Page 26 of Twisted Legacy

I’m on edge, wavering back and forth between blind solidarity with my brothers and continuing to punish Thea for her alleged deception, and consoling her about her injuries. Just thinking about her being hurt makes me want to hurt others.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who Thea is or why she’s here. She didn’t deserve to be hurt like this. Zeus’ dick injury is minor compared to how she looks.

I’ve been in and have witnessed enough fights to know that he couldn’t have been the only one there that night. Whoever was involved, won’t get the chance to hurt her again.

That means I’m back on recon, and when I catch the culprits, I won’t show them any mercy.

Chapter17

Thea

My favorite class is the now the most uncomfortable place on earth. I knew I’d see Finn this morning, but I didn’t know it would feel like tiny shards of glass running over my skin, and this churning in my stomach, to hit back at him for that shit he pulled.

That’s not it though. Mixed in with all that is this nauseating feeling, the thought of fighting back induces. Because what if I can’t beat him? Verbal sparring and pranks wars were our thing, but what if he upped the ante? What if he was there that night? I fucked the guy, but I don’t really know anything about him. That’s not usually a problem when I don’t see them again.

I think back over our time together at the movies and our interactions on campus. I try to think of something he’s said that might be real or genuine. Something deep. There’s nothing. It’s all been superficial games.

“Hey stranger. Welcome back.”

Austin smiles down at me, and a bit of the panic I’d just wrangled back slips out. I have to remind myself that I know it wasn’t Austin. He was off campus when I was attacked. Wolfe and LJ have both confirmed this and shown me proof. Out of a school of roughly eighteen thousand students and twenty-two hundred faculty, I can rule out exactly three people.

I give him a tight smile and try to appear unbothered by the stares I’m getting from the students entering the classroom. IknowI still look a mess. I don’t know how I’m gonna make it through an hour-long lecture in their presence.

Austin is the only good thing about the class. His comforting presence and the normalcy of our interactions keeps a bit of my unease at bay. He doesn’t comment on my stiffness or the way I wince every time I move my arm. Or the evidence of the beating I took all over my face. I put on some makeup, but you can still tell my lip is split and that I’m using concealer to cover how bad the bruises are.

I know about the statement the school disseminated on campus, and to his credit, he doesn’t ask what really happened. It’s nobody’s business how I got injured. My focus is on acting like it’s nothing.

My phone rings when I leave class. I answer it because I’m getting tired of it ringing.

“Thea?”

“Aunt Moira. Hi.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“You didn’t check in today. Scott and I were getting worried.”

“I just got out of class. Plus, I told you I’m not gonna call you every five minutes to tell you I’m okay, so let this be a blanket check in. I’m fine. I’m taking my vitamins and I’m staying away from unsanctioned fighting rings for now.”

“That’s not funny.”

“It wasn’t meant to be, Moira.” I switch the phone to my other ear. “Look, I get that you’re just being concerned, but I can’t deal with appeasing your guilt right now. I need to make sure I’m not too far behind in the classes I couldn’t do online, rest my body so I heal, and deal with the aftermath of what happened to me. When I’m ready to talk about how you threw me away like an old sweater and have been lying to me all this time, I will.”

“Whatever you need, Thea. Just let us know if you need anything. We love you.”

“Funny way of showing it.”

She ignores that jab and ends the call with a soft goodbye. Too bad. I’m dying to cuss her out right now. Maybe that would settle me a bit. Just thinking about going to another class pisses me off.

I didn’t ask to come here before, and I don’t want to be here now. So why am I even bothering with this bullshit? I already know I won’t be paying attention. That’s how unmotivated I feel.

Yeah, fuck the rest of this day, and this campus. I catch the bus into town and then take a cab to the beach. I’ll just spend the day in the sand soaking up some sun and listening to the waves.

* * *

Thea

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