"But we didn't know you would be drinking," he said. "Harlow, we don't like it when any of us go off to drink alone. It's worse with you because you're a woman and you're underage. It's not so much that you were drinking, but that you didn't tell us, and in fact, implied you wouldn't be drinking atall."
"I didn't say that," Idefended.
"You didn't haveto."
I frowned, but the expression on all of their faces said this wasn't something I could get out of. With a frustrated growl, I gave in. "Fine. What's thepenalty?"
"Extra training," Knix replied. "Tomorrow. With Bellamy andTexas."
"That's it?" I asked,shocked.
"You won't be saying that tomorrow," Bellamysaid.
I huffed a breath. "Fine, extra training.Tomorrow."
"Now, about the girl," Marvsaid.
My chest tightened and my eyes stung as I turned away from Knix. "I met a girl tonight that said she went to Ms. Enders’ Etiquette Camp and... she confirmed it," I said. “Our suspicions...we wereright.”
"Wasshe...?"
I didn't blame him for not being able to say it. It was hard enough just to think it. "Yes," I said. "She said she was raped." The room grew dark. The expressions on their faces became deeply horrified andfurious.
"And she...has she..." Marv choked on his words as if it was difficult tospeak.
"She doesn't know by who," I answered his unasked question. "She said she thought it was a bad dream...before they started sending herpictures."
Realization flashes across his face while the rest of the guys remain eerily quiet. "That's where the money is going," he said. "They're beingblackmailed."
"She hasn't told her family or anyone," Ireplied.
"Knix," Marv stood and reached for me, pulling me even further away from Knix, drawing me towards his side. He held my arm like if he didn't, something would happen, and I'd slip away from him. "Alex?"
"Alex is still on the fence about this," Knix said through grittedteeth.
"Can we call the police?" I asked. When all four of them shook their heads, I couldn't stifle my surprise. "Why the hellnot?"
"She hasn't reported it," Knix said. "She's not going to. It's been too long for the police to be able to do anything. For something like this...they really need to have the timingright."
"They can track the phone number that she's receiving messages from,right?"
Knix nodded. "What was the girl's name? Maybe we can get into contact with herfamily.”
I froze. “She didn’t tell me,” I admitted. “I don’t think she would have even if I hadasked.”
“Shit.” Marv growled low in his throat and turned away, pacing across the room. “Does this make four?” he asked. I couldn’t tell if he meant to ask me or if he was asking the room. I don’t think he knew either. “Four women – girls – Knix, please tell Alex that we’re doing something aboutthis?”
I glanced back at Knix. His face had changed. It was strained. “You know I don’t have the authority to make this call,” hesaid.
“Fuck!” I jumped as Marv grabbed a phone – his phone – from the side table and threw it across the room. It hit the wall, the noise ricocheting loudly through the room. “Knix!”
“I’ll talk to Alex tomorrow,” Knix replied quickly. “Marv, don’t worry. Even ifwecan’t doanything–”
“I want to come,” Marvinsisted.
“That’s fine,” Knix agreed readily. I watched with wide eyes. Marv’s whole frame shook and trembled with tightly contained rage. I understood it. I felt ittoo.
“I want to go too,” Isaid.