“Are you okay?” I ask as soon as I sit down. Luke doesn’t want me to tell Penny her dad is an abusive asshole. I won’t, but I’ll keep encouraging him to tell her.
“Yeah,” she sighs. “I’m just glad it will all be out in the open. That was part of the deal between my parents. If I came to stay with my father, he’d dismiss the NDA. No more financial guillotine hanging over her head.”
She glances at the others. “And now my friends won’t think I have an unhealthy crush on Luke Foster.”
Nat smirks. “I mean you were always looking at him. We figured you wanted to at least bone him.”
“Ew, no.” Penny twirls her straw and glances at me. “I know that’s what it might have looked like, but definitely no.”
“I wouldn’t have blamed you. If he wasn’t your brother.” Shrugging, I look back at the table with my guys. “Honestly, I can’t blame any girl for wanting them.”
Vicky sighs. “We’ve all had crushes on them at one point or another. They’re hot and popular. That’s like candy to teenage girls.”
The others laugh and I join in because even I had fantasies about the guys before now. The reality is so much better than any fantasy, but I’m not telling these girls that. The reality is all mine.
Hard truth here, because Penny has to hear it. “He’s not going to trust you.”
“I know.” Her smile is sad. “I wish I could have told him years ago, but it was specific in the NDA. I would have refused to move in with William Foster if I was over eighteen. But I don’t really have a choice.”
I nod. “Are you really going to go and work for him?”
She shrugs and stares at her drink. “It’s not optional. He made it part of the deal. If I don’t go through with it, Mom will owe him money. Money she can’t afford to go without. It can’t be that bad. It’s just an internship.”
I swallow. Luke’s done everything he can to get out of it. Something tells me it isn’t as cut and dry as most jobs. But again, it’s not my place to tell her this. And I wouldn’t know what to tell her. I don’t know why Luke doesn’t want it. Maybe it’s just a control thing.
“Do you hate me?” Penny’s brown eyes capture mine. “I understand if you do.”
Reaching out, I take her hand. “No, I don’t hate you. I’m trying to understand this whole thing, but I don’t think this is your fault.”
Penny smiles. “Good, because things are going to get dicey at school. I don’t know how most people will take the news. And don’t really look forward to being Death’s sister.”
Fuck. I didn’t even think about that. Before, I worried about her becoming a target because she was my friend. As Luke’ssister, even if he’s not crazy about her, she’s got a huge target on her. Especially if people are looking to take him down.
I’m sure she’ll get it from the Cheermonsters too.
“You mean people like Sidney?” Fuck, I kicked a fucking beehive earlier.
Not only did I make Sidney’s friends mad at her. The student population might be angry for a while about what she did to Rebecca and maybe to more girls. Sidney won’t stay down long. Something tells me she’ll claw her way out of that hole and land back on top.
“Yeah, but at least they don’t have to worry about me fucking him. Seriously, that’s someFlowers in the Atticshit and I’m not even going there.” Penny shivers and turns a little green at the thought. Her gaze slides to Luke.
I still don’t know what side these girls will land on. They’re supposed to be turncoats and gain the Cheermonsters’ trust for us. But how do I know they haven’t been playing me all this time?
The guys stand and Caden goes to collect his sister. She argues with him, but I’m sure he’ll win. I didn’t think I’d miss the horsemen’s constant attention as much as I do.
Eli stops at our table and holds out his hand to me. When I take it, he draws me into his warmth. He smells like fresh cut grass and wood. I want to bury myself in his scent and hide myself in his arms. Would it be any easier if I had only one of them as my boyfriend? Maybe no one would bother with me. But how would I ever bear another girl touching one of my guys?
Eli’s focus is on the table of girls. “I expect an update in a few days. We need to know if they have anything planned for Homecoming. Sidney might want some revenge on Harper too.”
Sighing, I rest my head against his chest. She’ll have to get in line. I don’t know if she’s part of the people trying to take down the horsemen. It doesn’t make sense with how possessiveshe was at the beginning of the year, but her feelings may have changed between then and now.
Even Zach made a play to take me out of the equation, which would have worked perfectly for Sidney to sidle back up to Luke again.
Leading me away from the table, Eli brings me outside where Jack and Nico wait.
I perk up because, as much as I love sleeping with Caden and Luke, I definitely want more time with my other guys.
“We’ll need to come up with a schedule.” Jack glances at his phone and then at me. “Your mom is still on days?”
