To Be Devoured

Chapter Twenty Four

Winter waited as Riley went to fetch drinks for them. He'd noticed her shivering a little and shrugged off his suit jacket without hesitation, draping it over her shoulders with a soft smile before disappearing inside to get them drinks as the bar outside was empty.

She wrapped the jacket tighter around her, her hands trembling just slightly.

"Damn," a voice sneered, jarring Winter out of her thoughts.

"Didn't know they let strays wander in."

Winter looked up, already wishing she hadn't.

It was Jaxon. One of Dimitri's friends.
He stood there like he owned the party—broad shoulders filling out a tight varsity jacket, arms crossed over his chest like he was always seconds away from picking a fight. His dirty blonde hair was tousled in that effortless way that probably took effort, and those brown eyes locked on her like she was something beneath his shoe.

They dragged slowly over her body, pausing every part of her.

"You know," he drawled, his voice loud enough for the others to hear, "they say you can make a pig look pretty with makeup, but it's still a pig."

Two of his friends behind him snickered into heir red cups filled with liquor.

Winter flinched before arching a brow at him. "You act like I don't know I'm fat," she scoffed, trying to sound calm, trying to sound unbothered, even as her throat burned.
She didn't want to show weakness. Especially not to someone like him. So, she held her head up high as she stared into his dark eyes. This hadn't been the first time she was bullied. And it certainly wouldn't be the last.

Jaxon tilted his head, amused. "Knowing it doesn't make it any less pathetic."

And before Winter could react, he reached forward and yanked Riley's coat off her shoulders in one swift motion.

Her arms were bare. The cold air hit her skin like a slap.

"Yikes," Jaxon muttered, backing up a step just to get a full view. "Those arms are way bigger than I thought." His lip curled up in disgust.

"Bet you got stretch marks under there too, huh? Can't even blame it on having kids—this is just premium-grade laziness."

One of his friends behind him choked on his drink, nearly spilling it from laughing too hard.

Winter stood frozen, her throat tight, vision blurring. Her heart beat in her ears, her stomach twisting like it wanted to crawl out of her. She felt thirteen again—helpless, cornered, humiliated.

"What the hell is going on?"

Winter clenched her eyes closed in embarrassment before she whipped her head toward the sound of his voice.

Dimitri was standing few feet away, his shoulders tense, jaw locked, a storm brewing behind those pale blue eyes when he approached them.

He looked at Jaxon first, then at Winter—dripping in shame and silence, arms crossed over her body as if she could hide the parts his friend just torn apart.

Jaxon grinned at his friend. "Relax, man. We're just having some fun."

He jerked a thumb toward Winter, then gave Dimitri a nudge with his elbow. "Actually, you'll love this—watch this."