“Is he crazy? Why would he do this?”
“Because Lincoln Saint is a control freak, and he always has been. Apparently that’s one thing around here that hasn’t changed.” If he thinks I’m accepting this bullshit, he has another thing coming. This isn’t an act of kindness. This is just another reminder of his words last night. Money means nothing to him. This is just another show of control.
“I mean, some of this is nice, though,” she jokes, spinning a lacy black thong around in the air, and I can’t help but laugh. “Maybe after seeing how hot you looked earlier in the week, he was inspired.”
“He can shove his inspiration up his ass.” I start snatching up the bags, and Indi joins in, grinning even though she’s out of the loop of my plan.
“What are we doing?”
“We’re going next door.”
“Next door?”
“To the Saints’ house.” I grin, and her eyes go wide.
“Wait, they still live next door too? This is so delicious. Girl, I can’t even.” She’s practically giddy as she follows me out of the house and down the drive. I buzz on the Saints’ gate and wait, trying not to sigh as I bounce from foot to foot. My hands clench around the handles of the bags as fury pierces through me. I still can’t quite believe Lincoln had the nerve to do this, and yet, I don’t know why I’m really that shocked.
“V? Is that you?” East’s voice comes through the system, and I smile. Better him than his brother. I can’t help but wonder if he knows what Lincoln and the others did to me over the weekend? I can’t help but wonder if East would have joined them. Would he have pinned me and whispered dirty words to me like Finley did? Or watched me like Mav? Or would he have touched me like his brother did? Shame floods me at the thought, and I push it back the best I can.
“Yeah, it’s me. Can I come in? I’ll only be a minute.”
“Er, yeah sure, though you could’ve just used the other gate” he says, and buzzes me in, sounding more than a little confused. In my defense, I’d forgotten about the gate, but I tuck that info away in case I need to come here again. Indi follows me up their drive, and I ignore the onslaught of memories that threaten when the house comes into view. We find East standing in the open front door, eyes wide when he takes in the sight of us with all of the bags. “V, what is that?”
“This is all for Lincoln. You can tell him to shove his so-called gifts up his ass.”
East drags a hand down his face as I drop the bags at his feet and groans. “What the fuck did he do now?”
I give him a quick run down of some of the shit I’ve been going through, leaving out the more… graphic parts… and the look on his face tells me he has had no idea about anything that’s been going on beyond what I told him that first day in Gym.
His rage over everything is obvious. His hands shake as he clenches his jaw, looking more like Lincoln than normal, though they could be twins on a bad day. “My little brother needs to get a fucking clue. I’m sorry, V.”
“You don’t have anything to be sorry for,” I tell him before giving him a quick hug.
He frowns at me and says, “I’m still sorry, V. If there’s anything I can do to help, you know I will. I can’t believe they trashed your dad’s stuff. I’m going to have words with that little fuck head.”
“There’s no use, we both know that it won’t stop anything. It might just make him worse. I just wish I knew what I did.” He frowns at my words as I wrap my arms around myself. He steps forward and hugs me tight, and for a moment I let myself relax into his arms. Taking comfort that he, at least, is still my friend. “I’ll see you soon?”
“You know it,” he says before Indi and I head back down the drive, and towards my house.
“Actually, fuck going home, do you want to go shopping? I do need a new wardrobe after all.” I smile at her, and she squeals happily.
“Hell yes!” We head inside and grab my keys before heading back out. Shopping has never been something I massively enjoy, but then I’ve never had a girlfriend like Indi to shop with.
I chew on my lip as I climb in the car, trying not to get lost in my own head as Indi gets in. I thought coming home would solve all my issues, but I have a feeling being next door to the Saint boys again is going to bring a whole host of new issues.
At least life won’t be dull, I guess.
Chapter Eight
“Do you think he was pissed?”
I glance over at Indi sitting in my passenger seat, chewing on her lip. She’s been fidgety ever since I picked her up for school this morning. Gone is the badass that helped me dump clothes on Lincoln’s doorstep, and in her place is the sunshine child who doesn’t want to hurt anyone.
“I mean, probably, but he was pissed at me anyway. This won’t have made much of a difference. Plus, I don’t give a shit if he’s pissed. After everything they’ve done to me this last week, they deserve to be pissed off.” I smile at her, trying to reassure her, but she wrings her hands in her lap. I haven’t even told her everything that’s happened, and right now I’m glad for that. I’m not sure her sunshine persona could handle the avalanche of bullshit I’ve been buried under. “Don’t worry, even if he is, I won’t let anything happen to you. You did your time with the bitch squad already. I won’t let being my friend drag you down harder.”
Her eyes go wide, and she shakes her head. “Oh please, that isn’t what I meant at all. I just mean like, the bitch squad are the ones who have been messing with you so far. What if the boys step up their assholeishness? I’m not worried for me, just for you. You’ve only been back at ECP a week, and look at what you’ve already dealt with.”
My heart swells at her words. Total sunshine child. She is literally the embodiment of joy in a dark little alternative shell. For the first time in a long time, it’s nice knowing that I have someone who is one hundred percent on my side and has my best interests at heart. “Don’t worry about me. I grew up here, playing these games is practically a legacy, a part of my blood. Blair and her little minions already took the last few things that were precious to me. There isn’t anything more they can do to truly hurt me.”