This Fearless Girl (St. Clary's University #2) - E. M. Moore Page 0,59
home.
“What?” Wyatt asks. “Tell him you forced Stone’s face to your pussy? I don’t think he’d buy that. He’s seen Stone’s interest in you.”
“Well, we can’t let Stone take the fall for this.”
Lucas turns from the passenger seat. “He’s always been secretive of the way he and his father do things. Trust me, he doesn’t want us there.”
“You think that’s where he is?”
“One hundred percent.”
I blow out a breath. “Sometimes I think searching for the treasure is the easy part.”
Lucas chuckles. “You aren’t wrong. It’s definitely simpler.”
“It was a stupid mistake,” I say, wishing what happened between Stone and I never had. Actually, I’m trying to wish that, but I can’t bring myself to.
“Don’t say that,” Lucas cautions. “If Stone were here right now, he’d be telling you it was worth it. Everything with you is worth it.”
“Worth his mother’s life?”
“I don’t think Lance will kill her,” Lucas says.
Wyatt narrows his eyes. “You never truly know people.”
My heart sinks. He would know, wouldn’t he? He would understand the atrocities people are willing to commit against each other. If Stone’s mom was getting in his way, why wouldn’t Lance kill her? Why wouldn’t Lance kill Stone, too?
“I need to talk to Stone,” I say. “He hasn’t called either of you back. We need to know what’s happening and that he’s safe.”
When we get home, Lucas and Wyatt show me how to use the phone Stone got me. I press Stone’s name on the screen, and Wyatt and Lucas leave the room. He doesn’t pick up the first time, so I try again. On the third ring, he answers. “Dakota? Is everything okay?”
“Stone?” I ask. Admittedly, I’ve never actually spent much time talking on the phone. We didn’t have one growing up, so I only got used to it when I was in the dorm.
“Yeah, it’s me.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m on my way home now. Are Wyatt and Lucas with you?”
“They’re not right here, but yeah, they’re in the house with me.”
“Good. We need to talk.”
“Okay....”
He’s silent for a moment. In the background, I can hear the soft noises of a car. “I’ll see you in about five minutes.” He hangs up, and I sit on the bed, staring at the screen until it goes black. Then, I walk out to the kitchen and living room where Wyatt and Lucas are. “He’s on his way,” I tell them. “He sounded a little off.”
“He usually does after he’s had too much time with his dad,” Wyatt says.
Lucas has a textbook out in front of him, and I know I should be keeping on top of my classes too. Treasure hunting has always been a gamble. It’s not a sure thing like holding a diploma in your hand.
When the front door opens, Lucas shuts his book and lays it on the coffee table. We wait for Stone to come in. He’s definitely not as put together as he usually is. His hair sticks up, more like Lucas’, but there’s a charming quality about it. He almost looks more approachable.
I’m stuck in my seat. My brain tells me I should go to him, but I can’t quite make myself move. There’s too much baggage between us, making me second-guess how I should act around him. For a split second after that time in the car, things were easy, but ever since, it’s turned into a shitshow. Now that moment leaves a bad taste. It was stupid to act on our desires and not think of anything else. I just wanted to make sure that I still had him; that he still wanted me. It all sounds so petty in my head now after Cole made his move on the chessboard.
Stone tracks his gaze to the three of us, his blue-gray stare lingering on me. “You guys won’t like this.”
Immediately, I sit up straighter—feeling like a ten-foot pole has been shoved down my spine.
“In order to make it right with my dad, I promised to move back in with him. He wanted me to kick Dakota out, but I’m not doing that. You’re not living in that shithole dorm room.”
“What?” Wyatt gasps. “You hate it there.”
Stone shrugs. “I didn’t have another choice. We had to fix it with Marissa’s parents, and this was my father’s and her parents’ demand.”
“Oh, separate yourself from the cheap slut so you’re not tempted.”
Stone strides toward me. He takes my chin in his hand, forcing me to look at him. “All of them together aren’t worth a fraction of you,” he snarls,