Torn to Pieces (The Boys of DownCrash #2) (new adult contemporary romance / rockstar romance) Read Online Free Page B

college, to a time when I thought I had freedom.  I could lick the wind of freedom, see it too, but I couldn’t get it. 
    Tatum touched Danny on the shoulder and Danny dropped his shoulder and swung.  Being sober, Tatum backed up with ease and Danny swung at nothing.
    “I already told you,” Danny growled.
    “So did I,” Tatum said.
    I don’t know what got into me right then but I lifted my left knee and connected with Danny.  In my head, it was a direct shot to his nuts, and then he’d keel over and be done.  He’d run away and never bother me again.  Wasn’t that how it happened in the movies? 
    Yeah, well that’s not how it works in real life.
    My knee came up and hit Danny, but not directly in the nuts.  I hit his inner thigh.  He did jump back, trying to protect his manhood, but when he looked at me, his lip snarled, and I knew he was going to hit me.  I froze, unable to defend myself... promises, Maggie, all of us keep our promises ...
    “You fucking bitch,” Danny growled and lunged at me.
    I saw everything happen as though it was slow motion.  Tatum’s right fist came forward and connected with Danny’s face, spinning him around and spraying blood.  Danny went down to one knee and then was back up a second later.  His unstoppable, never-beat-me jock attitude now had Danny’s eyes set on Tatum. 
    “You’re fucking dead,” Danny said.
    He swung at Tatum and Tatum swung too.  Danny’s fist hit Tatum in the mouth but Tatum’s fist connected with Danny’s nose.  Danny cried out and fell forward, into Tatum, burying his face in Tatum’s shirt.  Tatum then pushed Danny back and when he looked at me, he must have seen the fear pouring from my face. 
    Tatum swung again, one more shot for good measure, taking Danny down for good.  Tatum then stood over Danny and grabbed his shirt, lifting him off the ground.  Blood smeared all over Danny’s face and his eyes were no longer tough.  They were scared.  They were honest.
    “If you even as much as look at Maggie again,” Tatum said, “you’ll never play baseball again.  Got it?”
    Danny nodded.
    Tatum slammed Danny off the ground and lifted him again. 
    “Do you understand?” Tatum yelled.
    “Yes,” Danny said.  “Yes, I get it.  I get it.  Okay, man?  Fuck.”
    “Yeah.  Fuck is right.”
    Tatum released Danny again and then tapped him with his shoe.  Danny rolled to his side and fought to get up.  He stumbled into a wall to brace himself, wiping his face, looking at the blood.  He started to murmur something and then stood up, his left hand flat against the wall, and he looked at both Tatum and I. 
    “Say something,” Tatum said.  “I dare you.”
    Danny didn’t say a word.  He just shook his head and trotted away.  Watching him try to run drunk and bloody was actually kind of funny but when I thought about what could have just happened, my knees started to give out.
    Tatum was right there though, his big hands at my arms, keeping me up.
    “Are you okay, Maggie?” he asked.
    I looked into his eyes and shook my head.  “No...”
    “What an asshole,” Tatum said.  “I hate that guy.  I hate jocks.”
    “I hate myself,” I whispered. 
    I looked down, feeling more defeated than ever.  What had started as a little game, making myself sound promiscuous and fun, turned into this mess.  Turned into guys thinking they could just pin me against my car and dry hump me for fun.  Turned into all the pain I secretly carried becoming like a giant boulder on my back, weighing me down.
    “You hate yourself?” Tatum asked.  “Why?”
    I shook my head.  “Nothing.  It’s nothing.  Danny just thought I was someone else...”
    “No he didn’t.  He thought he was some fucking untouchable jock that could position himself over women.  I wonder how many times he’s done that and gotten away with it.”
    I nodded, my head still down.  I couldn’t face Tatum.  Not like this.  I felt so exposed, so