Page 30 of Descent

“I’m sorry I was even worried about her today,” Maggie says as she pulls away from me, sniffing and wiping away her tears. “She attacked you. I should have been checking on you, not the other way around.”

I give her a sympathetic smile and a nod.

“It’s okay. Maggie. You like her, you saw her hurt. If that was one of my guys, I’d have felt the same way.”

“You’re not mad at me?” she asks.

I shake my head. “I’m just sorry she’s putting you through the wringer like this.”

Maggie lets out a sarcastic laugh and shakes her head.

“It is what it is. She’s just so afraid of being labeled, she can’t get out of her own way to realize how happy we were this summer. We had the house to ourselves while our parents were out of town; we spent all day together and every night in bed. It was…perfect.”

I listen intently, only she doesn’t continue. She trails off before shaking her head.

“Whatever, though. I need to be done. After the plate thing, and then today? I can’t have that kind of toxicity in my life, any more than required.”

I twist my mouth down in sympathy and nod.

“Well, for what it’s worth, I think you can do much better.”

Maggie gives me half a smile.

“If this is the part where you admit that you’ve been in love with me this whole time and want me to join the harem, you have to let me fix myself up first,” she says, as she waves her hand over her face.

I throw back my head and laugh.

“You caught me. I’m down bad.”

“Psh, they always are,” Maggie says with a roll of her eyes, her spark coming more to life by the minute. We hang out for another twenty minutes or so before she stands.

“I should probably get going. I’m massively behind in econ.”

I grimace at that and nod.

“Luck be with you,” I say as I stand with her, walking her down the stairs and out the front door.

When she’s gone, I turn to find the guys murmuring to themselves in the living room. As I crest the corner, all eyesswing to me, though Liam is the first to speak. He gives me a heartwarming smile as I move around the couch.

“Hey, babygirl. Everything good?”

I nod, not choosing to air out Maggie’s dirty laundry before I glance at where to sit. I could take up my old spot between Liam and Ronan, but a freshly showered Vincent is sitting on the other side of Ronan, looking broodier than normal. Ronan catches my eye, gesturing to Vincent with his head and a nod.

“Yeah, give Vinny some love. He’s had a hard day,” Liam teases, as Vincent flips him off.

I slide into Vincent’s lap, and he welcomes me happily, scooting myself until I’m completely on top of him before pressing a kiss to the top of my head. I turn to see Asher is still in the kitchen, nursing a new drink.

“So, what were you guys talking about?” I ask.

“We were going over security precautions. Making sure no one can break in,” Ronan says.

“And I filled yourboyfriend’sin on everything. We are good to go,” Asher snarks.

The word boyfriend’s sounds so bitter rolling off his tongue. It instantly makes me bristle, but I don’t engage, focusing on Ronan as he takes my hands into his lap. I feel Vincent make a possessive sounding grumble beneath me that has me giving him a look. He simmers down, and Ronan doesn’t pay him any mind as he runs his hands up and down my legs soothingly.

“Don’t worry about it, baby. We’re taking care of things, okay?”

I frown at that, feeling like they are trying to push me out of the plans and keep information from me. Liam jumps to his feet, grabbing the remote for the TV before turning it on.

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