Page 60 of You Belong With Me

As we approach the back door, I can hear Lucas ranting—but not from inside the house. His voice is coming from somewhere on the lawn. His deep baritone carries on the icy ocean breeze.

“Fuck,” Christian says, urging me to follow him. “Come on.”

He leads Lux and me around to the side of the house—the house is perched on a steep cliff that looks out over the ocean—and I see Lucas immediately. He’s ranting, near the edge of the cliff, surrounded by Roman, Jackson, Ash, and a few of the other senior members, all trying to reason with him. Roman must have come right over after dropping Lux off at my place.

“No, no!” Lucas yells. “Fuck this!”

Oh, damn.

Christian was right. He’s fucking lost it. He doesn’t even look angry. He looks… completely lost, and I have the instinctual urge to go to him.

See? This isexactlywhy I can’t be around him. All I want to do is wrap my arms around him, rest my head against his chest, and soothe that tortured look that’s written all over his beautiful face.

Someone from the group spots Christan, Lux, and me, which draws everyone else’s attention to us, too, including Lucas’. He drops his arms, and stares at me, like he’s trying to decide if I’m really here. Like he’s trying to make sense of it.

Christian turns to me, and gestures to his brother. “See what I’m saying? He’s fuckinglostit.”

I lift my arms helplessly. Everyone staring at me expectantly. “I don’t know what you expect me to do about it.”

Christian steps in front of me, cutting off my view of Lucas. For the first time since knowing him, his eyes soften, and he looks genuinely concerned. “You’re the only one he’ll listen to.Please, Wyn.”

I swallow, looking into Christian’s pleading eyes, and before I even realize what I’m doing, I’m nodding. Goddamn. Will I ever be capable of sayingnoto a West boy…?

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Wyn

You’rethe only one he’ll listen to.

I glance at Lux for guidance, and she just shrugs at me. Awesome. So helpful.

Pushing out a breath, I step around Christian and walk toward the small group of people. Everyone parts to allow me through, and Lucas watches me carefully as I approach.

I step up to him, and he towers over me, making me feel small. Vulnerable. Not just physically. Emotionally, this guy has me tied up in knots, too. He’s not the only one losing it. But for me, the turmoil is happening inside.

I pull in a breath and glance at the people surrounding us. “Can you give us a second?”

I mean,seriously. Shit.

Lucas flicks his chin, and everyone immediately disburses, walking several yards away, to the lawn at the front of the house. They’re still watching us, but it’s less obvious, at least.

“What are you doing here?” he asks.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I look up at him impatiently. “I heard you were being problematic.”

He laughs faintly and tilts his head back. “I think my brother is afraid I’m going to throw myself off this cliff…”

We’re near enough to the edge that I can look down, and it’s a steep, rocky fall to the beach below. I glance up at him, emotion clogging my throat, my breath held. “Are you?”

He smiles down at me sardonically, his head tilted back slightly but doesn’t say anything. His hands flex at his sides like he wants to grab me. He doesn’t.

“You can’t be here, Wyn.”

I shift on my feet. “Your brother asked me to come talk to you.”

The corner of his mouth curls up into a half-smile, but there’s no amusement in his expression. “Talking won’t helpthis,” he says, gesturing between us. “You’ve decided you can’t deal with me.”

Is he serious? This is about me rejecting him somehow? Anger flares in my chest, and I take a step toward him. “Are you fucking kidding me, Lucas?” My voice is raised but constrained so the others can’t hear what I’m saying. “You fuckingkilledsomeone. Someone you said you loved. How am I supposed to feel safe around you? What happens if you get angry atme?”

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