Barbie Bitch (Rejects Paradise 3)

“He is a good guy,” Sebastian argues.

I shrug my shoulders. “What does that say about me? I only ever fall for toxic men who don't even flinch at the thought of taking a life.”

Nic’s hand rubs down my back. “It means that you’re stronger than the rest. You were built to handle more than what those other bitches could. Any other woman would have run straight to the cops after witnessing what you saw me do, but you didn’t. Even while hating me, you were loyal, just as you’re loyal to Colton. We’re the weak ones, Ocean. You’re the kind of woman we need to keep us from drowning.”

Eli grunts a sound of agreement but that’s all I hear from him, knowing I need a few minutes to calm down before I focus on the two who have stubbornly refused to apologize over the last few weeks, claiming that they’re trying to give me space.

Realizing that I’m not going to comment on his declaration, Nic pulls back and meets my eyes. “What else is going on?” he questions, narrowing his eyes at me. “It has to be more than finding out your boyfriend is just like the rest of us. It’s not as though finding out someone is a killer is something you’ve never experienced before. There has to be something more.”

My eyes drop, hating how he’s still able to read me so well. “Mom overheard that I was Jude’s other victim and it broke her. She’s not talking to me. I betrayed her trust by keeping it from her.”

“Fuck,” Nic breathes, pulling me tight again. “She’ll be alright. I can’t exactly speak for her, but she’s probably more angry at herself than at you. Just give her a moment to process it all and once you come out the other end, you’ll have an even stronger bond.”

“I don’t know,” I whisper. “She’s still hurting over the Dad being a Wolf bomb I dropped the other week. It seems like every time we’re in a room together, I say something that tears her apart.”

“Well, luckily you don’t have any more secrets to tell her.”

“It’s not like I’ve been particularly open about what I saw you do in your warehouse and what Colton did to Marco. Should I take this as turning a new leaf and start being honest?”

“Nope,” he says, his lips pulling into an amused grin. “You can go right ahead and keep those little details to yourself.”

“That’s what I thought,” I say, pulling out of his arms and drying the remaining tears off my face, feeling as though I have some level of control over myself despite the pain that continues spearing through my chest.

I’d do anything to feel Colton’s lips on mine just one more time.

“So,” Nic goes on. “What did you tell Milo?”

I look back at him, realizing this is his way of trying to figure out just how much Milo knows but he doesn’t need to worry. Milo understands that there are things in my life that I need to keep to myself. “Nothing,” I finally say. “I told him that I’d had a fight with Colton and just needed some breathing room. He was there when Mom found out about Jude, so he already knew about that.”

Nic nods, his only response a slight grunt of approval.

I slip off his lap and fold down between Nic and Sebastian on the couch, only I’m sitting on my phone and have to dig it out of my pocket. I glance down to find three unread texts from Colton and my heart instantly starts racing out of control again.

I slide my thumb over the screen, unlocking it, then opening the texts while holding my breath. Sure, I’m used to having screaming matches with Colton, and I’m more than used to putting him in his place, but this was different and I have no idea how either of us will handle it.

Colton - Where are you?

Colton - Please, Jade. Just let me know that you’re safe.

Colton - Are you with Nic?

A throat clears from across the room and my gaze sweeps up to find Eli’s guilty eyes on mine. “How long are you going to make him sweat it?” he asks cautiously, not wanting to set me off as he slowly begins his shitty way of sliding back into my life.

A sharp glare comes shooting out of me and settles on the turd who’s perched on the armrest beside his equally turdy friend. “As long as I need to,” I say, really trying to reign in my inner bitch who had her claws sharpened for this very moment. “But you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you? It’s been a while since you came round? I was expecting you to come groveling for forgiveness weeks ago.”

Eli shrugs his shoulders. “What can I say? I know the way you work, Ocean. You needed time to cool down before I came to you with an apology. Sebastian and Nic forced it on you and I knew you wouldn’t stand for another one of us doing that, so I’ve been very impatiently waiting. But surely you know how sorry I am. I hate that you’re hurt and I hate that you no longer trust me. I’d do anything to fix that.