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There was a beat of silence where I got the impression they were all waiting for me to start talking, and then Micah took pity on me, tucking a hand behind my back and gently prodding me forward. “C’mon. Let’s go up to the room. I’ll look at your shoulder and you can tell us everything.”
“Like why you didn’t go to Chicago,” Garrett muttered under his breath, and I gaped at him. How could he possibly know that?
I didn’t realize I’d spoken the question out loud until Devan answered me. “Because Virginia Behrendt and Peter Zadikoff both went to Chicago over break, and they said you weren’t on their flight.”
“What, there’s only one plane that went to Chicago?” I challenged, but he just smiled.
“At the time Nora drove you to the airport? Yes.”
I opened my mouth to protest further, but realized it was futile. They were right—I hadn’t gone to Chicago, and I’d been planning to tell them anyway, so I didn’t know why I was feeling so defensive. But I was.
“Why were you keeping tabs on me?” I snapped. “Why does it even matter where I went?”
“Because we were worried about you,” Micah said softly, and suddenly I felt like an ass. None of what had happened was their fault. And besides, obviously they were right to be worried about me. But it made me wonder why they were worried. Did they know a reason I should be worried for my own safety?
“I went to Los Angeles,” I told them quietly.
Devan actually tripped over his own feet.
“You what?” Garrett roared, but he subsided when Micah shot him a glare and nudged me forward, his hand resting on my lower back. The touch was comforting.
“Let me check your arm first,” he said firmly, but gently. “Then you can tell us everything.”
* * *
I did.
My shoulder, it seemed, was simply sprained, with a stretched ligament, but no real damage. Micah’s advice was rest, ice, and over-the-counter pain medication, and he somehow produced a sling out of the same magical place he stored his medical knowledge to bind my arm in place. With the sling and an ice pack applied, as well as a couple of painkillers, the relief was almost immediate, and when three intent gazes landed on me I knew there was no way to further avoid this conversation.
I propped myself in a familiar pose, with my back against the couch and my legs stretched out in front of me, and I told them the whole story. I started at the beginning, telling them about Ian and who he was to me, and what my plans had been, originally for after my birthday, then extended to after graduation. I described his reaction to seeing me again, and appreciated the comfort of Micah’s hand when he slipped it into mine as my voice wavered on the retelling.
I continued on, telling them about the attack in the alley, shivering as I described it in detail, including the stranger’s threat that he’d be watching me and the painful way he’d twisted my arm. I described coming home early and hiding out at a hotel in Bangor for the rest of the weekend.
The guys all sat silent and stoic through my recitation, though I could see Garrett’s face growing darker and darker as I spoke, fingers tapping on his leg until I thought he might explode. I watched him carefully, gauging his reaction, until Devan spoke, drawing my attention to him.
“So…he just wanted to know where to find that guy, Max? Did he say anything else?” he asked.
“No, he kept mentioning that name. At first I thought he might have targeted the wrong person, but he knew my name.” I shivered. “He was clearly after me.”
“Do you have any idea why he would have been threatening you?” Micah asked, rubbing his thumb over the back of my hand.
I sighed. “No.” I raised my gaze to meet Garrett’s. Here we go. “But I think you do.”
Silence fell as the guys blinked. Devan and Micah cast uneasy glances between them, but Garrett’s eyes didn’t waver from my face.
“Why would you think that?” Devan asked slowly, though I could hear from his voice it wasn’t a denial, just a question.
“Look, I’m not stupid,” I said, pulling my hand from Micah’s grip to rub it over my face. “I know you guys have secrets. Everyone at school has theories about your histories.” A smile ghosted my lips. “I hadn’t even been here more than a day before people were warning me to stay away from you guys and speculating on how many people you’ve murdered or what horrible things you’re involved in. But…” I shrugged, looking between them. “I figured those were your business, not mine. Everyone has a right to their secrets, and you guys have been so good to me, so…I figured if you wanted to tell me, you would.”
Garrett’s expression didn’t waver, and a glance between the other two showed serious expressions on their faces as well.
“But…” Devan prompted me.
“But,” I continued, “here’s the thing. From the second Drew pushed Garrett into the lake, you guys have been like a shadow to me. I think the only time I’m away from you is when I’m asleep, and sometimes not even then.” I glanced quickly at Micah and my cheeks heated as the side of his mouth pulled up slightly.
“And don’t get me wrong,” I continued. “I’m not complaining. I love every second I spend with the three of you. But I’m having a hard time believing that after four years of avoiding every student on campus to the point that no one’s spoken more than two words to you and everyone even thinks you’re magically exempt from group projects…well, I’m just having a hard time figuring out why I would suddenly be allowed past the walls you guys have spent years building.”
My gaze drifted from Micah’s frown to Devan’s furrowed brow. My intuition told me to trust these guys, but after what had happened in L.A., I knew I had to be more careful.
