Page 90 of The Devastation You Reap

“He did?” My eyebrow almost hit my hairline at her confession.

“Yep. It seems you’ve managed to get well under his skin.”

A humorless laugh falls from my lips. “I’m not so sure about that. I’ve not heard from him since Friday night.”

“He’s a guy, Macie. That’s the kind of shit they do. I wouldn’t read too much into it if I were you.”

“I’m totally out of my depth here,” I admit, resting back on my palms and looking at the corner of the room to avoid her stare.

I don’t know her, but there’s something about the way she looks at me that makes me think she gets me. It’s unnerving.

She’s Leon’s friend, not mine, yet I feel drawn to her in a way I’m not to most people.

“So is he.”

Those three words force my eyes back to hers as my chin drops.

“I’ve known Leon for years, Macie. And not once have I ever known him to see a girl twice, let alone for a—“

“A week,” I muse, finishing her sentence for her.

“Yeah, that’s unheard of,” she mutters almost to herself.

“Is that what you’ve come here to tell me? That he’s behaving weird.”

“Well, no. Mostly I came in the hope I could correct your first impressions of me but I don’t feel like I’m doing a very good job with that. I also wanted to just meet you. See what it is that’s got Leon twisted in knots.”

“There’s nothing much to see. I think I’m probably Leon’s opposite in every single way. He’s also everything I always said I never wanted. Match made in hell if you ask me.”

Her response to my comment is to burst out laughing which confuses the hell out of me.

“Um…”

“I’m sorry, it’s just I have some experience with relationships like that.”

“Oh?”

“Kane and me… I’m pretty sure we were matched in hell too.”

“But you look so… Together. So happy.”

A soft smile plays on her lips as she thinks of him. “We are now. Things weren’t always so smooth.”

“Oh wow. I never would have guessed.”

She shrugs. “Things aren’t always as they seem.”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” I blurt out, instantly regretting it.

“Why do you say that?”

“He’s got to be playing me, right? I mean Leon freaking Dunn has been here spending time with me, taking me to his wild parties and giving me romantic dates. Me,” I say, pointing to myself in case she didn’t get it the first time. “He could be spending time with any girl on campus, why me?”

“Because he wants to. Leon’s been…”

“A dog?” I supply for her.

“Yeah, you’re right. But he’s never, ever let anyone close to him. Even me, Luca, the rest of the team, he keeps us all at arm's length.”