so she wouldn’t bat an eye. I rarely slept over at friends’ houses anyway. After tonight, I’d be staying close to home for a while.
Reed rested both hands in his lap, looking straight ahead.
“Those aren’t your clothes,” he rumbled low.
Self-consciously, I pulled on the hem, which was ridiculously short when I was sitting. Reed knew me well enough that this wasn’t mine.
“They’re my new friend, Ashley’s.”
“Any friend who dresses you like that and leads you into a pack of wolves is not a good friend.”
“I’m fifteen, Reed, not twelve,” I protested, my temper spiking that he thought I was a child being led around like an idiot. Of course, I was also being defiant because he was right.
He snorted at that, turning his head toward the driver’s side window. “You don’t belong there, Anna. With those guys.” Then he swiveled his gaze, the full force of his clear blue eyes on me.
Swallowing hard, I finally said, “I know.”
His hard gaze softened. He reached over my lap, popped open the glove box, and pulled out a travel pack of tissues and held it out to me.
I took a minute to wipe my face, my makeup obviously running from the black smudges on the tissue.
He sighed, his next words softer. “I know you’re growing up and you’re finding your own way, but don’t change who you are to fit what others think you should be.” He turned back to me, eyes piercing but tender. “Take it slow. Find the friends who care about you, who will be there for you. Not the ones who are going to take you and leave you stranded in the hands of someone like Blake Guidry.”
He said the last words with a dark rumble of anger.
