LITMIR.BIZ

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could jump in the lake and swim, but the water would be cold, maybe cold enough to stop her from thinking clearly. What if she drowned, and even if she didn’t, where would she swim? How far? Could she make it somewhere safe? What if they just waited for her wherever she came to shore?

      This wasn’t really happening. She knew these boys. She’d gone to kindergarten with them. They wouldn’t actually—

      Jake took off his tuxedo jacket.

      Oh, God.

      The word she hadn’t wanted to think now reared up in searing color.

      Raped. She could end up raped. The image throbbed in her brain like a tumor, blotting out everything else. Three against one.

      She turned around to face the minions. Jase weighed upward of two hundred and fifty pounds; he’d been a tackle on the football team. The regional division championship football team. Chris was smaller, but still had a good forty or fifty pounds on her. “Chris, remember that field trip to the glass museum? When we sat together?” For a second, he looked uncertain.

      Oh, please, please help me, Chris, you weren’t always a bad kid—

      “Come on, Colleen, let’s have a little fun,” Jake said from behind her, and then he had her by the arms, jerking them behind her, and bile surged up in her throat, yes, yes, let her puke, maybe it would stop them.

      “Bet you wish you’d been nicer to me now,” Jake whispered, and he licked her cheek, and icy terror convulsed in Colleen’s chest. “Let’s get this party started, boys.”

      But then all of a sudden, Chris was down on his knees, looking stunned, and oh, thank you, thank you, God, someone had come to help her, was it Connor, had he somehow sensed she was in—

      It wasn’t Connor.

      It was Lucas Campbell.

      Chris tried to get to his feet, but Lucas simply put one foot against his shoulder and pushed him into the water. There was a splash, then some sputtering and yelping.

      “This is not your business, man,” Jake said.

      “Let go of her,” Lucas said, and his voice was almost friendly.

      Then Jase lunged at him, but Lucas made two very small moves, one punch to the throat and one to Jase’s meaty face, and Jase, too, dropped to his knees, blood spurting from his nose. “Jesus!” he wheezed, his voice thick and wet. With that, he ran heavily down the dock, causing it to bob beneath his fleeing bulk.

      Jake’s grip loosened, and before Colleen could formulate the thought, she elbowed him as hard as she could. He reacted by grabbing her hair, yanking so hard she saw a flash, and there was a blur of movement. Then Colleen was free, and Lucas was holding Jake by the throat.

      Jake’s eyes bulged as he clawed at Lucas’s arm, his feet scrabbling for purchase on the rough wood of the dock. Lucas, on the other hand, looked calm as a June day.

      “You okay, Colleen?” he asked without looking at her.

      It was the first time she’d ever heard him say her name, and if there was a whisper of doubt that she’d been affected by him before, it was gone now.

      “I’m fine,” she said, and her voice sounded strange.

      Chris had made it to shore, she saw. He half staggered, half ran up the path.

      “Is Bryce hurt?” Lucas asked, his voice low and calm even as Jake continued to struggle.

      “He passed out,” she said. “He’s drunk.”

      It seemed as if Jake was about to strangle there; he was breathing, but he wasn’t fighting anymore. “You should probably let him go. You don’t want to kill him.”

      He glanced at her. “That’s debatable.” But he did let go, and Jake dropped right on his ass, hard, and sucked in air.

      “My parents will fucking sue you,” he gasped.

      “They can try,” Lucas said.

      “You’re going to sue him?” Colleen blurted in outrage. “Think about what my parents will do to you, you little shit.”

      “For what?” Jake said, his voice shaking with tears. “For horsing around?”

      “You were going to rape me!”

      “Are you kidding? You wanted it, Colleen,” Jake said, and even while on his knees, there was a smug look of entitlement on his face. “Why else did you come on to me? To all three of us?”

      Her hands turned into fists, and she took a furious step forward, fully intending to kick him in his Cameron Diaz face, but Lucas stepped between them.

      Jake’s voice took on more confidence and the nasty edge returned. “Are your clothes torn? Did I even kiss you!” He stood up. “This asshole, though...he has a violent streak.”

      “Yeah,” Lucas said. “I do. I’m from the South Side of Chicago, and don’t you forget it.” He stepped forward, forcing Jake to step back. “If I see you within fifty feet of her, you’ll see just how violent a Southie can get. Me and a hammer. You and a new orifice. You understand?”

      Granted, being protected wasn’t really Colleen’s thing, as she’d never needed it before, but damn. Jake’s eyes grew comically round with terror.

      “I asked you a question, you little shit.”

      “I understand,” Jake said, his voice shaking.

      “Is there a problem here?” It was the limo driver, followed by Chris.

      “This asshole grabbed me by the throat!” Jake said, his tone immediately sullen.

      “Sounds like you deserved it,” the driver said. “At least, according to him.” He gestured to Chris, who gave her an ashamed nod. “Now get in the limo, rich boy. Party’s over.” The driver looked at Colleen. “Are you okay?” he asked.

      She hesitated, then nodded.

      “If you ever touch her again, Jake,” Lucas said, his voice soft and matter-of-fact, “you’ll be eating through a straw for weeks.”

      “Oh, yeah?” Jake said. “Just because you snuck up on me—”

      Lucas made a small movement toward him, and Jake screamed and jerked back.

      “Come on,” the driver said.

      “Oh, Jake?” Colleen said sweetly.

      He gave her a lethal look.

      “You wet yourself.”

      Jake looked down at his crotch, froze a second, then shuffled off the dock. He yelled at Jase, shoving him as he walked past.

      “Stupid little dick,” the driver muttered. He turned to them. “You guys all set?”

      “Yeah. Thanks,” Lucas said.

      “Sorry, Colleen,” Chris muttered, following the driver down the dock.

      It was only when they were gone that Colleen looked at Lucas. “Thank you,” she whispered.

      “Sure.” He took a few steps down the dock to his cousin. “Bryce, you okay?”

      “Hey, dude,” Bryce said. “What was that yelling all about?”

      “What did I say about drinking tonight, huh? Someone almost got hurt, and you’re shit-faced.”

      “Sorry, man. I had a little too much, I think.”

      “Get up, buddy.” He helped his cousin to his feet.

      “Remember when I saved you?” Bryce said.

      “Yep.”

      Bryce took a weaving step toward her. “Oh, hey, Coll. How you doing?”

      “Hey,

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