Veils of Rivalry Chapter 48

Cole's POV

“I must’ve hit you pretty hard,” he laughs. “What’s the plan, then? One has a gun and the others have weapons, and I don’t think this is a case of runners and chasers. This is serious.”

But we’re out of time, because there’s a bang on the door, and we know we’ve been caught when Jackson’s voice faintly filters through the wood, even over the ear-bursting music.

“Keith says he’s in here.”

“The window,” I say, nodding to it. “We’re on the ground floor.”

Blaise doesn’t hesitate to grab the hardest object and launch it at the window, just as something hits against the door. Luckily, the door doesn’t crack the way the window blows out.

I tell Blaise to go out first, and he flinches when his palm cuts on the glass. He jumps down, and when I go to climb out, the door is kicked open, and someone snatches my hair and yanks me back in.

“Wait, no, that’s Cole!” Allie cries over the music, just as a bat swings into my gut and winds me. “Don’t hurt him!”

Blaise can’t get back in. Although we’re on the ground floor, there’s still a jump to the grass from the window, and I can’t hear him over the music if he’s saying shit.

Jackson goes to say something against my ear, but I slam the back of my head against his face, turning in his hold and punching him in the throat. He gags, and one of his little friends catches the gun he drops, but Allie stands in front of me.

“Don’t you dare hurt him. We didn’t agree to this. You said you’d beat up Blaise. No one mentioned Cole.”

“You’re still defending him?” Jackson spits. “He’s been screwing his brother behind your back. You saw the video of them on the first chase night.”

I frown and move Allie from standing in front of me. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

He grins. “Did you think no one would notice you hiding your identity so you can force him to blow you?”

I glance over my shoulder. The music is too loud for Blaise to hear, but still. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“And the second time in the classroom. You wanked him off, still hiding who you were.”

Allie crosses her arms. “You didn’t mention that time,” she says to him.

“That’s why he has no interest in you. He’s gay.”

The term doesn’t make me uncomfortable. Before, I was in denial, but now? Yeah, I am fucking gay, and I don’t wait around to hear another word from this asshole’s mouth. My knuckles burn as I punch him again, again, and a third time to throw him on his ass. I climb on him and grab his throat. No one stops me, They watch as I slam the back of Jackson’s head into the ground.

“Stay the fuck away from Blaise,” I snap, cutting off his oxygen. Squeezing, I pull him to me, so only he can hear my next words. “Or I’ll sneak into your room at night, tie you to your bed, and I’ll carve his name into your skin. I’ll cut you. I’ll snap your fucking bones one by one with pliers and make you drink your own piss. And when you’re still alive and begging me to stop, I’ll silence you by cutting off your cock and making you choke on it until your body is found weeks later, because no one cares about you enough to check in.”

Not that I would lower myself to getting into trouble with the law for this asshole, but with how pale he goes, I’ve driven my point home. I release his throat and stand, glancing over at Allie.

“Unlock the fucking door.”

She nods a few times and runs out of the room. I wait for someone to hit me, to feel a fist or a bat or even a bullet penetrate my skin, but they all stand back as I step over Jackson and leave them there.

“You’ll regret threatening me,” I hear Jackson call out.

Yeah, probably. But I’m not caring.

As soon as Allie unlocks the door and I step out, Blaise barges through the crowd and runs straight for me.