I told Barclay and Atwater enough about her mom’s situation where they understood there was some serious “other” shit involved. They, in turn, took it upon themselves to start spreading the word that whatever that blogger wrote, she didn’t know shit about anything. Atwater knew a few of the bigger gossips from school, and he got on the phone asap with them. When we got to the party, I wasn’t surprised to see that some were studying Mara differently, more curious and less judgy.

  It was working.

  “She okay?” Zeke found me in the kitchen. I’d been watching Mara through the patio windows, to where she was sitting with some of her roommates. Tasmin and her whole group were also out there.

  I gave him a nod. “She is.”

  “Everything handled about the mom?”

  I gave him a sharper look. “You’re aware?”

  He nodded, folding his arms over his chest. “Came out earlier. Mara kept quiet about her mom almost our whole lives. I remember weird shit when we were in elementary school, but what kid remembers stuff from before fifth grade? You know? But yeah. It got out among our group back in January. The ones who care have let her know.”

  I gave a slow nod. That said a lot right there. “Thank you.”

  He laughed, shaking his head. “No way. I mean, you’re part of the reason she’s even letting us as close as we’ve gotten. She didn’t let us in last year. Though, I have to admit that I’ve changed a lot over the summer and fall. I don’t take my relationships for granted anymore. Daniels, she’s a good one. She’s sweet inside even when she wants the world to think she’s a bitch.”

  “I’m aware.”

  “Take care of her. You hear me?” He stood up, holding his hand out. All the other times I’d been around this kid, he’d been crazy or obnoxious or funny. This time, he was all serious.

  I shook his hand back. “Keep being a good friend to her.”

  He gave me a cocky smirk and saluted me with two fingers. “Planning on it. By the way, her and me, we never went there. There was a short time last year when she was a little messed up, but I didn’t go there. Felt like a sister.” He gazed at her, that cocky smirk getting even cockier. “I regret that somedays.”

  I scowled. “I used to think you were okay. Not great, or good, but okay. Strange. A little odd, but okay. You want that shit to go away?”

  He barked out a laugh, half hitting me in the chest. “I’m just joking.” He shrugged, winking before leaving. “Kinda.”

  Yeah. Strange kid. Very strange.

  Atwater headed over, breaking away from a couple girls. He held up his phone to me. “Angela’s all moved in.”

  “Good.”

  “Angela?”

  Atwater cringed because just in the doorway, coming in was Wade. Miles and Darren were with him. “Where’s Angela moving?”

  Atwater kept grimacing.

  Miles was frowning, moving between us. A few Cain people were taking notice.

  Wade asked, “You going to answer me?”

  More Cain people came over, and there was movement outside. People were coming in from the back.

  Zeke returned, his head angling around the corner until he saw something was happening, then he came the rest of the way. One of his fraternity brothers was next to him. They both pushed their way until they were just on the fringe.

  “Atwater. What the fuck?” Wade’s voice went up a notch.

  “Whoa, man.” Darren touched his chest.

  Miles moved toward me, sipping his drink, but he gestured with his elbow to Wade. “Something up there?”

  Wade was still giving Atwater a look, but at Miles’ question, all eyes came my way.

  Zeke moved in, right beside me, and I glanced up, seeing Mara standing on a picnic table outside. She was leaning down to get a better look. At seeing me, at seeing Wade and his expression, her eyes got big, and she hopped down.

  “Jesus, Kressup. You don’t think she’s got enough on her plate?”

  “What?”

  I lifted my chin toward the back, but I knew it was too late. Mara would be in here in two seconds. “You could’ve asked Atwater in private, not where there’s a scene.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Hey.” But Mara was here and settling in front of me.

  Wade’s gaze went to her, then me, then Atwater. His eyebrows were pushed low. “What the fuck is going on?” He pointed at Atwater, then swung his hand to me. “He was talking to him about Angela. She’s moving in. Where’s she moving? Why’s everyone all concerned about this?” He asked the last part as he was noticing the crowd that had gathered.

