Chapter 28
LEX
Wexley University
Being forced to hop on my apology train.
“This is a terrible idea,” I mutter to Cade as we start down the stairs of the gym, heading into my soon to be public execution. “The girls aren’t exactly my biggest fans right now.”
I shift the stupid sling digging into my neck, adjusting it for the hundredth time tonight. The strap’s all twisted. My shoulder aches and itches like hell. I’m also pretty sure that my dignity’s filed for legal separation and is no longer residing in the state of New York.
Lucky me.
This has got to be what rock bottom fucking looks like: showing up at Wexley for a basketball game over an hour early with one working arm and a deck full of regrets.
Down on center court, I clock Ellie and Haley stretching with the Trifecta stunt dudes. Thankfully, they haven’t noticed me yet. Not really sure how to face them after I turned into a raging, injury-riddled asshole and snapped at anyone with a pulse.
“You have to talk to them sooner or later,” Cade says over his shoulder. “Might as well just bite the bullet so we can all move on with our lives.”
I fight the urge to push his ass down the stairs. “Easy for you to say,” I shoot back, adjusting the sling again like it might buy me some time.
“Stop being a baby. It’s just Ellie and Haley.”
I scoff. “Yeah well, they still love you.”
“Of course they do,” he says, smirking. “I’m not the jackass who nearly ripped their heads off the other day. That was all you, babe.”
I groan, rubbing my neck with my free hand trying to ease the tension as we step out onto the court. “Let’s get this over with.”
My dick of a boyfriend laughs at me like this is some fun little errand and not one of the top five most humiliating moments of my life. I knew I should’ve stayed at the fucking hotel.
Cade lifts his hand and calls out, “Ellie! Hales!”
Both girls glance over and immediately do the thing. That thing where they share a look like they’re telepathically deciding the best way to murder me without going down for the crime. Ellie crosses her arms. Haley just looks like she wants to castrate me with her high heel.
“Yeah, this is a big mistake,” I mutter under my breath, halting my steps. “I’m goin’ home.”
Cade grabs my arm before I can bolt. “Knock it off.”
Not to anyone’s surprise, they head for Cade first. The girls both smile and fling their arms around him like he just came back from war. He grins at them, clearly mocking my existence with all that sweet, golden-boy charm of his.
Normally, I love that shit. Today, it’s annoying as hell.
The girls finish hugging him and turn to me with icy stares.
I shift awkwardly, swallowing the monstrous lump lodged in my throat. “Uh, hey girls. I uh wanted to say that…” I mumble like an idiot.
Their faces stay hard.
Cade leans in. “Try sounding less like a convicted felon,” he whispers with a cocky grin.
I shoot him a glare. The bastard just shrugs and laughs again, knowing good and well that I plan on taking it out on his ass once we get back to NOX. I glance back at Ellie and Haley.
“I’m sorry,” I say again with a long sigh. “I’ve been a complete dick to you.”
Haley scoffs, twirling a red wave around her finger. “That’s the understatement of the century.”
“I know,” I mutter, not about to argue with her. “I just… I wasn’t handling anything well and I know I hurt you both. And scared you. And yelled at you. And well, everything else.”
Good God, now they’ve got me rambling.
“Look, I was just hoping maybe we could—”
I clamp my mouth shut as Ellie takes a slow step forward.
Her ocean-blue eyes soften as they search mine.
I think she’s about to hug me, but then Little Whitmore hauls off and slaps me right across the cheek.
The sound echoes throughout the gym. One of the Legacy girls stretching gasps. The other just fucking points at me.
And as if getting bitch-slapped by a 5’3” blonde in glitter isn’t embarrassing enough, Rico and Javi start giggling like little school girls and mumbling in Spanish. I look over at the DJ booth just in time to see the asshole who has the audacity to call himself my bestie snicker into his headset.
Fucking Rez too.
“I deserved that,” I say, rubbing my cheek.
“That’s for yelling at us,” Ellie says coolly. “Don’t do it again.” She pulls me in for a hug, her arms fiercely wrapping around me with all the spunk she’s usually known for.
