Amidst the chaos, Annelise Valentine spared a glance for Sean Conrad.
Then she refocused on Jett Westgate, trying again to pry his hand away. "Jett Westgate! Stop! You're going to make him choke!"
The tearful, desperate edge to her voice made Jett Westgate pause his actions.
But his grip on Zane Patterson didn't loosen.
He turned his head to look at Annelise. "What? You feel sorry for him?"
"I like him! So yes, I feel sorry for him! Is there a problem with that?!"
She practically screamed the words, with a kind of liberating recklessness.
"Let him go! Did you hear me?! I said let him go!"
"If you're angry, take it out on me! What kind of man bullies someone who's injured?!"
"Take it out on you? Fine. Valentine, you're the one who said it."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he released his grip on Zane Patterson. In the next instant, he grabbed the back of Annelise Valentine's neck and pulled her toward him.
