Brett reaches out. I blink as he tugs me forward, tucking me beneath his arm. “Let’s get you settled in. You’re far prettier company than this lot.”
Theo frowns slightly when he reaches for my books. “I was actually going to—,”
“I’ll do it,” Brett says easily. “You have to hand in that assignment, remember?”
Theo groans. “I forgot.”
But he lingers, his eyes bouncing between me and his brother. “Brett will look after you. We’ll see you later?”
I force the smile to stay on my face. It’s my first day. And they’re being nice. Not every school is the same. “Sure.”
“C’mon.” Brett is already steering me away. I find my hand wrapped inside his as he tugs me down the hall. “I’m very glad you came, Kennedy.”
“Kenny,” I correct automatically. Glancing over my shoulder. I catch the others watching. One of them – Oscar, I think – is frowning.
I wouldn’t have minded staying with them.
“I prefer Kennedy,” Brett says softly. His thumb rubs over my knuckles as he looks down at me and smiles. “If that’s okay?”
I lift one shoulder, glancing back again. “It’s still my name. So I guess so.”
He squeezes my hand, and I look up at him. His smile is a little sharper. “Thought I’d lost you for a moment there.”
A flush of embarrassment warms my skin at my rudeness. “Sorry.”
“You like the look of my pack?”
“Your pack?” There’s a possessiveness about his statement that sounds strange.
“I’ll be their pack leader one day.” He shrugs. “I’m the most dominant.”
“Oh.” I frown. “Makes sense.”
I don’t know a huge amount about pack dynamics. Rick chose to go it alone rather than forming one. I always thought it was because he was far too selfish to share a life with that many people.
“You’ll see them at lunch.” Brett pushes open a door, gesturing me through. He doesn’t move to give me space, and I edge my way past him, breathing in the scent of mango and mint. It makes my head spin. “If I decide to share you.”
The hint of laughter in his voice stops me from voicing the snappish comment lingering on my lips.
He’s just being friendly.
Kennedy
Pulling the door to the trailer closed behind me the next morning, I hoist my backpack over my shoulders and turn away from my bike and the busted front wheel, courtesy of my little trip to the ground after I saw Oscar in the grocery store.
I walked down to work last night. I can walk it again. And it’s early enough that I’m hoping to avoid any unwanted visitors. I had no desire to stay in bed after a night spent tossing and turning over memories that I’d rather forget.
But I have no doubt a reckoning is coming that I won’t be able to put off forever.
Theo wants answers about what happened to Brett. About whatreallyhappened.
I lean against the trunk of a red spruce for a moment, until the swimming in my head passes, before I carry on.
The payphone in town is one step past antique. Bracing, I pick up the set and hold my breath, but the sound of the line still comes through. Rummaging through my pocket, I pull out a few coins and push them into the slot before dialing.
It takes me a few minutes to get hold of him. “Dr Abrams?”
“Kennedy.” The shuffling of what sounds like paperwork echoes in my ear. “How are you feeling?”
