“Fuck you. And fuck your apology.”
I start putting distance between us, but she calls out to me before I get the chance.
“I also think you should know I’m not convinced it’s ashe.Or even justoneperson.”
I face her again. “What does that mean?”
She shrugs again. “They always referred to themselves aswe,so I’m pretty sure there’s a whole group or team behind the account now.”
Which means pinning down who’s doing this, and eventually stopping them, is most likely impossible this time.
Sadness floods my chest, and I have to lean against the grill of my truck. Those few years of peace we had are now gone.
For good.
“But you have to help me. Please,” she begs. “She wants to hear from either you or West by morning, promising to back off.”
I slowly drag my gaze back toward her, the one who brought so much pain to my life, the lives of my loved ones. “Don’t fucking call me again. I’m contacting my lawyer first thing in the morning.”
She’s on my heels as I start toward the driver’s side of my truck.
“No, you don’t understand!” she shouts. “If you don’t stop pursuing them, they’re going to fucking ruin me and Reed, Blue. And I can’t have that. I can’t hurt him like this. He doesn’t even know what I’ve done.”
She’s full-on sobbing now, and while I’d normally feel for someone in her position, I can’t. There isn’t an ounce of sympathy in me for her now, and there never will be.
“Blue, please. I can pay you. Whatever you want, I’ll do it. Just… help me. Please.”
I shake her grip from my arm and climb into my truck, locking the door before starting the engine. There’s no missing the desperation in her eyes as I pull away, but whatever this plan is Pandora has for her and Reed… it isn’t my fucking problem.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Blue
If there was ever a time we all needed a distraction, it’s now. And an impromptu get-together with Grandpa Boone has proven to be perfect.
Dusty closed the diner an hour early just for the occasion, and now it’s just the crew here.
“I can’t believe I’m just now finding out Grandpa Boone’s in town. You should’ve told me.”
West smiles from across the booth. “Well, if you’d texted back or, you know, returned a phone call, maybe we could’ve gotten to that.”
He’s being a smartass, but he’s also right. Avoiding him felt like the easy thing to do when having a conversation felt too hard. But… we’re working on it.
Across the room, Grandpa Boone leans down to whisper a joke to Lexi, and as she burst into laughter, my husband steals my attention. He reaches across the table and grips my chin, forcing me to stare into his vivid, green eyes. We’ve been holed up alone in this corner of the diner for the past half hour, talking. I shared everything April told me last night, and he’s already asked me twenty times if I’m okay, but I feel number twenty-one coming on.
“And you’re sure you’re—”
I cut him off with a laugh. “Yes, West, I’m fine. It rattled me a little last night, but I’m good. Mostly, I was just in shock.”
The details race through my head—how April’s jealousy got the best of her, how she claims she manipulated Tiffany into sharing our secrets, and how April still had the gall to beg me for help.
“You know you should’ve called me, right?”
The question catches me off guard, and so does West’s heated stare. It shoots through me, igniting so many thoughts and emotions.
“I didn’t go alone. I had security, remember?” The playful smirk and eye roll I tack onto the question don’t get me out of trouble.
“You think I’m overreacting, but anything could’ve happened to you last night, Blue. Anything.”
