Page 57 of Framed

I did this to her,I thought. I left her alone, and now…

“How long have you been getting the notes?” Scarlett asked. Her eyes avoided mine, staring at the paper I dropped on the floor.

“Same,” I said. “Since sophomore year.”

“What did yours say? Did they… did they tell you to do things? Go places, without explaining?”

My expression crumpled. “Is that what yours said? Scarlett, what did they make you do?”

I reached for her, but she twisted away. “I stopped getting mine a little after you and Naomi stopped talking to me. I thought whoever sent them had finally given up, but…” She squeezed her eyes shut.

Then as if I was staring at an unfinished puzzle, the remaining pieces fell together. “Did you get a note telling you to go to Tuscaloosa the other night?”

Scarlett’s eyes snapped open again. “How do you know about that?”

“It’s my job to make sure you’re safe,” I replied.

She scoffed, eyes blazing with anger. “Youfollowedme?”

“Briggs explained why he hired me, didn’t he?” I retorted, and then immediately regretted it. Scarlett was more than just some job. She was more than an assignment from Briggs."Going to Tuscaloosa was fucking stupid. You are in danger, Scarlett. Surely, you understand how much of a risk that was? And bringing Winter as your accomplice? Also fucking stupid."

But the defensiveness that had settled over her eyes hardened into a brick wall. It made me hard. “Great. So I have two stalkers. I take it if you followed me, you also saw what the note wanted me to?”

My jaw tightened. “I saw my father fucking Naomi’s mother, if that’s what you mean.” I shook my head. “What I don’t understand is why whoever wrote these wanted us to know that too.”

A buzzing sensation startled me. I glanced down to find my phone vibrating. I pulled it from my back pocket and scowled at the screen.Briggs.I’d call him back. I hit ignore and pocketed it again, but in the time it took me to do that, Scarlett was on her feet. She scooped up the note and walked toward her bedroom door, arms wrapped protectively around her midsection.

“You should go,” she said.

“I’m not leaving until I know you’re safe,” I countered.It was clear she didn't grasp how fucked this situation was.

Scarlett laughed. It was a brittle, angry sound. “I’m safer anywhere you aren’t, Xavier. Now get. Out.”

That, at least, was hard logic to argue with.

I wanted to fight her, wanted to shake her body so violently her mind had no choice but to realize how serious this was and she couldn't just act without thinking.

I wanted to feel her lips against mine again. To feel her body pressed to mine.

All I would have to do is extend out my hand and pull her against me.

It could be so simple.

But her now hardened glare reminded me how it would never be simple for us. How there was always something keeping us apart and it pissed me off.

It was why I didn't act on my thoughts.

It was why I exited her room with no further protest.

***

My phone lit up with a text as I stormed away from Scarlett’s room.Meet me at the gym as soon as you can. Need a debrief on last night.I rolled my eyes. But it was good timing.

I had a bone to pick with Briggs too. Several, in fact.

I changed direction, jogging off campus to my truck. The drive over to Sweat didn’t take long, probably because I drove like a demon fresh escaped from hell. That kiss with Scarlett had left far too much unsettled—like every nerve ending in my damn body.

When I reached Sweat, Briggs was lounging out front on a folding chair with Tucker. Tucker took one look at my face and stood. “Gonna check the prep station,” he said, ducking inside.

---