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My throat swelled up, but I blinked, pushing past that and jerked my head up and down. “Got it.”
“No emotions. And that’s such a weird thing I’ve even—let’s never talk about this again? How about that?”
I started to smile, then thought better about it. That might be pushing it. “Okay. No emotions. No more talking about me and him.”
Alex shot me a warning look.
Now, it was my turn to get serious—or, more serious. “My mom doesn’t know about the article. Don’t tell her. Okay?” I pointed at each of my cousins. “Got it?”
Clint was still scowling. “She needs to know.”
“I know, but not tonight. I want a night of normalcy. I need it. I’ll talk, but not tonight. This is a safe zone here.”
Alex was still stirring.
“Guys!”
Each one gave me a grudging nod.
I was relieved, then frowned at Alex. The water wasn’t even close to boiling. “You don’t have to actually stir—”
“Yes, he does!” Trenton and Clint said, giving me a look.
I closed my mouth.
“What?” Alex frowned at me, at his brothers.
Clint and Trenton were looking away, fighting laughter.
Alex pointed at them with the spoon. “You have to stir the whole time or you get limp noodles.” His eyebrows lowered. “Right?”
I closed my mouth.
New understanding dawned over Alex, and his mouth fell open. “Those douchebags told me I had to constantly stir. Are you saying you don’t?”
I wasn’t touching that. “I mean, yeah—who wants to eat those noodles?”
Clint and Trenton started laughing.
“You guys are dickheads.” Alex took the whole pot and was about to launch it.
“Hey! No!” I yelled. “I want spaghetti tonight.”
He put it back. “How long do you actually need to stir? I was trying to be nice.”
His brothers were still laughing.
I gave them a nasty look before putting the lid back on the pot. “To each their own, but generally, you wait for the water to boil and then put the noodles in. I maybe stir it once or twice, and I take the lid off once it’s boiling.”
He growled, “You guys are such dicks.”
It was after family dinner, which had been fun and awesome, and light, which was what I needed tonight. My mom stopped at the door to my room, sticking her head through the doorway. “I’m going to take the boys back. Will you be okay while I’m gone?”
I had come up to grab my laptop while the guys watched TV downstairs. “Uh. Yeah. Are you going to be long?”
“Hopefully not too long, but you know how it can be. Adult conversation.”
I nodded. “Wine.”
She grinned a little. “Maybe I’ll indulge in one glass.”
I sat at my desk. “I’ll be good, Mom. Take your time.”
“I’ll try not to be too late. You want to do a midnight movie if I’m back?”
That was code for watching a movie in her bed and falling asleep. I loved those nights. I smiled. “I’d love that.”
“Okay.” She crossed the room, catching my face with her hands. She pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. “I love you, honey. Be back.”
She headed down, and the guys yelled out their goodbyes a second later.
“Turn on your phone!” Clint added.
I groaned, but he was right. It started blowing up a few seconds later, and I waded through the texts and voice messages.
Gem had left one. Theresa too.
From Alred.
I skimmed through what my cousins had sent, seeing mostly what they’d said to me in person.
There was one from Kira.
Unknown number: This is Kira! I saw the article. Are you okay? Asking genuinely. Also, we’re doing another Homecoming meeting at my house Friday before the game. Come with Gem. We’ll all go to the game together and come back for a party. You are invited for the party. Obvy!
I didn’t reply, knowing that invitation was riddled with problems and deciding to tackle it all tomorrow.
I was crawling into my mom’s bed, determined to start watching the movie whether she was here or not, when my phone buzzed again.
Traitor 1: Just so you know, he’s getting pushback on the article. You have people in your corner here.
I didn’t want to think.
I didn’t even know what to think.
So, I turned on the movie and snuggled in.
I was somewhere that I felt safe.
That was all that mattered to me.
45
SCOUT
My phone rang as I turned down the road to my uncle’s gym. Considering it was past midnight, and considering that had my uncle’s ringtone, I was guessing he just got to the house. I answered, swinging in and seeing Alex standing at the back of Cohen’s truck. Cohen was just getting out of the driver’s side, and both jerked their chins up at me, but I pulled to the side and answered the call.
“Yeah?”
“I know you’re not home so before I get into asking where you are, I got a call today. There’s a guy out of Cedra Valley, asking to fight you. You wan—”
