Intercepted (Page 46)

“Congratulations?” Does she want a cookie?

I haven’t watched the video, but like I guessed, it was uploaded before my head hit the pillow that night. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. Freaking Madison. Still causing me problems even when she’s not around.

“No fuckin’ way. You’re the girl?” Horsehead says, coming way too close.

“Damn,” Creeper One says, sounding a thousand times creepier than he did before. His heavy, drunk eyes linger across my chest. “You are pretty hot.”

“Not that hot,” Horsehead says, his eyes narrowed on me, cheeks red with anger. “You’re the reason we’re out of the fucking playoffs! All because you can’t keep your fuckin’ legs closed.”

The girl across from me stares with wide eyes, listening to the two dirtbags hovering over me. She mouths a silent I’m sorry my way, but it doesn’t make me feel any better . . . or safer for that matter.

Before they can say too much more, the train begins to slow for my stop. I zip my jacket back up, grab my purse, and stand. As soon as the doors open, I’m booking it. But as I’m waiting, sour, hot breath is at my ear and a very unwelcome hand is trailing its way down the back of my jacket.

“What do you say? Wanna slum it for a bit? I’m guessing since you had to catch a ride on the train with the rest of us, you and Pope are finished.”

I gather all of the strength I’m not feeling at the moment and turn toward the drunk guy currently invading my space. “Get your hands off of me right now.” I spit out the words, but instead of him backing off, he seems entertained. My attempt at calling him off has accomplished the opposite.

“Don’t worry,” he whispers in my ear, even closer than before. “I like when they get a little feisty. Doug likes it too.”

I have to fight back the wave of nausea that rolls over me. Doug (I guess is his name) is on my left, so close his hat is hitting me in the head with every bump we go over. His angry glare feels like it’s burning a hole in my head. On my right, whoever this guy is, is getting closer with every second that passes. His nose is touching my ear, and his hand is approaching the bottom of my jacket.

But just as his hand is about to make contact with the thin leggings covering my butt, the train doors start to open. Before they open all the way, I jump out and break into a full-blown sprint, dodging the other people exiting at the same time. I look over my shoulder and see both Doug and whatever-his-name are running after me. Thankfully, unlike the dark night months ago, the sun is still out and I feel confident in my ability to outrun these guys. I turn the corner off of the platform and run smack-dab into a brick wall. Except this wall has hands and they grab my waist, steadying me on my feet.

I look up to see who I ran into, fully prepared to scream bloody murder, when I look into the concerned, blue eyes of Gavin Pope.

The moment his arms wrap around me, the adrenaline I was running on flees, and I have to choke back the urge to vomit.

“Are you okay?” he asks. “Where are they?”

I turn in his arms, searching the crowd until I see both men turn the corner, still running as fast as they can. Sardonic smiles twist across their creepy faces when they see me, until a second later, they notice the large figure behind me.

“What the fuck?” Gavin growls.

“Shit, man. I’m sorry. We didn’t realize she was still yours,” the chubby guy says between heavy breaths.

“She’s not mine, you sick fuck. She’s not some piece of fucking property you only respect because she belongs to another man. You respect her because she’s a fucking woman who deserves to take a train home without being harassed by assholes like you.”

“Calm down, man,” Horsehead says with his hands in front of his chest. “We didn’t mean anything by it. We were just having a little fun. Weren’t we, sweetheart?” He directs the end of his statement to me.

“Don’t call me sweetheart, asshole.” I pull out of Gavin’s arm, feeling way too pissed to be scared anymore, and I’m sure having Gavin at my back doesn’t hurt. “No. We were not having a little fun when that asshole wouldn’t take his hand off me and you both chased me down.”

“Don’t be like . . .” he starts to say but stops when he sees Donny approach us with two uniformed officers. I watch with glee as the drunk haze they’re in starts to clear and the color drains from their faces.

“Gentlemen. It’s seems we have a problem here,” says the very handsome African American officer.

“Yes,” Gavin says from behind me, his angry voice sending shivers down my spine. “We most definitely do.”

“We’re already starting to draw a crowd, Mr. Pope.” The officer motions toward the crowd forming a circle around us with their cell phones up. “Would you mind if my partner took them in and we went someplace more private to get the details?”

“I’d appreciate that, Officer . . .”

“Officer Graham.” He reaches his hand out toward Gavin.

“Officer Graham. Thank you.” Gavin returns his handshake. “My car is around the corner if you’d like to follow us to my place.”

“Sounds good, Mr. Pope.”

Without exchanging any more words, Gavin, Donny, and I walk to Gavin’s truck. Donny climbs into the back seat and we sit quietly listening to sports talk. Well . . . I don’t listen. I stare out the window thinking of every worst-case-scenario ending to what just happened. I also start budgeting in my head because I’m pretty sure this marks the end of my time on public transportation.

“This is stupid. Those guys were assholes, but they didn’t get crazy until the lady mentioned the video and outed me as your girlfriend.” I break the silence, still pissed about how everything went down.

“What video?” Gavin asks.

Oopsies.

“Some video from work.” That’s only a half lie and I’ve never watched the video, it’d be irresponsible of me to say any more.

“It’s a video of Madison losing her fuckin’ shit the way she always does while Marlee’s at work.” Donny fills in the blanks for Gavin. “They named it ‘Gavin Pope’s Girl’s No Nun.’ Fuckin’ brilliant.”

“What?” Gavin looks to me for an answer even though I’m not the one who told him.

“Thanks a lot, friend.” I turn and glare at Donny, but he doesn’t care.

“Again,” Gavin says. “What?”

“I don’t even know. I’ve never watched it.” I tell Gavin the truth and hope he’ll drop it.

“I have.” Donny pipes in . . . again. “I was going to show it to you later, but what better time than the present?” He passes his phone to Gavin, and I can hear my voice before he even looks at it.

“You know what, Donny?” I put my knees on the seats and turn around to look at him.

“What?” he asks, but he knows what I’m going to say.

“I really don’t like you.”

“Stop lying.” He takes a sip of the beer he snuck out of the stadium. “I love you, you love me, it’s like fuckin’ Barney in this car.”

“Whatever.” I roll my eyes and plop back on the seat.

“I can’t believe neither of you told me about this video,” Gavin says, but never takes his eyes off of the screen.