The Cursed Series, Parts 3 & 4 (Cursed #3-4) - Rebecca Donovan Page 0,15

him. He didn’t look so good when I left him to find Ashton.”

“Yeah, he’s not my priority,” Brendan snaps.

I roll my eyes at his dismissal. “He may know something, Brendan.”

Brendan closes his eyes and inhales deeply to take this in. “Then who did she leave with? Or did you imagine that too?”

“A guy in a leather jacket … I’m pretty sure.”

“Pretty sure?” Brendan scrapes his fingers through his hair. He forces a breath through his nose, fighting for composure. “What the hell does that mean, Lana? Did someone take her or not?”

I close my eyes and try to picture him. I remember feeling like the trees were closing in around me. Ashton’s blouse fluttering in and out of view. And there was a guy, holding her by the arm, forcing her deeper into the woods. I open my eyes and connect with Brendan. “Yes. There was someone leading her away. But I don’t know who he was.”

His fists clench. He looks like he may scream or tear the room apart—or both.

“I know you care about her, Brendan. So why are you pushing her away?”

“Don’t,” he warns in a low rumble.

I ignore his warning. “How do you know her? What happened between the two of you before coming to Blackwood?”

“She’s none of your business.” There’s a hardness in his eyes that puts me on guard.

“She’s my friend!” I am so fed up with his evasiveness; I want to hit him over the head. “And you haven’t been honest with me about anything! Not her, the Harrisons, or even why you’re really here. You tell me that I have answers for you. But if you want my help, then I need to know the truth!”

“No, you don’t, Lana,” he responds coolly. “You only want to know. There’s a difference.”

I release a frustrated grumble. Technically, he’s right … maybe. But without knowing the truth, it’s impossible to say what’s necessary and what isn’t.

I blow out a breath, trying to appeal to him rationally. “You don’t think it’s strange that you and I have been connected pretty much since birth? That we have the same lawyer? Potentially the same father? And now we’re both at the same school? Doesn’t this feel a bit set up to you?”

“Fine. I’ll tell you about my connection to the Harrisons,” he concedes with a bite. “But not Ashton. Leave her out of this.”

I cross my arms. “Fine.”

“I know them from Nantucket. It’s kind of obvious. I thought you would’ve figured it out by now. It’s not a very big island, and the Harrisons are too interesting not to know.”

“Are you friends with them?” I ask in disbelief.

Joey and Lance don’t seem like they can stand to be around Brendan—not that I blame them.

He shrugs. “Not really. I’d get things, just like I do here. Parker would come to me for information—where the parties were. Who to get drugs from. I’d hook him up with alcohol. Introduce him to other connected people. It became more of a partnership than anything.”

“And what did you get out of it?”

“Access. To the scene. To people. And … well, money. I wasn’t doing it out of the kindness of my heart, no matter how noble you think I am.”

“That’s Lance,” I remind him with a smirk.

“Whatever,” he says dismissively.

“Are you still partners?” I ask, exaggerating his word choice. Because if I’m right, he and Parker, and probably one or two others, are the organizers behind The Point parties. Making their partnership much more important to me.

He studies me for a second, his eyes tight. “What does that mean?”

“Off the island. Maybe … in Sherling? You provide tech for his underground clubs?”

Brendan scoffs. “That has nothing to do with you either.”

“But it does,” I insist.

He leans back in the chair, closing his eyes. The worry and exhaustion pulling at his shoulders. I almost feel bad for him. Almost.

“I’m done talking.” He hides behind his lids, shutting me out.

“Why don’t you tell her how you feel?”

“I can’t.” He pinches the bridge of his nose to hold back the emotion, which erupts in the tremble of his chin.

“Why?” I ask gently.

“Because I love her.

Each time I saw you, I craved it. The looks. The touches. The love.

Why are guys so stupid?!

Or anyone who hurts someone yet claims to love them. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

Brendan’s words replay in my head. I want to scream in frustration as I stomp through the Court. I walked out right after he said it. I was going to punch him in the