Phantom Universe (27 page)

“
It might be a little squashed,” Landon says in apology. “I’ve kept it on me the whole time—didn’t want any of these people around here to steal it. There’s been a lot of that going on around here.”

She hugs him quickly in thanks and pushes her tray of half-eaten food away. All she can think about is the chocolate and how wonderful it’ll taste. But then she looks up and sees them all staring at her . . . or the candy bar. They might even be drooling. She frowns with the candy bar in her hand and then decides to put it in her pocket to eat later—when no one’s around.

A hand reaches down and snatches it out of her hand before she can put it away, and she automatically recoils into Landon at the unexpected hand. Her heart jumps in surprise, expecting any second for something, or someone, to hit her. Nothing happens. She spins around in her seat to find out who it is.

“
Oh! What’s this?” a male says with glee. “Chocolate? You freaks really have been holding out on us.”

Landon stands quickly, his face hardening. “Give it back to her, Preston.”

Jaden’s arm wraps around Summer’s shaking shoulders while Rob joins Landon, circling around the table and folding his arms angrily.

“
No, I don’t think I will,” jeers Preston with a smug smile.

“
Stupid git! You think you’re cute? Pickin’ on this innocent girl?” Rob’s voice flares with fury. “Why don’t you take your genital identification disorder somewhere else? And make sure to leave the chocolate bar here. Got it? Now hand it over and piss off!”

A group of seven or eight gathers around them, and they all laugh. Preston, his blue eyes narrowing, turns to glare at his “buddies.” They all shut up at once, and many of them bite their lips in an attempt to stop from laughing.

“
You got any more chocolate?” Preston’s eyes snap back to Landon. “Because if you do, I think I’ll be taking that off you too.”

“
That’s funny,” says Rob, fake laughing. “I’m thinking that you’re going to give that back to this girl here”—he points at Summer who wishes he would not direct their attention to her—“or I will personally kick your wanker-licking, nancy ass!”

Preston nods his head at a huge guy with brown hair and eyes. The guy has muscles in places Summer didn’t even know had muscles, and his pointed chin gives his face a malicious look. He has a dragon tattoo covering the whole of his left calf, bright in the sunlight on his leg. He grins and narrows his eyes like things are about to get really interesting, then plops down next to Summer and throws an arm around her, over Jaden’s. Jaden yanks her arm free and spits out, “Jerk! Get off her!”

The guy’s breath is hot and smells like old meat. Summer’s heart is in her throat, and her stomach feels like it is going to squeeze until she’s sick all over him. She tries to move away but he only grips her with more strength. Rob’s eyes meet Summer’s, and she can read the absolute rage there.

“
If that’s how it’s going to be, ass tosser . . .” Rob’s fist connects with the bridge of Preston’s nose with a very distinct
crunch
. “And you”—he points at the guy next to Summer—“sod off you cheeky bastard!”

The guy’s arm only tightens. “I don’t think so. We’re just getting to know each other, aren’t we, precious?” His rough fingers touch her face, and she flinches. Her skin wants to get up and run away at his touch.

Jaden tries to pry his fingers from her shoulder but has no luck. Landon’s shouting indistinctly while being held back by a boy shorter than him.

Preston grunts and holds his nose, bending over with his eyes closed. “You stupid Brit!” Preston stands to his full height. He’s not quite as tall as Rob, but he’s thicker around.

Rob’s attention turns back to Preston. “Bloody hell.”

The guy next to Summer doesn’t move, only grips her even tighter and whispers in her ear, “Hey baby. My name’s Blake. Once these two are done playing around, how about you and me go back to my room, and I’ll show you what’s underneath all these clothes?” He licks her cheek with his disgusting, rotting meat smelling saliva.

Summer almost loses her lunch all over him. She fights back this time and pushes against his chest with all of her strength, but she’s still exhausted from her hospital stay and her catatonia. He only laughs at her pathetic attempt.

“
Now why would you want to get way from all of this?” he asks while his hand moves up and down his body like he’s showing her treasure.

Before them, Preston and Rob are in a full-blown fight, the crowd cheering them on. Landon breaks free and tries to pull them apart, shouting the whole time. All of them end up on the ground, fists flying, the crowd cheering, and all the while Blake’s arm is wrapped securely around Summer’s shoulders. She’s shaking so badly that her muscles begin to strain under the tension.

Lucy and Avery are nowhere to be seen, and Jaden’s focus on Blake fades as her eyes trail to Rob, who she obviously has a crush on.

“
He’s hurt! I’m sorry,” says Jaden as she stands and gets lost in the fray of flying limbs. Soon the cheering crowd is so thick around the fight that Summer can’t see anything, frozen in her seat with Blake’s breath in her ear.

CHAPTER
29: PURPLE

16 years old

A siren howls, and the crowd disperses, though the fight continues. The courtyard floods with Leaguers in their green and black uniforms. Blake stands and brings Summer with him. She tries to duck out of his grip but he only holds on tighter, bruising her arm where she’s already sore from the riot outside the hospital. Sharp, stabbing pains rush up and down her arm, riding her strained nerves. She wants to scream out for one of the Leaguers to help her but, again, her voice fails. Blake drags her through a crowd of people who bump into her, step on her, and send her into a state of panic. Her heart beats in double time.

