Always & Forever (Nick & Bailey #2)

13. Bailey

Because he obviously has a death wish, Justin speaks first. "Speak of the devil. Robinson, why don't you come out here and join our chat?"

Nick looks at me, and I find my voice. "Nick, don't. I was just walking away."

Justin laughs. "Figures. Go fuck your 'boyfriend'. Come find me when you're done pretending."

Nick storms onto the porch and takes my place staring down Justin, although admittedly, he looks much more intimidating than I did. Looking at the two of them, Justin has more apparent muscle—he probably spends all his time in the gym—but I know Nick has more experience fighting.

"What the fuck did you say?" Nick practically growls. Their foreheads are almost touching.

"What are you going to do, Robinson?"

I feel like I'm watching a bomb seconds away from exploding. My fingers are shaking. Nick throws his cup to the floor and sticks his finger in Justin's face.

"You're fucking dead if you don't apologize to her right FUCKING NOW!"

Holy shit. I have never seen him this far gone. I need to do something. I walk up to them, standing next to Nick. "It doesn't matter, baby. He's fucking hammered. I don't care what he says to me. He's nothing."

Nick's expression doesn't give any indication that he even heard me speak.

Justin continues digging himself deeper. "Yeah, baby, listen to your current fuck-buddy. Because that's all she is, isn't she? But before you go, did Bailey ever tell you all the times she would beg for me?"

'Beg' is a strong word—too strong of a word. But I see a muscle twitch in Nick's jaw and know that Justin is getting the reaction he's after.

"Yeah," Justin continues. "She wanted my dick. Do you think she wants yours like she wants mine?"

"Shut the fuck up," Nick finally speaks.

I'm speechless. The pure intensity in the small space is overwhelming me. I've never been this close to a potential real fight before.

Justin ignores his warning. "But don't worry about her, I'd just let her suck my dick, and she'd be hap—"

He's cut off by Nick's fist slamming into his jaw.

"Nick, stop!" I yell uselessly. I can see that Nick is ready to hit him again, so I, instinctively, grab onto his arm in an attempt to physically stop him.

The only result is that when Nick pulls his arm backward, I get an elbow slammed directly into my cheek. I fall backward onto my ass, but Nick doesn't notice.

Through the stars in my eyes, I see Nick punch Justin again. This time Justin is expecting it and shifts positions at the last second, resulting in Nick getting a fist directly into his gut. He stumbles backward, and while he's trying to regain his breath, Justin takes the opportunity to get his face.

Nick retaliates immediately, and, this time, Justin loses his balance and falls off the porch and into the grass. Nick is on him in seconds, and I am brought back to the day Nick's stepfather was in this same position—only it was Nick on the ground that time. And that memory only becomes stronger when I see Ian fly past me to try to break it up.

He grabs Nick around his chest and pulls him backward. Nick breaks his grip quickly and lunges after Justin. Ian is able to get to him before he begins kicking Justin's side. Justin stands up sloppily and is able to connect with Nick's jaw since Ian still has his arms held back.

"A little help here!" Ian yells from behind him.

His voice seems to knock all of us out of our trance, and three guys rush past me to help break up the fight. Two of them head for Justin and grab his arms seconds before he reaches Nick again. The third guy stands between them and tries to reason with them.