Page 81 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

I glance back at Andrew, checking the rearview before the crash. With his mouth clamped shut, his gaze hits mine.

Ben freezes, spoon halfway to his mouth, eyes narrowing when he sees who’s behind me.

Andrew offers a nod,

half-friendly, half don’t-fuckin’-play.

Ben drops the spoon into the tub.

It hits the bottom with a thud.

And when his stare cuts past Andrew,

and lands on me,

his face hardens like a clenched fist.

The TV continues to play,

filling in the silence.

“Say it.

“Out loud.”

A beat.

“Say it.”

Another.

“Vampire.”

Ben’s eyes go dark.

Two supermassive black holes.

There’s no time to react.

He sees the destruction on my face,

the busted lip, the cut brow,

the swollen cheekbone,

then he sets the tub down and rises to his feet, a boxer squaring up. “The fuck happened to your face?” His stare swings to Andrew, and he points at him as he rounds the coffee table. “That from him?”

Andrew has his hands wrapped tight around the edge of the counter to hold himself back. One wrong word, one wrong move, he’s in it.

I roll my eyes and turn toward the drink fridge. “Don’t insult me,” I mutter, yanking two bottled waters. I toss one to Andrew. “You really think I’d be standin’ next to the guy who did this? Invite him to my floor? Really?” I scoff. “I might be dumb, but I’m not stupid.”

I pause, hearing it back, regretting it.

Ben doesn’t even catch it.

Fucking idiot.

“Keep goin’ with this shit,” Ben warns.