Page 59 of The Demons We Hide

“You—it’s blue.” Her upper lip curls away and she just blinks rapidly. “I can’t believe you dyed it blue.”

My eyes scan down to the Bergdorf Goodman jeans and the Dior blouse she’s got on beneath the black blazer that almost makes her look like her mother—minus the crow’s feet and cakey foundation. Bran steps up next to her, taking her arm, but his eyes aren’t on her at all. They aren’t on me either. Instead, he’s zeroed in on the three men surrounding me.

“What are you doing withthem, Jules?” he demands, and my eyebrows nearly shoot up towards my hairline. Does he think he gets to ask me questions now?

“Theyare none of your business,” I snap.

Bran’s gaze moves to my face. “We’re still your friends,” he argues, “and I know we haven’t talked in a while, but I know that you would never hang out with the likes ofthem.” He practically spits the last word in their faces and I glance over to see both Gio and Nolan scowling at Bran. Not Lex, though. No, Lex isn’t scowling or even frowning. The crazy motherfucker is smiling.

“Friends?” My eyes widen. That one word, spoken in such a low, cold tone, sends chills down my spine. “You think you’re her friends?”

“Lex.” His name is a warning on my tongue, and when he moves to take a step past me, I reach out and slap a hand to his chest. Lex reaches up and clasps it, holding it there, and although he doesn’t keep moving, he does continue talking.

“You fucked her best friend and then left her on her own for the last few months,” Lex states, that wild smile on his lips suggesting that he’s not at all perturbed by it. In fact, he’s positively gleeful as he recounts one of the worst nights of my life. “You abandoned her and now you think you can come up to her and demand answers?” He laughs and the harsh sound of it makes my pulse jump.

“I-I—we never meant…” Bran’s hand tightens on Avery’s arm. Not that she notices—she’s staring wide-eyed at Lex with an almost intoxicated expression on her face. As if she’s half aroused by him and half terrified.

“What?” Lex barks. “You aren’t going to tell me you never meant to hurt her?”

Gio snorts. “What’d you do, trip and accidentally stick your dick in that one right there?” he asks snidely. “Yeah, that’s believable.”

Avery bristles, and I’ve had enough. Before Avery can spout off what I’m sure will be enough to have Lex threatening her life, I pull my hand from Lex’s chest and step to the center of everyone gathered around. “Enough.” With a scowl, I face Bran, and ignoring Avery, I point a finger at him. “You don’t get to ask me questions, dipshit,” I growl. “Your best bet is to pretend that I don’t exist. Don’t look at me. Don’t talk to me. Don’t even breathe in my direction.”

“What about me?” Avery pushes herself away from Bran and reaches out, grasping my hand. I almost slug her in the face right there, but I’m aware that Ms. Bairns is finishing up talking to one of the other guides and she’ll be over here at any moment.

So, instead of introducing Avery to my perfected right hook, I shake off her grip and give her a cold stare. “You?” I tilt my head to the side. “I don’t even know who you are. As far as I’m concerned, you’re just my ex’s new fuck buddy.” Tears start to fill her eyes, but I’m not done. I lean closer and reach up, sliding my sunglasses up to rest on top of my head until she can see the real look in my eyes. I must nail some sort of expression because her face goes pale. With a cool smile, I offer her one last bit of wisdom. “And if you know what’s good for you, I suggest you don’t make me think of you as anything else.”

Gio whoops and I back away, letting my sunglasses fall back into place. Before either Bran or Avery can object, though, Ms. Bairns is there, clapping her hands as she welcomes us all over again.

“So happy to have you all here today!” she says with a bright look. “Are we ready for the tour?”

A warm hand finds mine and I don’t have to look to know that it’s not Lex nor is it Gio this time. Nolan’s chest rumbles with an amused huff as his fingers entwine with my own. Avery’s eyes shoot down to our clasp and then back up to my face as I turn away from her.

“We’re ready,” Nolan agrees.

So fucking ready.

24

JULIET

Eastpoint University is where the top one-percenters send their offspring and where any scholarship student would be honored to go. Four years ago, it was a given that I would attend. Now, as I gaze through the windows of Lex’s SUV at its beautiful campus, all I can see are dollar signs. How high is the price tag to go here when you’re no longer a one-percenter, and can I pay it?

It’s beautiful. Special. Private. Most importantly, it’s a world away from Silverwood.

I hadn’t expected to like it nearly as much as I had, given the way the tour had started out, but as the time had stretched, I found myself not bored by Ms. Bairns’ anecdotes about the school. How it was founded by four incredibly wealthy families in the industrial age. How those families still exist today, pouring money into both the economy as well as the school and especially the program that might allow me to still attend even now that my family is flat broke.

As the archway to Eastpoint’s entrance disappears in the rearview hours later, I have to acknowledge that the only real blight of the college is whether or not Avery and Bran decide to go there next year.

I sit back against the soft seat and lean my head against the window as Gio directs us onto the interstate. I don’t know why and I don’t ask, but the guys decided on playing musical car seats or something. They’ve all switched positions, Gio driving, Lex in the passenger seat, and Nolan sitting across from me in the back. I curl in on myself, lifting my legs onto the seat as I wrap my arms around my knees.

Driving to a destination and driving back are always two different journeys. Now, I find myself staring at the clock on the radio, watching the minutes tick down and knowing I don’t have anywhere to go once we get back. Just a few short hours and I’ll be homeless again. All of the light and excitement of being in Eastpoint drains away with each passing mile as Lex fiddles with something on the radio andMe & My Demonsby Omido and Silent Child comes on.

“Juliet?”

I turn my head at Nolan’s quiet voice to find him staring at me in that enigmatic way of his. “Yeah?”

Someone turns down the radio, and the sudden silence in the car sets me immediately on edge. I drop my legs back to the floorboards as Lex turns in his seat to face the two of us. Unfortunately for Gio, because he's driving, all he can do is glance up occasionally in the rearview mirror.

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