“They harass people for fun. They’re dangerous,” he says, more angrily now.
“Not a very nice way to talk about your friends,” I bite. “You met in prison?”
Xaden flinches. The silence hangs between us.
“So it’s true,” I say, voice flat.He doesn’t deny it. Just stands there.
I hold up the T-Rex. “Well, I have to—”
“Wait,” he says quickly, stepping closer. “You’re gonna hear things now that I’m back in town. Some of it’s true. Most of it isn’t.”
“You don’t owe me an explanation,” I lie. Because he does. He really, really does.
Xaden looks at me for a long moment, jaw working like he’s about to say something real. But then his face shutters. His voice turns flat. “Can we pretend we were never together?”
It punches the air right out of my lungs. My throat burns, but he’s not even flinching. My chest feels like it’s cracking open, and I stare athim, giving him time to take it back.
He doesn’t.
Okay. If he wants cruel, I can give him cruel. “That suits me just fine. Our relationship isn’t exactly my favorite memory.”
He steps back like I hit him. Something flashes across his face — a hurt so raw it almost guts me. But then it's gone, shuttered behind the same mask of indifference.
Whoever this stranger is, he’s not my Xaden. Not the boy who called me beautiful.
Who counted my freckles and kissed me like I was his entire world.
Who always waited with so much patience I didn’t deserve.
No, this is someone else.
Someone who graduated with honors from the University of Not Giving a Shit.
“Cole—” he starts, voice suddenly vulnerable like he didn’t just ask me to erase us.
“Don’t,” I say sharply, afraid I’m going to cry. “Stay away from me, Xaden.”
Then I step inside before I shatter completely.
“You were so slow!” Noah’s running towards me, his whole face beaming. “I already ate it all!”
I manage to give him a weak smile when I lean my back against the door, hoping my legs won’t give up.
XADEN
The door clicks shut, and it’s louder than any slam. I stand frozen next to the Volvo, chest aching.
I told myself I’d keep him safe by pushing him away. I wanted him angry at me. Better anger than danger. But I wasn’t prepared for his eyes flashing in fury like I was nothing but an old wound.
Not his voice saying he wished he could forget me. Did he really mean that?
I clench my fists, feeling so fucking powerless. Of course he meant that. He’s with Caspian now, isn’t he? I don’t blame him — I disappeared for four years. But God, if I could just tell him the truth.I almost did, I almost grabbed the doorframe and begged him to listen. The Cravens aren’t just bad news, they’re poison, and if they so much as suspect how much he means to me, they’ll use him until there’s nothing left.
I square my shoulders, take a few deep breaths. Protecting Cole means letting him believe the worst. I always knew that. So I just have to find a way to deal.
I jog back to Frankie’s, take a quick shower and then I go find JJ and Ronnie.
As much as I hate the duo, I still need them.
