The Line That Binds (30 page)

“I don’t think she heard you, Adam. Maybe it’s because she can’t understand asshole,” another voice followed. This voice wasn’t as harsh as the first. His intent was smooth. With those few, simple words, I knew he was a manipulator. I’d been around enough guys like him to spot them without looking. I’d dated a couple of them. They were the kind of guys that could convince your panties to dive off any chaste ledge, from simple morality to extreme virginity.

I handed my cash to the half-asleep mid-forties guy sitting behind the register. He punched the keys as if he had all the time in the world. And he probably did. He didn’t care how long it took to ring me up as long as he got paid. While I waited, I played with my earbud cord as a hint, just in case Adam and Panty Raider were watching.

I felt a whoosh of air as someone rushed up behind me then another burst of air near my hair.
Is he touching me?

“Oh, man, and she smells so sweet,” Adam said, attracting stares from all directions.

I spun around with my earbuds still in place and glared as fiercely as I could. “Back off,” I growled, noticing both guys were residents of the popular lunch tables.

Adam was taken aback by my response. His stout frame backed up a smidge to dodge my level of crazy. Panty Raider didn’t move an inch. His hazel eyes locked with mine from his taller stature and his brow quirked up in sync with his thin lips.

Mr. Mid-Forties finally handed me my change, unfazed by our actions. I hurried back to my table and cranked my music to drown out the room. My head already started to pound with all of the activity. And when I looked over at Ben’s table, I knew it was only going to get worse.

He was here.

“Dude, you look like shit,” Spaz said as I set my tray beside my books and took a seat at the lunch table.

“Yeah,” I replied blandly, unwrapping the ham sandwich in front of me.

He shifted his seat for Izzy’s chair to fit beside him then shook the container of tea in his hand. “Why didn’t you answer my texts? I had to call your pop to make sure you didn’t get lost in those woods you supposedly ‘know like the top of your own dick.’“

“Yeah, sorry about that. My phone’s been acting up. I think I have to shell out some cash for a new one.”

“Quit bullshitting. I’ve been around you long enough to know when you are, so don’t even try.”

“Yeah, Ben, what’s up? Are you feeling okay?” Iz asked, taking her seat.

I looked around the cafeteria for LJ, knowing I’d see her soon enough. “I just needed some time off. I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you.”

“It’s cool. Is there something we can help with?” Spaz asked while chewing a bite of his burger.

“Nah.”

“Spaz,” Iz said, elbowing him in the ribs. “That’s seriously disgusting. No one wants to see your food.”

I tuned the rest of their quarrel out, scanning the room again. LJ wasn’t in her usual seat. My mind battled with both relief and disappointment, and I couldn’t tell which was winning. I’d left her alone on Sunday after realizing the curse was real. I was scared for so many reasons. My only direction was to address the most obvious concern first. So I thought about Harper the rest of the day and hit the same blank wall over and over. I could feel the love we once had from our memories together, but that final mix of emotions that had haunted me for the past three years had disappeared. The sadness was no longer crippling, the heartache no longer raw. It was as if I’d traveled forty years into the future, the passing time patching the permanent wound in my soul.

The next few days I tried to understand how it was possible, how it was real, and how it all worked. Along with hundreds of questions I couldn’t answer, a renewed hate for Janine also surfaced. She’d purposely left this property to her family, knowing that one of them could wind up bound to the well just as she’d been. To live a life that granted memories for others and, if it was true, dying without their own memories to comfort them.

It made me sick.

I didn’t know what to tell LJ or my grandfather. And I still hadn’t found any new information about the well. There were no answers, nothing I could give to LJ for comfort or support, if she was even willing to talk to me after she found out the truth.

I looked toward the lunch line and noticed LJ by the cashier. She was wearing a gray ribbed tank top today with a pair of frayed jeans that taunted me with their revealing rips, exposing slivers of her bare thighs. Adam Fisk and Ryan Stanton moved in line behind her. They were closer than they needed to be and I could see how uncomfortable it made her. Her face grew red and scrunched in anger before she whipped around and said something to them. She left the register area and carried her tray over to her table with rushed steps. Adam and Ryan watched her as they took their seats over near Emily. I glanced back to LJ and met her eyes. She held my gaze for a moment then looked into the textbook in front of her.

