Will we beat him up a little? Probably, but the rest is just a bluff. Our families are powerful, but even they have limits for what they can get us out from under. We have a future to look forward to and that means going to college with Harper not jail.
“Or we can spill all those secrets you keep on your computer.” Jack leans in the open doorframe. He checks his hand before lifting his gaze to Ethan’s and giving him that wicked smile. “I have everything I need to make the rest of your school year hell.”
“Fuck.” Ethan looks down at his hands.
“Those colleges you’ve been applying to would love to know what you do in your free time.” Jack moves into the room and perches on the arm of the couch next to me like he could pounce at any moment.
Ethan shifts his resigned gaze from Jack to me, and then Caden.
“What do you want to know?”
Harper
Luke and Eli lead me back to the couch. Jack slipped through the door to the back. We need information and the others are going to get it, by any means possible. I’m not worried about them. Curious, but not worried.
Penny and Nat make their way over after a few minutes.
Eli nods at Penny. “You did well.”
“That asshole ruined my reputation.” Nat smiles. “I’m glad to return the favor.”
“I wouldn’t get your hopes up.” Eli leans back. “Guys like Ethan don’t stay down for long. Sure, he’ll be embarrassed, but he still has friends and football. He’ll be ribbed about wearing panties and someone will likely post a video. But overall, we didn’t hurt him as much as we could have.”
“It was still worth it.” Nat smiles.
“What next?” Penny looks from Eli to me. She doesn’t look at Luke this time. I release my breath. Maybe I worried over nothing.
“The cheerleaders should be more amenable to your help.” Eli slides his hand along my back. Sparks light beneath his touch. “They’ll know you’re more useful to us. And that maybe you really are friends with Harper.”
“We want to be friends with Harper.” Penny blows out a breath. “I know you guys only look at power, but there was a time when none of us had any. Sure, we had boyfriends but we didn’t really get to be friends again until we were all single. It canbe very lonely even when you have a boyfriend. We didn’t want Harper to feel that way.”
I narrow my eyes. This is a new tactic. I wish Kenz was here to help me read this situation. Her and Brandon have a date night tonight though.
Nat nods. “A lot of us went from boyfriend to boyfriend just to stay off your radar. We hid, but we hid behind a guy. So yeah, we know a little of how Harper felt and might even feel now. No girl can survive in isolation.”
I don’t know what to think about that.
“We appreciate your help.” Eli nods. “We never worked out a trade?—”
“Not this time.” Penny smiles and holds up her hands. “This one felt like payback for us as well.”
“You’re welcome to join us.” I feel like there needs to be more to this. But am I just looking for conspiracy everywhere now? That’s not who I was, but that was before being claimed and everything that’s happened to me since.
“Not tonight. Thanks.” Nat steps back before she looks at the ground. She lifts her eyes to mine. “Actually, could I give you a hug? It just feels like you did something for me and I want to thank you.”
I stand and she comes in to hug me.
“Thank you,” she says before she steps back.
Penny grins. “I mean, a hug is a lot less than a kiss.”
My cheeks grow hot, but I step up to her and give her a hug too. “Thank you for everything.”
Penny chuckles. “Not a problem.”
We pull away.
“I meant it. We need a girls’ night. Maybe not all of us at once but we can get together and watch a movie or something.” Penny grabs my hand. Her serious brown eyes search mine. “You need friends.”
