Page 89 of Zero Chance

“Does it really matter who she was?”she asked, blowing off my feelings.“She clearly wants to move on from it.You should too.”

I blinked at her once, then glanced at the others, thinkingsomeonewould have my back here.But not even Alec seemed to disagree with her.

None of them cared that Mystery Girl had made this personal and that I was now more determined than ever to unveil her identity.

“I see,” I announced stonily as I stood up from the table, chin held high.Sending them all a hard smile, I sarcastically snipped, “Thanks so much for your time.You were all so veryhelpful.”And I marched from the kitchen, giving them the cold shoulder.

This wasn’t over.Not by a long shot.It didn’t matter that none of my roommates cared.I was going to find this girl if it was the last thing I did.

Screw making her come to me.I was back in the chase.

20

KEENE

Iwas still miffed with all the residents of Archer House the next evening for not catching Mystery Girl after she’d apparently just strolled into our house whileoneof them was home, so I was hanging out alone in my room, trying to concentrate on homework, when someone tapped timidly on my door.

Needing a break from trying to memorize medical terms, I glanced up, only to groan, ready to go right back to remembering what the cytopathic effect meant.

Hope stepped across the threshold, sending me a hesitant smile.“Hey.”

Narrowing my eyes, I huffed.“I can’t believe he sent his woman to come talk to me.Lame.”And I dropped my gaze back to my notes, even though there was no way I was going to be able to memorize anything now.Not withherin my room.

“He didn’t send me,” Hope promised as she neared the bed without an invitation to stay.“Actually, I believe Parker’s exact words to me were, ‘Leave him alone, or I’ll throttle you.’”

That got a reluctant grin from me.“So, of course, you definitely had to come pester me after that,” I surmised.

“Of course.”Smiling, she plopped onto the opposite end of the mattress as me to make herself at home.And smoothing her hands over her lap—the only tell that she was in any way nervous—she let out a big sigh.“So.I saw your posters floating around campus yesterday.”

I scoffed and glanced away, knowing posters werenotwhat she’d come to talk about.

With my bed pushed into the corner, she was able to use the wall as a back prop while she bent her knees up toward her chest and hugged them.

From the headboard, where I was sitting with my legs sprawling, I nudged her hip with my toe and sighed.“Enough small talk, Langston.Let’s get this over with already.Just go ahead and say it.”

She nodded and swallowed thickly.“Okay then.”Except instead of saying anything, she exhaled heavily and watched me for a moment, shaking her head slowly until tears sprouted in her eyes.“Jesus, Keene.”

“No,” I warned, pointing a stern finger at her.“That’s cheating.You’re not allowed tocry, dammit.”

“But this is all my fault,” she sobbed, wiping her cheeks and crying harder.“I’m the one who pushed him into hooking up behind Alec’s back.I’m the one who—dammit.Just don’t hate him because of me, okay?Don’t hate him at all.Please.You’re one of the most important people in his life, and this is killing him.He tells me he’s okay, but he’s not.He cannot handle losing you.”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes, not believing her for a minute.Ohrley didn’t need shit from me.

But Hope insisted, “He can’t.You’re hisfamily.The reason he keeps going.Don’t turn on him now.”Her bottom lip trembled on the last word, and her crying picked up intensity.

Dammit.Tears were my kryptonite, I swear.And feminine tears… She might as well have strolled in the door, claiming, “I win.”

“Don’t,” I begged.“Just—stop it already.My issues with him don’t even really have anything to do with you.I promise.”

Hope blinked, sniffing at her tears, and frowned in confusion.“But?—”

“Look,” I cut in softly.“I’m not even saying the two of you did anything wrong.Alec’s clearly fine with it, which is all that matters.And I honestly don’t give a shit who either of you screw.So no, I have no beef with you.But…” Making a face, I shook my head.“The way he fucking went about it.”

“Because I asked him?—”

I lifted a hand, silently begging her to let me talk.

Respecting my wishes, she shut her mouth and fell back against the wall.

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