Page 30 of The Secret's Out

It would be best if they left.

I was wrong, so very wrong. I couldn’t do it to them. I couldn’t drag them down into my dark.

Blinking rapidly, I took a deep breath and sat straight. “I-I think I need to go to bed.”

Simone giggled. “We were just talking about that.”

Trying for a smile, it failed and she saw it.

“Girl, you know I don’t mean anything. I don’t want them.”

A snort came out of me before I could stop it. Was she crazy? Who wouldn’t want them? No one.

“Josie,” she demanded.

I nodded instead of saying anything and stood from the table. Then I shrugged. “Not that I’d care anyway.” Oh, God, that was harsh. It was bitchy and not me, but it was for the best.

“What the fuck, Josie?” Eli hissed.

“Billy,” Caden growled low.

“No, I want to know what she meant by that,” Eli barked and banged a fist on the table.

“I need some sleep,” I stated with no emotion. Again not me. I was breaking on the inside, but I thought if I changed, if I showed them I didn’t care, they would leave, they would find their happiness.

Starting for the doorway, I made it two steps before a hand grabbed my upper arm. Looking to it and then following it up, I saw it was Pick and he was smiling.

I shook my head, confused. Why was he smiling?

“Hang on there, precious,” he said before turning to Simone. “Can you leave for a while?” And then he turned to Eli. “You, sit the fuck down and control your fuckin’ temper.”

“Girl, you better be back to yourself in the morning or we’re having words, and you won’t like them. This isn’t you, Josie, and I don’t like seeing it.” Simone glared and then walked from the room.

“Pick?” Eli said.

Only Caden ignored him. Instead, he tugged on my arm enough to throw me off balance and I collided with his body. His hand went under my chin and he forced my gaze up to meet his amused one.

“Baby,” he started. “You forgetting I been where you have? I know the way your brain works and when that shit started with the flirtin’, your brain went to another world. A world where you think Eli and I could use someone like your housemate. Someone who isn’t...and fuck, I hate to say it, but damaged like you have been. What you don’t get, precious, is that we both are damaged in one way or another, like you. We now know we have to be careful when we’re around you. We were just trying to make your housemate think we’re okay guys for you.” My eyes widened. “Yeah, baby, you. It’s only ever been you for us. Precious, like you said to Eli, we’ve always been on your mind and I told you you’ve been on ours, but what I didn’t say was...you consumed it.”

My heart beat like crazy behind my ribs. The rise and fall of my chest was erratic because of my breathing.

“Now, I guess it’s the best time to tell you. Josie, we ain’t going anywhere—”

“Pick,” Eli growled in warning.

Warning for what?

Caden turned his handsome face from mine to Eli. “S’okay, man. She needs to know where we stand. She needs this so her mind can’t play tricks on her again about us.”

Goodness. Where was this going?

“Precious, Billy and I are staying here in Melbourne. We’re stayin’ here until your shit is over—”

“But—”

“No, baby, we’re stayin’ and then after your shit is over, we’re gonna keep stayin’ here to help Memphis out with some stuff, and that stuff could take a while.” He stopped to study me.

They were staying here, in Melbourne with me, but why? Was it an order from Talon?

---