Weeping Angel: Malvada (Book 1 of the Weeping Angel Series)

Chapter XVII

Josh abruptly stands up; he was breathing heavily at this point, his face hard and body tense, his shoulders set back in determination. I walk around him to stand beside Gabby and ask her if she was okay, to which she nods.

"How did this even happen?" Ethan cuts straight to the point.

Josh glares at Gabby accusingly and says with a harsh voice, "It's Gabby's fault." What the hell is wrong with him?

"For once, I agree with him," Mason says, scowling at Gabby. "Why can't you just listen for once in your life?"

"What the hell, you guys? It's not her fault!" I defend.

Josh whips his head to glower at me, his icy blue eyes shooting daggers at me. "I saw Gabby drag you down here just a while ago."

I open my mouth to say something, but Gabby interrupts me. "I was just trying to make this party fun for her! I didn't know-"

"It's not your fault, Gabby. End of story." I assert in a stern voice, making no room for argument, and Ethan agrees with me, saying that Gabby wouldn't have known any of this would happen.

"I was down here when Liam and Alexio were talking to Rose, and I knew they were here to cause problems. Amanda took me upstairs because some other shit was happening." Josh was trying his hardest to remain calm. "The three of you, especially Gabby, know that Westwood boys are a bunch of fuck ups, but you let this shit happen! Do you even realize what could've happened?!"

I'm taken aback by his words. I didn't understand how he always found a way to blame others.

A look of bitterness sweeps across Mason's face. "You cannot throw this at me. I tried to get Liam and Alexio out of here, but Gabby wouldn't let me! She let this happen!"

"You chose to let Gabby drag you away, Mason. You could've stopped it!" Josh hisses, his eyes blazing with anger and frustration. "You always wait until people get hurt, and then you step in, acting like the fucking hero you are. What if something happened to Rose?"

There it was, the same warmth, the same butterflies at the mention of my middle name. No matter how harsh his tone was, whenever Josh talked about me or used my name, his voice turned soft, and I didn't know what to think about that.

"I'd never let anything happen to Emma," Mason growls, meaning every word. Josh chuckles, indicating that he in no way finds Mason's words amusing or true. Mason narrows his eyes at Josh, and Ethan tries to calm him down, telling him to drop it and help clean up, but Mason doesn't move an inch.

Gabby and I exchange nervous glances, knowing full well to what extent this could lead to, so I speak up, "Okay, enough is enough, you guys. We should just head home."

Mason sighs, the anger in him slowly dissipating away. "You're right. I'll drop you home, Emma. Ethan, you take Gabby."

"No, you're not," Josh protests.

"He's not?" Gabby, Ethan and I say together.

"Why the hell not?" Mason questions.

"Because I'm taking her home." Josh deadpans, crossing his arms over his chest. What the hell?

"What the hell, Josh?" Mason echoes out loud.

Josh grits his teeth. "Are you deaf? I don't trust you with Rose. I didn't trust you with Penny back then either, but you fucked up. Now move." Josh tries to walk past Mason, but Mason puts a firm hand on his shoulder, and Josh takes a deep breath to steady himself from pouncing on Mason.

Just as things were getting a little better, Josh suddenly has a problem with who I go home with. I resist the urge to roll my eyes and scoff loudly at him.

"Mason, please. Just let him take her home." Gabby pleads, clearly wanting this argument to end more than anything.

"Shut up, will you? You fucked up already, I don't need more of it." Mason scolds her, causing Gabby's face to turn a bright shade of red in anger and embarrassment. She frowns, glowering her brown eyes at the boys, but doesn't say anything else.

Mason turns his head to look back at Josh, his eyes swirling with determination. "If you even lay a finger on Emma, I'll fucking kill you. I don't want you scaring her away or hurting her because you have a short temper."

Josh was visibly shaking now as Mason continued, "Penny was scared of you, you know. You're like that. You scare people away. At least she talked to me."

Josh balled his hands into a fist, his blue eyes growing a thousand shades darker as he growled in a low voice. "Stop fucking talking. You're the one who lied to Penny!"

"Alright, both of you cut it out!" Ethan finally interrupts, getting in between the boys and shoving them away from each other. "I'll take both Emma and Gabby home. You guys need to get the hell away from each other and cool the fuck down."

"Stay out of this, Ethan." Mason sneers and pushes Ethan aside without breaking eye contact with Josh. "I'll take Emma home. I don't want this asshole around my things."

I'm caught off guard at Mason's words, surprised and a little hurt that he would talk about me like that as if I was one of his regular flings or booty calls who devoted my life to kiss the stupid ground he walks on.

I grit my teeth and open my mouth to call him out for saying that, but Josh speaks up before I could say anything. "She's not a thing. She's not your or anyone's fucking property!" Josh spat out, the muscle in his jaw ticking like this was the final straw for him.

Mason scoffs, "You know what I mean, now get the hell out of here." Mason gives Josh a small shove enough to get him out of his personal space.

"I'm not going anywhere." Josh strictly asserts.

Mason loses his composure and grabs Josh's collar. "Listen to me, you little shit, I'm taking what's mine and-"

Josh, who's clearly lost his temper, roughly pushes Mason away and, in a fluid motion, punches Mason right in his face. "Say that again, I dare you," He whispers dangerously.

Mason stumbles backwards, but Ethan grabs his arm before he could fall. Mason hisses in pain and wipes the blood from his face with the back of his hand, glaring at Josh the entire time. Mason shrugs off Ethan's hand and swings his arm back to hit Josh, but I immediately get in between them before Mason could make matters worse.

"Enough!" I shout before turning around to look at Josh. "Both of you!" I turn back to give Mason a long, hard look before saying, "You should leave, Mason." Mason's eyes widen in shock before they fill up with anger and disappointment.

"What? Emma, you can't-"

"I can, and I will. You don't get to control me." I snarl.

Mason's stern gaze softens, his brown eyes filling with guilt. "Emma, no, I-I didn't mean it like that. Let me drive you-"

I lift my palm up, indicating for him to stop talking. I was pissed at him. "Save it. I'd rather go with anybody else instead of you right now." I mutter, refusing to look at him for a second longer.

I look at Gabby, "I'll call you." She nods and mouths a sorry, but I shake my head at her, mouthing back, 'It's okay.'

My eyes meet Ethan's. "Take her home safely." Ethan nods, sending me a closed-lip smile.

I look over my shoulder and feel Josh burning a hole through my bead with his intense gaze. "Let's go," I mutter and start walking towards the stairs and out of the basement, hearing Josh's heavy footsteps follow me. I hear Mason repeatedly say he was sorry, but I ignore him.