  Miles frowned at my direction, Mara’s, and Atwater’s before his gaze dropped to Atwater’s phone. “Angela hangs out with the hockey house. She said she was gone that Sunday, out of town. You two were at the beach. That’s where Carrington was arrested. Angela’s gone MIA, and you both have been tightlipped about what happened that day—” His eyes suddenly narrowed. “—about who he assaulted.”

  Mara moved farther back into me.

  Miles looked like he’d been hit. “You serious?”

  “What’s going on?” Wade was looking between all of us. “Is someone going to tell me what’s going on? I mean, Jesus Christ. We’re already playing the game where we’re not talking about the real elephant in the room.”

  I started forward. “Don’t go there.”

  He ignored me, gesturing to Mara. “You did a whole Houdini act today, and that article about your mom? What the fuck, Mara? What kind of–” There was growling behind me, but I was already there.

  I took three steps to him. “You were already told that article was fake information. Why do you need to bring that up now?”

  There was more movement happening behind me, but I wasn’t paying attention. Then I felt people lining up behind me. I knew they were Atwater, Barclay, and more of my team.

  “What the fuck–why are you in my space?”

  “Because you were already told about that article. You’re her roommate, and you’re bringing it up tonight, at a party, with an audience, when you’re starting to think that a girl you’re into maybe isn’t into you. That’s why, and I’m taking offense because if your pride is hurt, and this is how you react, then that makes me feel a certain way with you sharing the same house as my girl. That’s why I’m in your space. Now. What’s your real issue here?”

  He swallowed, before rolling his eyes. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”

  I began easing back.

  Wade smoothed a hand down his shirt. “It’s very obvious Angela’s not into me. Noted.” He caught on Mara again, as she moved closer to me, and his mouth tightened. “Seems I fall for girls into hockey guys. That’s all.”

  Mara’s hand slid into my back pocket, and she stood next to me.

  Wade shoved through the crowd.

  Darren lingered before jerking his head toward Miles. “We gotta go with him.”

  “But.” Miles glanced my way.

  “We’re his boys. Let’s go.” He held his fist out to me. I met it with one of mine, and then to Mara. She did the same, giving him the cutest smile. He grinned back. “We’ll see you tomorrow maybe?”

  She nodded. “Make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.”

  Darren ran a hand over the top of his head. “Nah. He ain’t like that. He’s just…hurting.”

  Miles remained, his eyes hard on Mara. “Was it you?”

  She tensed, her hand pressing against me. She hesitated, then shook her head. “It wasn’t me.”

  Relief cleared in his gaze, and his head dipped in one firm nod before he finished his beer. He handed his empty glass to Mara. “Then, what Darren said.”

  They left, and the crowd was starting to disperse, when suddenly there was a screech of brakes. Then another, and another.

  “Oh.” A guy called out, running inside. “We have incoming.” He went straight to the kitchen, finding Zeke. “Alpha Mu guys. I’m thinking they drove here.”

  Zeke spared me a look. “You know what this is about?”

  Mara growled, stepping in front of me. “Me.”

  51

  MARA

  Carrington led the way.

  He was followed by a bunch of his brothers, and at the same time a lot of Zeke’s own fraternity brothers pushed to the forefront too.

  Flynn gave Cruz a measured look, which was returned. Then, his eyes found me and all niceties vanished.

  God. I gulped.

  He came straight for me, shoving people aside so he landed smack dab in front of me, or he would’ve. His finger was up, he was pointing it right at me, until Cruz stepped in. As fast as Flynn had been coming at me, Cruz was walking him backwards, saying, “Step back, man.”

  Flynn went. He didn’t fight it. It happened so quick.

  Atwater, Barclay, and the other guys from his team swarmed right after him.

  They weren’t alone. Zeke got in front of me, and I looked, seeing the rest of my roommates. Skylar. Zoe. Kit and Burford too, a bunch of other Kappa girls. Leander, Flynn’s brother was in the mix as well, but in the middle. Not like Gavin, who stood at the back. Leander had his hands out, like he wanted to keep the peace. He was looking between everyone, but seeing me seeing him, he gave me a sad smile.

