I bolt angrily from the auditorium and stride across the campus, my steps fueled by a blend of frustration and determination. I need to clear my head to escape the suffocating weight of these emotions. As I walk, each footfall resonates like a drumbeat, echoing the pounding in my chest. The air is thick with tension, and I find myself running, my legs carrying me faster as if I can outrun my feelings. All I can think about is Faith; how good she must taste, how fucking amazing she probably feels. I want to take her, to ravage her, and show her how I can please her. But what's going on with her and Mark? And it's not just Mark, it's Danny, too. Does she know that they both want her? Does she know that she's become the rare new centerpiece of our little club?
Faith is free to make her own choices, I remind myself, clenching my jaw to keep my emotions in check. I don't have any claim on her, not really. We're just friends, acquaintances at best. But the sight of her with someone else—a guy who is supposed to be my best friend, a brother—ignites a fire within me, a fire that burns with a mixture of anger, confusion, and hurt.
My phone pierces through the fog of my thoughts with its insistent ringing. I pull it out, and my sister's name flashes on the screen. Panic tightens its grip around me. If Sasha calls me, it means trouble. Hearing her voice quivering with distress sends a jolt of anxiety through me.
"Theo?"
"Hey, what's wrong?" I ask, my voice edged with concern. I stop in the middle of the quad to focus on her words. Her words tumble out in broken sobs, and I have a hard time understanding what she's saying. She's in trouble, stranded somewhere, and she pleads with me to come get her. My heart squeezes with a mixture of dread and determination. I can't leave her hanging, not when she's reaching out to me in her time of need.
"Stay where you are," I say, memorizing the location she gives me. "I'm coming to get you."
I hang up the phone and look back at the school building, wondering briefly if I should turn back and get Mark and Danny. They're my brothers, and if there's trouble, they'll back me up. But just remembering Mark fucking Faith in the bathroom sets me on edge again, and I shake my head, running for my car parked in the lot. Getting to Sasha and getting her to safety is my main—and only—priority.
The streets blur past me as I drive, a whirlwind of lights and shadows. The familiar buildings and landmarks offer me little solace as my thoughts race, imagining the worst-case scenarios that could have led my sister to call me for help again. Last time, it had been because Xander laid hands on her. I was sick of that guy; ready to kill him, and the further I drove to my sister's rescue, the more pissed I became.
When I reach the parking lot she's directed me to, I spot her standing on the side of the road, her figure a hunched silhouette against the black night. Tears glisten on Shasha's cheeks as she sobs, her distress palpable even from a distance. My heart aches at the sight, the helplessness of the situation clawing at me. I pull over, my heart racing in sync with the revving engine.
"Sash," I say, and rush to her side, arms enveloping her in a protective embrace. "Sasha, it's okay. I'm here now," I murmur softly, my voice an attempt to soothe her trembling form. She clings to me, her tears dampening my shirt.
"Theo," she whispers, and another sob escapes her throat. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. He made me do it."
In an instant, the world tilts on its axis. Shadows creep around us, ominous and foreboding. Before I can react, pain explodes in my side, a blinding burst of agony that leaves me gasping for breath. The world blurs as fists rain down on me, blows landing with brutal precision. I try to fight back, to protect Sasha, but the onslaught is relentless, an unyielding storm of violence.
"Fuck you, bitch," Xander's voice hisses from beside me, and I collapse, curling into the fetal position on the ground. Someone's shoe meets my rib, and I cry out in pain. There's no use fighting back. It's got to be five to one, maybe even more. Amidst the chaos, Sasha's voice slices through the darkness like a dagger.
"I'm sorry, Theo," she says, her words heavy with regret. I can hear she's still crying. "This is why we can't trust people." Her words pierce me deeper than any physical blow, an arrow aimed at the very core of my being. It's a harsh truth, a revelation that cuts through my defenses, leaving me exposed and vulnerable.
Gravel digs into my face and every uncovered inch of my skin. Pain radiates through every fiber of my being. My body aches, but it's the ache in my heart that consumes me. Betrayal. Deceit. My mind swirls with a maelstrom of emotions, anger entwined with hurt and a profound sense of disillusionment. How could I have been so blind, so naïve? I should have known that Xander's hold on my sister was stronger than the blood we share and that he would do everything in his power to use that against me.
"This is why you don't fuck with me, bro," Xander yells. "Give this message to your faggot friends, yeah?"
I taste blood in my mouth, and I can't tell if it's running from my nose or tongue. The world around me fades, the edges of my vision darkening as I struggle to stay conscious. Summoning every ounce of strength left in me, I push myself up, teeth gritted against the pain that pulses through my battered body. The attackers are a blur of faces, their rage fueling their blows. Instead of knocking me down again, two of Xander's guys grab me around each arm, heaving me up. I can barely see them through bruised and swollen eyes, and my ribs feel like a train has rolled over my abdomen.
"What the fuck do you want?" I manage as Xander leers at me. My lip is swollen and bleeding. I look around for Sasha, but she's gone. I don't know whether to be relieved or pissed.
"I want you out," Xander growls. "All of you. And I'm here tonight to make sure that happens."