“Not so fast, little rabbit. Uh,” I started, not really knowing where to go from there. I mean, she hadn’t answered me when I attempted to reach out. “How are things? I haven’t heard from you. I texted. Called?” I put her on the spot. I knew. “I’m not sure if you’ve talked to Dorian, but I think there was a misunderstanding between us the other day. He seems to think I leaked where he was, and that’s how he got arrested.”
Bow’s lashes flashed in my direction. She started to say something, but then her lips pinched tight.
“Has he talked to you?” I asked. “Said anything? I know he’s not here today. I know he’s going through epic shit, but if that’s what he’s thinking about me, I need to talk to him. He’s not returning my calls or texts.”
Basically, he was doing the same thing she was doing to me now. Actually, the exact same thing.
A strong feeling told me she knew exactly what I was talking about, but for whatever reason, she wasn’t talking to me about it.
She was too busy looking outside.
Something about the Legacy boys was they always stood out. Especially Thatcher Reed, her brother. He was the largest out of the Legacy boys, and I’d seen him pummel through guys like a boulder on the football field. He sat between Ares Mallick and Wells Ambrose, the two of them talking to him about something, but he wasn’t a part of the conversation.
He was too busy looking at Bow and me through the window.
Catching wind their buddy no longer had their attention, both Ares and Wells slid their gazes in our direction too. Wells’s jaw locked immediately, and I noticed Ares sit back. He started to swing his head in the direction of Thatcher, as if to say something to him, but the large football player was already up and moving. He headed in the direction of the cafeteria doors, throwing them open.
“I need to go,” Bow’s little voice said beside me. She ducked her head, avoiding my eye contact, and I could do nothing but watch her go to her brother. He took her by the shoulder when she got to him, looking at her.
As if I might have done something to her.
He scanned her like he was looking for any sign she’d been messed with. I guess passing the test, he let her go, and when he started to move in my direction, she grabbed his arm.
Now, I couldn’t hear what she said to him, but her little hand was certainly tight on her brother’s arm.
He wrapped an arm around her after she finished, guiding her away and back into the courtyard. The two of them sat together at the table, joining the other guys, and it didn’t take a genius to see what was going on here. Bow had definitely talked to Dorian. They all had.
And that was more than obvious.
Chapter Seven
Sloane
I did something I thought I’d never do after school the next day.
I went to Dorian’s.
This was a fucking terrible time to do this, confront him, but at the present, I didn’t feel I had a choice. He had all of Legacy thinking that I’d snitched on him, but I wished to God that’d been the reason I decided to head toward his neighborhood like a crazy ass.
I was more concerned about him, hard not to be. He’d looked so betrayed that last day, and that hurt my goddamn heart. I cared about him.
I might more than care.
In any sense, that had to be secondary. I just wanted him to know I was in his corner, and what he did with it after that was his business. I just didn’t want to add to the stress.
I couldn’t even get anywhere near his cul-de-sac’s gate.
News vans literally filled the street, and honest to fuck, I’d completely forgotten that the rest of town was trying to get in his business. This was an oversight on my part. Especially because I did know where to go because I’d seen his house on the news.
What were you thinking?
I hadn’t been obviously. I ended up hanging back down the street, just watching the news vans and people. None of them were outside the vans, but the vehicles themselves were stacked on top of each other. They were all waiting like invasive assholes, and when any cars passing through did get anywhere near the gate, the reporters were sliding open their van doors for a peek. If someone looked interesting enough (i.e., one of Dorian’s neighbors), the newscasters got out and did an interview. That was pretty rare, though. Dorian’s neighbors weren’t trying to sell him and his family out for a news story for the most part.
I watched on, feeling more than stupid. My car was in the shop, and I’d be lying if I said my brother’s Audi hadn’t gotten any attention. Eventually, the news assholes had all noticed it was just me in the car and headed back to stalking the gate. I waited for about an hour before the vehicles divided into half. Odds were some of them had to get back for the evening news, but a lot of them stayed.
Why are you staying?
I didn’t know. It wasn’t like I could actually get past the gate to talk to Dorian. Maybe I hoped I’d get lucky and see him coming in or out.