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Everyone did.
She was guilty for spreading it.
I was going to remember her, and I was going to shatter her. I didn’t know how, but it was going to happen.
Fuck Scout.
Fuck everyone.
I couldn’t hold back anymore. I was past the hurt, the pain, the threats having any effect on me. I was ready to destroy people.
I shoved past the few people standing in front of me and stopped right in front of Scout.
His gaze was locked on mine, and we both knew the truth. Both of us. I didn’t know how that happened, or when it happened, but we were synced, so I used that connection.
“You did this.”
The people quieted, but everyone heard me.
I felt a presence next to me, knew it was Clint, knew he was there to back me up in any way I needed. It was the same way I knew the presence on my other side was Trenton, and he was barely containing the need to hurt someone for this happening to me. And then there was Alex. He had a different energy. More calm. More smooth. Alex was the peacemaker and he was going to say something to make this better.
I snapped at him, “Not this time, Alex.”
The vibrations shot through the crowd. I could feel it, could feel people reassessing me, stepping back because they knew this had reached a whole new level of pressure.
Alex surprised me. “I know. Not what I’m about to say, cousin.”
Cousin.
That word washed over me, reminding me of our connection, our blood. That he loved me, which I knew because all of them went so hard for me just now.
He stepped closer, lowering his voice, “Just saying we should have this talk somewhere without so many eyes? Can really say what needs to be said then.” He indicated Scout in the last statement, whose eyes flickered once.
His jaw clenched, and he jerked his head in a tight nod. “Locker room.”
“Gladly,” Clint seethed, leading the way.
The crowd scrambled back.
Two guys were outside the door, and Clint ordered, “Get lost.”
One guy started to argue.
Trenton growled, right next to me.
Scout clipped out, “Now, Hastings.”
They scrambled.
It was the same thing inside. A few guys were changing, and Clint ordered them to disappear. He went to the office in the corner, but no teacher or coach was in there so once the guys were gone, the door was locked from the inside.
“Cohen will guard the door for us.”
“Don’t you need backup?” My tone was taunting.
His gaze latched to me, and I felt singed from the ice.
His eyes narrowed. “I can handle myself just fine.”
I was sure he could. A memory of his fight flashed in my mind.
“You told!” I didn’t care how well he could fight. That didn’t scare me, and it was because somewhere inside me, I knew he wasn’t like Max. It was the same connection we had where I was starting to just know when he was around, the same knowledge that we could read each other’s minds from a look. It was that feeling that, no matter how fast he could use his fists, his body, his speed, his power, he’d never hurt me physically. And because of that, I unleashed everything inside me. “Fuck you for doing that! I told you because, for once, you weren’t such an asshole. You helped me out, but were you just manipulating me? Hit me when I was weak? When I let it out to someone because I needed to get it out of me because, if I didn’t, he’d always be in there? He’s like cancer. I can’t get him out of me. He’s inside me, under my skin, controlling my thoughts, my emotions, and for one second, I let it out to someone. I’d not even talked to them about him. So fuck you, Scout Raiden. Fuck you.”
There was a moment of shocked silence.
Not from Scout. His eyes were sparking from his restraint, and then he spoke, through clenched teeth, “Maybe if you’d fucking wait a beat, I could explain what happened?” He moved in, his head bending down as he was towering over me. His voice went soft, which made it more dangerous, “The only person I talked about it with was your cousin.” His head bent even lower. “Because again, I was calling to apologize to him, to make things right, and to let him know that I knew. I was trying to do that for you.” Even lower. He was just a few inches away. “How fucking stupid am I, that I thought my best friend might need one more ally in the group.”
I didn’t move back even though I could feel his breath. “You told.”
“I told your cousin. That’s it.”
I shook my head. “No. I saw the look on your face. It got out because of you.”
He didn’t comment.
