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THE AIR outside the Byers's house was chilly, but Steve had fury running through his veins to keep him cool. All he could think of as he watched Billy Hargrove step out of his obnoxiously loud car was Valentina's face. Her face as she told him what Billy did on the floor of Dustin's living room, tears streaming and reflecting in the moonlight. Her face as she recognized the engine revving outside the house just minutes ago, eyes searching for his in the sea of troubles.
She looked for him. She was counting on him. He wasn't going to let her down this time.
The engine cut off, along with it went the headlights, and Steve's vision lasered in on the mullet-headed douchebag with a cigarette hanging off his lips. His fists curled at his sides from where they stuck out from his gray jacket, and he couldn't even feel the November night prickling at his skin.
"Am I dreaming or is that you, Harrington?" Billy asked, his voice dripping in nicotine and perversity.
Steve's upper lip snarled in disgust, wishing he had one of Hopper's guns right now and could just shoot the guy before he even stepped onto the property.
"Yeah, it's me. Don't cream your pants," he said, hoping Valentina was listening on the other side of the door behind him.
As Billy slammed his car door shut, Steve realized that this wasn't going to be as quick of an interaction as he'd hoped. He advanced down the front porch steps, thinking that would give Billy the idea that he was not welcome any closer.
"What are you doing here, amigo?" the asshole asked.
"I could ask you the same thing," Steve grumbled. "Amigo."
Billy adjusted the cigarette between his lips, showcasing how little he cared about this conversation just by the fact that he wouldn't even take it out to speak properly.
"Looking for my little stepsister. A little birdie told me she was here," he said.
Steve thought of Max, sitting inside next to Lucas on the couch. He'll kill me, she said. Steve's face almost scrunched up in sadness at the thought, but he recovered quickly to not let Billy see he was lying.
"Huh, that's weird. I don't know her."
"Small?" Billy held up his fingers in a pinch to exaggerate Max's size. "Redhead? Bit of a bitch?"
Max was anything but a bitch, Steve thought. She was certainly less of a bitch than her stepbrother. Still, Steve couldn't defend the girl without giving away that he knew her. It hurt him to let Billy talk about her this way—even if they'd only met a few hours ago. Almost dying together really bonds people.
"Doesn't ring a bell. Sorry, buddy."
Billy nodded. It almost looked like he understood, but then he took the lit stick out of his mouth and shook the embers onto the ground. Looked like he was finally taking this seriously, unfortunately for Steve.
