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I hit accept.
“What?” I snap, and I’m met with laughter.
“Your foster parents pay for you to go to that uppity school, and that’s how you’ve learnt to answer the phone?”
“I know how to answer a phone, Julie, and I’d be polite if you deserved it. But you don’t.”
“You’ve finally grown some balls, Patrice. Go you!”
“What the fuck do you want?” I snap again, glaring out the window of the bus, watching Fox Pines pass by.
“Well, Patty, I wanted to ask you why you’re not taking me seriously? I told you to return to the prison by Wednesday, and guess what day it is today? It’s fucking Thursday!” Julie screams the last part into the phone, and I move it back from my ear for a moment as the speaker crackles.
“I’m aware of the day, Julie. I didn’t go to see him because I have no fucking interest in seeing him again. Feel free to pass the message on.”
“Oh, he already understands from your deliberate no show, but you forget about the warning I gave you. I said there will be consequences if you don’t go, and since you didn’t go, you’re going to have to pay.” Julie’s voice is calm again. No sign of her little outburst a few moments ago.
“What are you going to do? Stand over me and scream in my face like you did when I was little? I’m probably taller than you now.” I laugh, but there’s no joy in it. “Just fuck off, Julie. I’ve got better things to do than listen to your pathetic voice.”
I hit end on the call before Julie can get another word in, and I look down at my trembling hand as I clutch my phone. Hot tears prick the back of my eyes, and I suck in a shuddering breath right before a new text message pops up on my screen.
Fuck You Julie
Your mistake is thinking that I won’t follow through.
Well, Patty. We’ll soon see if I can change your mind about that.
4
Garrett
The guys are probably gonna kick my arse once they find out it was me that went to Lexi for help. They can try, but it won’t change the fact that Rhys needs our help, and none of us can do that properly with all the secrets and this rift between Marcus, Shaun and Simon.
“Why exactly are we here again, Lex?” Simon hasn’t been able to sit still since we entered Ayden’s loft a few minutes ago. He’s freaking out that Marcus will see him and mess his face up the same way he did to Bossi.
“I want to talk about Halloween costumes.” Lexi lies. Badly. She turns her back on us to hide the flush that heats her cheeks as she chews nervously on the corner of her fingernail.
“You’re a terrible liar,” Jared smirks at Lexi as he leans against the wall by the door. His eyes remain on her, even when she shoots daggers his way. It makes him smile wider. Fucking hell, this guy really isn’t easing off on his obvious affection for Lexi, even though she’s helplessly in love with Ayden.
“I smell a rat!” Bossi hisses. “What’s going on, Lex?”
“Nothing.” She lies badly again, starting to pace as she twirls some of her blonde wavy hair in her fingers.
It’s then that voices flow up from the stairwell, and a moment later, the door opens, and Ayden steps in with Marcus behind him. It takes Marcus a second to realise that we are all there, and as his smile falls, his eyes turn to pits of raging lava. Ayden pre-empts Marcus’ need to turn and storm from the room, and he quickly shuts the door, blocking his path.
“What the fuck?” Marcus hisses as Bossi and Hastings shift nervously. Jared and I don’t move. We already expected this since we both know the real reason why we are here. “Fucking move Ayden or I’ll make your face match that traitor's over there!” He glares over his shoulder briefly at Shaun, his hands balled in fists at his sides.
“Don’t be a dick,” Ayden mumbles, not at all scared by the threat his cousin just delivered.
“You touch him, and I’ll fuck you up, Grady!” Lexi raises her voice, her firecracker temper showing.
Ayden smirks but keeps his eyes on his cousin. “Give us five minutes. Then you can run off and sulk.”
“You’re a prick!” Marcus hisses through clenched teeth, but Ayden just shrugs.
Sweeping my eyes across the room, I see Hastings slowly inch further and further away, hoping to get more distance between him and Grady. Meanwhile, Bossi eases back in the corner of the couch, not looking at all bothered. In fact, as I look closer at his expression, I’d almost say he looks relieved.
“Marcus, I’m sorry to trap you like this,” Lexi turns from Marcus back to us, “all of you, but we need to talk about Rhys. Not just about the relationship stuff…” Lexi hesitates, her brows meeting in the middle as her concern for her friend shows on her face, “Something is going on with Rhys. I think she’s in some sort of trouble or something. I’m not sure, but I do know she’s been different since returning to school, and I know from experience how hard it is to go through something on your own.” Lexi sighs as Marcus slowly turns to face her and the rest of the room, giving his cousin his back. “She needs my pack, guys. She needs friends looking out for her, ready to catch her. She needs you guys to be there for her like you were with me.”
