“Yeah, I might have believed that, since sometimes more than one person gets stabbed in a brawl, and there was a lot of fighting that night. But the thing is, he said he sent thisMercilessaway with his sister, and if I recall, she showed up here withyou.”
I wince. I knew this was coming. In fact, I’m surprised it took him this long to talk to his cousins and put it together.
I don’t have a chance to explain, because we’re halfway up the stairs when the doorway to the second floor opens, and Annabel Lee steps out with Manson and Ronique. I haven’t seen much of them in the few weeks since the Sinner’s party. I’ve been avoiding reality, holing up in my room with movies and books and Dr. Jekyll, who’s started to show me his cuddly side too—when he feels like it. It’s been nasty weather most of the time, so it felt like a good time to hibernate with my Jane Austen collection.
“Well, if it isn’t our resident secret ninja,” Annabel Lee drawls, arching a kohl-black brow at us. I shrink three sizes. She’s definitely not helping Angel’s suspicions.
When I don’t answer, her laconic gaze moves to him. “And my beefcake cousin. How’s the little heathen?”
I think she’s talking about Dr. Jekyll, so I open my mouth to answer, but Angel beats me to it.
“Milking it for all it’s worth,” he says, grinning. “What more could you expect?”
“I don’t expect anything,” she says in her droll way. “I don’t know him.”
“And how’syourlittle friend?” Angel asks, turning to Manson. “You doing okay there, Tighty Whitey? No lasting damage to that pretty face?”
“For your information, that was a stylistic choice,” Manson says. “And as I’m sure you noticed, since you straight guys are never as straight as you pretend to be, I pulled it off spectacularly.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” Angel says.
“You do that, Mr. Testosteroni,” Manson says. “The Arkancisco treat.”
“I am a treat, aren’t I?” Angel asks.
“Stop flirting with my cousin,” Annabel Lee drawls. “It fills me with dread.”
Manson laughs and throws an arm around her. “Don’t worry, my little storm cloud. I’ll always share my rainy days with my beloved.”
“Let’s get to dinner before I lose my appetite,” Ronique says. “Say hi to your brother for me, Mercy.”
They start past us, but Manson stops on our step and lowers his voice to a theatrical whisper. “Since you’re so obsessed with my underwear, I’ll let you in on a little secret. Today I’m going commando.”
They pass, cackling together.
“Didn’t need to know that,” Angel calls after them.
We continue up to the third floor.
“So,” Angel says. “Why didn’t you tell us you were some badass fighter chick?”
“You never asked,” I say lightly.
“Right,” he says. “Because I’m definitely going to take one look at you cowering and whimpering like a dumb little lamb and think, that chick could kick all our asses if she wanted to.”
“Not my fault you underestimated me.”
“It’s your fault you pretended to be something you’re not,” he says as we make our way down the hall.
“Again, you never asked,” I say, stopping at my door. “There were three of you and one of me. I did what I had to do to get answers. If that meant letting you live your fantasy of having power over some helpless, pathetic little girl, that’s on you. I just let you.”
“You played into it.”
“Maybe I did,” I admit. “But you know me, Angel. You all know me. Did you really think I’d changed that much in four years?” I turn to the door and try to shove the key in, my eyes blurring with tears.
“I’m not mad at you,” Angel says gently, taking the key from me when I miss the second time. He opens the door and steps inside, scanning the room before he lets me in.
Dr. Jekyll meows grumpily. I think he misses our walks over the break, but it’s a lot harder to take him outside now that there are students outside and a nun at the desk.