  That was all I needed.

  I mirrored him.

  Flynn saw it, screaming, “DON’T FUCKING SMILE AT MY BROTHER!” He lunged for me.

  Cruz met him, shoving him back, and growled. “I told you to step back.”

  He hit his arm down, growling right back. “I don’t need to fucking—” He didn’t finish because he swung on Cruz. Who ducked, and who punched back. Flynn didn’t duck.

  All hell broke loose after that.

  Alpha Mu guys were fighting the Grant West hockey team.

  Zeke’s frat was in the mix.

  There was shoving.

  Two guys started trading hits, migrating toward me. An arm came around my waist. I was lifted, carried out of there.

  “Hey! Stop. Put me down.” I twisted, saw Gavin, and shoved back at him. “Let go of me.”

  He did, in the doorway and out of the kitchen. Skylar, Zoe, and Tasmin surrounded us.

  I was trying to watch the fight, but snapped at Gavin, “Nice of you to fucking show up. I thought we were friends.”

  “We are.” He snapped back, then added, with less of a bite, “I thought so too.”

  “Your leader in there is trying to ruin my life.”

  “I didn’t know he was going to do that. I didn’t. I–” He twisted his head to see what was going on, then cursed. “Screw it. Did he actually hurt her or not? What Flynn is saying makes no sense. Leander tried to tell me there’s more to the story.”

  “Of course there’s more to the story, like the fact that there’s really a girl that he hurt. How about that? And no, Gavin. I’m not spilling who it is. That’s a really shitty thing to do to someone. As your friend, I shouldn’t have to tell you that. You should just know by knowing me.”

  “But do I?” He flung his hands out. “You don’t let anyone in.”

  “You got in!” I shoved at his chest. “Cruz got in. And you’re not paying attention.” I motioned around. “I’ve got friends. I let them in, and thanks to your asshole brother in there, everyone has an idea how messed up my home life is.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  I started laughing, hard, brutal, and ugly. These weren’t happy laughs. “Are you kidding me?”

  “What?”

  “Miller.” Skylar handed over her phone. I was guessing it was the blog.

  He took it, his eyes going wide, but he went still.

  “WHERE IS SHE? WHERE IS SHE?” Flynn was screaming from the kitchen.

  He was being held back by a bunch of guys. Cruz was bleeding from his face, but he was still standing, and he wasn’t being held back. Zeke and a couple hockey guys were in front of him, making sure he couldn’t get past them to Flynn.

  A bunch of guys were shouting back and forth.

  “Shut the fuck up,” Atwater snapped.

  That sent off another surge. One of Flynn’s frat brothers launched at him, and the hockey team, whoever was there, waded in.

  “This is—” Gavin had to stop, giving Skylar her phone back. “That’s insane. Your mom tried to do that. What are you doing here?”

  “Let me ask you something and be honest. Where was Flynn today?”

  “At the house.”

  “Then where was he yesterday?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. Gone. A lot of guys leave for the day.”

  “The day?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  I took Skylar’s phone and brought up the video, hitting play. My mom’s voice came through, and she was laughing. A whole seductive and sultry laugh. I pointed at the phone. “Because this is how she sounds when she wants to fuck someone. She wants attention from whoever is holding this recording device, and she’s eating it up. All the attention this guy is giving her.” My mom bent forward, letting one of her tits show. “Her make-up was on point.”

  “I’m thinking that’s a normal thing for women. They know how to do make-up.”

  “Not her.”

  He went still, so did my roommates, and so did some people in the kitchen.

