If I had to go back, I couldn’t go back tobefore. I couldn’t say my best friends were people who thought my favorite food was caviar. Who didn’t know my favorite book wasFrankenstein.
“I’m so fucking sick of pretending,” I said. “Tell me the fucking truth for once in our friendship.”
Blaire laughed. “Okay, like you? Dude, we’re all just following your lead.”
“Iknowyou’re only friends with me because I’m Puerto Rican,” Kennedy said. “You know how I know? Becauseevery Cinco de Mayo we always have to do a special picture together. That’s fucking Mexico, bitch.”
We stared at one another.
She was right.
This was all so…fucked.
“This is who we are,” Blaire said. “This is whatyoucreated. Why are you being so fucking weird?”
“Did the Horseman dickmatize you or something?” Kennedy asked.
Or something.
“I don’t think friends should sell secrets to tabloids,” I said. “I don’t think friends should be held hostage by follower count. I don’t think we’re friends.”
Kennedy blinked, but it was Blaire who spoke. “I have no idea who the hell you are anymore, Gemma.”
I nodded, because,yeah.I wasn’t sure who I was anymore, either.
I left without another word, pushing open the heavy metal door into a cold winter night.
I’d never ended a friendship before. Even when I hated someone’s guts, I still smiled and acted friendly. Trinity started a rumor that my father wasn’t my real dad, and I still hugged her at every party.
It didn’t matter if my friends didn’t know me. They were like everything else, a commodity. The more you had, the richer you were.
But something had changed. I didn’t want that anymore. I wantedreal.
Halfway between the club and the house, I paused. Five men came from the beach, now blocking my way. They didn’t look like my usual crazed stalkers. They were meaner. Covered in tattoos. The middle one’s tattoo covered half of his face and snaked down to his neck.
Our eyes locked.
People will want to hurt you. To kill you. Just to make a point.
I took a step back as they walked toward me. The club was too far away to get to before they reached me, and they blocked the house.
Fuck.
Two came to my back, another two at my side, and the one with the face tattoo stood front and center. I was surrounded.
I smiled, affecting my light, breezy Gemma Crowne voice. “Usually people form a line for autographs.”
Humor died in my throat as I felt one of them step to my back. I’d called many monsters before, but this was different. I didn’twantto die.
“Nothing personal,” the tattooed guy growled, pulling out a knife. “This is a message for your man.”
“Hey, pretty boy!” At Lock’s voice a visceral part of me sagged. “Don’t you know it’s rude to play with someone else’s toys?”
Tattoo Face turned to his left, where Lock stood. Next to him, Raze and Wraith. Before he could respond, Wraith threw a knife, hitting him square in the chest.
He fell to the ground.
And it wasn’t about me anymore. All four of them rushed the Horsemen. Two went to Wraith, the other two split between Raze and Lock.
