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God, that seems like a fucking lifetime ago.
They get up off the floor and Lincoln brushes himself off before taking the seat opposite me. They all glare at each other as the other two sit down and start eating in silence, too.
Well this is fun.
I finish my second burrito, refusing to let their stupid boy bullshit fuck with my little slice of happy. Once I’m finished, I rinse off my plate and put it in the dishwasher before sitting back at the island. “Which coffee is which?”
“Yours has your name on it,” Finley says softly, passing me a cup. I take a sip, black and sweet. Freaking heaven. It might not be the floofy goodness Indi has taught me to love, but I love it like this just as much. I sigh happily into the bitter liquid gold that makes me feel more human and Maverick looks at me again before dropping his head into his hands.
“Okay, so, does anyone want to enlighten me as to why you crashed my morning? There I was, all set up for my pity party for one, and now you’re here when a few weeks ago you’d have rather been anywhere but here.” I lean back in the chair, sipping at my coffee as I look between them.
“Why didn’t you tell us you were a virgin at the pool house?” Maverick asks, and I level him with a look.
“Would it have made a difference? You guys had those strangers manhandle me, and watched while they did it. You didn’t give a shit about what they were doing to me, what you all did after, virgin or not.”
He looks down his lap like he’s almost ashamed, and good. They were assholes. Not that I didn’t enjoy Lincoln going down on me while Mav watched and Finn whispered dirty nothings to me, but still. That kind of isn’t the point. Not right now anyway.
I look to Lincoln who just stares at me. “Would it have stopped you from telling Mr. Peters that I didn’t do our assignment? Do you know what he tried to do to me when he kept me back?” I pause, looking at each of them, waiting for an answer that I know I won’t get. “Did you know he’d ask me to suck his dick to pass his class? Did you know he’d get his dick out, right there in class, and threaten me with it, telling me how no one would believe a word I said because of that sex tape? Did you even care?”
“He did what?” Mav roars, his emotions doing a full one-eighty. Shame replaced by blazing anger.
“It’s done,” I tell him with a shrug. I’ve moved past it and put it in the column of things I can’t change, so I’m letting go. I just wish there wasn’t so much in that column lately.
“We need to tell her,” Finley says, looking at Lincoln. “She needs to know why.”
“Does why even matter?” I sigh, gulping down the last dregs of my coffee. “What could you possibly say to excuse it? What could possibly be a good enough explanation for anything you did to me? I know you guys did me a solid on Friday with Raleigh, and you looked after me, but I’m not ready to forgive any of you. I have absolutely no reason to. And you still haven’t told me why you’re here.”
“I told you I was sorry,” Finn says quietly. “If I’d have known…”
“It probably wouldn’t have changed a thing.” I shrug and let out a deep sigh. “Now what is it you need to tell me? I have TV to watch, and I’d rather be alone to do it.”
“Octavia…” Lincoln starts, scrubbing a hand down his face. “I don’t even know where to begin. Or even how, but everything we did was to try and keep you safe. I won’t apologize for that.”
I roll my eyes, because of course that’s his answer. “Wow, such a way with words. You gave me so much insight there. Bravo.”
Finley’s eyes narrow as he looks toward Lincoln, and I swear to fuck, if they start brawling in my house, too, I’m going somewhere fucking else.
“There’s so much you don’t know,” Lincoln says, almost resigned. “And plenty more you won’t believe.”
I lean forward and rest my elbows on the counter, resting my chin in my hands. “Why don’t you just try me?”
“We did what we did to make you leave,” he starts, and I bark out a laugh.
“No shit, Sherlock. I caught onto that bit. But you’re still not answering any of my goddamn questions. If you’re not going to let me in on what’s going on, you might as well go back to school.”
He glares at me and I roll my eyes. If he’s going to be Captain Obvious, then I’m going to give him shit for it.
“Well, what you obviously didn’t catch on to was just how much danger you’re in by being here in Echoes Cove. Which is exactly why we wanted you gone.”
My eyes go wide at that little tidbit. “You want me to believe you were doing all of this for me? Give me a fucking break. That would require you giving a fuck, which you have very clearly shown you don’t. Doing this shit for me because I’m in danger. I mean, fucking really?” I scoff.
“I told you she wouldn’t believe me. What’s the point?” Lincoln huffs and stands, looking back at me. “You’re obviously not going anywhere, so we’re changing tactics. You won’t believe me about the rest, and I don’t want to waste my breath trying to force you to hear me, so just don’t expect a whole lot of privacy anytime soon. You’re in danger, we can help. That’s why we’re here.”
He grabs his coffee and leaves the room, putting his phone to his ear. I’m more surprised he didn’t have something more to say about all three of them having got me off in one way or another, especially after his outburst earlier, but I shrug it off.
I don’t claim to know anything about him anymore. He’s confusing as fuck.
I look back at the other two who look conflicted as hell. “Do either of you have anything to add to his sparkling insight as to why you’ve all been such giant assholes since I returned? Or has the king spoken?”
