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Amelia, Zayn, and Easton all head out into the living room, while Kennedy loops her arm with mine.
"They're going to love you," she says as we make our way out of the kitchen. "And maybe you'll hit it off with Carter. He's been the seventh wheel long enough."
"Cart—"
Before I can even register what's happening, a female voice booms through the house with enough venom to poison the whole damn room.
"What the fuck is she doing here?"
I turn toward the door to see Carter, Jace, and Jace's girlfriend standing there. The guys look just as shocked to see me as I am to see them, but the girl next to Jace is most likely picturing ways to murder me in her mind.
"You two know each other?" Amelia asks.
She grunts. "Not exactly, but I know enough of her to know she's a fucking bitch."
"Woah," Kennedy steps in. "Easy, Paige."
"Yeah, babe. Let's calm down a little," Jace tries, but she's not having it.
She rips her arm out of his hold. "No! Fuck no! She tried to put you away for life, Jace. For life!"
The reminder of my best friend's murder trial is a slap in the face, and my testimony was based off my belief that he actually did it. If I had seen the tape showing the other angle before I got on the stand, I never would have agreed to testify. The one thing I can see, though, is that Jace seems to value his life a little more than he used to, because he doesn't try to calm his girlfriend down again.
Paige glares at me as she steps forward and into my face. "I don't know what the fuck you're doing here, but let me make one thing clear: if you try fucking with my friends, my family, we're going to have serious issues."
There is absolutely nothing that I find intimidating about this girl. To be honest, it looks like I could have the right guy punt her across a football field. But I can respect her loyalty to her friends and the courage to jump into the lion's den to defend them.
I used to have that.
She turns around and walks back toward Jace. "Come on. We're leaving."
"No. Allow me." I interrupt and my eyes find Carter's. "Suddenly, this is the last place I want to be."
Neither Kennedy or Amelia try to stop me as I slip out the door—not that I expected them to. They've been friends with them longer. Of course, Carter manages to take everything from me. He took Davi. Now he already has Kennedy and Amelia. There's no way those two will have anything to do with me once I start doing things to get back at Carter, and nothing will stand in the way of my plans.
Nothing.
As if he has an actual death wish, the door opens and Carter comes running out, calling my name. I consider not stopping. I'm sure nothing good can come from talking to him, but my anger is enough to get me to freeze.
"Don't leave," he tells me. "I'm sorry for what Paige said."
I balk. "For what Paige said? That's what you're sorry for?"
Running his fingers through his hair, he sighs. "Not the only thing, but it's something I'm sorry for. Can we just go somewhere and talk?"
A bark of humorless laughter echoes out of me. "No. I don't want to go anywhere with you. I don't even want to fucking look at you." My fists clench, and I can feel my nails digging into my skin as he stays quiet. "You just have the perfect life, don't you? You've got your team and your friends and your family. And where's mine? Oh. That's right. Six feet under, right where you fucking left her."
