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She wrinkles her nose in disgust. “I don’t want to sleep with Wes.”
“What about me and Kellan?”
At that, her expression softens ever so slightly. “I can handle that.”
“But not Wes?”
“Not Wes.”
“It’ll hurt him,” I say.
“I know.”
Your funeral, baby.
She has to know by now that pissing Wes off will only create more problems for her in the future. Every time she defies him, he’ll find a way to punish her.
Unless… is that what she wants? Is that the reaction she’s hoping to get out of him?
“I want to be very clear with you,” Athelia says. “I don’twantto move in with you three. I’m doing it because the three of you will harass me and break into my dorm and follow me around if I don’t.”
“Correct.”
“But I like my privacy. Take it away from me, and I won’t be happy.”
Slowly, I nod. “I’ll see what I can do.”
My phone buzzes on the table.
Kellan:Everything’s at the house.
“We should head home,” I say. “Get you unpacked and all.”
“I have another class at two,” she says.
As if I don’t have her schedule memorized. We all do.
Standing, I take her bag and loop it over my shoulder. “We’ll at least be able to get started. Come on.”
Silently, Athelia gets up and follows me out of the shop. It’s cold out today, so I zip up her jacket before we get far.
“I wish he could be nice sometimes,” she mumbles. “Like you.”
“I know.”
As we walk back to campus, Athelia slips her hand into mine. I wasn’t expecting it, but it feels right. Natural, even.
Smiling to myself, I squeeze her hand. If she’s warming up to me this quickly, I’m sure it won’t be long before the same happens with Kellan and Wes.
Our girl just needs a little kindness and patience. Nothing that should be too hard to give. I think Kellan is getting it—Athelia is okay with sleeping with him, so he must be doing something right. As for Wes…
I’ll find a way to get through to him. And if I can’t, then it’s his loss.
. . .
Back at the house, Kellan and Wes have all of Athelia’s things in the middle of the living room. They’re both upstairs, but when I slam the front door, they come down.
Wes’s eyes are instantly fixated on Athelia’s hand, which is still clasped in mine. I pull her into the kitchen because I’m hungry, and she follows without hesitation.
