“Buchanan,” Wren slowly said as he chomped down on a cinnamon roll, “what did I tell you about that flirting shit?”
“Me? Flirting? With Lou? Not sure I’m daring enough to fuck my best friend,” I teased. “Too slippery a slope for me.”
I almost laughed when his eyes did that weird shit changing from a dull gray to a startling blue. I thought any moment now, his eyes would shoot lightning from their depths, and I’d be dust. The jealous fucker looked more pissed about me taking his place as her best friend than the possibility of me getting in her pants.
Of course, it went without saying I’d never cross that line. At least, now I wouldn’t. A few months ago, I was close to falling to my knees and begging Lou to make me forget. My sink into depression was interrupted when Lou shoved my shoulder.
“Do you know how much time and dignity it took me to wear him down? Leave him alone.”
Since the two of them looked like they’d tag team my ass, I backed off with a shrug. “Are you going to help me or not?” I grilled her.
“No,” Wren answered before she could.
Rolling her eyes, Lou whirled on him before planting her hands on her hips. “Excuse me,” she snapped, giving me hope. “I have lips and a tongue—not to mention a brain. I can speak for myself.” She then faced me again before he could rebut. “Sorry, bestie.” Wren growled at her for calling me bestie, but then his lips tipped up in a satisfied smirk when she added, “Wren says I can’t.”
She rounded the island, and he welcomed her onto his lap before wrapping his arms around her waist as I gave them both a blank stare.
“I thought we’d broken past your ‘us against the world’ phase. We’re one big, happy family now, remember?”
Wren was a former Exiled lieutenant, who came to Blackwood Keep seeking haven for Lou. She’d witnessed his boss murdering an innocent family, which had effectively ended Wren’s career as a criminal. In exchange for our protection, he offered to free Ever’s mom from Fox’s clutches. Ever and Wren both harrowingly held up their end of the bargain, though no one expected us to become attached. Now we have a reformed gangbanger and a still at-large pickpocket added to our merry band of misfits.
Subtly, I patted my dress pants and sighed when I felt my wallet still tucked inside. Lou was as slick as she was brazen.
“Yeah, and you’re asking us to help you sow discord in our newfound family,” Lou pointed out. “The answer is no.”
“You mean Wren’s answer is no. Since when did you shy away from causing trouble?”
Lou stumbling her way into my life was like a dream come true. Finally, I had a wingman I could count on to bring the mischief. Everyone else had a stick shoved up their asses. Four had once been a promising prospect, but then she and Ever went and fucked everything up by falling for each other. Sometimes I missed their rivalry. It got pretty boring in this sleepy town. Unfortunately, like Wren, Ever was determined to keep his girl on the straight and narrow.
“Since you got her some time over my knee last week,” Wren cut in before Lou could respond.
My eyebrows shot up when I glimpsed the red staining her cheeks before she hid her face in his chest. Guess he wasn’t kidding.
“Which reminds me,” he drawled, “I owe you a black eye.”
He started to rise from the stool, but Lou quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping him in place. “Let’s just hear him out,” she pleaded.
“I did hear his plan,” Wren shot back. “It’s sneaky, cruel, and not our business.”
“But aren’t you a little curious what the hell is going on?”
“No.”
“Please,” she whined. “I’ll let you put it in my butt,” she tried to whisper but failed.
“The fuck?” I yelped before I could catch myself. I felt like the biggest cockblocker when Lou squealed and hid her face again, causing Wren to glare at me over her head.
Not cool, man, his expression read.
I scrubbed a hand down my face, realizing there was no way in hell I was getting them on board now. “Fine. Fuck it.” I started to turn, assuming defeat, but then I snapped my fingers. “Almost forgot. Vaughn wanted me to invite you two over tomorrow morning. We’re having brunch.” Vaughn and Tyra were the first to be crossed off my list. Not only were they Four and Ever’s best friends, making them the easiest pawns to capture, but I knew they were just as eager for answers.
“Fucking rich people,” Lou muttered.
Wren snickered before sparing me a glance. “We’ll be there.” He dismissed me by whispering in Lou’s ear, probably eager to revisit a certain conversation.
Nodding, I used both fingers to flip them off before starting for their front door. Of course, neither of them noticed. I didn’t dare let my grin free until I stepped outside and inhaled the morning’s fresh air.
Check-fucking-mate.
Well… almost.
I still had the guests of honor to invite.
The sound of Brynwood’s bell signaling the end of the school day startled me out of my impromptu nap. I slowly rose from my lounge against my Jeep’s windshield and stretched just as the front doors burst open. Searching the crowd, my gaze connected with Tyra, who rolled her eyes, and then Vaughn, who greeted me with his chin as he forced her toward his ride. I couldn’t help but snicker at the odd pair. Vaughn was too damaged for goody-two-shoes Tyra, but she seemed to be handling her own. No one, least of all me, had thought she’d last or hold Vaughn’s interest for this long. Before Tyra, it was normal to witness two girls attempt to claim him by ripping each other’s throats out, and after they had finished, Vaughn would pretend he’d never met either one of them.
A few minutes after Vaughn peeled out of the parking lot in his white Lamborghini—a bribe from his father—Four appeared. I watched as she searched the parking lot, and my chest tightened at the warm smile she flashed when she spotted me. I already had my arms out by the time she reached me, and she stepped into them.
“It’s so weird,” she spoke into my chest, her voice muffled, but I heard every word. “I keep looking for you in the hall. How does it feel to be done with school finally?”
“Like I have too much time on my hands.”
She lifted her head and met my gaze. “You should stay out of your head.”
“Believe me, if I could, I would.”
She chewed on her lip before taking a step back and crossing her arms. “So what did you do today?”
“I went to see Wren and Lou…” I hesitated before lying through my teeth, “and then I came here.”
“You’ve been sitting out here all day?”
I shrugged. “It’s a beautiful day.”
She looked me over as if she had just noticed my appearance before squinting. “You’re pretty dolled up for sitting around.”
Leaning against the hood of my Jeep, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a fresh pack of smokes. I was going through half a pack a day now. “Want one?” I offered.
“Hell no, and don’t change the subject. Why are you dressed up?”
“I’m not—not really.”