Page 14 of Mistress Mayhem

She’s changed so much in the last ten years, but I would recognize her anywhere. Her face has been imprinted in my brain. Even with the dark hair and face makeup, there was no mistaking her when my eyes landed on her as she walked down the stairs.

She’s even more beautiful than she was when she was sixteen, though there’s a darkness to her now. She’s obviously changed, but ten years will do that. I know I’ve changed, and so have Cooper and Austin. How could we not after she and Charlotte disappeared, only to return the morning after Mayhem?

Except Charlotte hadn’t really returned, had she? No, she’d been dead, and Avery refused to see us after she made it home. It hurt, but she’d obviously been through some shit. The three of us tried to give her space, but we were hurting. We still have no idea what happened to them when they disappeared, and I didn’t think we’d ever get those answers since Avery disappeared one day without a word.

I’d gone to her parents, demanding to know where she went, but they wouldn’t tell me anything. They wouldn’t tell any of us anything.

I’d been so sure she’d return eventually, but she didn’t. By the time I graduated, the three of us were ready to put Lockwood in our rearview mirrors. The only reason we hesitated at all was because we thought Avery might come back one day, but my parents promised to call us if she did.

Only, we never received the phone call.

But here she is, back in Lockwood for what I’m assuming is the first time in ten years.

All I want to do is rush up and pull her into my arms—tell her I love her, like I never did when we were younger.

I’ve been in love with Avery Wellington since I was five years old. It had changed from a childhood crush on my best friend to a lustful crush as we hit our teen years, and then finally, a longing love when she started dating Cooper—the bastard.

I’d known, even back then, that Cooper and Austin were just as head over heels for Avery as I was. It’s part of the reason I never made a move on her. I wasn’t sure how it would affect our friendship circle if she chose one of us over the others. Apparently, Cooper hadn’t felt the same way because he’d asked her out one night without a word to me or Austin, and the next thing we knew, they were together despite their three year age gap.

I couldn’t even hate him for it. At the time, I’d wished I’d made my move before him. That’s not to say that Austin and I didn’t beat the shit out of him for being selfish—because we totally did—but we vowed not to let it come between the three of us. It was hard to see the two of them together at first, but seeing how happy he made her made it okay for me. And for Austin too. We talked about it a lot over the two years they were dating.

Until she and Charlotte disappeared and our entire world changed.

Shaking my head to clear it of the past, I frown as I watch Cooper lead her around the dance floor. “Remind me why he’s the one that approached her?”

Austin chuckles. “Because he’s an asshole, and he said he was doing it before walking away. It’s not like he gave us much of a choice.”

“It seems to be a trend with him when it comes to Avery.”

“Sage,” Austin hisses. “Her name is Sage. I don’t know why she has a new name, but I know she has a reason for it.”

I nod. “You’re right. It suits her.”

When Avery—no. When Sage stalks away from Cooper, my lip turns up at the corner for a moment, but when she heads in our direction, I wipe it away.

Only, she’s not heading toward us. She’s walking to the group in front of us.

I see the moment she realizes we’re there, but she doesn’t acknowledge us in the least. I don’t like that—not at all. I continue watching her, unable to tear my eyes away from her.

When Cooper appears next to us a few moments later, I glance at him before returning my stare back to her. “What happened? She looked pissed.”

“She wouldn’t tell me anything, but I’m not giving it up.” Cooper shrugs, bumping my shoulder with his. “You see who she’s talking to?”

Austin hums and I snort. “We have eyes. Of course we see who she’s talking to. I don’t like it.”

“There’s not much we can do about it. She’s the hostess,” Austin rumbles.

“Come on, you two. Let’s move from here so we can watch her without her knowing where we are.”

As much as I don’t want to move, I follow my two friends to a dark corner. Sage didn’t see us moving away, so it’ll be harder for her to spot us now.

When William lays his hand on her back, I have to bite back a growl. That slimy bastard has no right to touch her—to touch what’s mine.

A heavy hand comes down on my shoulder, and I glance back to see Austin shaking his head. I make a face, rolling my eyes as I focus my attention on Sage once more. She’s leading William Kensington from the room, but her eyes do wander to where we were standing just moments ago.

“What the hell is she up to?” Cooper hisses, already moving for the door.

“I guess we’re following her,” I say with a laugh. Cooper shoots a glare in my direction but continues moving forward, leaving me and Austin to follow him.

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