Haley hasn’t moved. Her sage-green eyes are still staring at me like I’m on trial. “Look, Lex, I know you didn’t mean it,” she starts, her voice growing louder with each word. “But I swear to God if you ever raise your voice at me like that again I’ll—”
“I won’t,” I cut in, my slingless hand raised in defense. “I swear.”
Haley watches me for another breath. My body tenses, bracing for the punch I know she’s about to launch at me. Thankfully, she doesn’t and just hugs me instead. I wrap my good arm around her and pull her in tight against me.
“You stupid asshole,” she laughs into my chest. “I missed you.”
“Missed you too, Hales,” I whisper, placing a quick kiss onto the crown of her head.
“See,” Cade says, clasping a hand on my good shoulder. “That wasn’t so bad.”
“Tell that to my cheek.”
Knox saunters over with Ellie and Haley’s earpieces. As he hands over the gear to the girls, I peer down and notice something on his wrist. It’s a bright rainbow friendship bracelet with the words Lexie’s Bestie spelled out on the beads.
“What the hell is that?” I ask, nodding to his wrist.
He follows my gaze, then casually lifts his arm and flexes like it’s a million dollar watch. “Oh this? Made it a while back. Wasn’t sure if you deserved it or not, especially after this week. But then I saw Hales hug you and I figured the gang was officially back together so I put it on.”
“You made me a sparkly, beaded friendship bracelet?”
He shrugs. “Don’t get hard over it.”
“Hey,” I deadpan. “That’s my line.”
“This cannot be happening,” Ellie says, her voice high-pitched and laced with hatred as she glances around us to look out into the crowd.
The rest of us follow her glare, revealing Maddie fucking Rae and her Botox Barbie Brigade descending the stairs of the gym in Revenants jackets. Maddie locks eyes on me and tosses me a wink like we’re old friends.
I feel my patience flatline.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Knox groans.
“I’ll handle it.”
I’m already moving before anyone can argue, charging up the stairs two at a time. The moment I reach her, I grab the bitch by the arm and start dragging her back upstairs.
“Lex!” she shrieks, trying to wrench free. “Lex, let go of me!”
“Not gonna happen, Mads,” I grit out. “The three of you are fucking leaving. Right now.”
She twists, evades, and nearly face plants into the one to her left.
“Please, Lex,” the other one tries, holding Maddie upright. “Just listen to us.”
I’m about to tell the three of them to go deep-throat a cactus when Maddie slowly unzips her jacket. Underneath is one of Rico’s old Trifecta shirts—the one with our girl’s sexy ass on it and the words Property of Bella Blackwood blaring in bright red font.
The air leaves my lungs when the other two unzip in sync, revealing matching shirts.
“What the hell is this?” I ask, my brow pinched.
Maddie meets my eyes and runs a hand through her long blonde hair. “Rez told us what happened,” she says, her voice soft and not nearly as grating as it usually is.
I don’t speak. Just stand there gaping at the three of them and probably looking like a damn moron.
“The Revs and The Trifecta may hate each other,” she continues, “but no one deserves this. We can resume the rivalry once you get your girlfriend back.”
She peels off her jacket completely and carefully folds it over her arm. “Until then, we’re all here for you.” She steps back with a calm nod.
“For Bella.”
???
Halftime
Cade and I are in our seats on the front row with Briggs planted next to me. Across the floor, Ellie, Haley and the rest of Legacy are moving into formation at half-court.
“Soooo,” August says from the other side of Briggs, finishing what has to be his sixth beer of the half. “Is it just me, or is it weird as fuck seeing El and Hales in plain, boring Legacy shit?”
“It’s not just you,” Cal agrees, just as lit.
“Why can’t we get those sexy Rico specials?” August slurs loudly, gaining him a quick glare from Javi. “I don’t like this.”
Briggs elbows him.
“Ow,” August grunts. “Fuck was that for?”
“You know why, jackass,” Briggs grits. “Just shut up and drink your beer.”
I huff a laugh. “Welcome to the Trifecta front row. Everything you ever dreamed of, right?”
Briggs pinches the bridge of his nose. “Switch me seats.”
“What for?”
