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Her. He means Ariah.
I’ve been trying to catch glimpses of her, but we don’t have any classes together until later this week. Lev worked our schedules so that at least one of us would be in each of her classes. Wyatt has English with her later today, so she’ll be on campus today. My lips curl up into a smile at that thought.
“Not yet,” Lev answers, while Wy and I give a quick no with a shake of our heads.
Owen fidgets at that response—absentmindedly rolling a razor between his knuckles.
“Put that shit away,” I whisper as Lev holds Owen’s hand still. Owen’s nicked his skin with each pass of the razor’s edge.
Blinking back into awareness, Owen looks down, his head slanted, and watches the blood trickle from the superficial cuts.
“Come on, O. You can’t let our girl see you like this,” Lev pleads.
“But she’s not ours anymore. Is she?” Owen murmurs without looking away from his hands.
Wyatt’s fist hits the table. Not loud enough for anyone to notice but enough to rouse Owen from his trance. “She’s ours. No stupid bitch can change that.”
Owen snorts, but it lacks any real emotion. I watch as his sullen eyes look around the lunch table before landing on the group of cheerleaders Samantha’s sitting with. “That stupid bitch has though, hasn’t she?”
Scratching at the scruff along my jaw, I say, “He has a point. Sam holds all the cards. Even if we bullshit her that she doesn’t have the upper hand. Right now, she and Senator Baker are calling the shots. We can only mitigate the severity of everything by playing along.”
We go silent when our food is delivered, waiting for the staff to be out of earshot.
“Listen, I won’t have you assholes giving up. We have plans in the works,” Wyatt snaps. “And Wes, you’ll do your part. Samantha isn’t dumb, so she knows it’s a ruse, but it’s one she wants to play. So, let’s play until we hear back from Teagan.” Then he picks up his burger, and right before he takes a bite, I hear him mumble, “Because we have more than ourselves to fight for now.”
Just as I’m about to ask him what the fuck he’s talking about, the hairs on the back of my neck rise. I watch as a smile lights Wyatt’s face, Lev’s mouth drops open, and Owen’s hazel eyes dilate, and I know she’s finally here.
I turn just in time to see Ariah walk through the door with Shay and three other guys—guys that are standing way too damn close. One has his hand on the small of her back.
“Who the fuck are those assholes?” I bark.
“One’s Reign,” Lev offers. “But I’m not sure about the other two.”
Owen hops from his chair. “That’s dead and deader if they don’t put at least ten feet between them and my angel.”
Wyatt cackles. “It’s good to have you back finally. I thought you were going to turn into a morose fucker for sure.”
Before I can fully take in Ariah’s now reddish-blonde hair, a shriek that we’ve all become familiar with rises above all the chatter in the room.
Samantha is on her feet and charging in Ariah’s direction. Owen is the first to take off, but we all follow a nanosecond behind him.
A wall forms in front of Ariah before Sam can get within fifteen feet of her.
Maybe I won’t end them just yet.
“Do it if yuh tink yuh bad,” Shay seethes, stepping around Reign and the two other guys guarding Ariah.
Ariah’s hands push at the bodies blocking her. “Is this really necessary? I’m not some damn damsel in distress. Move,” she commands.
My heart stops when Ariah steps into view. I survey her, taking in the blush of her skin and the fullness of her lips. Have her breasts gotten bigger? I continue my perusal and stop when my eyes take in her?—
“You stupid bitch. How the fuck did you get pregnant? It was supposed to be me,” Sam shouts, and everyone’s gaze whips in her direction.
“What the fuck do you mean it was supposed to be you?” Lev hisses. “What did you do?”
Ignoring Lev’s question, Samantha slides her arm through mine, and I’m tempted to shove her away, but she taps at the watch around her wrist—a reminder to fall in line. But how the fuck are we supposed to fall in line when Ariah’s pregnant? She’s goddamn pregnant.
We need to reassess. My nostrils flare at the sight of the guys touching her. Like they’re staking their claim. I have to work hard to keep my face blank.
