Free Burdened (A Burdened Novel) by Peiri Ann Page A

to look, seeing Scott looking back at us angrily. Not a face I want directed at me. Turning from him, I grab Glen by her shoulder, leading her back into the crowd. “Come on, let’s continue on with this party.”
     
    Drinks have kicked in and everyone is loose—Glen especially. Some other guys that none of us seem to know welcome themselves to dance with our group. The music, which is up-tempo, playing through rap, techno, and house music, has everybody in their zone.
    A guy comes up behind Glen, turning her around by her shoulder. I’m turned away from her to a guy I don’t recognize, doing the same turn-move on me. I dance with him, engaging in small talk and smiles. He moves a little closer to me, pulling me against him and then he grabs my ass.
    I yelp because of a jolting shock I received and I roughly push him away. Wait…that jerk just grabbed my ass !
    The shit just hit the fan. I turn full-hulk. “You do not touch me!” I scream at the top of my lungs, pointing at him. “Who the hell do you think you are? You do not put your hands on me!” I charge toward him and Glen pulls me back.
    The guy is laughing as he starts to walk back to me with his arms out—as if to welcome me in them.
    Scott and Nathan walk in front of him, cutting off his path. Blocking him from my vision, I can’t see anything but their backs and broad shoulders.
    “I think it’s time for you to go home,” they say simultaneously. The two other guys that are with them stay off to the side.
    My blood boils, because I have more to say. I push through the two cousins. “What the hell is your problem!? You do not touch me. You especially don’t grab my ass! Who the fuck do you think you are!? You don’t know me!”
    People are calling my name, telling me to calm down. I’m not hearing any of it. I am two seconds away from punching this douche in his face.
    “So what are you saying?” the jerk starts. “You didn’t like it? You looked like you were having a good time. I was just ready to take it to the next level. You know,” he smirks, “trying to get to know you better.” He winks at me, then smiles the most disgusting smile as he licks his lips with way too much tongue and spit.
    I want to barf.
    I charge, arm drawn back. As I’m close enough for my fist to make contact with his face, one big arm wraps around my waist, pulling me against his body, filling me with warmth and calm. My stomach flutters with butterflies as I feel my back pressed against his firm chest.
    He leans down behind me, taking my breath away as he brings his face next to mine. He moves my hair from the side of my face and whispers in my ear, “Calm down, Tracey. I got it.” My body shivers from the chill of him being so close.
    I have no choice but to calm down—I’m no longer mad. I’m actually really calm. I look at him and he pushes me behind him protectively.
    I peek around his back, feeling like a child.
    The jerk is downright drunk. “So what? She’s dancing with me, and we were having a good time. Plus, she’s cute.” When he speaks, his words are slurs and he is not taking the situation serious enough for me. He looks around him to me and kisses the air, then does this flicking thing with his tongue. EW! He mouths, “Let’s take this upstairs.”
    He looks at Scott. “You know this dick?”
    Scott looks at the annoying jerk. “Nope,” he answers calmly.
    He moves, no longer in front of me, and quickly punches the idiot in the face. The jerk hits the floor and two other guys replace where he was standing. They are the same height, but one has black hair, like the guy who just hit the floor, and the other has sandy-blond hair. They square off.
    Scott shadows him , while daring the other two guys with a look that even scares me. The crowd steps back a little and Glen steps up next to me. “Cey, are you okay?”
    I look to answer her, but before I can, I see from my peripheral vision someone pushing him . He takes a step back from the