Bully King - J.A. Huss Page 0,93
when I drop them off in another storage unit. Then three more hours to get back to High Court.
It’s after midnight when I get home and by the time I close the door to the garage and walk down the long hallway towards the stairs, I know she’s not there. I don’t need to check her bedroom, but I do anyway.
It’s empty.
I pull out my phone to call her and remember that I turned it off this afternoon after I checked on her cottage.
Seven messages from Cadee ranging in anger level.
But the only one that matters is the last one.
I’m with Lars.
CHAPTER THIRTY - CADEE
Cooper didn’t call, or text, or even show up at Lars’ house in the morning to walk to the Glass House with us. And this walk in the woods with Lars is just as quiet as last night.
Lars is not pushy like Ax. He’s not going to get in my face and annoy me to death until he makes me talk something out. And his silence isn’t an indication of building resentment like Cooper. Lars is just patient.
I sigh loudly as the Glass House comes into view. And when I look over at Lars he’s watching me closely. I was so pissed yesterday afternoon, I couldn’t see straight. Isabella was so drunk by the time five o’clock rolled around, Ax had to help Valentina and Selina walk her home. So I finally asked Lars if he could take me across the lake to check on the cottage.
“Lars,” I say.
“Yup.”
“Thank you.”
“Cadee, it’s no problem. I hope you know I’m here for you. I know we walked away three years ago, but I was a different guy back then. I kinda just followed Cooper’s lead. And I don’t know what happened between you two, but it wasn’t my decision.”
“I know that.”
“Well, what you don’t know, because I have never told you, is that I missed you. I really did. And I’m glad you’re back.”
“Thanks.”
“I know that year started weird. You were Cooper’s… I don’t even know what to call it. Target? Obsession, maybe? But I take full responsibility for how we treated you that first semester.”
“You know, at the time I felt very targeted. But by the end of the year you guys were my best friends. My only friends pretty much ever, aside from my parents, until this summer. So if the bullying keeps you up at night, keep that in mind, Lars. You’re not a bad guy. None of you are.”
“I’m still sorry about how we got here. And if you ever need to talk—”
I stop listening. Because that’s what this is about.
He knows. Maybe not everything. He can’t know everything. If he did, he wouldn’t be so calm. But he’s heard rumors.
“I will, Lars,” I say. Because he’s stopped talking and he’s waiting for an answer.
“Anything, Cadee. I’m here.”
“I know.” I smile at him as we enter the Glass House clearing. And I immediately start looking for Cooper. But he’s not here yet.
“Did he ever call you last night? Or text?” I don’t need to say who. There is only one person I could be talking about.
“No,” Lars says. “He never did.”
“Do you think he’s OK?” But just as the words come out of my mouth, Cooper exits the Glass House and stops in his tracks when he sees us.
There’s an awkward moment when none of us speaks or moves. And then Ax is there, blocking our view of Cooper, and I just give Lars a wave and head towards the kitchen area to grab my apron.
Inside the kitchen people are rushing around busily. Like something is happening that I have no clue about. I scan the room for Victor, because I have a lot to say to that guy today. How dare he move into my cottage?
Lars wouldn’t let me confront him last night. He said Victor is there for a reason. Everything around here happens for a reason. And confronting him isn’t the way to handle things. Maybe the Chairman gave him that cottage when he figured out I wasn’t using it?
So I agreed and bit my tongue. But Lars isn’t here anymore and he was the real source of my self-control last night.
“Cadee!”
I turn to find Dante in the kitchen. Jesus Christ. If he’s looking for me already, this day is going to go bad fast. I’ve spent the last week being his little Fugling bitch and I’m just about done.
“Yes, Dante,” I say, smiling as he comes towards me. “How can