Suddenly, Gage is standing in front of them, and they skid to a halt. Summer has never seen such fury in Gage’s eyes or such enmity in the cut of his jaw as it tightens.

“
Fingers off!” growls Gage.

“
What is it with this girl that has everyone in such an uproar?” Blake shakes his head, a smile creeping up his face. “Oooh . . .
you’re
the Leaguer who has the hots for the Outlander girl.” His voice lowers into a conspiratorial whisper as he leans forward. “Let me guess—this is the Outlander?” He chuckles.

Gage’s eyes burn with green fire as he pulls something black from his belt. “Summer, are you all right?” he asks, though his eyes don’t leave Blake.

She shakes her head fiercely, trembling. Gage’s eyes flick to hers for a second before they go back to Blake.

“
Any pain you have inflicted on her, you will feel double,” warns Gage, his voice as harsh as sandpaper against the skin. He holds up the device pulled from his belt and presses a single button. A beam of light shoots from the end of it and lights up Blake’s chest with a tiny blue dot.

“
That’s it?” Blake laughs. A second passes, and Blake’s body starts to jerk violently. “What the hell did you do to me?” he says through gritted teeth. A few more seconds pass as he shakes, and then he releases Summer. He topples to the ground while holding onto his chest where the blue dot was.

Summer races to Gage, flying into his arms and holding tight. Her body still trembles from Blake’s touch.

“
You’re okay,” he says softly while holding her securely against his chest. “He won’t be getting up for a while.” His tone is smug.

She wants to say thanks, to find some way to show how much she appreciates him stopping Blake from taking her to his room. She pulls away, finds his palm, and writes, “Thank you.” Then she looks up into his eyes that soften when he sees her sincere expression. Her eyes are big, round, and brightly blue, somewhat reminding Gage of a puppy who was just kicked.

“
You’re welcome,” he says softly and then steps back. “Where are you hurt?” He begins to look her over, inventorying anything out of place.

She lifts the sleeve of her shirt and looks over her shoulder to see the damage to Blake’s strong grip. There are distinct finger marks embedded into her skin, the color of her flesh already discoloring into purple and black. Gage’s breath catches when he sees it.

“
That piece of splash.”

Summer nods in agreement.
Doubly splashy
, she adds mentally.

His fingers gently run over the bruise as he shakes his head. “I was afraid of this.”

Summer’s eyebrows come together as she watches his face. He looks at her and says, “Because of our involvement. I was worried people would pick you out of the crowd as a target, but I didn’t think it would be within an hour.” He rubs his temples as if he has a headache. “I don’t know what I’m going to do when I’m not around here.” He inhales deeply before slowly exhaling. “I’m going to be freaking out the whole time.”

She hates that he feels he can’t do what he needs to because of her. Landon was always good at making sure Summer was safe on the ship, but not even he could stop her punishments. Gage couldn’t take on this responsibility along with the rest of his. She turns around and gazes down at the heap that is Blake. A wicked smile slithers up her lips as she takes deliberate steps his direction.

“
What are you doing?” asks Gage behind her, confusion in his voice.

Summer glances over her shoulder, the smile still in place, and winks at him.

He grins back conspiratorially. “Flower, what
are
you doing?” He laughs.

She turns back around and stares at Blake who seems so . . . harmless in this state; his legs twisted, his arms splayed out like an eagle, and his face slack.
I must face my fear
, she chants internally.
He can’t hurt me right now
. She squats next to him and starts to rummage through his pockets.

“
Looking for treasure?” asks Gage, a smile in his voice.

She shakes her head as she leans over Blake and searches his pockets. Her fingers encounter the chocolate bar, and she yanks it free triumphantly. She stands and pivots around, showing Gage what she took.

“
What is that?” he asks, eyebrows scrunching.

She holds it out to him, and he takes it in his hand, flipping it over and over.

“
A Hershey’s bar? Wow! How old is this thing? I’ve never seen a wrapper like this before? Must have come from the past.” Gage continues to turn it over, fascinated by the chocolate bar. Then his eyes snap up to hers, and he lets out a short laugh. “Was this all over a chocolate bar?”

She nods and frowns, trying not to smile at how stupid the whole thing is.

Gage breaks out into a fit of laughter. “That’s something.” He shakes his head, grinning from ear to ear. “It’s only chocolate.”

Summer’s eyes go wide.
Only chocolate?

Landon runs up to Summer and Gage. “Hey!” he pants, then stops and leans over to catch his breath. “Thanks for stopping Blake,” he says to Gage. “When I couldn’t find Summer I knew he’d taken her. So thanks.”

Rob, with Jaden holding him up partially, isn’t far behind. “Hey, has anyone seen Lucy or Avery?” asks Jaden.

Summer nods slowly as she takes in Rob’s appearance, her jaw slack in shock. His face is bloody with several cuts, the largest above his right eye that’s almost swollen shut, and he’s holding his ribs as if they’re broken.

“
We need to get you checked out,” says Gage with a whistle. “You aren’t looking to good.”

“
Guess my insults were too good, eh?” says Rob with a crooked smile.

“
You said he had a genital identification disorder. That’s bound to piss anyone off,” Jaden says and pats his hand that’s draped over her shoulder.

“
And I called him a wanker-licking, nancy ass. You can’t forget that one,” Rob says with a short laugh before wincing.