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Triumph flared in me. “Right?”
A brief wince flashed over his face before he lifted his gaze, taking in my cousins behind me. He went to one and stayed there. I knew without looking that it was Alex.
But his next words weren’t what I expected to hear.
“I didn’t sleep at my place. I went back to Cohen’s after I dropped her off. I called you from their place. Amalia overheard me. She called a friend asking about who Ramsay was.”
I waited.
He didn’t say anything else.
I jerked my head up. “And?”
His gaze went back to mine, stark.
“And what? What happened then?”
Clint asked, more calm than I would’ve imagined, “Who was the friend?”
Scout closed his eyes, regret tightening his face before it was gone and the wall came back down. “Gabby Real.”
I twisted around. “Who is Gabby Real?”
But Trenton was gone. Again.
Mad déjà vu was happening all over again, but this time, we went after him immediately.
“What? Again?” Cohen was taking us all in, his head following each of us as we passed until he fell in step next to Scout. “What’s going on?”
“Trenton’s going after Gabby.”
“Not good.”
Scout didn’t reply, and I got it then. He wasn’t going to stop us.
He was going with us.
We went to the cafeteria, and Trenton led us right to a table where Gem was sitting with her cousin and eight other people. “What the fuck, Real?” Trenton growled at one girl in particular who was sitting on the corner.
Gem jumped up. “Ramsay! Are you okay?”
I ignored her, focusing on Gabby, who showed no emotion as she blinked a few times and then leaned against the table behind her. One of her curls fell forward over her face. She reached up and twirled it around her finger before stretching it and letting it pop back up again. Dark brown hair. Puffy cheeks. Freckles.
Gem’s cousin leaned forward so she could see better. She didn’t seem to give a crap about whatever was about to happen, but she did have some mild curiosity.
“Rams—” Trenton started.
I didn’t look at him as I said, “I got this.” Then I asked, “Why’d you blast my shit out to everyone?”
Her eyes widened, and she sucked in her breath. Fear built in her gaze.
There. That was the reaction I was looking for. She didn’t think I knew.
“Who told you that?”
“Does it matter? You did it.”
Gabby flinched as if she’d been slapped.
Theresa stood and stepped away from the table, a hand on her hip. Her eyes moved from me to Gabby. “Is that the truth?”
Gabby’s eyes closed, and she seemed to be saying something under her breath before she pushed up from her seat. When her eyes opened, they were blazing. Fiery. “You’re lying.”
“You’re calling my cousin a liar?” Clint stepped to my side.
Alex moved to my other side. “She’s not a liar. Neither are we.”
The blood drained from Gabby’s face as Alex spoke. “I didn’t—I mean—”
“You spread that stuff?” Theresa asked her.
Gabby seemed to shrink. “No. I mean, yeah, but I didn’t mean for it to get out like it did. I mean, it’s messed up what happened to her.”
Theresa looked at me. “Who told you?”
I was prepared to give the same answer when Scout spoke up, “I did.”
The fact that he said it, that it came from him, that he was standing with my cousins and I had an impact. Everyone shut up except Clint, who snorted.
Gabby opened her mouth, but nothing came out of it. She closed it, and I could see the wheels turning in her head before she stood taller and squared her shoulders. Her bag fell to the floor, and she held it by the straps, letting it sit there. “I was curious, that was all, and I made a mistake of sharing it with a few friends. It’s my mess. I’m sorry.” She looked at each of my cousins. At Scout. “I’m sorry. I really am.”
Gem moved forward, looking at her phone. “You didn’t share it with a few friends. You posted it on your TikTok! WTF, Gabby?”
Gabby’s eyes closed.
Clint growled, “That’s so fucked up. You did this shit. You spread it—”
Theresa’s eyes narrowed when Clint started going off. She moved forward.
I didn’t know the dynamics going on here, but I knew one thing: a guy could not go off on a girl. There were rules, and I had to make a decision. My cousins had confronted her, but continuing was a whole different dynamic.
I stepped in, my back to Gabby, and put a hand to Clint’s chest. “Stop.”
“Rams—”
“I said stop.” I looked at Trenton. “I’ll handle this.”
His gaze was stormy, and when he didn’t respond, Alex moved forward. He took Clint by the arm, pulling him back. “Come on.”
“No—”
“Clint!” I got in his face. “I got this.”
“But—”
“Trenton.”
Trenton rolled his eyes before giving in and moving to help his brother. Both herded Clint out of the cafeteria.
