Page 95 of Chaos at Westbrook High

“Freya,” Wren guesses, letting out a humorless laugh when he realizes he’s right. “Jesus.”

“I’m sorry,” Derek says to me. “I was a mess and she was…”

“What?”

“She makes me forget.”

“She makes you stupid,” I bite out, and he nods, knocking his head down against the counter.

Wren laughs again, though it’s clear he doesn’t think any of this is funny. He looks as angry and unhinged as I’ve ever seen him as he stands up and shoves his hand into Derek’s pocket, stealing his phone. Derek doesn’t even bother trying to stop him. Wren slides the phone across to Kai, who stops it with his palm, his eyes on Wren’s as they seem to be planning something without saying a word to each other. After a few beats, he tucks the phone into the pocket of his hoodie and looks at Derek.

“Family reunion’s over, asshole. You can sleep in Callie’s old room,” he says to Derek, looking between the others sitting opposite us. “We can lock him in there.”

Derek shakes his head, lifting his eyes to look at Kai head on. “I’m not staying here, and neither is my sister. I’m taking her with me.”

My eyes close briefly when I realize that’s why he decided to tell them the truth. He doesn’t want them to try to stop us from running away.

When Kai stands up beside me, I stop him with a hand on his wrist, pulling him back down.

“We’re not going anywhere, Der,” I say to my brother. “I’m not leaving Westbrook.”

Kai lets out a relieved breath, and Derek glares at me. “You don’t have a choice.”

“The fuck she doesn’t,” Kai says.

When Derek gets up and walks toward me as if he’s about to grab me, Kai jumps from his seat and gets between me and Derek, pushing him back one step, then two, crowding his space.

“Try it, motherfucker,” Kai dares him. “Put your hands on her.”

Derek backs off, his teeth grinding together as he looks at me over Kai’s shoulder.

“You can sleep in Callie’s old room,” Kai repeats.

“Where is Hailey going to sleep?” Derek asks, his anger rising when Kai smirks and tilts his head.

“Where do you think?”

“I swear to God, you little bitch.”

“The only little bitch I see here is you,” Kai says, taunting him further. “If you could protect her like you were supposed to, she wouldn’t be stuck here with me, now would she?”

“I’ll kill you.”

Kai grins like a serial killer. “I’d just love to see you try.”

“That’s enough,” Elijah says. “Kai.”

Kai doesn’t move for a few beats, clearly enjoying himself as he and Derek stare at each other. After a few beats, he takes a step back, lifting his hands up in mock surrender. “Relax. I’m just fucking with you.”

Derek narrows his eyes at him.

“She’s not stuck here with me,” Kai explains, his grin returning as he traps his tongue between his teeth. “She likes it when I sleep next to her.”

When Derek moves to grab him, I step between them and shove my brother back, turning around to look up at Kai. “Stop,” I say.

He stops, fighting a smile as he kisses my forehead. I pull away and glance at Elijah behind him, who’s looking at me with a brow raised.

“Derek, you can take my room and I’ll sleep in my office. Hailey can have Callie’s old room. Okay?”

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