Page 98 of The Pact

I’m not sure when they all get to me, but in my haze, I make out Sutton, Damian, Wesley, and Cole surrounding the table.

Cole is snapping his fingers in front of me—it barely registers. It isn’t until Damian’s hand pushes the computer closed that reality floats within reach. “I need that. I need to make a list.”

“Thea, what do you need a list for?” Sutton inquires, concern weighing down his voice.

Wesley grabs my chair, spinning me towards him. His hands are grabbing my shoulders and shaking me. “Thea, what is going on? What is it?” His voice is nearly frantic. I blink and I meet his brown eyes. They anchor me a little.

Clearing some of the fog, I pull my phone out of my pocket and open Kenneth’s message. I hand the phone to Wesley, who passes it to Damian, who gives it to Cole, who tosses it to Sutton. “My landlord found that shoved into the drain of my sink. The one that overflowed while I was at work.”

“What the fuck?” Damian mutters. “When I get my hands on him, he’s dead.”

“Woah, let’s think this through first. We don’t even know if it was him.” Sutton tries to reason with Damian.

Wesley scoffs. “Of course it’s him. Damian, you need to track him down. I’ll take care of the rest.”

I’m hardly listening as they go back and forth, trying to figure out how to find Gavin and what they want to do to him.

The list is still on repeat in my head so that I don’t forget. Things at apartment, storage, mom, property. “I need to do something. I-I have things I need to get done.”

I try to stand, however, Wesley’s too strong and isn’t letting up on my shoulders. “You need to take a minute. That’s what you need to do. Take a few breaths,” he insists.

“Wesley,” I say, my voice eerily calm. “I don’t need breath meditation right now. I need to get things in order.”

He straightens at my words. “Okay, then let me help. What do you need to get in order?”

I list my things that I’ve been repeating so that I won’t forget. “I have to get my things from my apartment.”

“Perfect. Cole, can you arrange that?”

He stares at me, determined. “Absolutely.”

“What’s next, blue eyes?”

“I need to call Cassie. I have to tell her to put a pause on the property we’re purchasing.” I can’t possibly afford to go forward, especially if I’m going to move back to Atlanta. I’ll have to figure out the studio as well. This might very well end our friendship and the thought is enough to make me feel something.

“We’ll handle that later. That’s not a priority. Tell me the next thing on your list.” Wesley’s completely relaxed as he walks me through this. This is a side to him I’m not used to seeing, although I’ve only just started getting to know him.

A fresh wave of emotions washes over me. Sadness. I’m going to have to leave these four amazing men behind. Wetness brims my eyes. I push it away and tell Wesley the next item.

“I need to get a storage facility for my furniture.” Some of the weight is lifting with each task being spoken.

Wesley looks at Sutton. “Do you still know the guy over at the storage place on Fifth and Magnolia?”

“No,” I interrupt. “It needs to be near Atlanta. I’ll need it close by.” The four of them glance at each other, confused. “My parents live there, so I’ll need my stuff nearby when I move in with them.”

“Abso-fucking-lutely not,” Damian spits out. “You’re not moving back in with those assholes. You’re not moving to Atlanta.”

He doesn’t have a choice in the matter, but I know Damian likes control, so I try to reason with him. “Damian, I can’t stay here. I don’t have enough money to move into a new place. Kenneth is keeping my security deposit. I can’t live with Cassie and Anthony again. I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You’ll live here. Don’t be absurd.” He gives me a look that tells me not to challenge him. Although today, that isn’t an option.

“Whoever put that note in my apartment—”

“Gavin,” Damian interjects.

“Most likely Gavin, yes. He’s getting more dangerous. He broke into my fucking apartment and flooded it. He’s left me more than one note and put his hands on me. I don’t know what else he’s capable of. He’s lost his damn mind. I don’t want him coming here. I can’t let him unleash his crazy on the four of you. If he did something…if he hurt any of you…” I can’t finish because that thought is too painful to imagine.

I’m spilling things that I never wanted to tell them. This baggage isn’t theirs to take on. But I don’t have a choice. I have to explain why I can’t stay here. Even still, I keep one piece of knowledge to myself. The text from Gavin. If this is their reaction to the note, I can’t imagine what they’d do if they knew he watched Cole and me during such an intimate moment.

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