Kings of Linwood Academy - The Complete Box Set: A Dark High School Romance Series Callie Rose (i read a book TXT) 📖

I ask softly, thinking of the night they took my mom away—trying to remember exactly what I said, and exactly who was around to hear it.

Is it possible the man in black somehow found out about my rant? That he knows what we know?

Oh, fuck.

“Well, I didn’t see it.” Chase shrugs and elbows his brother. “And not to speak for Dax here, but he didn’t either. Linc’s always been good at thinking on his feet though, and he pieced it all together pretty quick. That’s why he deleted the pictures, and why he told Dunagan he didn’t know anything about the man in the mask.”

My brows pull together and I sit up again, leaning forward. “But you all backed him up. You all said the exact same thing he did.”

Their combined scents drift into my nostrils as they both mimic my movement, bringing our faces so close together we’re breathing the same air.

“Yeah, we did.” Dax rests a hand on my knee, and I feel the heat of his touch through the thin fabric of my leggings. “Because even if we didn’t know exactly why he was doing it, we trusted him.”

And I didn’t.

My mind flashes back to that night again, to me screaming at Detective Dunagan while the four boys stood impassively behind me.

Jesus. What the fuck did I do?

Chase must register the dawning horror on my face, because his hand comes up to my other knee, squeezing gently.

“Hey, it’s okay. Linc couldn’t get you to stop yelling without making it really fucking weird, but the good news is, pretty much no one was around to hear you. Most of the party guests stayed inside when all the shit went down, and they’re the ones we might’ve worried would spread rumors.”

Dax shoots me a lopsided grin. “And Detective Dunagan? Well, I’m pretty sure he just thinks you’re crazy.”

“Why didn’t you tell me all of this that night?” I whisper, but I already know the answer.

I was a fucking wreck that night. I was devastated, and more furious than I’d ever been in my life. If Lincoln—if any of the guys—had tried to tell me then that they’d refused to back me up as a way of protecting me and my mom, I would’ve ripped his head off with my bare hands.

I’m still mad. I can feel the anger bubbling under my skin like boiling oil, and it wants a target. It wants to land somewhere. It wants to blame the kings of Linwood for the shitstorm that has overtaken my family and my life.

But the truth is, they made the best choice they could in an impossible situation.

I drop my head for a moment, and I feel both Dax and Chase squeeze my knees harder. It’s such a strange feeling, being touched by both of them at once. It’s almost like being touched by one person—that’s how in sync they are.

My nostrils flare as I drag in several deep breaths, and when I rise to my feet, the twins stand with me. They follow several paces behind me as I cross to the door and open it.

I was wrong. Lincoln’s not standing with his back to it. He’s leaning against the hallway wall opposite the door, arms crossed over his chest. River stands next to him. He must’ve arrived while the other two were in the room with me.

Linc straightens slowly, his sculpted features impassive, his intense amber eyes focused on my face as if he’s trying to read my thoughts.

“Now do you understand?”

There’s something like a challenge in his voice, and I think I understand better why he’s been so pissed at me this week.

Because I didn’t trust him.

Even though he was trying to protect me. Protect my mom.

I hold his gaze and nod. “I’m sorry.”

Something in his stiff posture snaps, and before I can say anything else, he’s pushing away from the wall and striding toward me. His body collides with mine at the same time his arms wrap around me in a bruising hug, holding me up even as my legs stumble.

He tucks his head next to mine, his lips brushing my still-damp hair, his breath tickling my ear.

“No, baby. I’m fucking sorry.”

6

God, I didn’t realize how much I needed this. How much I fucking missed it.

I’ve been craving it all week, wrestling against my desire to bury myself in Lincoln’s embrace, to feel his strong arms around me and breathe in his spicy scent.

But the physical touch wasn’t all I was craving—it wasn’t all I missed. I missed the feeling of being enveloped by him, consumed by him, on the same side as him.

Same with all four of these boys, really, if I’m being honest.

I missed them.

Lincoln keeps holding me, breathing in my essence just like I’m breathing in his, his arms wrapped so tightly around my waist that movement is impossible. Not that it matters. There’s nowhere else I want to go anyway.

When he finally relaxes his hold on me, he draws back slightly to peer into my eyes, like he’s trying to verify that I really do believe him. I’m not sure if what he sees satisfies him, but he doesn’t get a chance to look for long, because as soon as his grip loosens, River pulls me into his arms.

He hugs me like he’s been waiting to do this ever since my mom was taken, like maybe he missed me as much as I missed all of them.

When we break apart, he keeps his hands on my waist, his blue-gray eyes churning like storm clouds. “We didn’t mean to cut you out, Harlow. Linc just didn’t know how to tell you what was going on without making Dunagan suspicious.”

“I know. I get it.”

His gaze flits down to my lips, and it lingers there even after I finish speaking. I suddenly become aware that even though we’re no longer hugging, we’re still standing so close together our chests are almost touching, and his fingers are still wrapped possessively around the swell of