Chapter 42
“You don’t have to do this,” Colt said with a frown.
I straightened my blazer as we stood in the foyer. “Darius said it will help to act as normal as possible. We still don’t know what Patrick’s planning.”
It was freaking everyone out that we didn’t have a clue what he was up to and that he hadn’t made a single move.
“Maybe he’s having second thoughts about his plans,” Dash said hopefully.
Cillian scoffed as he leaned against the banister. “Patrick isn’t known for mercy or backing down.”
Declan frowned. “He’s right. Patrick would go down with the ship before showing a single sign of weakness.”
“Everyone knows that Chloe attacked you,” Colt argued. “So they won’t be expecting you back at school right away.”
I sent him a gentle smile. “It’s been almost two weeks now. It’s time.”
Trace moved in behind me, squeezing the back of my neck in a show of support. “She’s got this.”
Ever since my first training session with Cillian and the bath afterward, Trace had changed his tune.
He supported my quest for strength at every turn.
He’d been getting up early with me to run, making me protein and vitamin shakes, watching every sparring session with Cillian.
He’d pointed out areas of weakness in my form to help me learn.
I leaned back into his touch, a silent thank-you.
Ronan sent a mock scowl in my direction. “You were our perfect excuse to miss classes.”
A laugh bubbled out of me. “Sorry to interrupt your life of leisure.”
He bent and brushed his lips across mine. “You should be.”
The lightness in Ronan’s demeanor was a welcome change. Between fruitless searches for Chloe and Damien, and not knowing what to do about Cillian’s presence, he’d been surly, to say the least. Maybe school and a little bit of normalcy was exactly what he needed.
Declan glanced at their brother. “You going to be okay?”
Cillian’s lips twitched. “I’m not a delicate flower. I think I can handle being stuck in your mansion for a few hours.”
Declan just rolled his eyes. “Try not to burn the place down.”
“I’ll do my best.”
I gave Cillian a wave. “Training session when I get back.”
“You got it, Princess.”
All the guys glared at him. They did not love that he had begun calling me by a nickname.
I laughed and headed for the door.
We all piled into the Escalade, and Colt guided us toward Castle Prep. Each rotation of the tires ratcheted up my nerves. It wasn’t until Declan’s hand landed on my knee that I realized I’d been bouncing my leg like I’d had ten Red Bulls.
“Sorry,” I said sheepishly.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” he assured me.
I wanted to believe him, but I knew that, yet again, all eyes were going to be on me.
The guys had warned me not everyone believed my story about Chloe.
Rumors were flying around like crazy. Some were saying that I was covering for Trace because he’d slaughtered Chloe.
Others said she’d kicked my ass and I was just embarrassed.
There was even one that suggested she’d run off with a human and had gotten married in Vegas.
The gossip mill never slept.
I decided I’d focus on the ridiculous. At least those were amusing.
Colt turned onto campus, and I sighed at all the students milling about. It was like someone had told them we were returning today, and they couldn’t wait for the show.
As Colt parked, I pulled on my mask of indifference, refusing to let them get to me. We piled out of the vehicle, the guys sticking close. I swung my backpack over my shoulder and headed for the school. I could feel the stares on me but did my best to ignore them.
A flicker of movement caught my eye as Mimi and Grace stormed toward me. Just great.
Mimi flipped her hair over her shoulder as if taking on Chloe’s persona in her absence. “You just couldn’t handle that she was so much better than you, could you?”
I simply blinked a few times. “Who?”
“Who?” Grace screeched. “You know who. What did you do with Chloe?”
“Ooooooh, you mean the girl who’s been treating you two like indentured servants for all your lives?”
“She has not,” Mimi blustered. “She’s our friend, and you are just jealous of her.”
“Sounds like you might be talking about yourself there,” I singsonged.
“Shut up!” Mimi yelled. “She was supposed be head anchor, and everyone knows it.”
I shrugged, starting to move past her. “If you want to stay on that crazy train, have at it.”
“I’m talking to you.” She grabbed my arm hard, yanking me back.
My eyes blazed. “I’d let go if I were you.”
Colt started to move to intervene, but Trace stopped him, sending him a silent look.
“Or you’ll what?” Mimi scoffed.
“I’ll do this.”
I moved so fast she didn’t have a prayer. I brought my free hand up and then down in a rough strike against Mimi’s arm, breaking her hold. Then my foot kicked out, sweeping her legs out from under her.
Mimi shrieked as she hit the pavement in a tangle of limbs.
“Can’t say I didn’t warn you.”
I started toward the school as if nothing had happened, but laughter from the guys followed me.
Dash wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “That was a thing of beauty.”
I sighed, tipping my head to his shoulder. “I think it’s going to be a long day.”
I’d been right. Long day was an understatement. Whispers erupted in every single one of my classes. Mimi and Grace glared daggers at me everywhere I went, and I was woefully behind in all my classwork.
But at least we were done for the day. I bent to grab my backpack from my gym locker just as Mimi spat out, “Slut.”
I let out a long breath as I straightened. “So original. Have you been working on that one all day?”
Some of the girls around us giggled.
Mimi’s face heated. “You’ll get what’s coming to you.”
I smiled brightly at her as I slid on my backpack. “I hope we all do. For you, it’ll be a permanent case of diarrhea and raging hemorrhoids.”
Mimi and Grace both gaped at me as the girls around us laughed harder.
I just gave them a finger wave and headed out the door. I was officially done with them for the day.
As I slipped out of the locker room, footsteps pounded down the hallway.
My head jerked up to see Connor running in my direction, a panicked look on his face.
“What’s wrong?” I demanded.
He skidded to a stop in front of me. “Someone said they thought they saw Chloe in the woods out back. I gotta see if it’s her.”
My heart lurched as he started down the hallway again. I didn’t think; I simply followed. I wasn’t going to let him face her alone if she was, in fact, out there.
Connor hit the back door at a dead run. It slammed against the wall, and I scurried out after him.
The second we were outside, he turned, his face crumpling. “I’m sorry, Leighton.”
“What—?”
But it was too late. Someone grabbed me from behind, and a needle plunged into my neck. I tried to bat it away, but the drug was already sweeping through my system. The world blurred. A scream stuck in my throat, and everything went black.