Page 166 of Entangled

“She didn’t cheat.” I want to suck the words back in—I’m not plaiting daisy chains here, and Sloane should mind her own business.

But I don’t want this shit getting around about Eden.

Sloane looks puzzled, teasing her lip piercing with her tongue. “She didn’t? Did you guys break up then?”

“She was with all of us,” I mutter.

“Wait, she...?Allof you?” Sloane stares at me, her mouth dropping open as she processes that. Finally, she snorts, shaking her head. “Well, damn. Okay. Get it.”

Her amusement pisses me off. I stop and glower at her. “You even think of crawling up her ass about that, I’ll shoot you.”

She flips me off. “Not my style. But shit, Jayk. If you knew she was with him, then what the hell is upyourass?”

I shrug, watching her warily. Is this girl talk? It’s got more cussing than I thought.

Then Sloane groans.

“Fuck,” she curses, rubbing the back of her neck. “I thought she was the asshole. But it’s you. You’re the asshole.”

I scowl. “I ain’t the asshole—sheshacked up withhim.”

“The old takebacksies rule. Gotcha.” Sloane rolls her eyes. “Come on, man. You can’t agree to share and then get mad when she does.”

“What’s keeping you guys? It’s already late. Can we keep it moving?” Ava appears between the trees, then looks between us. “Well, he looks like he’s trying to shit a brick sideways, so this is clearly going well.”

“What’s going well?” Kasey wanders out behind her, then Akira, who doesn’t look my way.

My shoulders hunch more and more with every glance.

“Turns out, Eden didn’t cheat. She’s with both of them, and he’s backing out and getting mad at her for still being into her other partner,” Sloane just blurts in front of everyone.

I glare at all of them. This is why I don’t talk about shit.

Ava winces, then gives me a disappointed look. “That’s rough, Jayk.”

“She’smine,” I snap.

Ava and Sloane exchange sympathetic glances that make me want to punch a tree.

“It’s not just about fucking around anymore. She has to choose.” My mouth twists. “And it’s not going to be me.”

There’s always been this hard, bitter ball that lives in my chest. Right now it feels cracked open, leaking acid through my insides.

I really thought she might do it for a minute there. I thought it might be us.

But it only took two minutes back at Bristlebrook to remember I’m bottom of the damn pack.

“You’re way better than that other guy,” Kasey says, crossing her arms over her chest. “Just tell her you like her. It’s all about the confidence, you know?”

“They tell you that on Sesame Street?” I ask, matching her stance, and she makes a face at me.

“She’s kind of right, though.” Ava looks me up and down. “The pity party? Not hot.”

I glare at her too, even though I know she’s right. It’s part of why I came out in the damn woods—so I could wallow in peace.

“If you want her to give up multiple dudes just for you, you’re going to have to putup,” Sloane says dubiously from my other side.

“Fix the hair,” Ava agrees.

---