Rejection Pays A Price

Chapter Sixteen

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~Tamara Rose

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Josh, Jordan, Eric and I all hit on our heads on the kitchen table for the fifth time.

"This will never end!" Eric moaned loudly.

"I think they're doing it on purpose," Josh muttered

I glanced up briefly to see if this was in fact true. Sur enough, Mark and Lizzie were smiling now as they locked lips. I groaned and quickly hid my head again, sheltering my eyes.

"You guys have been making out for ten freaking minutes now! Don't you need to breathe?" Jordan griped. I nodded in agreement.

Crash.

All six of us jumped up at the sound of a window breaking. Mark and Lizzie jolted apart as Mark looked suspiciously around for where the sudden noise had come from. Jordan and Eric, who were sitting next to me, instinctively pulled me closer to them, so that I was sandwiched protectively between the two.

Dylan suddenly raced into the room, his expression tight with concern as he went around closing and locking all the windows. Mark and Josh began placing items in front of them without a word.

"It's a rogue attack, isn't it?" I whispered, feeling fear spike my veins.

Jordan glanced down at me as Eric gently squeezed my hand. "Don't worry, Rosie," he whispered. "We're not gonna let anyone hurt you."

"And neither am I," Dylan said, appearing before me abruptly. His expression was so strong, so determined. I knew he wasn't going to let anyone lay a hand on me.

A small smile crooked the side of my mouth and I leaned forward, throwing my arms around him. He hugged me quickly before kissing the top of my head and pulling away. He looked me in the eye and said, "I'm sorry for this."

I narrowed my eyes. "What are you--"

"Jordan and Eric, take her into the library and lock all the doors."

I gaped at him. "What? Are you insane?"

"Take Lizzie, too," Mark jumped in. 

My best friend's eyes widened as she turned to her mate, furious. "What the fuck, Mark! There's no way in hell that I'm leaving you!"

"Me, either!" I yelled, shaking Eric's grip off of me and turning to face Dylan. "What if something happens to you?"

He placed his hands on my arms, rubbing them soothingly. "Nothing will happen to me, okay? Don't worry. I just wouldn't be able to live with myself if you got hurt, Tamara Rose." He looked me in the eye. "If you care about me, please, just stay in the library?"