Page 14 of Boys Who Taint

“Me too,” I say.

Océane comes up to us too, and after River pulls away and wipes his tears, she hugs me tightly. “I’m sorry, girl. I’m so sorry.”

“Thank you.”

It feels wrong to say thanks when someone dies.

I don’t want to need their support.

I wish Mavis were still here so I wouldn’t have to say thank you.

I suck in a breath as she releases me. “Are you okay?”

I nod a few times. “As best as I can manage after what happened.”

She rubs her lips together. “I don’t even know what to say, honestly.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” Xavier says. “She’s dead. Nothing will change that.”

I elbow my twin in the side to make him stop.

“What? It’s the truth,” he hisses.

I get that he’s pissed off. I am too, but there’s no use taking it out on others.

“I’m going to go see how your parents are doing,” Océane says, grabbing Talon’s hand and whisking him with her. “We’ll talk later, okay?”

I nod, and River follows along as if he’s unsure of himself in a group of people, as usual.

“My condolences,” my uncle Alec says, shaking my hand. “How are you holding up?”

“Barely,” I reply.

“And your dad?”

I rub my lips together. “Even more deranged than usual.”

Uncle Alec raises a brow. “Is he killing stuff again?”

I swiftly shake my head. “No. More like … trying to burn things down.” I awkwardly laugh it off.

He nods a few times. “I’m gonna go talk to him.”

As he walks off, Apollo Torres looks my way from the hallway, and I clear my throat.

“I’ll see myself out,” Melody says, bouncing off on her light feet. “Have you seen Atlas anywhere? I’m gonna go look for him. Bye.”

Xav looks at me like he’s unsure whether to leave me or to guard me with his life, but he opts for a run to the kitchen for some drinks instead. Traitor.

“Aspen,” Apollo says.

“Apollo,” I return.

He actually put on a suit today. I’m impressed.

Too bad it hides all of his amazing tattoos.

“How have you been holding up?”

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