“Because I ain’t about to get on El’s bad side and get the cold shoulder on an eight hour flight for causin’ a scene.”
“A scene?” I ask, my grin growing wider.
“Don’t know how y’all deal with him. I’ve about cold clocked that fucker twice now,” he says, slapping my leg. “Get up.”
I shake my head and push to my feet. The sling tugs at my shoulder as I stand. I grunt, rolling it once hoping that’ll magically fix it. This stupid thing feels like a neon sign that says little bitch. I adjust it as I sit back down.
Then adjust it again.
I hate it.
The bass kicks in through the speakers and the arena lights dim.
“Alright, Wexley,” Knox’s voice rolls over the gym. “Tonight’s halftime show is going to be a little bit different.”
He moves some dials and a burgundy hue fills the gym.
“We dedicate tonight to the girl at the center of all of this. The one we’re missing. The one fighting her way back.”
Knox glances over at me and Cade, a faint smile forming at his lips. “But tonight’s not just for Bella,” he says, clearing his throat. “Tonight’s also for the family she created. For those fighting like hell to bring her back to us.”
Cade reaches over and slides his fingers into mine.
The first notes of “Fighter” by Christina Aguilera cracks through the speakers. The girls stand still for one breath in their flared, black glittering pants. Burgundy rhinestones on black crop tops spelling LEGACY.
They break into beautiful moves that are controlled, lethal, and sinfully sexy in a way that only Javi’s dramatic ass can seem to choreograph.
When the first chorus hits, the Legacy girls grab the hems of their tops and rip.
Fabric tears away in perfect sync, revealing cherry red tops with BLACKWOOD in bold, black rhinestones plastered across their chests.
“Oh my God,” Cade whispers.
Ellie and Haley step forward and rip theirs off too. But instead of Blackwood, Ellie’s says WHITMORE.
And Haley… hers says BARINOV.
My hand tightens in Cade’s as my eyes begin to sting.
Briggs elbows me. “Thought you’d get a kick out of that.”
I don’t answer, because I fucking can’t. Because for the first time since Bella got ripped away from us, I don’t feel like smashing something. I don’t feel like breaking someone. I feel hope. It’s small, fragile, and stupid as hell.
But it’s there.
My phone buzzes in my pocket. I let go of Cade’s hand long enough to pull it out, laughing when I see the name.
RICO: Am I seeing this right? Is the rough and tough Lex Barinov tearing up over one of my little designs?
I glance up. Rico is standing by the DJ booth in black tailored trousers and a silk burgundy button-down half undone at the collar, gold chain catching in the light. He smirks at me like he planned this emotional ambush on purpose.
ME: Don’t get hard over it.
RICO: I knew you needed the kick in the ass to get you back on your feet. It’s what she would have wanted.
ME: Thank you. I mean it.
He bows dramatically.
The girls finish their number and start to scatter when Knox’s voice cuts back in, hype-mode fully activated.
“Ellie, don’t you dare move, sweetheart.”
She freezes mid-step.
Knox continues, giving his glorious speech we all know so well. Talking all about tradition. About the mandatory Wexley school spirit and how they send their champions off with a bang like no other.
“…and I want all of you fuckers to hype our girl up so loud that Paris hears your asses from here!”
We’re already spilling over the rails, a human tide hitting the hardwood just as Pitbull’s “I Believe That We Will Win” detonates from the rafters.
We swarm Ellie in a frantic, shouting circle.
Briggs heaves her onto his shoulder like a trophy, her grin blinding under the gym lights as the chant turns the entire arena into a drum.
I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket when the second chorus hits.
@LucaWasHere
Cheer louder, boys. Make Paris believe,
That chanting her name is enough to retrieve.
Little Whitmore may glow under burgundy lights.
But don’t forget Lexie, you owe me some fights.
The lake was so pretty the first time she stayed,
Canvas and sunshine and futures remade.
They built her a sanctuary all fragile and stark,
But water runs deep and I swim in the dark.
So return to the dock where the past doesn’t drown.
Where pine shadows stretch when the sun settles down.
Cade’s next masterpiece waits by the shore,
In the house that was hers, but is not anymore.