Damaged Like Us (Like Us #1)(104)

Sulli and Jane stand on either side of me, our three bodyguards opposing us. Orange leaves crunch beneath our boots.

“If you heard what they said,” I continue, “you’d be pushing me towards them.”

Akara doesn’t blink. “I doubt that. We’re the ones who are supposed to handle this.” He gestures to himself, Farrow, and Quinn.

“Not you,” Farrow says for good measure, his gaze set hard on me like no fucking way in hell are you confronting someone without me, Maximoff.

I get that they’re security. I’m the celebrity. But I can’t call in reinforcements to fight all of my battles. I can’t stand like a voiceless statue. Neither can Janie. Not in this instance.

“You can come with us. Farrow can come with us. Christ, bring Quinn too. But as the CEO of this charity, I’m not going to let this Camp-Away end without saying something to them.”

Jane nods strongly in agreement.

This morning Brad, Tyler, and whatever the other three fucking guys are named—they were making lewd gestures about Jane again. Only they mentioned hogtying and fucking her, and I’m proud of the fact that I didn’t flip out on them in the moment.

I walked away with Jane. I cooled down. We came up with a plan.

But Akara doesn’t see this as progress on my part.

“I’m joining him,” Jane reminds our bodyguards. “I need to say something too. There are hundreds of girls here, and if those guys leave thinking it’s okay to say things like that—then we’ve failed. We can’t stay silent.”

Sulli stretches her arm behind me to hold Janie’s hand. “If you need me, I’m there.”

“Thank you.” Jane breaks from my side, and the two girls share a long hug.

“And?” I ask Farrow.

He lays easy-going eyes on me. Probably because I said the magic words come with me. “I think that you’re not going to change your mind.”

Yep.

He turns to Akara. “If we approach them together, it’ll seem like an attack.”

Akara considers the options. “Those guys like you.”

Farrow rolls his eyes but nods.

“You go with Jane and Maximoff.” He leaves out Sulli. I’m guessing he doesn’t want her near this altercation. Akara looks at me. “Don’t get into a fistfight.” To Farrow, he says, “Don’t let him.”

“I won’t.”

Akara emphasizes his point to me. “You’ve done good work here, Moffy. You throw a punch, and that’s all the media will talk about. Not the success. Not the money you made. Please just stay calm while you talk to them. If you can’t do that—then let Farrow, Quinn, and me handle it ourselves.”

“I’ll be calm.”

Farrow tries not to smile. “What does that look like?”

“We’re about to find out.” I look to Janie who hoists her head high, shoulders pulled back, standing tall. Like the woman who raised her. And I don’t need to ask if she’s ready.

Let’s go kick some ass.

Civilly.



We gather Brad and his four friends by the row of log cabins that Camp Calloway uses for summer camps. Some people linger close to watch the interaction. There’s no privacy, but if we brought them into the camp’s office, I’m afraid I’d let my anger best me.

Janie speaks first.

“I’ve heard all the things you’ve been saying about me in particular these past few days.” She adjusts the strap of a pumpkin-shaped purse that slips down her shoulder. “That’s not how you should speak about another human being. Period.”

Brad scratches his blond hair by the temple, smirking. “So…you wouldn’t want to be hogtied then?”

His friends laugh.

Farrow has a hand on my shoulder, and his fingers dig into my muscle.

Rage bangs at my chest. My arms stay crossed. I don’t move.

“No,” Jane refutes, “and that’s not something you should be asking. It’s not kind. It’s not appropriate. If you did that to another girl—”

“Whoa.” Brad holds up his hands. “I’d never say that to another chick. But you ask for it. You’re always talking about BDSM on that show. I mean, you’re inviting this shit. It’s your fault.”

“She talks about how she’s not into BDSM,” I snap. “Because guys like you can’t seem to understand that she’s not her mom.”

Jane adds, “And you guys don’t seem to understand the meaning of consent. Even if I enjoyed BDSM like my mom, you shouldn’t be speaking to me or her like that. Don’t be a vile person. Is it that dreadfully difficult for you?”

“Did she just compare herself to her mom?” Tyler laughs to Brad.

Brad chuckles. “I’ve seen Rose Calloway’s sex tapes and…” He motions to Jane’s body. “That’s a cheap imitation.” Fuck them.

Jane almost steps forward, but Farrow rests a hand on her shoulder now.

How is he not ready to swing? My blood is boiling. My biceps flexed, hands in fists. I swallow a thousand times to try and remind myself, do not fight them.

Do not move.

It solves nothing.

Farrow keeps his voice even-keeled and asks, “What’s the point of saying that? They’re all telling you it’s hurtful. Listen.”