Page 107 of Set the Moment
That was all Georgia said to me before I found myself, Braxton, Alec, Charlie, and Derek racing to the girls’ apartment after free skating all afternoon.
The guys are as quiet as ever, no one daring to talk as we rush to the girls’ place. My mind and heart aches to be there for Cleo, but another part of meneedsto see Sienna. Knowing her, she blames herself for the things happening with Cleo, and though I don’t know everything, I know that it’s not her fault.
When Sienna opens the door, her expression is clouded. She looks like she’s one second away from having a breakdown herself. I step to the side, allowing the rest of the guys into the apartment to head for Cleo. When the coast is clear, I pull Sienna out of the apartment and into the hall and engulf her in a bone crushing hug.
Her body shakes beneath my touch as if ready to cave in on itself, but I don’t let her. So long as I’m here, she will forever stand strong.
“Sienna…”
“I should’ve been there for her. I shouldn’t have lied to her about us or did anything to hurt her feelings after finding out about the tape. I should’ve went home immediately after practice today, I should’ve—”
Grasping her face with both hands, I look into her eyes and softly say, “What happened?”
“Everything.”
Georgia opens the front door and we separate. She looks me over once before sighing and stepping out of the apartment. Without prompting, Georgia tells me everything from how Cleo and Marcelo—a grade A asshole from her old school—broke up, to the releasing of their shared sex tape today.
When Sienna detaches herself from me, leaving Georgia and I in the hall, I pause.
Georgia’s eyes are as large as saucers, crystal lacing the brim of them. In an instant, she’s stepping towards me and I can see the little girl trapped deep inside her begging to scream and cry for her friend. So, without words, I open up my arms and let her cry in them.
The sounds of the women around me breaking down in such a horrific way can be heard around the world. The heartbreak and anxiety of knowing that someone you love is hurting and not being able to help them is soul crushing.
What was supposed to be a calming day after practice turned into one of horror. Georgia and I silently pull apart from one another. I watch quietly as she pulls herself together and holds her head up high before reentering the apartment.
When it’s my turn to hug Cleo, my heart breaks as she burrows into my chest.
I swore to protect these girls with my life a decade ago, but how am I supposed to protect Cleo from this? From her past?
When Cleo and I part, she remains on the floor next to the balcony no matter how much I beg for her to come to the couch. She wants to be there.
After getting all of the tears out of the way, we began brainstorming. It’s been twenty minutes of us bouncing ideas off one another and yet nothing is sticking. Everything is either too outlandish or not enough.
“Look…I think the only true option is to track down the IP address. We may think it’s Marcelo targeting her, but what if it’s not? We can’t just dive into water when we have no idea what's lying inside of it,” Sienna says, running a hand through her dyed hair. She takes her time massaging her scalp, and I just wish it was me relieving her of this stress .
Georgia agrees with her and so does the rest of the guys, including Blake and Ryan who’d both showed up a while ago.
“Once we track down the IP address and user info, I think it’ll be a piece of cake to sue whoever posted the tape,” Sienna says as she grabs all the plates in the living room. I reach out to help her then think better of it when I take in our mixed company.
For once, I don’t want to tell Cleo or anyone else about us, either. In the end, Braxton helps her in the kitchen while the rest of the guys head out to go pick up Deli from Derek’s mom’s house.
I stay where I’m seated as Braxton comes from the kitchen, brows raised as he takes in his empty surroundings. “Did he just leave me?”
“Yup.” Georgia chuckles lightly, patting Braxton's shoulder as she passes him by.
I take this as my opportunity to move and slide into the kitchen where Sienna is.
“Talk to me, angel,” I whisper next to her ear. She softens as she sighs.
“I wish I was there for her…” she trails off, turning to face me, her eyes downcast.
“You were—”
“No, in New York. I should’ve been there. I would’ve told her to leave his stupid-ass right where he was and threatened to feed him to Oscar if he so much aslookedat her. She doesn’t deserve this, she—”
I slip my hands around the nape of her neck, resting my forehead against hers.
“I wanted to tell her about us so bad, Jace, but how can I do that when she’s hurting?”
