“Come on. Invite Seth.” She shrugs. “We’ll sit around the fire, tell some ghost stories, and get trashed.” Lauren wiggles her eyebrows. “It’ll be fun.”
I pull my cell out and send a quick text.
Me: Wanna go to a bonfire this weekend?
He messages me back immediately.
Seth: Of course.
I look over at her and smile, knowing that Seth will never hurt me. Not like others have tried. I trust him with my life. “We’re in.”
DEKE
I open my heavy eyes as I stare out my tinted driver’s side window. Leaning against it, I enjoy the cool glass on my skin. Cole sits in the passenger seat with his back ramrod straight and stone-cold silent.
I sat outside for another twenty minutes this morning with him while he swam, but we didn’t speak. After I had a couple of cigarettes and enough to drink, I left him and went to bed. When I finally woke up, Austin and Lilly were already gone, and he was in the kitchen. He didn’t even look up at me; he just told me we were leaving in an hour to go pick up Bennett at the airport.
So we’re playing hooky from classes today, and here we are, sitting in uncomfortable silence. I don’t know what to say to him. Or what I can do for him. At this point, I’m afraid he’s about to jump off the deep end. And I wish I could say I feel lighter now that he knows Becky was lying, but I don’t. Instead, I feel worse. And I hate that bitch even more for putting us all in this situation.
“Why the fuck did he bring him?” Cole snaps.
I look out the windshield to see Bennett walking toward us and right beside him is Shane.
Well, fuck! I don’t think Cole’s seen or spoken to him since the night at the hospital when Kellan shot Austin.
Cole, Bennett, and I all sit in the waiting room. Becky cries, and I try to console her, running my hand through her hair, but there’s not much I can do or say. Honestly, I’m surprised they haven’t come out to tell Cole that she’s dead.
Cole hangs up his phone with his nanny, making sure she can take care of Lilly. Seconds later, he jumps to his feet, and I look up to see Shane standing in the waiting room. I push Becky off me and do the same.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Cole snaps.
Bennett snorts, waking himself up. He looks up aimlessly and wipes the drool that runs down his chin. He slowly rises to his feet. “What’s going on?” he asks roughly before clearing his throat and trying to focus on his surroundings.
We all look at Bennett. “I don’t know. You tell me,” Cole demands, thinking that Bennett has informed Shane about what Kellan did to Austin.
He holds his hands up when he sees Shane standing there. “I haven’t said anything—”
“I saw the news,” Shane interrupts him and then looks at Cole. “Hours ago. I’ve been calling you guys. Why aren’t you answering?”
I’ve been ignoring his ass. I’m here for Cole and Austin. Anything involving Shane could wait. And Cole hasn’t had his phone. He handed it to me when he willingly got arrested because I didn’t want them taking it away from him. I just gave it back to him ten minutes ago.
Shane’s jaw clenches when no one answers him. He takes a quick look around the waiting area, and then asks, “Where’s Kellan?” Shane steps up to Cole when silence follows, his eyes narrowing. “Where. Is. Kellan?”
Cole closes the small distance between them. “Why don’t you ask—”
“Cole!” I interrupt him and yank him back by his arm. “I’ll talk to him.”
“It’s none of his business,” he snaps at me.
Shane lets out a rough laugh. “Did you make him disappear, Cole? Is that why his phones are off, and he’s nowhere to be found?”
“He fucking shot her!” he yells.
Bennett walks over to Shane, grabs his shirt, and all but drags him out the double doors.
I go to stand before Cole. “You need to calm down, man,” I whisper harshly. I search the room, and thankfully, it’s not crowded this time of the night. But the few people who are in here with us are staring our way. “Cole?” I snap when he stares past me at the doors. Reaching up, I slap his face. Not hard enough to hurt but enough to get his attention. “Listen to me! If you make a scene and get kicked out of here, then that’s it. You’re done.” I place my hands on his upper arms. “The police are just looking for a reason to lock you up, so keep your shit together just a little longer.”
“What is going on?” Becky asks, confused about what just happened.
I ignore her.
Cole shoves me out of the way and storms out the sliding glass doors.