Damaged Love - Jaxson Kidman Page 0,31

in a mood,” Easton said. “At least I have thick skin. So bring it on.”

“Yeah, you can attack him all you want, Winter,” Noah said. “He just sees attention. Not insults.”

“Can we go back to who was following you?” Xavier asked.

“Is that why I’m here? I’m tired. I don’t feel like messing around.”

“Let’s go back to my place,” Easton said. “All of us. That’s not some cheap pickup move.”

“Oh, good to know,” I said. “Why can’t we talk here?”

Noah inched forward and leaned down. “Because someone is behind you, watching us.”

My blood turned to ice.

I spun around and put my hands into fists like I was going to fight the air.

Behind me, I heard Noah laugh first.

Then Easton.

I sighed.

“Assholes,” I whispered.

Xavier touched my hips. “It was a joke, Winter.”

I shook him away. “It doesn’t fucking feel like one.”

I took a few steps away before turning again.

My heart raced.

“Come on, Winter,” Easton said. “We can’t talk out here.”

“Why not?”

“Because we don’t want to,” Noah said. “Follow or don’t. Whatever. We’re just trying to protect you from whatever is happening.”

“So now you care about me?” I asked without thinking.

“What does that mean?” Xavier asked. “Why did you say now?”

My mouth went dry.

Fuck.

“I… just… everything,” I said. “I just don’t get it.”

“Get what?” Noah asked.

“We can’t help you?” Easton asked.

“No,” I said. “I’ve heard and seen things…”

“All you’ve seen is us doing what we do best,” Noah said with a grin. “Someone scared you and we took care of it, right? We’re figuring out where this following stuff is coming from. Which is why we need to talk to you.”

“Inside my place,” Easton said.

“Why do I have to be inside your place?” I asked.

“You’re acting paranoid,” Xavier said.

“Ding, ding, ding,” I said. “You win the grand prize. What the fuck? Of course I’m paranoid. I woke up in a hospital bed, unable to remember anything. Or anyone. Now you three want to help me for some reason. And someone is following me. Any other questions?”

“Yeah,” Easton said. “Will you stop being stubborn and follow us?”

I groaned. “Fine.”

“Fucking hell,” Noah muttered.

“Problem, Noah?” I asked.

He turned, along with Easton.

Xavier waited for me to walk and then he walked behind me.

Like they were boxing me in. Leading me somewhere I didn’t want to go. Or maybe they were just trying to scare me a little.

I walked to Easton’s beach house like I didn’t know where it was.

When we arrived, the back lights were turned on, showing off the fancy deck.

Guess what?

It was clean.

No pink paint anywhere.

I lowered my head and smiled.

I thought about that crazy night.

Gia yelling at me to dump the paint. Me unsure what the hell to do.

What a crazy night.

I walked up the deck steps and Easton led the way into the house.

He had the air conditioning on full blast, which made me shiver. I was thankful for my hoodie.

The kitchen was big and bright, with a lot of windows. That was common for all the beach houses. Any part of the house that faced the ocean had tons of windows.

Duh.

Easton walked to the giant fridge and opened it.

He took out a drink for everyone.

Four bottles on the counter.

He twisted off the caps and then used his phone to dim the kitchen lights a little.

The setting was calm. Almost romantic in a sense.

Except it wasn’t just Easton and I.

Noah and Xavier were there too.

Noah rolled up the sleeves on his fancy shirt and jumped up on the counter.

He drank his drink fast.

Xavier wrapped his hand around the bottle and leaned against the sink.

He was so big and lumbering, his eyes always moving, looking for threats, and he was always thinking.

Easton outstretched his hands to the counter and just stared at me.

I stood in the middle of the floor, uneasy.

“Take a drink and relax,” Easton said.

“Why? What is this?”

I had a sudden wave of paranoia hit me.

I looked to my left and backed up a few steps to see into the other room.

There was a part of my mind that flashed images of the guy who was following me stepping out from the other room. That it was all a giant setup by Noah, Easton, and Xavier. That they knew the truth about my memory. Either by assumption or maybe Talon sold me out. Maybe Talon got the guy to give him a big chunk of money for the truth.

“You okay, Winter?” Noah asked.

I stepped forward and grabbed the fourth bottle off the counter and took a drink.

It was ice cold… and full of