comes up next to me, obviously stoned out of his mind, and shoves another drink into my hand.
“I figured you'd need this.”
I turn my head slightly to the side. “What? Why?”
He doesn't need to answer before I see it. Kellan has Lennon pinned up against the wall, practically sucking her face off. Vomit threatens to rise in my throat as I bring the cup to my lips and chug the contents of it. Leave it to Bryce to be right.
THE WHOLE PLACE IS spinning as I keep my eyes on Lennon from across the party. Jayden has some girl I've never met on his lap, and Bryce is passing a blunt back and forth with Knox. Since I started drinking heavily, they've stayed near me like they're my fucking babysitters. Like they aren't just as fucked up as I am.
“He doesn't deserve her,” I slur drunkenly.
Bryce rolls his eyes. “So, you've mentioned, like a hundred times.”
For the first time all night, I see Kellan standing without Lennon, only he's not alone. The girl from Josslyn's party is talking to him while he glances at his girlfriend every few seconds. My blood starts to boil as I get up and struggle to find my balance. Once it feels like the floor isn't falling out from under me, I storm over to him.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I sneer.
The brunette's eyes narrow on me, and Kellan groans. He pushes her away from us and stands directly in front of me, trying to look tough.
“What the fuck is your deal? Why can't you lay off me for longer than a minute?”
I step forward and get in his face, the same way he did with me. “Because you're a piece of shit, and you don't deserve that girl to even look your way.”
“Is that right? And what does she deserve? You?” The mocking tone to his words has me wanting to punch him in his smug face.
“Eat shit, douchebag,” I counter. “One day she's going to wise up and leave you, and I can't fucking wait for it.”
That strikes a nerve, and he shoves me backward. Bryce catches me, and I instantly race toward Kellan, clenching my fist and decking him right across the face. Gasps and shrieks sound all around us as we go at it—each of us getting a few good hits in. Unfortunately, it ends too soon, when Bryce and Knox pull me off Kellan and one of his friends stands in front of him to hold him back.
“You're fucking dead, Knight,” Kellan threatens, spitting blood out onto the ground.
I smile happily, but it quickly fades when Lennon rushes over to make sure he's all right. With a glare in my direction, she watches as I'm led away and out of the party. Once we're in front of the house, I shove Bryce and Knox off me.
“Goddamn, Cade. What the fuck brought that on?” Knox asks.
I shake my head and look at Bryce as I pace back and forth. “Mark my words: if that shithead is in Malibu, it's going to be an interesting couple of weeks.”
I WAKE IN THE morning to someone pounding at my door. My head is killing me and my jaw aches every time I move it. I roll out of bed, not caring to put clothes on, and answer the door in just my boxers. Lennon immediately shoves her way inside. She closes the door behind her and glares at me.
“What the hell is your problem?”
I wince at the shrill of her voice. “Can you keep your voice down?”
That only seems to piss her off more. “No, you lowlife. Not until you tell me why the fuck you felt the need to fight my boyfriend last night.”
What the fuck am I supposed to tell her? That I saw him with the chick he's been cheating on her with? She'll never believe that. Instead, I take a different route.
“That guy is a piece of shit, and he's no fucking good for you.”
A dry laugh bubbles out of her, and her eyes roll toward the ceiling. “That's not your call, and it's not a good enough reason to attack him when he did nothing wrong.”
Nothing wrong? Do you call him fucking around behind her back nothing wrong? Fuck, what I wouldn't give for her to know the truth right now—not even because I want her, but because she deserves so much fucking better than him.
“Well someone had to do it,” I argue. “He deserves a good beating.”
Lennon steps