Page 75 of Pretty Poisoned

"My question is what the fuck is going on? That'syouin that picture. The last I heard from you, you said you would be unavailable for a few days but that you were positive these people weremurderers,Teagan. Now—what? He's yourboyfriend? That's what the article says—the source says they overheard him saying the two of you live together. How the fuck is Luca De Rossi your boyfriend?"

The last part stings a little; I don't miss her subtext, but I don't address it. "I was wrong, okay? I was wrong about them, and you were right. I've just read too many books. But…I'm having a good time, and I want to hang out with them a little longer."

"I'm sure you do, but you can't."

"Pretty sure I can," I tell her.

"You're just into it, aren't you? That was always it. You're into the fucking blood and shit. God, Teagan, I—"

I'm starting to think Declan might be right about cell phones.

"I have to go, Blake. I'm with my friends right now."

"Yourfriends?What—"

"Bye," I say before ending the call. Sighing, I shove it back into the front pocket of my hoodie.

"You okay?" Hazel says. "That looked intense."

"Yeah," I tell her. "It was my sister; she's always intense, nothing new."

"Well, we're going to go upstairs to get ready. We're going to explore the market and downtown for a while before heading over to the venue. Do you want to come with us?"

"Yeah, that sounds good."

"Okay, great," she says, and we walk toward the elevator. "We're in 763 right now. Just come down when you're ready."

We move in opposite directions when we get to the seventh floor, and once inside the room, I sit on the edge of the bed and pull out my cell phone. I finally read the rest of my sister's text messages and listen to my mom's voicemails. They all pretty much say the same thing.

Come home, you're stupid!

That's what Alana told me, too.

I bring up the picture Declan took of me on the ladder in the library and think again about what she said. I post it to my socials with a message that I'm going to be taking a break for a while.

When I meet River and Hazel in their room later, I don't bring the phone with me.

I'm not sure I need it anymore.

FOURTEEN

The four of us spend the day doing touristy shit downtown before taking a bus to the concert venue. We slip in through a backdoor and then into a room backstage, where Rhett brings us all beer before kissing Brady and quickly leaving the room.

I take off my flannel and tie it around my waist, warm from both the change in temperature and the slight buzz I already have from our stop for dinner. I adjust my skirt, then sit on the sofa, curling my legs under me.

I don't see the others, but I can't help but look for them. Each time I hear footsteps in the hallway, my eyes dart toward the door.

I think I miss Luca.

Hazel sits on the other side of the sofa, and River lies across both of us with her head in Hazel's lap and her feet on mine. River closes her eyes as Hazel runs her fingers through her hair.

See? I know what love looks like.

I must be staring, lost in thought because Hazel's voice startles me. "Teagan? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I tell her. "I just…had a really good day, that's all. I've never really had friends before, and I've only ever traveled alone or with my parents, so I don't usually do stuff like this. It was fun."

"Well, we're family," River says. "Every day can be like this."

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