Page 66 of Wicked Brutal

“That everybody at Edgewood knows you. He also asked if I’d ever spent time with you outside school.”

My jaw locks. “And?”

“I laughed.”

That surprises me. “You laughed?”

“I told him I’d rather spend an afternoon getting a root canal.”

Despite everything, I almost smile. “Mean.”

“I was convincing.”

“Apparently.”

“He asked about our lake houses.”

That kills the smile. “What about them?”

“Whether we saw each other last summer. I told him that Tobias annoyed you into helping with the frogs a few times.” Smart. True enough to survive scrutiny. “And that you mostly ignored me.”

I close my eyes. “Of course.”

“What?”

“Apparently that’s our fucking brand now.” She gives me a tiny smile. I take it. Anything. “Did he believe you?”

“I think so. But Ryan... He was asking because of the others. He wasn’t asking like Dad asking who I talked to at school.”

“He was investigating.”

“Yeah.”

I lean back against the seat. Roman sees the pattern. Pennington. Lucian. Hartley. Fiona. Every time one of Edgewood’s monsters falls, the same five boys are standing somewhere nearby. And now Arthur needs more evidence against Roman.

Perfect. Fucking perfect.

“We have to be more careful. No music room unless it’s an emergency. No coming up to me at school.” Her face falls slightly. I hate myself all over again.

I stop. She’s emotional. She’s hurt. And I’m sitting here turning it into a fucking briefing because that’s what I do when I’m scared. I reach for her hand instead. “I’m sorry.”

She laces her fingers through mine. “I know.” This time I let her say it.

For a while, we sit there. The docks are empty. Gray water moves beyond the windshield. My thumb passes over her knuckles.

“I hated you today,” she says eventually. I look at her. Her mouth twitches. “Like, a little.”

“Fair.”

“I wanted to kick you in the dick.”

“Also fair.”

“And Kaiden.”

“I’ll hold him down.”

That gets a laugh. Small. But real. “Xander too.”