when he spoke.
“Oh, and, son?” I froze against my better judgment. “I wouldn’t wander too far if I were you.”
Peering over my shoulder, I expected to see the warning in his eyes, but all I found was smug satisfaction and a smile.
And now here I was, standing on the front lawn, my precious baby already idling a few feet away. Tearing my gaze from the Aventador blending into the snowy background, I looked around my father’s property. Even the armed guards he’d posted to keep me inside were gone. I took a deep breath when the churning in my stomach intensified to no avail. This all felt like a trap and one I freely fell into.
Though Ever had likely returned to Cornell, I found myself at the Manor anyway. Since it was a Saturday and Valentine’s Day had just passed, I had hope. Even back when Ever convinced himself that he despised her, my best friend could never stay away from Four. Not for long anyway.
“Where the hell have you been?”
I wasn’t quick enough to block the blow and grimaced as pain shot through my arm. For such a little thing, she could pack a fucking punch. “I see you still haven’t found any manners,” I griped as I rubbed my arm. There wasn’t as much muscle there as before, even though I’d had nothing but time. My brute strength would be one less weapon for my father to use.
“The fact that you’re alive is the only reason I’m even speaking to you,” Lou snapped, putting me in my place. She then slapped me with her ponytail when she pivoted on her heel, and I watched her storm back to the couch where Ever, Four, and Wren sat gaping in shock. I was relieved to see that none of them had changed, either. At least, not from what my roving eyes could see. Their feelings for me might tell a different story. Mrs. Greene had been the one to answer the door when I arrived, and after welcoming me warmly, she led me to my friends.
“Dude, is that really you?” Jamie shouted through the phone.
Lou had wasted no time FaceTiming him and shoving the screen in my face with a “Look who crawled out of his scum hole.”
Nice.
“In the bruised, fucking flesh,” I responded with a pointed glare at Lou. Giving me her profile, she stared at her nails in that way she did when she really didn’t give a damn. I turned my attention back to the camera and found Bee now staring at me through the screen instead of Jamie. Noticing her tears, I started to feel like a bag of dog shit set on fire.
“Hey, Bee.”
My shoulders slumped as I watched her lips tremble. Her only response when she couldn’t seem to pull it together was to flip me off before dropping the phone and running off. Jamie picked it up a few seconds later and promised to kick my ass in a couple of weeks before hanging up. Naturally, consoling his girl took priority. Lou then slipped her phone in her pocket and rolled her eyes at me before returning to Wren’s side. Guilt shot through me when I remembered his engagement ring. I made a mental note to return it ASAP. I wasn’t sure how much of his plans I’d ruined, but I couldn’t help noticing Lou’s bare ring finger.
All my fault. And that bitch Selena’s.
“Would anyone else like to take their shot at maiming me, or should I just go?” I asked when they all continued to stare. This was getting to be uncomfortable as fuck. Maybe I’d overestimated how welcome I’d be after I’d ghosted them. Even while I stood there, seemingly free, my phone was still locked away in my father’s safe. He’d even been smart enough to change the code. None of my friends had heard from me, hadn’t known whether I was alive or not. I could imagine the worst part was knowing they knew could do nothing about it.
I was still grappling for some way to explain without putting them all in danger when Wren stood. I watched him approach, bracing myself just in case. I’d fought Ever and Jamie plenty, but Wren and I have never had the pleasure. When he hugged me, clapping me on my back, I breathed a sigh of relief. As soon as he let me go, Ever was there, and he embraced me just a little bit longer. He finally let me go