My Bully’s Love by Stacy Rush

CHAPTER 17: DON’T TOUCH WHAT’S MINE

JACE POV

Ella’s actions Christmas Day were amusing, for a while, but then as the day went on, I became annoyed by her avoiding me. I understand that everything that took place that morning was a little much, but she needs to learn and understand that I’m not going anywhere. I figured I would give her some space and left the next day with my parents; I had things that I had to take care of anyway, and I prefer doing it before school started back up.

As soon as me and my folks got home, I logged into the social media app that is popular amongst the crowd that I hang with, and I can see the location of where some of them are. Checking out the time, I should have known that most would be either at the coffee shop or the new ice cream shop. I grab the keys to my jeep and head uptown, not knowing exactly what I’m going to say except that the bullying needs to stop, now that Ella is mine.

The coffee shop is busy for this time of day, but since it’s winter break, the high schoolers are all hanging out instead of being home. I’m sure parents love this time of year, when their already hormonal teenagers are hyped up on caffeine by the time they return home from a long work day. I spot Kaylee and her posse in a corner booth, so I redirect myself over to her. I’m glad to see that her friend Callie is with her, since it was her account that the video originated from

Kaylee’s face brightens when she sees me headed their way, “Hey Jace, are you looking for me?”

I nod my greeting at her other friends before responding, “Actually, I was looking for both you and Callie. Do you mind coming with me?”

She chuckles, and glances around the table nervously, “I don’t know what you’ve heard about me, but I’m not into threesomes with other girls!” Her friends laugh at her joke and she laughs with them, until she sees the serious look on my face.

“You never have to worry about me wanting that from you, Kaylee.” Her face turns beet red but she doesn’t budge.

“Well, whatever you have to say, you can say in front of my girls!” She huffs and leans back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest.

I reach my hand out toward Callie, “Phone, now!” I snap my fingers when she takes too long to hand it over. When it lands in the palm of my hand, I turn it on and go straight to her gallery. The original video is the second one from the top, and the edited version is the very first one. I hit play on the original, listening to the real conversation. Looking around the table, I notice some of the faces that her friends are making as they stare at Callie and Kaylee. I then play the edited one and it’s the same one that was posted to her social media page. I hit delete on both videos and then go into her cloud and delete it from there as well before handing her phone back to her.

Kaylee, being the conniving bitch that she is, glances at her friend, feigning shock, “Oh my God, Callie! You edited the real conversation? Why would you do that to poor Ella?”

Callie’s bottom lip begins to tremble, “What? Kaylee, you…”

I cut her off, “Kaylee, don’t be placing blame on her. This is all you! You just had your gullible friend record and post, so it wouldn’t come back to you. How dumb do you think I am?”

“Jace, I swear, I knew nothing..”

“Shut the fuck up, Kaylee!” I raise my voice at her, making her mouth snap shut automatically, “I’m going to say this one time, and one time only…stay away from Ella! She is now with me, and under my protection, and anybody who bullies her or causes any kind of ill-will, will have to answer to me, and believe me when I say that very harsh punishments will be handed out to those who ignore my warning!” Everyone sitting at Kaylee’s booth and the surrounding booths sit with their mouths hanging open.

Without saying anything else, I turn and leave, heading to my next destination. Two down, two more to go. Everybody will hear about my warning by the end of the day, but first, there are two guys that need to hear it from me first, before it explodes on social media.

I find Toby and Brandon at Toby’s house playing video games. I’ve never understood the addiction to playing the stupid things. The one game that every guy in our school seems to play, COD or COP, or whatever the name is, is just too lame for me. I’d rather be out doing something, or even working and making money, then sitting on my ass playing video games all day. At least I know

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Don’t Touch What’s Mine

where to find them, though.

