“What do you say we head back to my truck? Have us a little alone time.” His breath reeked of beer and his eyes were completely glazed over.

“Um, no thank you. And you should really consider giving someone your keys.” I turned to look at Amanda when she snorted and I shook my head. Seriously? Who did this guy think he was? After the stunt he’d pulled earlier he really thought I’d go anywhere or do anything with him?

“I didn’t say we’d be driving.”

“Like I said, no—”

He grabbed my hips and turned me so I was facing him and pressed my body close to his. “I bet I have you screaming my name in no time.”

“Ew. Max, leave her alone!” Amanda hissed, and I pulled away from him.

“I said no, you need to back off.” I turned back to Amanda and grabbed for her hand, fully intending to go find Tyler and Gage, but Max gripped the top of my arm and roughly brought me back to him.

“And I said we’re going to my truck.” His hold on my left arm tightened and was past the point of being painful; that mixed with the alcohol on his breath had my body going rigid seconds before I started shaking uncontrollably.

“Max!” Amanda sounded appalled and began pulling me toward her. “What the hell is wrong with you?! Go sober up in your truck, alone!”

His hand had loosened slightly and I let Amanda pull me away; just before I slipped out of his grasp, it tightened as much as my arm would allow and he yanked me toward him again. Only this time Amanda had a hold on me as well and that split second I was being pulled by both sent a sharp pain through my left shoulder. Amanda let go and I stumbled over myself, landing hard on my butt, causing the pain in my shoulder to intensify as Max yanked on the arm he still kept hold of.

Amanda gasped loudly, and though I tried to keep it in, a short cry of pain escaped my lips. I couldn’t even try to get myself standing; my entire body was trembling too hard as I subconsciously waited for the blows to start. All I could seem to do was stare at my lap as flashes of different beatings quickly flipped through my mind. Suddenly, Max’s hand was gone and Tyler was directly in front of me, pushing my chin up so I would look at him. His eyes were wide and he was speaking, but I couldn’t hear him over the sounds of flesh hitting flesh, glass breaking, my screams, Jeff’s grunts, and my mom’s moans.

Tyler pulled me up and half carried, half walked me back to his Jeep. Sitting me on the passenger seat, he stood just inside the open door and between my legs, gently rubbing the throbbing ache on my arm, his other hand cupping the back of my neck and holding my forehead to his. Slowly, the nightmarish flashes disappeared and I could hear Tyler whispering softly.

“ . . . okay, I’ve got you. Never again, Cassi, they’re gone, they can’t touch you here. You’re okay, I’ve got you. I’ll always have you, Cass. They’re gone—”

“Is she okay?!” Gage’s voice broke through my immediate world of my rock, my Tyler, holding me.

“She’ll be fine,” Ty responded, and went back to whispering, “I’ve got you, you’re going to be okay, sweetheart.”

Next thing I knew, Gage was in the driver’s seat of the Jeep and talking directly behind me. “Darlin’, are you all right? Tell me what happened.”

I couldn’t bring myself to respond to him; I didn’t want him seeing this. Didn’t want him to know I was so messed up that from Max grabbing my arm, I’d begun having a full-on meltdown in front of everyone. Tyler gently squeezed the back of my neck as his whispering continued, over and over. I wrapped my arms around his waist and moved my head so it was resting against his chest. His lips pressed down on my head and his whispers slowed, changing slightly.

“That’s it, sweetheart, you’re okay. I’m here, I’m always here for you. I love you, Cass, you’re all right, I got you.”

“Ty—man, what happened?”

I felt Tyler’s head shake as he continued whispering.

“Holy crap, Gage!” Amanda said loudly. “You knocked Max out cold. I think you busted his nose . . . again.”

“Amanda,” Tyler growled at the same time Gage hissed, “Shut up, Manda!”

My body started shaking harder, and I pulled myself closer to Tyler and farther from Gage. I didn’t want to hear that, I didn’t want to think about what had happened between him and Max. I focused on nothing but Tyler so those images wouldn’t put themselves in my mind.

“I need to get her back to the house,” Tyler said, still speaking softly. “Are we good to go?”

When the others agreed, he moved me so he could get onto the passenger seat as well and pulled me onto his lap. My head instantly dropped to the crook of his neck and I let his large arms, warm scent, and soft words continue to soothe me all the way back to the ranch.

Once we were back, Tyler gave me one of his shirts and gently pushed me into the bathroom. I took a quick shower; dressed in his shirt, which came down to my thighs; and made my way back to Amanda’s room. Gage had been standing there with Tyler, but after one look at me, his expression turned worried and he didn’t say a word as I walked past him and went to the sofa bed in the far corner of the bedroom. The guys left when Amanda came to get in her own bed, and once she was asleep Tyler was slipping under the comforter with me. My rock . . . my best friend. I didn’t know what I would ever do without him. His arms went around me and I curled myself tighter into him, taking a deep breath in. Finally feeling safe in his arms, I closed my eyes as my shaking slowed to a stop and I drifted off to sleep.