Page 113 of The Dollhouse

“No, I…” Wyatt swallowed as he shook his head. “I still want to see you. I knew you were different than everyone else here the moment I saw you. I guess I just didn’t knowhowdifferent.” He let out a laugh. “But I do want to see you more. Maybe this weekend we could do something? I mean, as long as your boyfriends are okay with it.”

The smile that grew on my face right then was natural, and I said, “Yeah, that would be fun. Why don’t I give you my number, and you can text me?” I hoped Willow was out there, stalking me, watching this. This was the biggest metaphorical middle finger I could salute her with.

Wyatt matched my grin as he pulled out his phone. “That’d be great.” He unlocked the screen and handed it to me. I input my number into the phone, well aware this had been my goal from the beginning.

One step closer to doing what I came here for. One step closer to sayingfuck youto my sister and my parents. Speaking of which…

I should contact my parents and let them know I was down for a family dinner. But before I did that, I had to decide just how many extra plates to tell them to have ready, because sure as shit I was going to bring a boyfriend or two. Maybe I’d even invite Wyatt, provided my parents said my sister would be there, too.

What a fun family dinner that would be. Cue evil laughter.

Chapter Seven – Zoey

I had to talk to Lake on his break at work on Friday instead of at night, because I had other plans for the nighttime hours. I had no idea how the night was going to go, if Willow was going to be there or not, but it didn’t matter. Tonight was about getting to know Wyatt a little bit better.

When I told Lake what my plan was, Lake was silent for a few moments. Then he said, “Zoey, just… be careful, okay? Don’t dig yourself too deep. I trust you, I do, but…” It sucked because we couldn’t video chat, since anyone could walk right into the break room he was sitting in. Talking on the phone was a little more private, at least.

“But going to a party on a Friday night with another guy is a different story,” I said. “I know. I’m not going to do anything, I promise. I just… I need to make sure I have him hook, line, and sinker. I want to have him so I can flaunt him in front of my sister.”

Lake sighed. “I get it, I do. I just worry about you.”

I sat on my bed in my bedroom, my legs tucked under my ass. I still had to get ready for the party, but beyond that, I was as ready as I’d ever be for tonight. “What do you mean?” Hearing that Lake worried about me made me… confused, I think. Concerned. Like maybe he saw something I didn’t. He could see a lot clearer than I could when it came to my family and the pain they’d caused me.

“Nothing, Zoey, nothing.” When I was silent, waiting for more of an explanation, Lake heaved a sigh and added, “It’s just that, when it comes to your family, you don’t really see straight. I don’t want you doing something you’ll come to regret in the future just to get back at them.”

“I told you, I’m not going to do anything with him—” Roman and Carter would have a fit if I did, along with Lake. It wasn’t like I could just bring in a new boyfriend without talking to them, first. I might’ve given Roman an ultimatum when it came to Lake, but I didn’t think that would work again.

Plus, I really wasn’t in the market for another boyfriend. I was happy with the three I had. Collecting boyfriends like trading cards wasn’t on my list of things to do, believe it or not.

“That’s not what I mean,” Lake cut in. “I just mean I don’t want you to go too far, and I’m not talking about doing anything with Wyatt. When this is all said and done, you’ll have to live with yourself after. That’s all I’m saying.”

I knew he only told me these things because he genuinely worried about me, so I knew it was coming from a good place. “Since when did you turn into the angel on my shoulder, Lake?” Though I said it as a joke, it was also kind of reality.

“With Roman and Carter being the devils on your other shoulder, you definitely need me to balance them out.” Lake’s voice took on his usual sarcastic tone. “Still, no matter what happens or what you decide on doing, you know I love you. And I freaking miss you. I might try to see if Jake can take my Sunday shift so I can come visit you. You didn’t have plans that day, did you?”

I wanted to have dinner with my parents, but I would much rather have Lake for a day. My parents could wait. I, however, needed my Lake fix, so I said, “No plans. I hope you can come. I miss my Lake cuddles.”

He chuckled quietly, and then he said, “I’ll see what I can do. Have fun tonight—but not too much fun.” I imagined him getting a little red in the face when he said that last part, and I was filled with a new sense of longing.

Yeah, it was time to see Lake. I fucking missed the guy so, so much.

“Goodbye, Lake. I love you.” I hung up after I heard him say it back, and then I heaved a sigh. Hopefully I’d be able to get Lake’s words out of my head—for tonight, at least. Needed to have a clear head when it came to Wyatt and making him choose me over my sister.

Willow hadn’t approached me after I’d hung out with him on his lunch break on Thursday, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have friends doing the watching and reporting back to her. I’d been too focused on Wyatt to continuously survey the student union for any faces I’d seen on her social media profiles, but with any luck, she’d come to the party tonight to try to win Wyatt back.

Let the best girl win. I knew I would.

I slid off my bed, changing into an outfit I knew would make the guys go crazy: tight leggings that hugged the curve of my ass, ankle-high boots, and a low-cut black tank top that gave away more than it hid. I looked killer, and once I did a little makeup, my blue eyes popped against my pink hair and dark outfit.

It was official. I was ready to slay.

I strolled out of my bedroom, heading down the stairs. I found Roman in the kitchen, his gun disassembled in front of him. Though I couldn’t tell what he was doing, it looked like he was cleaning it. Don’t take my word for it, though. I really had no idea how any of that shit worked, and I didn’t care to. I’d leave all of that to Roman and Carter.

“Hey,” I said, moving to stand next to him. Roman’s dark eyes looked at me, and I mean they really, really looked at me, practically undressing me with a single glance, and I felt my body grow warm; its usual reaction to Roman’s devilish stare.

“You’re still planning on going to that party,” Roman muttered, his mouth curling into a scowl, as if he wasn’t happy with the thought of me going to a college party on a Friday night. Actually, his displeasure was pretty freaking evident.

“I am,” I told him. Roman was too old to come to the party with me, same with Carter. As much as I wanted them both to be there with me, it would be better if they weren’t. I could handle myself around college students. Until last year, these had been my people.

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