Bruises were already starting to swell over their faces. Fresh and dried blood were on their arms, faces, knuckles—everywhere. Mason’s shirt was soaked in it.

I choked out, “What happened?”

Logan grunted when they moved past me into the house. “We were jumped. Fuckin’ Tiger pussies.”

“Oh my god,” someone screamed when they helped Mason to the kitchen table.

Everyone had followed me up the stairs and stood in a small crowd. Becky was white in the face while the guys seemed closed off. Mark’s hands were in fists at his legs as he jerked forward and pulled out the chair for Mason.

Adam circled around the group. His mouth was strained at the corners. “What happened?”

Logan sneered and moved to the kitchen sink. Nate cast a shrewd glance at them as well before he lowered himself to the chair beside his best friend.

“Sam?” Becky was that three year old again. She sounded so small.

“I—uh—some Roussou guys jumped them.” The statement rattled me, even though it was mine. I felt my feet become unglued from the floor and I rushed to the sink. With a hand to his arm, I nudged Logan aside and gestured for him to sit down.

Something surrendered in his eyes before he nodded and went to the table. He sat on the chair beside his brother. All three of them waited for me now as I filled up a small bucket of warm water. Washcloths were grabbed, along with the first aid kit Garrett left under the sink.

Miranda was white as a sheet as she stood a few feet from Logan. Her eyes clung to him, but he had his head down. His chin jutted out, in a resolved set. Her chest lifted up and down as her eyelids fluttered. The corner of her mouth turned down before she moved back a step. She surrendered something in that moment. It cost her. As she turned away, I saw the tears at the corner of her eyes. She brushed them away but never met my gaze. She knew I saw them. She didn’t acknowledge them.

I sighed as I sat the bucket on the table and turned first towards Mason.

Then Emily dipped a washcloth in the bucket. “I’ll help you.”

I nodded, with my throat full, and gestured towards Nate. She nodded and bent down before she dabbed at his face. He sucked in his breath but stayed put for the remainder of it. As she continued to clean his face, Miranda took the other washcloth. There was a haunted look in her eyes as she knelt before Logan and did the same. He cringed but that was his only response.

She continued as she cleaned his entire face and hands.

I sighed as I held onto my washcloth. Mason looked up with one eyelid swollen. He only had one eye that met mine and my lip jerked.

No one spoke a word as we cleaned their cuts, washed the blood away, and put bandages where they needed them. When I started to take the shirt off Mason, he shook his head.

“Cut it off.”

“You sure?”

He nodded and closed his eyes.

Adam handed the scissors to me and I started from the bottom up. As I peeled it off him, his wounds started to bleed again. A bruise was already black over his ribs. It spanned from his pectorals and wrapped around to his back. It didn’t stop till the bottom of his stomach muscles.

“Oh my god,” someone whispered.

Some others sucked in their breaths and I heard a whimper come from Becky.

My eyes jerked to his and I choked out, “Why are you the worst?” I held his gaze steady and ran a gentle thumb over his cheek. A tiny bruise had formed underneath his cheekbone.

He shook his head again in a slight grimace.

“How many?”

“Enough.” Logan sent Adam a dark look.

“They should go to the hospital,” Amelia whispered to Cassandra.

Miranda whirled around. “They should go to the police.”

She raised her hand to Logan’s cheek again with a washcloth, but he shoved her away. “I’m fine.”

She sighed in disgust. “You need to be cleaned up. You could get infected.”

He grimaced and looked around. “Why are you all here? Sam hates you.”

A giggle escaped from Becky. As they turned to her, she scooted away and hid behind me. All eyes were on me now. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” She ducked further behind me.

I rolled my eyes and moved from Mason. “You guys should go. It’s late anyway.”

“Can’t. Drunk.” Cassandra perked up.

Emily threw her head back. “We’re all drunk.” She threw me a smirk. “Your dad has a lot of booze.”

“Had.”

Amelia burst out laughing. When she teetered on her feet, she grabbed Cass’ shoulder to steady her, but they both went down. Then she snorted as she rolled to her back. “Oh f**k. I can’t believe I did that.”

Cass elbowed her. “Shut up.”

That made her laugh harder.

“Fuckin’ leave,” Logan snapped. His eyes were fierce.

“We’re trying to help.”

He whipped back to Miranda and glared. “You’re not doing anything. You’re a pain in the ass. Call a cab.”

“Who’s—” Cass opened her mouth.

Logan cut in, “I’ll pay. Just leave.” He reached for his wallet and threw a hundred dollar bill at Miranda. A sneer adorned his face. “I think that should cover it?”

Amelia leaned to Cass’ ear and whispered for all to hear, “He’s grouchy.”

She was given a dumb look in return. “He got jumped.”

When more curses spewed from Logan, I started to nudge them towards the door. “Adam, can you call a cab?”

His nostrils flared. “I’ll drive ‘em. I’m sober.”

Mason glanced over. A corner of his mouth curved up. “Now you’re sober?”

A dark loathing flared over Adam. His hands jerked up, already in fists, but he stopped. He froze and his chest rose up and down, but they slowed after a moment. In slow motion, it seemed his arms went back down. His voice came out garbled, “You know, I was trying to be concerned for Sam’s sake. I know she’s worried about you guys, but I’m not. I can’t pretend otherwise. I’m glad you got jumped. You’ve had it coming for a long time and I’m glad you got the shit beat out of you.”

All three of them shared an amused look, but Nate’s the one who surprised me. He cast a shrewd look over the group and spoke in a soft voice, “Fuckin’ leave because I’m starting to forget about the guys who jumped us …”