“Why haven’t you punished Zach?”
Eli lifts his head from his book. Caden sits back in his chair and presses his lips together. Luke straightens on his bed in the guest bedroom. Jack stops typing on his keyboard. Nico looks at the screen with a curious expression.
We’ve been working on homework tonight after dinner. When we came upstairs, I figured Luke would join me in my room, but he kissed my temple and went into the guest bedroom. I guess so we can have the door closed while we talk with the guys.
It’s been hard feeling cut off from them after having them with me constantly.
But the Zach question is eating me alive.
“You punished Grant and Ethan, publicly and definitively. But Zach...” I shrug. As far as I’ve seen, he’s still walking around like top dog. Unscathed and cocky as hell.
“It’s not that easy, princess.” Luke runs a hand through his hair. “He spent some time locked in the laundry room, but it’s not enough.”
“What we did to Tanner took almost a whole year.” Caden rubs the back of his neck. “Ethan will come back. We did a little to make people laugh at him, but he’ll brush it off or own it. He has the popularity to carry him through this. We didn’t need to take him off the map, just teach him a lesson. Show everyone that you’re not to be messed with.”
“Zach leads people.” Eli leans back in his chair and puts his book to the side. “We can’t just humiliate him publicly and figure it will change his behavior. If anything, he’ll come back at us stronger with more aggression.”
“And that leaves you in the crosshairs, sweetheart.” Jack leans into the screen. “We’ve already got enough heat on you. If we push, he’ll push harder.”
“When we do take him down, we have to make sure he doesn’t get back up.” Caden stares at me. “We won’t let him get away with it, but we have to be patient and do it the right way to make sure he stays down.”
It makes sense. I guess. I can’t tell them about Izzy. It’s not my story to tell, but I have to tell them something. Maybe since he has Sidney, he won’t hurt anyone else.
But he’s the kind of guy that always has girls available, so why do that to Izzy unless he wanted that power and control? Maybe he doesn’t want his victim willing. He wanted to take.
Fuck, I have to say something. The way he looks at me creeps me out. “He’s hurt girls before he threatened to rape me.”
“Hurt how, kitten?” Eli watches me carefully.
“It’s not just rough sex.” I tuck my hair behind my ear and put my foot up on the chair, wrapping my arms around my leg. This isn’t a secret I can keep from them, but I won’t tell them who. I can’t betray the girls like that.
“What aren’t you telling us?” Luke looks like he’s a minute from barging into my room. I wouldn’t mind if he did and I don’t think my mom would mind him being in here either. After all, heslept with me that one night. But he respects my mom and wants her trust.
When he stays put, I release a sigh.
“The girls know someone he might have raped before.” That shouldn’t give anything away. But even as it comes out of my mouth I wonder if I shouldn’t have said anything. What if they question the girls?
“Might have?” Jack asks.
“The girl was drugged and doesn’t remember.” I don’t know what else to say. I can’t take it back now, but what will their response be? Like Izzy said, it’s her word against his and she doesn’t know he actually did anything. Her boyfriend had sex with her. But she’s pretty sure his brother did too.
The guys look pensive.
“Have you guys heard anything about something like that?” Nico asks.
“No one’s come forward.” Luke studies me like he can delve into my mind over a laptop screen. “But there’s been some talk. A girl at a party passed out and when she woke up, someone was hovering over her, but left before she could figure out who it was.”
I’m glad I’ve never been at a party without being in their care. Of course, I would hope if I’d actually gone to parties with friends that I wouldn’t drink enough to pass out without having a sober buddy to watch out for me.
“What’s the plan then?” I rest my chin on my knee. “To annihilate the threat.”
“Kitten—” Eli begins but it sounds like he’s just going to explain why it’s complicated again.
“No. I’m not going to sit still while you guys manage it. So, tell me what we know so far and what I need to know, because he’s not after you. At least not directly. He’s coming after me. And I don’t want to keep living in fear.”
“We’ll protect you—” Caden says.
“You shouldn’t have to.” I straighten. “I should be able to protect myself. Sure, I’m not as physically strong as you guys, but I’m not stupid and I exercise. Stop keeping me in the dark. Wasn’t that the whole point of becoming my boyfriends? Are we a team or not?”