  The music cut, and I’d be told later that my voice carried as I kept on, clipping out, “Ever dealt with someone who has a chronic personality disorder? Know what it’s like? You feel like you want to hit your head against the wall. Imagine that feeling every day of your life. Imagine your mom wanting to sleep with all of your teachers, your friends, your bosses, your co-workers. Jesus. I’m just getting started. That’s what she does. Her. She drains you and drains everyone, and you get nothing back. When you’re not giving her what she wants, she moves onto the next, and everything is about her. Everything. The few times you got a birthday party, they’re about her. The few times. If it doesn’t fit into her schedule to get you a Christmas gift, you’re not getting one. ‘Tough shit, you little shit.’ I heard that when I six, seven, and eight. Then I stopped asking. When you need to get picked up after school when you’re in third grade. Not going to happen, not unless it fits into her schedule.” I shoved that phone at him, even knowing it wasn’t his, but I was beyond caring. He had no idea. None. “And yeah. Six days ago, your fraternity brother showed up at a beach with a girl and three other guys. He insulted me, threatened me, and Cruz laid him out. Guess what your other brothers did? Nothing. They watched it happen. They didn’t do a damned thing. Think on that, Gavin. Your fraternity brother is getting pummeled, and you stand back. It was just me there. No one else. They could’ve pulled him off in a heartbeat and they didn’t. They had time to figure it out, to see what was going on. They stood there, just stood there. I noticed her, and the state she was in, and the state Flynn was in, and I started asking questions.”

  “The fuck you did! You set me up!”

  I whirled, seeing so many eyes on me. They’d turned my way, facing me, but I shoved through them. A line opened, letting me pass until I broke through the circle.

  Flynn was being held back by the two brothers that’d been there that day.

  I started laughing, seeing them. “This is classic. These guys.” I addressed them, “You’re showing up now?”

  One gave me a nasty look.

  I raised my middle finger at him. “Where were you then? Huh? Before he did what he did to her?”

  “We didn’t–” The other guy hit him in the arm. He didn’t notice, hissing without thinking, “We didn’t know he was going to hurt her! They were kissing, then suddenly she’s yelling for him to get off her. And he wouldn’t.” He shoved back, pushing Flynn into the door as he did. He held his hands up, backing away. “I’m not this kind of guy, Carrington. I’m not down with this shit.”

  “Dude!” The first guy grabbed him, shoving him backwards. “Shut. Up!”

  “I don’t care. I’m not down with it.”

  “It’s true?” Gavin had followed me.

  My voice almost broke as I said, “Like I said, you know me. You know him. You should know better.”

  “You fucking bit–”

  “My mother.” My voice did break. I circled around to see Flynn better. More one on one, though three guys stepped between us, partially blocking my view. Cruz moved up behind me, his hand went to the side of my hip. “You went to my mom?”

  “I didn’t–”

  “You did!” I started for him, but Cruz’s hand held me back. “Just admit it. You threatened me five days ago. I got texts warning me that you were coming after me four days ago. Miller said you were at the house today, so that leaves yesterday. My mom’s supposed to be in a facility. Where did you find her?”

  His face was red. His mouth was clamped shut. He wanted to tell me. He wanted to hurt me.

  I started nodding, knowing why he was doing it, but man. “My mom? Really?”

  Whatever was holding him back broke. He started laughing, a harsh sound. “Yeah, she’s fucked up. Offered to blow me and my buddy if we did her. She wasn’t in a facility. Went to her place, but she wasn’t there. We reached out over her social media. She responded within three seconds. Told us right away where to meet her, and she loved talking about you. She told us all about you, how messed up you are, how you were introduced to sex too early in life. She loved telling us that story. You came on to–”

  I knew it then. He was just going to go on, and on, and on.

  He was going to rub the whole meeting in my face.

  He was going to say and do anything to hurt me.

  There was no point to this anymore.

  “Enough.” Cruz moved before anyone could stop him. He wrapped his arm around Flynn’s neck, yanked him down, locked his arm with his other one, and applied pressure. “Time to go to sleep, buddy.”

  Flynn was bent down, struggling. His face filled with color and as he gasped, he slowly, just, went to sleep. He tried hitting on Cruz’s arm, but no one helped him.

  That said everything.

  When he was out, Cruz dropped him. His frat brother knelt, feeling for his pulse, and stood back. “He’s fine. He’s just unconscious.”