STARCROSSED ▷ steve harrington

12. the gate - part two

CHAPTER TWELVE - THE GATE
PART TWO

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AFTER MAKING THE kids crouch down behind the window out of Billy's sight, Jackie and Steve walked out of the house together. She'd insisted that she handled it alone, but Steve wasn't anything if he wasn't stubborn, and eventually she gave up on arguing and agreed to let him go, only if she could do all the talking. "Am I dreaming or is that you with my sister, Harrington?"

"Yeah it's me," Steve answered. "Don't cream your pants."

She shot a look at him, then turned back to her step-brother. "What are you doing here, Billy?" Jackie asked, her tone accusing, though she tried her best to steer clear of sneering at him. Hopefully if she could keep him calm, he wouldn't act irrational like he was prone to doing. "You've said it time and time again, you don't care about us. Why bother now?"

"Because your screw up of a mother—"

"My what?" She echoed, taking a step closer to him as she lowered her voice. "My what?"

"Your mother," he corrected, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "Told my father that you bitches were missing. Now imagine my surprise when I find you with Harrington over here. I don't know, this whole situation... It's giving me the heebie-jeebies."

"Oh yeah?" Steve questioned, standing protectively next to Jackie. "Why's that?"

"My thirteen-year-old sister has been missing all day, and I find her here with you, along with my other sister who has been missing for two days, in a stranger's house. And you lie to me about it."

"Max isn't here," Jackie insisted, fighting off a flush. "Steve and I were just spending time together. Alone time, so butt out. I don't get why you're so mad about it."

"Not like it's any of your business," Steve added, but Jackie shot him a glare.

"Jacqueline," Billy went on. "Get Max. We're leaving."

"Man, were you dropped too much as a child, or what? We told you, she's not here."

"Then who is that?" Billy asked. Before Jackie had the chance to shoot Steve another warning look, both of them turned to follow where he was pointing, just in time to see four heads duck down below the window.

"Shit," Steve mumbled. "Listen-"

He didn't get the chance to finish, because Billy shoved him onto the ground. "Stop!" Jackie demanded when he raised his leg and kicked Steve right in the gut, but he ignored her. He easily grabbed Jackie by the collar when she attempted to pull him away.

"I told you to plant your feet," he growled out at Steve, before dragging Jackie to the house.

"Let go of me, you asshole!" She ordered, struggling against his grip. He was holding her shirt tight, dragging her against him. She was defenseless. "Get your hands off me-"

"Don't make me hurt you too," Billy warned lowly. Her brain raced with a plan to break free, but the only thing she could manage to do was bite his wrist like she were some rabid animal.

He hissed in pain and loosened his hold. Jackie shoved him away with the new space between them, eyes hardened as she glared at him. Billy's ears reddened in anger as he shoved passed her and walked into the house. "You're a fucking dick," Jackie swore, heart racing. She turned to aid Steve, who was still on the ground. "Oh, God. Are you okay?" She offered a hand, but he waved her off.