I don’t bother knocking or ringing the doorbell, because more than likely, they won’t hear me with their headphones on and screaming at each other, so I just walk right on in. I make my way to the back of the house and down the back stairs to the family! game room. Just as I said, both guys are here, each on a different monitor, screaming into the mics as they have their guy running around shooting others in the game. Neither one have noticed my presence, so I walk over to the light switch that I know controls the power to the gaming systems, and flip it off.

“What the fuck, man!” Toby curses.

“Dude, did your parents not pay the power bill?” Brandon jokes sarcastically.

“Shut the fuck up, B!” Toby sneers at his friend.

“Now that I have your undivided attention…” | clap my hands once and walk over to them as they both swivel in their chairs.

“Lame move, bro! I was winning against this dick!” Brandon nods towards Toby.

turns to me, “Who the fuck let you in

because you didn’t,” I shrug, but since I need to talk to both of you, I figured I’d do it when you were

rolls his eyes,

legs at my ankles and wrapping my fingers around the edge on each side of me, “I want to clear up a few things that should have been done a long

at each other as though they

mine, so any harm done to her is a direct attack against me. Toby,” I glare at my ex best friend, “You know damn well what will happen if you try touching what’s mine.

“Look, man…”

Brandon. I heard everything you said to Ella,” / push myself away from the pool table, towards the two guys still sitting in their gaming chairs, “You try and proposition my girl one more

“What’s he

little friend here when he took time off from school. Oh, that’s right, he told you that it happened

eyes at Toby, “You

up the stairs, grab an apple from the kitchen island, toss it in the air before taking

through the halls trying to come up with ways to get her attention, but I never once saw her. I do know that she no longer meets with Mason, and I’m glad

and dad when my mom brings up Ella, “I didn’t know that

need to ask, but honestly, I’m hoping she heard it from

Friday was her last day of high school.” She reaches for the alfredo noodles, so she doesn’t notice the scowl on my

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Don’t Touch What’s Mine

and why hasn’t she

I haven’t really seen Ella since Christmas, so I

used to be,” moms

dad chuckles and rolls his eyes as he

it too much to ask for a daughter-in-law that I already consider

are you trying to marry me off?” I

that you aren’t close anymore, but I know how

up to my room and log into the online Dom classes that I like to take, just to keep up with everything and make sure I

in the middle of reading about Shibari, the Japanese erotic practice of rope bondage, when my phone starts to vibrate. My forehead crinkles when I see the

indicating

“What’s wrong, baby?”

can you come find

Find her? I don’t understand what’s

the t-tree line on the c-curve into t-town.” She doesn’t sound like herself as she stutters

say anything to my parents as I run out the front door. I drive faster than the speed limit until I get to the curve and have to slow down. When I get to the center of the curve, 1 see Ella’s car on the shoulder of the road, the trunk is wide open and the headlights are on. It isn’t

and then head toward the tree line. I have no flashlight, so I pull out my phone and use that flashlight. I swing the light around while calling out Ella’s name, my heart is racing a mile a minute. It takes a little bit but I finally see a lump on the ground about twenty feet from me and I start

I drop to my knees and lift her into my arms, but it only makes her cry out, “Oh shit, I’m so sorry, baby!” I try holding her gently as I lift my phone to call 911. Examining her mostly naked form, I begin to see red, and

for

phone to my ear and as soon as the dispatcher picks up, frantically tell her what’s going on and that we need an ambulance. I hang up with them and hold Ella closer to me, “Hold

she winces, “not until I’m at the hospital. I

and realize that she’s right. We can’t let her parents see her like this. Hell, I wish I didn’t have to see her like this, because all I want to do is go find the

I will also make sure they know to clean you up before letting your parents see you.” | choke out a sob that I can’t hold in any longer, “Damn

that will land you in jail,

me promise that, baby. Whoever did

smile, “Okay, well at least promise not to kill them. I can’t have you

Don’t Touch What’s Mine

row because

promise, Ella. I won’t kill anybody,

were right, you

“I’m right all the time, but what

that?” She winces again, making me even angrier, but I try to keep up the tough guy act