Lifting my gaze, I instantly found him. It only took me two steps to get to him and push him against the lockers.
“What the fuck did you do to my sister, you asshole? I’ll kill you if you’ve hurt her!”
I was about to let my fists pound into this little bastard when Ellie tried to pull me back. She whimpered, and my anger grew even more. I reached my fists back, but someone stopped me from punching the little prick.
“Jeff, take it easy, man. Calm down, dude. He’s not worth going to jail for.”
Gunner’s calm voice was able to settle me slightly. The only thing I wanted to do was rip this kid’s head off.
As Gunner pulled me away from Ryan, I glanced back over my shoulder and said, “I’m going to kill that bastard if he hurt her in any way, Gunner.”
Gunner pulled me harder. “Come on before you get thrown in jail.
“Oh, Ells! Jeff, we need to get Ellie to the hospital like right now!”
Ari’s voice pulled my angry stare off Ryan, and now I was staring at Ari, trying to figure out why she said Ellie needed to go to the hospital. It felt like everything was spinning, my anger so ramped up I wanted to punch something. Or someone.
“Jeff, listen to me. Your sister’s hurt. We need to get her to the doctor. Don’t worry about this jerk. We can take care of him later.”
Gunner’s angry gaze looked past me to Ryan. The kid better be shaking in his damn boots, because Gunner looked like he was ready to lay into him even more than I was.
With my jaw clenched tight, I pointed to Ryan. “I’ll be back for you.”
Someone pulled on my arm, forcing me back toward the exit door.
I reached for Ellie’s other hand and walked with her and Ari toward my truck. The anger inside of me was growing by the second, and I needed to know why Ellie had punched Ryan.
“Jeff, stop dragging her,” Ari said.
“I’m not dragging her, Ari.”
“I’m fine, y’all,” Ellie stated.
“We need to get some ice on her hand and wrist,” Ari added, ignoring Ellie’s comment that she was okay.
“Arianna, I know what the fuck I’m doing.”
“Do not call me by my full name! You know I hate that.”
Gunner ran up to the truck and handed Ellie a bag of ice.
“Thank you, ah, um, Gunner.”
I stared at my sister. She had barely gotten the words out. Great . . . she was captivated by his looks. I knew that was going to happen. It was the whole reason I kept her away from Gunner in the first place.
When he flashed her his smile, I knew my poor sister had just forgotten all about douchebag Ryan.
“No problem, Ellie. Try to keep it above your heart, sweetheart, and here, take these Advil.”
Getting into the front seat, I was about to say something when Ari introduced herself to Gunner.
“Hey, I’m Ari, by the way. Ellie’s best friend.”
Gunner gave Ari a smile and looked back to my sister. Holy shit. He was just as taken by Ellie as she was him. I tried not to smile, remembering I was supposed
to be livid.
He leaned in and said something about getting her to the doctor. When Ellie’s cheeks blushed, I knew my predictions were spot-on.