“I feel like a terrible friend,” I said. “I wanted Talon. I wanted him last night. I wanted him this morning. Or afternoon. Or whatever time it is right now. I was looking for him. I needed it. All this stuff I’m feeling…” I looked at Gia. “If I knew you and him were together…”
“I know, Winter,” Gia said. “I’m not mad about that. I know everything Talon says and does. And I’m telling you that it was never meant to be that way. I’m sorry you took it that way. I’m sure he did it on purpose. He’s a Troc.”
“And you’re with him?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
“How…”
Gia exhaled a deep breath.
“Here’s the entire story…”
Chapter 6
The everything
“Fletcher.”
“Fletcher?” I asked.
“Do you remember my story about him?” Gia asked.
“Yeah. You were crying over him and then…”
The words trailed off.
I sighed.
“I know,” Gia said. “That’s when it kind of started.”
“Kind of?”
“He talked to me when you weren’t around,” she said.
“And you never told me?”
“I didn’t know what to do, Winter. He’s…” She sighed. “He’s gorgeous. He’s bad. He’s just…”
“Not a Bump,” I said.
“Exactly. He went after Fletcher.”
“What?”
Gia smiled. “Yeah. He went after Fletcher. He didn’t hurt him or anything. He said he dressed all in black and had his face covered up. But he scared the hell out of Fletcher. He didn’t mention my name or anything either. But he wanted to do something.”
“And you just fell for him?”
“Not exactly,” she said. “He told me and I thanked him. He was sexy and flirty about it too, Winter. I kind of offered him money… like you do…”
“He didn’t take it?”
“No,” Gia said. “That’s when he really got to me. But nothing happened.”
“Gia, you don’t have to tell me this,” I said. “I’m being unfair to you. It’s just… you were so…”
“I was a bitch,” she said. “I was worried something would happen with you and Talon. I got over that though. I’m sorry for anything I said to you. Or if I made it seem like a Bump and a Troc shouldn’t be together.”
We were in silence for a minute or so.
“Gia and Talon,” I whispered.
“I know.”
“You’ve been…”
“Yeah,” she said. “And it’s really good. I’m happy.”
“Do you love him?”
“I think I do,” Gia said. “I don’t know. I’m not thinking that far yet. I’m just enjoying this. I’ve never felt this way about someone. And sneaking around is kind of fun. It feels wrong, even though it isn’t.”
“It’s not wrong at all,” I said. “You two like each other. That’s good. I just feel…”
“Stop feeling that way,” Gia said.
“I just can’t believe how bad it all is,” I said. “I mean, not to be mean to you and Talon, but it’s just like another dagger to my heart. I thought he was protecting me. I thought maybe he liked me and wanted me. I thought he would be there when I had to face Noah, Easton, and Xavier. You know?”
“I know,” Gia said. “I wish I could make all of that go away.”
“Me too. I wonder what would have happened if I had just admitted I remembered everything back in the hospital. I just feared so much what they would have done to me. I panicked. And now look at me.”
“Don’t forget what you started here,” Gia said. “You know things about them. You got what you wanted. They know the truth… but who cares, right? You can still stand up to them.”
“I can?” I asked.
Gia frowned. “I don’t know, Winter.”
“Neither do I. That’s why I’ve been staying here. But this place is crazy. I can’t believe what I’ve seen…”
“It gets wilder,” Gia said.
“Wait a second. They know you.”
“Of course they do.”
“You’ve really been coming here that long?”
“Just a few times before you were here,” Gia admitted. “Usually Talon comes to see me. He would… never mind.”
“No. Tell me.”
Gia smiled. “He would sneak around to meet up with me. Come over well past midnight. You know…”
“Oh, I get it,” I said. “I can’t believe this. But I get it. I’m happy for you. I mean… yeah, Talon is… hot.”
“Beyond hot,” Gia said. “I still can’t believe he wants me.”
“So how did you get here last night?”
“Talon texted me,” she said.
“And you drove here?”
“Yeah,” she said. “He texted to let me know you were sick. So I came and I checked on you. You don’t remember. You were passed out on Emily’s lap. Once I knew you were okay, Talon and I went out to his truck. We slept there. It was nice.”
“All the while I was sick and…” I rubbed my eyes. “I can’t believe I wanted him when you two were…”
“Can we just start over then?” Gia asked.
“Maybe,” I said. “You have to do something though.”
“What?” Gia asked.
“You have to leave right now. I want to be alone with Talon.”
“Okay…”
“Now that I know the truth, I have to talk to him. About everything.”
Gia nodded. “Okay. I understand.”
“I’m in shock,” I said. “I’m in complete shock.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“I don’t know what I am, Gia,” I said. “That’s the honest truth. I kind of want to slap you. But I get it.”
“I deserve a slap,” she said. “I lied to you. I went behind your back. I kept something from you. We said we weren’t going to do that. I screwed you over. I messed with your feelings. I-”
“Gia,” I said. “Shut up.”
I opened the door and got out of her yellow car.
I slammed the door and she wasted no time in backing up to leave.
That was a good thing.
I wanted to slap her so hard.
I felt icky and used.
The way I had been feeling about Talon last night and this morning… maybe for even longer… I just assumed he was always available if I needed or wanted him.
But he wasn’t.
He was with Gia.
It was hard to picture Talon being loyal and faithful to someone.
At the same time, it wasn’t my business.
It was their business.
I walked toward the house and as I approached, Talon came outside.
Our eyes met.
He didn’t smile. He didn’t make a stupid face.