Page 93 of Heresy

“Tell me how,” Shane demands, his feet stopping in place as he glares back at Ivy and Luca.

I feel like a dog watching a tennis match, my head moving left and right between the players, just waiting for my chance to run out and grab the little yellow ball.

Hell, I’m not even sure I should be privy to this conversation, but fuck it. I’d like to know how it’s different too. It may be a seriously messed up topic to be discussing, but I’m invested now.

Ivy starts counting off on her fingers. “For one, Gabe and I have known each other since we were kids.”

Before she can reach two, Luca chimes in. “And Tanner and I have known each other since Yale.”

Okay. They have a point.

Shane and I really don’t know each other. To me, he’s just the Jackass who starts fights, pours drinks on me and then steals my car … Oh, and me. Can’t forget to add the recent abduction to my list.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Shane counters. “They destroyed both your lives to force your hand then dragged you to this house. I was nice enough with Brinley to skip the first part.”

He also has a point.

Except for all the other shit he’s done so far, my life hasn’t been destroyed. Then again, my life is pretty much just school. But it would suck if he did something to fuck it up.

Damn it!

I shouldn’t be agreeing with him.

What the hell is wrong with me?

This must be how they do it. The whole Stockholm Syndrome thing. I’m not falling for it. I refuse to be sympathetic to any of them. As far as I’m concerned, none of them can be trusted.

Especially Shane.

Both women stammer at what he said, each apparently with no argument.

Satisfied with the win, Shane crosses his arms over his chest and shoots them a look, daring them to say another word in defense.

Ivy is the first to attempt.

“Gabe only made up a fake engagement. He didn’t actually ruin my life.”

Interesting…

Luca chimes in next. “And Tanner didn’t wreck anything—”

“He wrecked your car,” Shane argues.

She seems genuinely surprised by that. “What? Priest wrecked my car.”

Priest.

Of course.

I should have known he was involved.

Nice guy, my ass.

Thankfully, these idiots are giving me all the information I need.

Remaining quiet, I keep listening as they continue going back and forth, the argument enlightening me as to the couples in the group and how they are all involved.

Information is good.

---