Chapter 16 Delilah
SIXTEEN
Delilah
Downstairs, I find Kady and Sabs talking in hushed tones by the breakfast bar.
“What is it?”
They can’t hide anything from me with guilty expressions like that. Kady looks like she’s trying to pick her words carefully while Sabs blurts, “Kady saw Jagger!”
“What?” I lose my footing, almost squashing Larry’s tail as he dashes past. “Y-y-you saw him?”
“He came to The Valley Voice for an interview this morning.” From her disgruntled tone, I can tell she’s unimpressed. “Calder thought he was hiding it from me, but he put their meeting in our shared calendar.”
“Did he…?” I play with the edge of my dress. “Did he mention me?”
She sighs heavily. “Yes, he did.” She puts a palm to her forehead. “He wanted me to pass on a message. I told him I would—after reminding him how much of an asshole he’s been, of course.”
My heart thuds against my ribs. “W-what did he say?”
“He wants you to come to his show. Apparently, there’s something he wants you to see there.” She rolls her eyes. “Whatever that means.”
“I still vote on burning the tickets,” Sabs says. “Maybe we should say some cleansing ritual words or something first?”
“We’re not witches,” Kady points out
“Shame.” Sabs chuffs. “If we were, I’d cast a spell to give him a warty knot.”
“Del?” Kady studies me, putting her hands on my shoulders. “Are you okay? You’ve kinda got a spaced-out look.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I take a deep breath. “Did he say anything else?”
“He wants a chance to explain himself.” Her bitter tone makes it clear she would never give him the opportunity. “He also had his other packmate with him. There’s three of them.”
“What was he like?” I ask. “The other packmate?”
Kady opens her mouth to reply, but I cut her off almost immediately.
“Actually, forget I even asked. The less I know about Jagger’s life and pack, the better.
” There’s no reason for me to care. “Anyway, I better get going. I really want to perfect my lamination technique in class. Have you heard of the golden triangle? You have to nail the temperature, otherwise the butter turns into a total mess. Then you’ve got the… Never mind. I’ll figure it out.”
Kady’s brows furrow, and Sabs chews on a fingernail before asking, “Are you sure you don’t want to talk more about Jagger?”
“My horoscope says that today is a new day.” I plaster on a fake smile. “I’m just going to pretend that Jagger isn’t on campus and focus on my classes.”
Larry must have slunk back in during our conversation, choosing now to sidle up against my ankles. Instead of attempting to claw me like usual, he rubs his ginger cheeks against me.
“Spoken like a true Stella.” Kady nods in satisfaction. “See? Even Larry agrees.”
Larry purrs, as if to prove a point.
“See you guys later.” I wave, maintaining my cheery disposition even though it’s forced.
My day takes an even worse turn when I reach the gates and spot a familiar face loitering near Margie’s post. The gorgeous guy is wearing a varsity jacket, his dark hair rippling in the light breeze.
A rush of possessiveness rises in my chest at seeing the way the other omegas are ogling him like he’s a piece of meat, but I bite my tongue.
I remind myself he’s in Jagger’s pack, so I have to maintain my distance.
I keep my head down, hoping to blend in among the throng of Persephone House omegas bustling through the gate.
“Delilah!” Tae’s voice hits me.
No such luck.
I continue walking, pretending I haven’t heard him.
“Hey!” He chases after me like an eager puppy. “Wait!”
“What is it, Tae?” I blow out a frustrated breath. “I thought I made myself perfectly clear last time we spoke.”
“I brought you a chai latte.” Glazing over what I just said, he offers me a steaming cup, the spicy aroma of cinnamon wafting over to me.
“You haven’t been answering my calls, so I wanted to make a peace offering for the end of our date being ruined.
Plus, I have two. And I can’t drink both myself, or I’ll be buzzing off all the sugar.
” He wiggles his eyebrows. “If you don’t accept it, I’ll have to tip it into that rosebush. ”
“You really shouldn’t have.” I take it from him with a heavy sigh. “And I’m only accepting it because I don’t want my friend, Faye, to be upset that I let you potentially harm that innocent rosebush.”
When I continue on my way, he falls into step beside me. “Are you going to class?”
“Yes,” I huff. “And I’ll be late if I don’t hurry.”
“I can walk with you,” he chirps brightly. “I won’t slow you down. Promise!”
“Don’t you remember what I said about it not being a good idea to see each other anymore? You’re in his pack.” I can’t bring myself to say his name. “It doesn’t matter how much of a good time we had—”
“So you had a good time, huh?” His grin lights up his face as he bounces along like he’s suddenly got springs in his sneakers.
