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Jace stalked closer. “You used us.”
“Not my fault you trusted a girl you just met.” I shrugged, swallowing down the guilt.
“I can’t believe you were seeing both of us,” Kian muttered, shaking his head.
I bit my tongue as they both stood at the edge of the bed. “I didn’t so much as kiss either of you. I wasn’t seeing you. I wasusingyou. There’s a difference.”
Jace was on edge, but he shot me a grin before falling onto the mattress. I tensed when Kian did the same, both of them staying near the foot of the bed. I scooted up more until my back was resting against my headboard.
“While we’re here, we may as well talk about it,” Jace murmured, watching me closely, as if waiting for me to flee the room. Which was absolutely what I wanted to do. There was no part of me that wanted to dredge up the past. “Who’d you meet first? Kian or me?”
My heart stuttered as I glared at him while staying silent.
“I caught her trying to shoplift the day after graduation,” Kian said, his gaze burning through me. “Although I know that it was a ruse now.”
Jace chuckled. “I ran into her on the boardwalk that same night.”
Fear lit through me when I realized they could piece together that entire summer. I never expected that to happen because they couldn’t stand to be in the same room for more than five fucking minutes.
“After seeing her on campus these last few months, it’s easy to see most of what she told me was true,” Kian mused, glancing at Jace.
I bristled, not enjoying how they were talking around me.
“She hates tomatoes,” Jace stated.
Kian nodded. “But loves ketchup.”
“Her favorite color is gold.”
“Breakfast food is her favorite.”
“Not a big chocolate fan.”
My chest heaved as my eyes darted between them as they listed off everything they knew about me. Some of the things surprised me. I’d revealed much more about myself than I realized. Not fucking good.
“She was an open book,” Jace murmured, his stare landing back on me.
“Always,” Kian agreed. “Never tried to hide her phone or who she was talking to. How she kept you a secret is shocking.”
Jace paused, his thoughtful look making ice spill into my veins. “There was really only one person I remember who always called her.”
It took everything in me to stay still and not react like I was sure he was waiting for. Kian frowned, his gaze going past me as he thought of our past. He straightened up a few moments later, and my heart stopped as the name fell from his lips.
“Ellie.” Kian jumped from the bed, getting closer to me. “Who is she, Rynn?”
“I’m sure she’s not your loving aunt like you claimed that summer,” Jace interjected. “Aunt Ellie popped up on your screen almost daily.”
Hearing them say her name felt surreal, and I attempted to dial down my panic. Ellie was a name only used by her closest friends. She was perfectly okay with me using it and called me every day when I was in Pacific Point to check on me. It wasn’t her legal name. Or the name known in the criminal world. Even if they tried digging, Ellie would get them absolutely nothing. But still…now I was rethinking everything I’d told them that summer. What if I’d accidentally let other things slip?
Forcing myself to relax, I let a smile grow on my face as I played with my hair. “Jace hates being in cars. That’s why he rides his bike everywhere. And Kian? You love your mom, but the hurt is still there from when she abandoned you to live her new life in Europe.”
My stomach clenched painfully as I spoke. My words cut much deeper than theirs, but I needed their minds off Ellie. They might have learned about me that summer, but it went both ways. And they told me all kinds of secrets.
“She didn’t abandon me,” Kian hissed, fury covering his face. “I told her to leave—”
“I know,” I interrupted, “because you’re a good son. And you knew she needed to get away from your dad. But it doesn’t change the fact that you resent her for being free of Hayes when you can’t be.”
“I’m perfectly happy being with my dad and Grimrose.” Kian’s voice was tight, and I caught Jace watching his old best friend with a look that I could have sworn was sympathy before it disappeared a second later as he focused on me.
