to your dad’s?” Lucas asks.
“I told him the situation, and he understood,” Stone grunts, his jaw tight as he makes his way over to the cupboard and finds the oatmeal. My stomach tightens. There’s definitely some bullshit jealousy going on right now.
“Oh, you told him you were balls deep inside Dakota?”
“What the fuck is your problem?” Stone snaps, finally turning to address his friend.
Lucas narrows his eyes. “My problem is you don’t give a fuck about the plan. You do what you want. You always fucking have.”
Stone’s face reddens. “That’s bullshit, and you know it. What’s really going on?”
“The problem is that you’re supposed to be engaged to Rissa. That’s the fucking problem, Stone. Dakota deserves better than that.”
Stone stalks closer, and Lucas pushes his bar chair back to face him. I glance between them all quickly. Wyatt threads his hands behind his head to enjoy the show, and I notice there’s some bruising under his chin from the punch he took yesterday.
I sigh and push my chair away, too. “Hey,” I call out, biting my lip as I stare at Lucas’ tense jaw. “It was both of our decisions, not just his.”
“It’s okay, Dakota,” Lucas assures, giving me a terse grin. “I don’t blame you.” He turns back toward his friend. “You fucking know better.”
“But I don’t?” I ask, anger surging inside me. “I’m not an idiot.”
Lucas turns toward me, wide-eyed. “Of course not. That’s not what I meant.”
“So, you want her for yourself? That’s what this is all about, isn’t it?” Stone interrupts. “I fuck her, and now all of a sudden, I’m the bad guy. When Wyatt fucks her, you’ll hate him, too.”
“That’s not what this is,” Lucas growls, getting in Stone’s face.
Stone laughs. “The hell it isn’t. Dude, you’re my best fucking friend—”
“Hey,” Wyatt protests.
“You both are,” Stone grinds out. “I get it. No one said being involved with the same girl was going to be easy. You think I like it when I hear you guys together? Or when she holds your hand? Or when you told me you first had sex with her?”
My shoulders sag. I’m making these guys hate each other, and I can’t fucking stand it. I loved that we were all a team. Dinners together. School. Driving. Hell, getting poisoned together. I’ve never been a part of something like this, but it seems as if it’s ripping apart at the seams.
“Guys,” Wyatt complains, catching my stare. “Let’s hold off on this, okay?” He gives them both a hard look, then turns toward me.
I shake my head, a smile of disbelief curving my lips. “I mean, don’t let me stop you from your dick measuring contest. I’m just the little lady in this scenario. It probably doesn’t matter what I want.”
Lucas reaches for me, but I pull out of his grip.
“This involves me more than any of you and, frankly, Lucas, I’m surprised. I wanted to have sex with Stone last night. I wanted it so damn bad. Does that mean I want you any less? No. If anything....” I shrug. “I don’t know. It makes all of us stronger. To me, anyway. But what do I know? I’m the sheltered girl who grew up in a shitty house with no friends. But one thing I’m distinctly clear on is emotions. I know my own mind, and if this is how it’s going to be between all of us, then....” I trail off, leaving the threat out there without voicing it because there’s no way I want to go back now. Just as much as they want to save me, I’m going to rescue them from their dark minds.
I can’t really be mad at Lucas. I fucking get it. He confessed that no one has ever said “I love you” to him before, so he must feel like he’s losing everything with me waking up with Stone, but that’s not the case at all. I give him a stern look, trying to convey everything with my eyes. I don’t know if it translates very well, but both of them back down and the mood returns to thick tension.
School goes by in a blur. Meghan’s not there, and I can’t help but be smug as fuck about it. I don’t know if she got in trouble for what she did to me, but I’d like to think she did. For all the shit that she’s done to me over the years, she deserves to be taken down a peg or two.
After school, we