“Well, uh…” I scramble before recovering. “I did before…” My chest tightens at the memory of Jagger’s face. “Before I knew who you were connected to.”
“I need you to know that I had no idea who you were when I asked you on that date.” His tone is earnest. “Scout’s honor!” He holds up one hand. “I just saw a gorgeous girl walk into the shop and had to ask you out. Jagger only told us your history after what happened at the Tea House.”
“Us?” I arch an eyebrow. “You mean you and your other packmate? Kady said she met him.”
“Yep, there’s just the three of us. Me, Nash, and Jag,” he states proudly. “The dream team.”
We walk for a few moments in silence while I battle to ignore how good he smells. If he left me alone, it’d make life much easier.
“Look, I know what Jag did was…” He shakes his head. “Unforgivable.”
I clutch the paper cup so tightly that I’m afraid the bottom is going to give out.
“Yes. It was.” I pick up my pace. “That’s why he and his packmates are the last people I want to see.”
I gasp, almost spilling my drink on Tae when he steps in front of me to block my path.
“I can’t even imagine how you’re feeling or what you went through.” He’s speaking more softly now. “But the Jagger I know wants to make things right. He knows what he did was wrong. He feels fucking awful about it.”
“Yeah, I’m sure it’s really been tearing him up inside while he’s been off touring all over the world.” I laugh coldly. “I’m a nobody. I know exactly what I was to Jagger. I was stupid for allowing myself to get close to him.”
Before Kady made me block all traces of Jagger from my phone and computer, I had a few moments of weakness when I ended up searching for him.
I saw photographs of him with his arms draped around supermodels, partying at huge events, singing at sold-out shows.
Just the thought of what I saw makes me sick.
“You’re not a nobody, Delilah.” Tae brushes a curl off my face, his eyes piercing mine. “How could you ever think that?”
“Jagger discarded me like a piece of trash,” I remind him, taking a step back so I’m out of his reach.
“I have no right to ask this of you, but…” Tae buries his hands in his pockets. “All I ask is for you to hear him out. Give him a chance to explain himself.”
“Explain himself?” My eyes widen as fury bubbles out of me. “Give him a chance?” I poke my finger into Tae’s toned chest. “Jagger Knight hasn’t earned a second chance. I owe him nothing.”
Tae rubs the spot where I jabbed him. “Have you listened to his last album?”
“Do you really think I’d listen to the album of an alpha who left me in a hotel without saying goodbye after lying to me about being my scent match?” I lower my voice as I notice a group of nearby betas watching our interaction with interest. “Do you think I’m that pathetic?”
“Fuck, no! I don’t think you’re pathetic at all.
No one does. Shit, I’m really screwing this up, aren’t I?
” He clutches the back of his neck and exhales deeply.
“All I’m saying is that listening to his songs may help you fill in some of the blanks.
After that, if you still want nothing to do with him—with us—then I’ll understand.
I can’t force you to listen to them, come to the show or do anything you don’t want, but if you’re really scent matches—”
“Thanks for the drink, Tae,” I cut him short. “Have a good day.”
This time, he doesn’t follow me when I storm away to my relief.
Tears sting the back of my eyes, but I’m not sure whether they’re from anger at Tae’s audacity to ask me to give Jagger a chance or because I’m upset that Jagger shared with him that he thought we were scent matches.
Why would he tell his packmate that if he didn’t really mean it?
The rest of my morning passes in a flash. I end up burning my cronuts because I’m too distracted listening to some of my peers gossiping about what they’re going to wear to Jagger’s show and thinking about what Tae said.
When I mope out of class, a familiar figure is waiting outside the building for me.
“Faye?” I tilt my head. “What’re you doing here?”
“Oh, I just finished picking some rosemary in the greenhouse and thought I’d stop by.” While that may not be a lie, the intent way she studies my face tells me that she was sent by the other Stellas. “Maybe we can take a walk or grab coffee, if you’re free?”
“It’s sweet that you’re here. Did Kady and Sabs tell you what happened?”
“I was trying to be discreet, but yes,” she groans, twirling a strand of her long golden hair around her finger. “Everyone’s worried about you, Del. I thought you may want someone to talk to who is a little less… opinionated.”
Faye wasn’t here last year while Sabs and Kady literally held me together during my peak period of heartbreak, so talking through my mixed emotions with her might be easier than it is with the others.