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Affection and symphony filled his gaze as he cupped my face in his hands. But then he softly said, “No. You’re not quitting school. My problems were the consequences of my own stupid actions. You didn’t do anything wrong. You don’t deserve any of this. They’re picking on you because of me, because of what I did. And I’m not going to let them scare you away from your own future.”
I only shook my head. “You didn’t deserve what happened to you, either, Beck.”
He pressed his forehead to mine. “Whether I did or didn’t, I’ve adjusted to and dealt with what happened to me. This one’s about you, baby. And we’re not going to lay down and take it when they turn on you. We’re going back to Granton and getting your life back. Tonight.”
When I looked at him, I wanted to argue—maybe just for the sake of disagreeing—but I couldn’t deny there was a part of me aching to return to my normal life, my future.
I didn’t have to say anything, but I knew the moment he realized I’d given in.
He took my hand and nodded. “Let’s go.”
* * *
It was nearly eleven when we reached Granton. I was ready to crawl back into my bed and hide away from the world, but Beck was ready to barrel ahead, full bore. He had no qualms about knocking on my roommates’ doors and rousing them all from bed for a meeting in the living room.
Tess and Paige hugged me when they saw me, and Tess even took my hand and held onto it as she sat us side-by-side on the couch. A month ago, I never would’ve allowed such touchy-emotional treatment. Now it just made me feel warm and loved.
Beck paced the living room as he filled everyone in on what had happened—the me dropping out of school, being harassed and losing my job part, not the three orgasms part.
Paige just shook her head, looking tormented. “My God, Bailey. I knew things weren’t good but I didn’t realize how bad they’d gotten.”
“Well, they have,” Beck boomed. “Everyone went after her because of me. They might go after all you next because of her. We need to stop it here and now before anyone catches any more heat.”
Paige arched her eyebrows. “You don’t have to sell us, you know, we already want to help Bailey.”
“Oh.” He seemed surprised by that. “Well, then good.” He rubbed his hands together. “Does anyone have any ideas of what to do?”
Jonah shrugged. “I say we take out this Melody chick.”
Tess gasped and slapped his leg. “Murder, Jonah? Really?”
“I didn’t say we should kill her, just take away her ability to torment anyone anymore.”
Beck pointed at him. “I like where you’re going with that. Keep thinking.” Before Jonah could respond, someone knocked on the front door, the sound echoing up the stairwell and making us exchange confused glances, because who would be visiting us at eleven o’clock on a Thursday night. Beck motioned to Logan. “Get that, will you?”
I sat up straight, really confused, because he was the only one not acting surprised by the knock. “Are you expecting someone?”
Beck didn’t answer me, his attention back on Jonah, “We need to find out everything we can about her, where she works, lives, hangs out, talks to, everything.”
Wondering who the heck was at the door, I eased up from the sofa just as Logan climbed up the steps with—
“Sam!” Paige cried in surprise. “What’re you doing here?”
The single mother who headed the grief group at Granton had helped both Paige and Logan as well as Jonah through some traumatic shit. She’d visited the apartment a handful of times since we’d all moved in together this summer. But she’d never showed up after dark and unannounced like this before.
With a bemused shrug, she gave us all a peppy wave. “I was summoned,” she announced.
“But…” Logan glanced around, frowning. “Who…?”
Beck stepped forward. “I called her.” He held out a hand. “It’s nice to meet you in person.”
My jaw dropped as I watched Sam and Beck shake hands and look each other over before she told him it was nice to meet him right back.
“Wait.” I waved my hands. “You know Samantha? How do you know Samantha?
You don’t know Samantha!”
His lips quirked with amusement. “I told you I’ve been talking to someone to get better.” He tipped his head toward Sam. “She’s who I’ve been talking to.”
