Kelsy’s words turned my insides cold, hollow, and I wanted to shrink into the concrete where I stood. Humiliation made me speechless, made me weak in the knees, and I didn’t know what to do or where to go. I just wanted to crawl in a hole and be left alone. Be forgotten about. Run away. Tears burned the back of my eyelids, my throat. Brax had witnessed everything. Had heard everything. He’d find out about me now, about what’d happened, and how I’d lied over and over to cover the truth. Is that why I was being punished? For the lies?
Jesus God, how had this nightmare followed me to Winston? How had I thought for even a second that I could put it all behind me? That Kelsy would just leave me alone?
In the next instant warm, strong hands grasped both sides of my face and stilled my shaking body, forced me to look up. Brax pressed his forehead to mine, and everything else around me shut down. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here, baby,” he whispered against my skin. The air became as still as my breath. There was nothing but Brax. He stood there, his head pressed against mine, saying nothing, yet being everything I needed just then. My breath slowed, and my fingers gripped his forearms.
“It’s okay,” I answered. “I’m glad you’re here now.” I swallowed hard. “About what Kelsy said?”
He pulled back, just a fraction, and looked at me with a fierce intensity that made my body tremble even more. “I know all I need to know about you, Olivia Grace Beaumont.” He tilted my head, ever so slightly to the left, and his lips hovered over mine. “Everything.”
The word brushed across my mouth like a whisper, and he kissed me, his full lips settling over mine, staking claim, and me allowing it. Slowly, I slipped my arms around his neck, my fingers in his hair, and held on.
Footsteps hurrying across the parking lot broke us apart.
“Guys, what happened?” Tessa said, breathless. I turned to see her bending over at the knees, sucking in air. “Someone banged on our door and said Brax was down here kicking some guy’s ass. Guess you didn’t notice the audience of girls on the walkway?” She looked at Brax. “Kudos, gringo. I think I like you a little more now.”
“That was no ass kicking,” Brax clarified. His arm was around my shoulders, pulling me to him, and I could feel his heart thumping against my ear. “That was just a fuckin’ warning.”
Tessa’s worried and curious gaze drifted to mine. “What the hell, Olivia?”
“It’s okay,” I told her. I straightened, pulling slightly away from Brax’s protective embrace, and smoothed the front of my sundress. Embarrassment over the whole situation started to settle in. I hid it with an assuring smile. “I’ll tell you about it when I get back.” When Tessa lifted a brow, I added, “Promise.”
“I’m gonna hold you to that, chica,” she said, and started heading back to the dorm. She threw up a wave. “Deuces.” We both stood there watching her in silence, before Brax pulled me to him and kissed my temple.
“Gracie, if you don’t feel like going—”
I looked at Brax, and shook my head. “No, I do. I’m fine, really.” My fingers reached for his, and I tangled them together. “I’m sorry you had to even see any of that. But I’m not sorry you stepped in.” I stretched to my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “I’m far from being helpless, trust me. He just,” I looked away, then back into Brax’s intoxicating stare. “Caught me off guard. Thank you.”
His gaze remained steady on mine; I could tell he wanted to ask more, but held back. There was something else there, too. Something troubled. Unreadable.
“I’d have hurt him, Gracie.”
“I know.” Only then did I notice Brax’s top lip was busted. I pulled closer, peering at it, and grazed it lightly with my fingertip. “What happened this time?”
“Nothin’, sweetheart,” he answered. “Just a friendly tussle.”
“Kinda like medieval warriors, huh?” I said, brow raised.
Brax laughed. “Yeah, somethin’ like that.” He shot a glance across the parking lot, then looked at me. “Let’s take your truck. We’re headed to the sports complex.” He grinned. “I’ll drive.”
Still feeling a little shaky, I was glad for both requests. “Okay.”
Brax reached behind me and opened the truck door and, just as I turned to climb in, he grabbed me by the waist, faced him, and lifted me up, setting my bottom on the seat. I scooted to the middle, and he hopped up. “That’s far enough, Sunshine.” When I handed him the key, he shoved it in the ignition and turned it over. My pipes rumbled to life. The total guy smile that plastered his face made me roll my eyes.