One thing I'd learned with absolute certainty... those boys didn't fear repercussions. Not from law enforcement at any rate. It wouldn't shock me if they had the Shadow Grove Police Department on their payroll like actual gangsters. If that's what they were. Were they? Fuck, I had no idea. I was no closer to figuring the three of them out now than I’d been a month ago.
Secretive fucks. Well, not for long. I was going to pry them open like oysters, one way or another. I just had to figure out a way that wouldn't leave me broken and bleeding as a result.
"Shit," I breathed, tucking my phone back into my bag. I'd go to the library anyway and hope Bree got my message. There was no way I'd be able to concentrate on my next class anyway. Not with Kody dominating my fucking brain like he was.
I slipped back out of the bathroom, and my heart skipped when I spotted a familiar figure leaning against the wall opposite. The halls had cleared out somewhat as the new class time slot started, and there was really no way to hide.
But then again, who fucking cared for hiding?
His gray eyes met mine, his face cold and hard and his hood pulled up over freshly cropped hair, as though he ever needed the extra shadows. The way he stared at me, guilty and remorseful and accusing... it was all too much to fucking deal with in the middle of SGU on my first day back. Nope. Just nope.
Decided, I shifted my gaze away from Steele's and started walking down the hall as though I hadn't even seen him there.
He didn't follow me, but I wasn't stupid enough to think that'd be the last of it.
They'd given me four weeks of space in Aspen, but now that I was back, they weren't content to sit back and stew any longer. This was always going to happen, and I’d known that. What we had together—Kody, Steele, and me—it was too fucking potent to just drop without a word. I knew it, but goddamn I wasn't ready to hash it all out. Not yet.
Sadly, Scott had forced the issue. There was no way on earth they'd just sit back and watch another guy lay his hands on me, place his lips on mine. Kody and Steele would be out for blood. Scott's... or mine.
At least Archer wouldn't get involved. Not until he received my divorce application, anyway.
4
Bree found me in our usual spot toward the back of the library about half an hour later. And she brought me a present.
"What the fuck were you thinking?" I all but screamed at Scott, then clapped a hand over my mouth to stifle my volume. No matter how cautious the staff were around me—thanks to my association with Archer and the guys—librarians were a whole other species. Those old birds weren't afraid of anyone, and I really didn't want to lose my nice, quiet thinking corner.
"Shh," he replied with a laugh. "It's a library, Maddie; keep your voice down."
I wrinkled my nose at his nickname for me. I didn't like it much, but I'd stupidly failed to correct him when he’d started using it. Now it was just too awkward.
Seething, I glared daggers until he lost the smile. The side of his face was puffy and purple and looked all kinds of painful. I bet he didn't even know how to defend himself properly in a fight, not that he'd stand a chance against any of the guys.
"What happened to your face, Scott?" I demanded, folding my arms over my chest as he and Bree sat down at my table. I knew full fucking well what had happened. His own recklessness. But I wanted to hear him admit he had been stupid.
His jaw clenched, though, and his eyes hardened with anger. I stifled a sigh. He hadn't even remotely learned his lesson.
"Scott..." I groaned, ruffling my fingers through my hair in frustration.
"I'm fine," he growled with an edge of anger. "I just tripped and face-planted into a wall."
I rolled my eyes. Fell into a wall. Like how Bark had fallen into his car door a few months ago? What a shocker.
"Dude," Bree commented with a snicker, "you forget to transfer your brain here with your body or something? Did you listen to nothing MK said about how dangerous those three are?"