“I didn’t.”

Reese’s voice and the closeness of it has me shooting my eyes open. He’s over Bryce’s shoulder, grabbing him and pulling him off me before he slams him against the other wall. Bryce protests with flailing limbs and some incoherent words which are broken apart when Reese punches him in the jaw. Repeatedly. His arm flies back, fist clenched, and he delivers blow after blow while his other hand pins Bryce in place. Blood starts pouring from Bryce’s nose and mouth, and that creepy grin of his is nowhere in sight.

“Fight!” someone yells.

I’m glued to the wall, unable to move as I watch the crowd form around us, which includes our group of friends. Juls and Brooke both gasp, covering their mouths as they watch Reese pummel this loser, while the guys all react differently.

Billy pulls his phone out of his pocket and quickly dials what I assume to be the police.

Ian pushes his way back toward the bar, yelling over the commotion for someone to get security.

And Joey comes straight over to me. “Are you okay?” he asks, alarm in his voice.

I nod my response, keeping my eyes on Reese. No one stops him and I know someone has to. He could kill this prick.

He should kill him.

Just when I’m about to open my mouth, Reese grabs Bryce by his shirt and drags him off the wall, moving across the hallway to where I’m standing. Juls and Brooke both dart out of the way and Joey flanks my side. Bryce looks like shit run over. His nose has to be broken by the looks of it, his left eye is swollen shut, and he seems to be having trouble standing.

Aww. Poor baby.

Reese holds him up in front of me. “You see her? Do you?” Bryce moans. “Fucking look at her, you piece of shit!” Bryce peeks his good eye open while the blood pours from his nose. “Get a good fucking look, because this is the last one you’re ever going to get. If you so much as think about her again, I will hunt your ass down and fucking kill you. Do you hear me?” Bryce moans again as Ian comes rushing back over to the group.

“All right. Cops are here. I don’t know where the fuck security is, but it looks like you don’t need them.” He looks at Juls and then at me. “You okay?”

“Yes,” we both answer.

“Dylan,” Reese says, gaining my attention. “If you want to hit him, you better do it now.”

He holds Bryce by his shirt in front of me and I step closer, tilting my head down so his one eye focuses on me. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a really long time.” I bring my hand back and strike him hard across the face, the loud cracking sound filling the hallway.

“Damn!” someone yells through a laugh.

I smile at the crowd. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this satisfied with slapping someone before.

Brooke steps up next to me. “Ooo! Can we all take turns? I want a go at him.”

Just then, Billy pushes through the crowd, signaling for the police to follow him. “Oh, damn it,” Brooke utters, moving back and falling in next to Joey. One officer grabs Bryce from Reese and moves him away from the group while the other walks over to us.

“Someone want to tell me what happened here?” the officer asks, looking at each of us.

I give him the rundown of the situation, making sure to point out that this isn’t the first time Bryce put his hands on me. I tell the cop about the time in the elevator and mention he’s kind of been stalking me, using the flower on my van as an example. When I get a stern look from Reese, I realize I forgot to tell him about that and mouth “I’m sorry”, seeing his face soften instantly. Reese tells the officer about the investigation on Bryce and how he thought he should’ve been arrested by now. The officer tells us they have been looking for him, but he hasn’t been at his condo and also hasn’t shown up to work for the past two days. But now that they have him, he’ll be in custody until his trial. After everyone gives their statements about what they saw happen, we are told we can leave.

“Well, this has been interesting to say the least. I’ll see you crazy kids tomorrow,” Brooke says as we all walk outside. She heads down the sidewalk, glancing over her shoulder. “And I got dibs on every single guy there!” she yells.

“All right, boys. Say your goodbyes,” Juls says. Ian grabs her and kisses her sweetly while Billy and Joey share their own private moment a few feet away on the sidewalk.

I glance up at Reese. “Hi.”

His eyes meet mine after scanning my face. “I don’t want to say goodbye.”

I predicted this, especially after what just happened. But it’s over now. Reese has nothing to be worried about.

I wrap my arms around him and tilt my head up, pressing my chin against his chest. “I tell you what. I’ll text you as soon as I get home, and then every fifteen minutes until I fall asleep.”

“Every five minutes,” he counters, pressing his lips to my forehead. His arms envelop me and hold me against him.

I’m about to argue but let it go and agree to it. “Okay. Every five minutes. How is your hand?”

“Fine.”

“Let me see it.”

“It’s fine, Dylan.”

“Reese.”

He sighs heavily and lets go of me, holding up his right hand for me to examine.

“Fine, my ass. See how banged-up it looks?” I run my fingers over his fourth and fifth knuckle where most of the damage seems to be. The skin is cut up and a bit swollen, and he flinches at my touch. “You might need an x-ray, Reese. It could be broken.”