Barbie Bitch (Rejects Paradise 3)

Eh, fuck it. More friends equal more drama. I’m all good. I should probably go and grab a vacuum and spend the next few hours vacuuming every single room that surrounds Laurelle’s just to drive that bitch insane. Hell, maybe I’ll just turn it on and walk away.

I dip my spoon down into the tub of ice cream and slip it into my mouth, dying of satisfaction as my taste buds burst in excitement. There's nothing better than oreo ice cream. It’s simply the best thing that was ever created and I will fight to the death against anyone who even attempts to challenge that. It's a fact. Just like the earth is round, the sun rises in the east, Massimo Torricelli is going to be my baby daddy, and oreo ice cream is the best.

Hearing footsteps out in the hall, I dump the tub down beside me on the counter and jump off, landing wobbly on my feet after sitting cross-legged for way too long.

I hurry out into the hall and look out, expecting to see Colton striding toward me, only the noise is coming from behind.

My heart rate kicks up as I spin around and come face to face with Spencer.

There are only two rooms down that end of the hall—Colton’s home gym and Charles’ wine cellar, and judging by the grim look on his face, there’s only one place that he’s coming from.

He knows.

He knows what I did to Jude. He saw the cuts, the stab wound, the dried blood that sits beneath his nails. He knows what I did and from the dark flare in his eyes, he knows that I’m more than aware of where he’s just been, yet neither of us says a damn word.

It’s like a secret that sits heavily between us but neither of us is willing to admit it out loud despite knowing exactly where each other sits in this fucked-up situation, and I have a feeling that’s how it’s going to stay. Once something gets said out loud, it makes it real even though we’ve both seen things and done things that should never have had to be done.

Spencer silently steps around me and enters the massive kitchen and I find myself following, feeling a strange camaraderie floating between us. It’s a feeling that I’ve never really gotten with Spencer before. It’s as though all of a sudden, we’re in this exclusive, dark club together, one that’s hosted by Colton. I mean, should we all get matching tattoos now? Get branded and make a vow to take this secret to the grave?

Spencer scoops my tub of ice cream off the counter and leans back against it while helping himself to what’s mine. “So, Laurelle and the twins haven’t run you out of here yet?”

Oh, okay. So we’re literally going to pretend that the Jude situation doesn’t exist. I can get on board with that. I jump back up onto the counter and get comfortable before snatching the tub out of his unsuspecting hands. “They’re not smart enough to know how to run me out of here,” I inform him, looking at him pointedly with a smug grin. “None of you were.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” he says with a scoff. “I have to admit, I didn’t like you much at first but your annoying little screechy whine has grown on me.”

“My screechy whine?” I gasp. “You and I both know that you’re the only one with a screechy whine around here.”

“Moooooooom,” comes a drawn-out squeal from upstairs by one of the twins.

“I stand corrected,” I grumble.

“They’ll come around,” Spencer promises me, but the lie is all too obvious in his tone. We both know that Cora and Casey are not the type to ‘come around.’ They’re the fight till the death type just like me, only unfortunately for them, they’re now playing in a whole new league, one they’re not strong enough to win, not even with their combined twin power.

I give Spencer a blank stare and he bursts into laughter. “Yeah, that didn’t even feel convincing coming out of my mouth,” he admits. “You’re going to be up against those girls for as long as you live. Even if you and Colton break up. They’ll never stop tearing you down until they win and when it comes to you, I have a feeling those girls will never win.”

“Never.”

“Though, to be fair,” he continues. “I didn’t think you were ever going to come around.”

“Me?” I laugh. “I didn’t come around, Spencer. You idiots just realized that if you can’t beat me, it’s best to join me.”

“Bullshit. You’re the one who realized that if you wanted to live peacefully here that you were going to need to reel in your attitude.”

“Dude, my attitude is still shining bright. It didn’t get reeled in at all. Besides, I think it’s more like you realized that if you didn’t climb aboard the Ocean train that you were going to get left behind. I had Charlie wrapped around my finger in a matter of days and Colton … well, he was mine the second I walked through the door. And as much as I’d rather not admit it, Jude wanted me too. You had no choice but to accept me or be left out in the dark. Just face it, I’m a force to be reckoned with.”