I consider the question seriously. “I think if they avoid her, yeah.” Then I sigh. “The fuck amIdoing though? I’m supposed to hate her after all the shit she pulled on me.”
She’d ruined our fundraiser. She’s turned Asch against me. She tied me down and fucked me and almost cut me open.
But I still can’t get her out of my mind.
When I’d seen her drenched in urine, it had taken all of my willpower not to track Tate down immediately to teach him a lesson.
Pandora had needed me more, though. She pretends to be above it all, like her only emotions are joy and anger, but I’d seen it.
I’d seen the vulnerability.
I’d seen that she was on the edge of breaking down.
And the fact that Tate and his friends brought Pandora there is even more unforgivable than their fucking stunt with the vape.
“Her family cut my finger off,” River says, his voice deadpan. “She cornered me in the sauna and… Never mind. If anyone has reason to hate her, it’s me. But here I am, helping you beat theshit out of someone who hurt her.” He shrugs. “She has a way of getting underneath your skin.”
“She really does.” I glance at River, and I notice the bruise on his jaw again. “How’d you get that, by the way?”
“Boxing,” he replies. “Practice was brutal.”
Something about his voice sounds off, but I decide I don’t care that much. As long as he wasn’t getting into fist fights with Asch, it’s none of my business.
I take my phone out and open my texts with Pandora.
Blaze
It’s done.
I attach the photo I’d taken of Tate’s face.
Pandora
Are those River’s shoes?
I snort in amusement. How did she even notice them in the background?
Blaze
Yeah. He’s pretty good at boxing.
Pandora
He is! Give him a kiss from me.
I laugh, then show the text to River. “You can pretend I did,” I say when I see his nose curl in disgust.
“How about no,” he says. “Anyway, let’s hope that gets her off his case before we get a repeat of what happened with Zayden.”
If my table saw threats hadn’t put the fear of Pandora in them, then they’re really stupider than I thought.
“You want to grab dinner? My treat.” I take the tunnel toward the cafeteria.
“Yeah, sure,” River says. “Funny how a beatdown always stirs up your appetite.” He follows me silently until we take another turn. “Are you ever going to make up with Asch?”
“Sure, when Asch gets the stick out his ass,” I grumble. “Anyway, don’t ruin a good evening by bringing him up.”
The whole fight would have been even more fun with him there, though.