I didn’t want to think about what Adam and Ryan said to her. Their methods were never mild when they noticed a hot chick. Looking at her now, I was actually surprised LJ had avoided their attention this long. Strands of hair fell around her sleek neck, draping down past her bare shoulders while she read from her textbook. She was beautiful. I couldn’t stop thinking about that last kiss, her heart beating wildly against my chest and her lips controling mine.

“LJ, huh?” Spaz asked, crumpling my thoughts. “How did your ride go?”

“It went well,” I admitted, tearing my eyes off LJ to take a bite of my sandwich.

Iz elbowed him again and scrunched her brows.

“Why aren’t you over there then?” Spaz said and let out a whimper I could only guess was the result of Iz either kicking him under the table or grabbing his nuts.

I shook my head. “It’s complicated.”

“It shouldn’t have to be,” Iz finally spoke up, abandoning her attempt to avoid an uncomfortable topic. “Do you want me to talk to her?”

“Nah. I think I can handle it, thanks. I just need to work some things out first.” I couldn’t talk to LJ about everything here. There was no time, and too many people. Waiting until we were back on Stockton Estate was the best option. Plus it gave me time to think about what to say and how to say it without getting punched, or worse, killing whatever was happening between us.

I looked back toward Emily’s table. Adam and Ryan kept tilting their heads, stealing glances of LJ. Emily looked at me once and I wondered if she was feeding info about LJ to her masters in order to gain more favor inside the group.

A while later, Adam and Ryan stood up and weaved around the tables, heading toward LJ.

Shit. They picked one hell of a day to notice her.

She glanced up at the clock on the wall and caught sight of their approach. Her face dropped back to her book in a last attempt to shut them out. It didn’t work. They pulled seats up beside her and started talking. That’s when Emily got up, too.

“Uh, Ben? What the hell is that about?” Izzy asked, watching LJ squirm in her chair.

“I don’t know, Iz.” My legs started to shake anxiously as I watched. I wanted to jump up and cut in, but I was the one who walked out on her on Sunday. She probably hated me.

Emily made her way over to them, carrying her jacket and purse.

I stood up when I noticed LJ stand. Her hands packed her books quickly, nervously. She needed an escape. I’d give her one.

“You going over there?” Spaz asked, standing beside me.

“It doesn’t look good, so yeah, I’m going,” I said without a backward glance as I started to walk.

When I got to the table, LJ was making every effort to leave, but Adam and Emily had her blocked in. LJ’s eyes met mine. Her brows lifted and her green eyes softened, but I could still see the pain I’d left behind them.

“What’s up, Benj?” Ryan said from his seat. He had made no effort to block LJ because Adam had done it for him. He was always the good cop in their sick scenarios. Emily, though, she wasn’t here to play any games. She wanted to squash LJ before anyone decided to bring her in, and I knew she’d do it in any way possible. Adam and Ryan knew that as well, they just didn’t care. At the very least they’d get to see a girl fight. Then, if Ryan still wanted to, he’d try to comfort LJ after. I knew their MO; I’d seen them work it before.

I tipped my chin to him with my jaw clenched. Then I looked at LJ. “You okay?”

“Just some headaches,” she quipped. I grinned even though I knew her joke was more than a simple way to burn them. Her eyes told me she was literally in pain.

“She’s fine, Shadows,” Adam interjected beside LJ. “Emily tells us that LJ’s going to be the new owner over at the Stockton Estate. Man, Shadows, you’re one lucky guy. I wish I could have a boss as fine as this.”

LJ glared at him. He lifted his hands to his chest mocking her, like she’d just shot him.

“Shut it, Fisk,” I replied. From my peripheral vision, I noticed Spaz and Iz walk up beside me. “LJ, you ready to go?” I asked. But when LJ shouldered her bag and went to scoot around the table, Emily stepped closer. “Move, Em,” I growled.

