Page 73 of Mr. Match

I laugh. Like very loud. “When is she not being dramatic?”

“I know,” he says, sighing. “That’s why I don’t pay much attention to it most of the time. But her hatred for my parents? Do you think that’s just misplaced loyalty to me?”

“Your parents bought you, Weston. Bought. You.”

“Right. I know that. But they were never mean. They saved me from a pretty shitty life. They were fucking good to me. And yeah, maybe they weren’t too happy about the rape charge, but it didn’t matter. I had Victoria as my alibi. I didn’t even care.”

I shrug. “Yeah, OK. So she’s being dramatic.”

“You really think she is?” West leans forward in his chair, like my opinion on this is make-or-break.

“West, I don’t fucking know. I don’t know her that well but she’s smart, man. Ya know? And she’s been around like”—I stop talking and rewind this morning’s conversation through my head—“like Katya.”

“Yeah, that’s weird. Don’t you think? I mean what are the chances that those Gori fucks would be so involved in both our girlfriends’ lives?”

“Yeah,” I say, thinking about the earlier convo with new eyes. “What are the chances?”

“Nil, dude. Zero. Nada. No chance at all this shit is not related.”

“So where do your parents fit in?” I ask.

“They’re old friends with Liam. And Liam is helping the Gori clan.”

“You know who I don’t understand?” I say, putting my feet back on the floor and leaning forward towards West now. “Mariel Hawthorne. Where the fuck does she fit it?”

Weston shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t know. But she’s definitely involved.”

“And where the fuck did she go?” I ask. “She just drops my sister off at Nolan’s and then disappears? Never to be heard from again?”

“And what about Five? Where the fuck is Five?”

“I don’t know,” I say. “I’ve been trying not to think about that too much.”

“Why?” West asks. “You guys are friends, right?”

“More family than friends. But yeah, I guess we’re friends.”

“You don’t think he’s involved with them do you?”

“Nah,” I say, shaking my head. “Nah,” I say it again. But I have to admit, the thought has crossed my mind. I shoot West a look from the corner of my eye. “He did know about the Silver Society. It’s like he was leading us down a path that night at dinner out at the resort. And he knew there was a tunnel. Or secret room, whatever. And that they set fire to the rooms so they can escape. He had a lot of information that night.”

“Your sister?” West says. “Because of her, you think? The Rory one?”

The Rory one. I’d like to punch him. But then again, I do have a lot of sisters. “Or maybe he just did what Mariel did? Came in, stirred things up, and then left.”

“Hmm,” West says, getting up and walking back to the window.

“What are you looking at out there?”

“I don’t know.” He gives me a sidelong glance over his shoulder. “But I feel like I need to be looking for something. I just have a very bad feeling about all this.”

I let out a long breath and get up to join him at the window. I look over at Katya’s window out of habit, but there’s nothing to see there. “What are you gonna do about your parents?”

“What can I do?” He shrugs. “Nothing. I can’t do shit unless I have a real reason. And I don’t really have a reason other than Tori’s gut instinct.”

It’s my turn to shrug. “Maybe that’s enough?”

“Do you think I should leave town?” When he turns his head to look at me, I can see fear in his eyes. I squint at him, incredulous that this, of all things—his parents coming to town for a visit—is something he fears.