Incharge

Chapter 39

Emmy Barker

I was seething with anger. I didn't even think, just acted on instinct.

I had knocked Meghan over and that was my fault. But the streaks of mascara that stained her face? They weren't because of our collision. She was on the ground, clearly in pain, both emotional and physical, and I could feel my protective instinct flare up like fire.

"Meghan, oh God, I'm so sorry!" I rushed to her side, but the second my hand moved toward her, I hesitated. She wasn't even looking at me. She was looking at him. Her eyes were red, more tears threatening to spill, but she was holding it in, like she always did, like she thought I couldn't see the cracks forming.

I turned to Cory, fury rising in my chest. "What the fuck did you do?" I repeated.

Kit tried to speak but I shot him down with a glare. Cory blinked like I'd slapped him. He opened his mouth to say something, but I wasn't giving him a chance.

"Did you mean to hurt her, Cory? Did you?" I took a step toward him, not caring that I was probably scaring him a little. He deserved it first putting Meghan through whatever hell he had conjured up. "You made her feel like she wasn't enough, didn't you? Like she had to change for you."

His eyes widened, confusion on his face as he fumbled for words. "Emmy, I-"

I shushed him and turned my focus to the girl still on the ground and knelt next to her, trying to meet her eyes, but she kept her head down. I could feel Cory's presence behind me, his silence hanging in the air, but I didn't want him near Meghan. Not like this. Not now.

"Meghan," I said softly, my hand reaching for hers, my voice low and steady despite everything bubbling up inside me. "Look at me. You're not alone. I'm right here. You don't have to do this by yourself."

Her fingers twitched, but she didn't respond right away. I couldn't stand seeing her like this - broken in a way I couldn't immediately fix, and knowing it was because of him.

I turned my gaze back to Cory. He was still standing there, looking like he was lost, like he didn't know what had just happened. And maybe he didn't. But I did. And so did Meghan. She didn't need his confusion right now.

Kit tried to speak again, "Emmy, maybe we don't know the whole-"

I shot both of them a glare so cold, I could feel my insides tighten before locking my vision on Cory. "You're not going to fix this, Cory," I said, voice low. "You either accept her for who she is, or you step the hell away. Because this? This is on you."

I didn't wait for him to respond. Meghan needed me, not some half-assed apology from him.

I squeezed her hand, trying to keep my tone gentle, even though I wanted to scream. "Let's get out of here, okay? You can come with us. We don't need him."

Meghan's head tilted up, and for a moment, she looked at me with those sad, tired eyes. She nodded, her body stiff, but she was willing to let me help her. That was enough.

I helped her to her feet, but I wasn't ready to let Cory off the hook. Not yet.

"Emmy," he called out again, his voice shaky. I didn't stop. I didn't even turn around. He didn't deserve that.

"Let's go, Meghan," I said, gently guiding her away from the storage room, away from Cory and all the tension hanging in the air.

We had helped Meghan for no more than a couple of steps when Kit left her side to face off against Cory.

"Cory," Kit said, his voice cool, almost detached. "I don't know what's going on, but if you've done anything to hurt her..." He let the words trail off, the threat clear in his gaze.

I could feel Kit's protective side coming out, the side of him that no one had really seen. In an instant, he'd gone from carefree to the person who wouldn't let anyone hurt me - or Meghan, for that matter.

Cory opened his mouth, but no words came out, and that was probably for the best. Kit wasn't asking for explanations. He was demanding them.

"Just go, Cory," I said, my voice firm. "She doesn't need you. Not now, not like this."

Kit turned to me then, his eyes softening, his posture shifting from tense to more relaxed, like he was trying to make sense of it all. But he was still watching Cory like a hawk.

"Emmy, I..." Kit began, but his words trailed off as he looked at me, then Meghan. He seemed to weigh everything in one look. "I'll walk her back, switch with me."

I could feel the sincerity in his voice, and even though I wasn't exactly thrilled with Kit's casual attitude about most things, right now, I needed that. Meghan needed that.

"I'm good," I said quickly, trying to keep it together. I wasn't about to leave Meghan alone in this state. Not now. "You go ahead, I'll be right behind you."

Kit looked at me for a beat, then gave a sharp nod. "Alright, but if you need anything, you know where to find me."

And I did. He'd probably start to clear the partygoers out and would be up in his dorm within the hour. If I needed him, he was just a call or hallway away.

Which was good because after what I had seen tonight, I was going to need to debrief with someone soon.