"Have you heard anything?" Dominic breaks the silence when we’re finished and sitting there.
Luc says nothing. Alec waits to see if he's going to answer before responding himself.
"He's out on bail," Alec tells Dominic.
Luc pushes his chair back, grabs his empty plate and goes into the kitchen. The dishwasher bangs, making me jump before he storms past and towards his room.
I’m on edge. There’s an itchy, skittering feeling travelling just below my skin.
"What happens now?" Mase asks Alec.
Not wanting to hear things I shouldn't and needing to be alone, I rise from my chair. I head for the kitchen, taking my plate with me.
"Ro.” Jace grabs my hand when I pass him. "You don't have to go."
"It's fine," I tell him, forcing a smile before pulling my hand away.
They're silent as I put my plate in the dishwasher and walk out the front door to the verandah.
"We have to tell her." Alec sighs.
"I agree. She deserves to know," Mason says.
"Do you think she can handle it?" Dominic asks. It's quiet again.
"She's handled our demons so far, hasn't she?" Maverick reminds them
“Ro’s never been one to judge someone for the things they can’t control,” Jace says quietly.
I go to the far end of the verandah where I can't hear them. I sit in Hannah's favourite chair—her wooden rocking chair.
I stare out into the bush, thinking on the last few days.
Out of everything, the biggest shock is Jace. I can't believe he's here. I didn't think I'd see him again.
I thought about maybe going back to our hometown to see if he was still there after I'd left but it would have been a big risk. One I couldn't take.
I'm hoping that once I'm eighteen, my father won't come looking for me. That he'll see I'm not his problem anymore.
Actually, my biggest wonder of this whole thing is how the hell I let Mason and Maverick sleep in my bed. I think I surprised myself with that one.
They've been nothing but nice to be but I haven't known them long. I trust them. Maybe that's why. Jace trust him, and I trust him. Maybe I'm getting so comfortable with them because I trust them.
I'm going to get hurt. There's no doubt about that. Regardless of Rylan's joking yesterday, I wouldn't attempt a relationship with any of them. I wouldn't risk their friendship or my new friendship with them.
What the hell am I doing? What makes me think they'd even want more than friendship with me?
What Jace said yesterday is sticking to me.
‘What's the deal with you and the guys?’He asked me.
What made him think there was a deal? That there could be a deal?
I'm torturing myself with this when there's no need.
Let. It. Go.
Just let it go.
