Jude, oblivious that I’m even here, shoves her off to lie back on the sofa. His gaze dances across the room and then lands on me just as Opal, still giving me evils, takes position between Jude’s legs and unzips his trousers. He grins at me, eyes unfocused and bright, as she starts sucking him off.
“Come to join the fun, or are you too fucking busy with your machiavellian plans involving school teachers?”
I arch a brow. “Where’s Lorcan?”
He shrugs. “Fucked if I care.”
Jude didn’t get suspended for fighting but he’s acting like he is, skipping school and getting trashed most days and nights. The house is a pig sty all the fucking time. Now that Lorcan’s back, I was hoping that would change. Obviously not.
I’m definitely moving out.
In the kitchen, Dino spots me and motions for me to go into the pool house which is empty of drunk students except for Lorcan, lounging on the patio furniture, drinking a beer. He’s wearing a suit. Or he was. His jacket is hanging over the back of one of the bar stools, top button undone, tie stuffed in his trouser pocket like he must have come straight from the lawyer’s office. Only I know he didn’t.
The look he gives me is pure desire. I take off my jacket, and take a seat on the chair opposite.
“The house is full of people,” I say. If we’re having a meeting, it’s a weird time to have one.
“Sinner is making them all leave.”
Dino enters a few moments later with Jude following.Dino grabs a beer from the external minbar fridge and opens it, but he’s not quick enough. Jude snatches it out of his hand and takes a long swig and dumps himself on one of the loungers.
“I’ll take one of those,” I say.
Dino sighs like he’s sick of taking orders and gets out two more. He hands me one, and sits on the lounger next to Lorcan opposite of where I’m sitting. How sweet. The gang's back together again.
But not one of them is sitting next to me. They’re all facing me, like this is some kind of intervention.
I stare back at the three of them until Lorcan opens his mouth. “Why is there a hole in the fucking door?”
“Jude locked me out.” I say in a bored tone.
Lorcan shoots Jude a look. “You were meant to keep her out of trouble, not cause more of it.”
“A hole in the door is the least of our worries,” says Dino. “Jude’s fucking with Razor after I told him to back off.”
Jude snorts. “Who are you? My fucking mother now?”
“You’re deliberately starting shit when we’re meant to be negotiating.”
“Only because you’re too pussy to deal with it.”
“Negotiating what?” I ask, but no one is listening. They’re all arguing amongst themselves.
“All of you shut the fuck up,” Lorcan sighs. He rubs his temples, then looks at Jude. “I leave you for two fucking weeks and come back to carnage?”
Jude shakes his head. “I’m not the one leaving a trail of cold bodies wherever she fucking goes.”
No one says anything for a moment, and then they all look at me.
“What?” I say.
Lorcan looks at Dino. “What’s he talking about?”
Dino’s gaze flicks briefly to me. “While you were gone, Viola’s been working the list. Alone.”
Alright, drop me in the shit why don’t you, Dino. I make dead eyes at him, unimpressed.
Lorcan glances at me for the first time. “I see. How many is it? Three? Four?”