Page 60 of Believe In Us

The waitress scribbles down his order then turns her attention to Stella. “I’ll have the chicken club wrap with fries,” Stella follows, as Drake takes the menu from her and passes it down to Kelly.

“Are you going to share your fries with me Stella?” Drake whispers to her, yet loud enough for the rest of us to hear. Stella giggles softly as she tucks her hair behind her ear, a nervous tick I’ve noticed she does every time he flirts with her.

I notice Kai’s jaw stiffening at the same time Ruby’s eyebrows raise in question. Ignoring them, I quickly turn back to Kelly and order before these two say something that causes an even more awkward riff. “I’ll have the avocado bacon cheeseburger with Cajun fries, a side of onion rings, and a chocolate banana milkshake. Oh and I’ll also get the small order of the breakfast nachos,” I say, as Kelly quickly jots my whole order down.

All heads turn to me, jaws dropped, eyes wide, and unbelieving stares plastered over their faces.

“Are you ordering for all of us Jade?” Ruby asks, and the table bursts out in loud laughter.

“No Ruby, I’m just starving.”

The rest of the group follows and places their orders with Kelly who then runs off to the kitchen to put in our meals. There is an awkward silence for a moment, before Drake, who still has his arm around the backside of Stella’s seat, once again leans his head down to her and whispers something, inaudible to the rest of us, but whatever it was causes a deep blush to caress her cheeks.

“Okay what the fuck?” Ruby blurts out, saying out loud what all of us are thinking.

Drake throws his head back cursing to himself before lookingdown to face his sister, “Did you say something sis?” he asks sarcastically, even though he evidently heard her.

“Yeah I did brother, what the fuck? Since when are you and Silver here all chummy?” Ruby asks, all eyes now on Stella whose arms are crossed over her chest, looking like she wishes she could slide under the table and hide.

“We’ve always been friends,” Drake says, ignoring Ruby’s clear insinuation.

“You know that’s not what I mean Drake. You’re being playful, flirting like a middle schooler, and have been touching her every chance you get since we sat down. What gives?” It’s Ruby now who has her arms crossed over her chest, pushing up the sexy cleavage she’s baring in the low-cut bodysuit she’s paired with jeans.

“I honestly don’t get why you’re getting all worked up, Ruby. Stella and I are both single, we’re friends, so what if we want to have a little fun, right Silver?” Stella’s earlier blush is now a deep crimson blanket covering her entire face and neck.

But before she can respond, Kai lets out a loud, scornful laugh.

“You have something to say Saint?” Drake asks, sitting up and facing his best friend who glares angrily in his direction. Seeing these two go head-to-head like this is unsettling. They’ve always been the best of friends, their bond unbreakable, but the way they're acting right this moment, taunting each other like this, it’s worrying.

“Not a damn thing Drake, not a damn thing,” Kai answers, no longer bothering to look their way.

“Anyways,” Jaxon interjects, “Jade mind telling us where you plan on shoving all that food you just ordered?”

“Yeah what gives bitch? I know you eat a lot but you ordered enough to feed this entire table,” Ruby adds.

I laugh pointing at the guys at the table, “Have you seen these guys, no way that would be enough to fill their stomachs. Besides you now I always go overboard when I order hungry,” I say hoping my nonchalant attitude keeps them off my tail.

“Yeah I guess, this wouldn’t have anything to do with the whole reason you're staying at the guy's apartment, would it? You know, it starts with Sebastian and ends in Silver.” I glare at Ruby who looks obviously pleased with her comment. Fucking bitch.

“Yeah about that Jade,” Kai chimes in, “I mean we’re cool with you staying and all and have been rather good at not asking about what we saw go down the other day, but you mind filling us in on what the hell is up with you and the stuck up, broody as fuck Horseman.”

“No,” I state matter-of -fact, just as Kelly comes back with our meals.

“Jade we didn’t meanto piss you off okay, we’re just worried about you,” Kai shouts out at me, as they follow me into the apartment. I’ve given them the silent treatment since their interrogation at the diner, which frankly left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. The rest of the afternoon was bleak, everyone ate making small talk but never once bringing up Sebastian, that is until we were leaving. Then Kai thought it would be funny to comment on the fact that Casey told him Kinsley said her and Sebastian would be taking things to the next level after graduation, whatever the fuck that means. Not to be overdramatic or anything, but I may or may not have stormed out of the diner after that.

Once inside the apartment, I head over to the kitchen grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge, then lean back against the counter chugging the water down in one big gulp. The car ride here made me terribly nauseous and the last thing I want is to throw up in the middle of the afternoon, in front of the three of them. Drake, Kai, and Stella all watch me with careful eyes, like they’re afraid of saying the wrong thing or something to set me off. I've been pretty chill lately but I’ve been known to have a few erratic outbursts in the past.

Drake steps in closer to me reaching out to grab my arm but chooses to pull back at the last minute. Instead he runs his hand through his hair taking a step back, “He’s right Wolfe, we don’t mean to be getting in your business, we have no right to.”

“Yeah you bet your ass you don’t,” I blurt out, interrupting Drake’s speech.

“Well either way we’re worried about you okay, you’re just not yourself Wolfe, you haven’t been for a while. We saw it happen to Scarlett when we first arrived at this place. She started acting out of character, keeping shit from us, hanging aroundthem, and look where it all got her. She was nearly fucking killed Jade,” Drake utters, a helpless sadness still heard in the tone of his voice.

I look up at Drake with wide eyes, stunned that he knows the extent of what occurred that night at Servite Manor. I know Ace told them about why Wesley Servite and Franco Marchesi were after her, but that was before that night everything went down. Though now I wonder if this means they know everything, even about Roman.

Reading my mind, Drake moves to lean against the counter, “Yeah we know, we remember. After that day we went with you to the safe house Ace was staying at, we did some digging of our own. Kai’s quite resourceful given his connections with The Cobras down in Pleasant Hills. We found out who Macallan, well Marchesi, was working with. We followed his accomplice and wound up…”

“Here,” I whisper, finishing Drake's sentence. They followed Roman, and he brought them here to his apartment. They knew. My heart falls to my feet, thoughts ofeveryoneknowing about Roman poisoning my mind making me once again feel the bitter kiss of betrayal.

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