“Easy, Benj. We were just talking,” Ryan said, standing from his seat and shoving his hands into the pockets of his khaki shorts.

People at nearby tables started shifting their views and pulling their phones out. They felt the tension as much as we did and they wanted to be ready to record the chaos.

Emily stayed in front of LJ. “You know you really don’t belong here, right?” she whispered. “You should do yourself a favor and homeschool.”

LJ glared at Em, but didn’t say anything. She turned her body sideways to slide around the table, but Em snatched her arm and spun her around.

I moved forward, but LJ’s other hand shot back to me, pressing lightly on my chest to stop me. Then she thrust her other arm down, escaping Em’s grip.

“Ooh,” Adam said, swaying his wide body with excitement. “Things are heating up.”

The two girls stared at each other, but LJ spoke first, whispering as low as Emily had. “I’m giving you a chance to back up. If you think this is something I’ve never been involved with before, you’re sadly mistaken. You have no clue who I am. But I have a pretty good idea of who you are. So,
you
should do
yourself
a favor and get out of my way.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“I guess so, since that’s pretty much the same thing you’re doing to me.”

Emily flipped her long red hair from her shoulder. “Do you think I’m afraid of losing my stupid job? Simone still runs that place for now so there’s nothing you can do to me.”

“This has nothing to do with the job. Sure that might be an issue later, but what I’ve got on you may ruin your precious rep. So again, back the eff up.” LJ smirked at her and took a step toward me. I couldn’t help but to smile at her. This was the confidence I’d seen when we first met. I knew the headaches were probably killing her, yet she was able to contain it all and shut Em down with no problem. At least, I thought Em was shut down.

Em grabbed LJ again, egged on by a snide whisper from Adam beside her. LJ spun around, but this time she snatched the jacket from under Em’s arm. It wasn’t something I’d seen coming, neither had Em, or anyone else for that matter. I was expecting her to throw a punch.

“It’s still a little warm for this twill pea coat isn’t it, Emily?” LJ asked with a bright smile and a slight head tilt.

Emily sneered at her. “What are you going to do? Steal my jacket in front of everyone?”

“Just remember that you decided this when you chose not to leave me alone,” LJ said in a low voice.

Ryan watched, stunned along with the rest of the audience that had magically appeared. Not too many voices were floating around the cafeteria. Most people were focused on our discussion in the back corner, waiting for something to happen.

“Are you going to just let her take your coat, Em?” one of the cheerleaders shouted from a few tables away.

“Yeah, Em,” Adam jeered. “Don’t just let her take it.”

Emily reached out for the coat, but LJ pulled it away. “I have no intention of stealing this beautiful, Burberry twill pea coat,” LJ announced, louder than necessary, as she petted the jacket. It was like she was addressing the entire school. “Do you know why I wouldn’t want this wonderful coat, Emily?”

Emily glanced around at everyone, probably wondering if she was being pranked. She didn’t respond; she simply crossed her arms and waited.

“I don’t want this coat because I already
owned
it once,” LJ said.

Now everyone was glancing around, wondering what her words meant. The only person who wasn’t was Em. Her face turned as red as her hair and she stared at LJ with something more than anger.
Fear? Confusion?

“Yeah, that’s right!” LJ called out a little louder. “This Burberry is from
last season,
contrary to what you may have been told and …” she paused, grabbing the bottom of the coat and ripping a stitch along its seam despite audible gasps from several surrounding females. She plucked something from the material and held it up. “This is my initial. ‘L’ for Lila. I stitched it in last year after
I
bought the coat from Saks in the Fashion Show Mall in Vegas. I sold this coat at the Mega Thrift for thirty bucks after I moved here a couple of weeks ago. She probably bought it for forty.” LJ threw the coat at Em, leaned toward her, and whispered, “I wonder how much you would’ve paid to lie about my double-breasted Chloé cape. I gave you a chance. Remember that because it won’t happen again.”