I shoot upright and spin toward him. “You!”
He laughs, and I launch up to show him exactly where I slapped him, fingers raised and ready to make a dramatic reenactment out of it when the doorbell rings, and we all freeze.
Finn quirks an eyebrow, but I shrug. “Dane’ll get it.”
Luc grabs my wrist mid-threat and yanks me into his lap, kissing me, wet and ridiculous, until I squirm and laugh. He grins against my throat and nips at my neck, when there’s a knock onmybedroom door.
“Al?” Dane’s voice filters through the wood, sounding tense.
I slip off Luc’s lap, even though he makes an annoyed sound and tries to keep me there. “Come in.”
The handle jiggles. “You guys have clothes on?”
“Jackass,” Finn mutters as he turns and yanks the door open.
Dane is standing there with a smirk for Finn, but thenhis eyes go straight to me, and he sobers up. “Raine is outside.”
“What?” comes in unison from Luc, Mason, and Finn.
I blink. “What does he want?”
Dane shrugs, eyes flicking behind him like he half-expects the guy to materialize in the hallway. “Wants to talk to you. Apparently.”
I glance down at my shorts and T-shirt, the sports bra underneath hiding nothing, and I let out a long breath.
At least the wearing a binder and socks part is over, and Pierre can retire.
Heading for the door, I huff at the guys falling in behind me like shadows, but make my face go blank when I find Raine standing just outside the threshold, hands stuffed in his pockets. For once, he doesn’t look smug, but he doesn’t look angry, either. Justtired?
I cross my arms over my chest. “What do you want, Raine?”
He shifts his weight, jaw flexing. “Can we…” He scrubs a hand through his blond hair. “Shit. Can we talk for a second? Alone?”
“You can say it in front of us.” Luc steps in behind me, radiating heat and threat.
Isaac’s eyes flick to him, then back to me. “It took guts to come here. I’m not asking for a lot, just…” He swallows. “Just some fucking decency.Please.”
There’s something in his face, somethingoff.
What the actual?
“Okay.” I hold his gaze, then nod once. “Let’s go talk outside.”
The guys start to protest, but I turn before it can build. “I’ll yell if I need you.”
They’re still gearing up to argue when I pull on my shoes, step out, and shut the door behind me.
Isaac is already walking up the drive. I follow, slower, my heart thudding. I’m not sure whether this is a confrontation or a trap. His car is parked just down the slope, half-hidden under the trees, and he leans against it with a long, uneven exhale.
I cross my arms again. “What do you want to talk about? I got disqualified. I’m out. You’re still in, no consequences,business as usual. So what, you here to rub it in?”
“No.”
“Then what is this?”
He looks at me, but then his eyes flick away just as fast. “I can’t stop thinking about what you said earlier.”
“You think I’m gonna out you on social media? Call the cops?” I laugh, but it’s bitter. “If I’d had proof, I would’ve gone after you seven years ago. But I didn’t. So you get to live your shiny little criminal life with your sister and your conscience, if you even have one, and not a single fucking consequence in sight.”
