Eden

“Holy shit, what are you doing here?”

I turn at the familiar, excited voice and give a shirtless Gabe an exasperated grin.

“Can’t a girl just kick back and have a little fun without the judgment?” I tease.

He chuckles, his long legs eating the distance between us.

“Sure, a regular girl can, but you’re not a regular girl, are you? You’re Mallory-Fucking-Ellis, slayer of dong and owner of bitches.”

I burst out laughing at the title, the last remnants of my earlier jealousy over Rosalind and Saint fading away as I do a little bow.

“Wow, I feel so honored.”

Gabe nods. “As you should. So, tell me … what’re you and Saint up to tonight? I didn’t expect to see either of you here.”

“Really? Me I understand, but Saint?”

He lifts his bare shoulders into a deep shrug. “He hasn’t been partying as much lately, and between you and me, things are still pretty icy between him and Liam.”

“Really?” I pretend to be surprised, but I’m not. I also don’t bother to mention that I’m the one that’s caused the rift between the two. Everyone in the school is already very aware of that fact. And yet, despite the rift, Liam still helped Saint with Jon Eric’s body.

Because they’re still friends?

Or because Saint has something he can use against Liam?

“So, what’s the party for?” I ask, attempting to change the subject to a safe topic.

Gabe gazes around the crowded room and makes a face.

“Just Liam blowing off some steam, I guess.”

Once again, I’m left frowning. What a strange answer.

“Mallory! I thought I saw you come in!”

Liam suddenly appears at my side and slings an arm around my shoulders. He’s clearly drunk—the stench of rum is coming off him in waves. His words slur slightly as he speaks, and he’s swaying on his feet, a big goofy smile on his face.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like this before, and it’s u

“Liam, you doing all right, buddy?” Gabe asks, surprising me with his concerned tone.

Liam waves his hand at his friend, as if trying to bat him away.

“Fucking fantastic, especially now that Mal’s here. Too bad you had to drag your fucker boyfriend along with you, although I don’t suppose that prick likes to let you wander too far without your leash, huh?”

My eyes nearly pop out of my head at his words. “Wow.”

“Fuck man,” Gabe says in a low hiss. “Don’t say shit like that.”

Liam gazes at his friend with wide, i

“What? Did I say something that wasn’t true?”

My cheeks are burning with embarrassment, but I try not to take his words personally. He’s drunk, after all, and not thinking straight. He’s also angry, and I can’t blame him for that.

“Come on,” he says, grabbing my wrist to tug me along with him. “I need to cool off.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Gabe says, jumping around me to reach Liam in an effort to stop him. “Saint will be back for her any minute, so maybe just leave her alone?”

Liam bares his teeth. “The fucker doesn’t own her. She can go wherever and talk to whoever she wants. Right, Mal?”

The irony of him defending my independence and then bossing me around isn’t lost on me.

Gabe opens his mouth to protest again, but I shake my head. “It’s okay. I’ll just go out real quick with him, try to calm him down, and then be back inside before Saint even knows I’ve gone anywhere. It’ll be fine.”

He appears hesitant, which is unsettling. I’ve never seen Gabe act like anything other than a certified class clown.

“All right,” he concedes at last. “Don’t linger out there with him too long, though. Drunk Liam is … unpredictable.”

I bob my head. “I’ve got him.”

I don’t tell him that I’ve taken care of my mom more times than I can count when she’s been high or trashed. I think I can handle a high school boy just fine.

Liam doesn’t release my wrist as he drags me away from Gabe and out the back to the pool. There are people playing in the water, and others ru

“All right, Liam,” I say as he continues to pull me forward. “Maybe we should take a seat somewhere and just relax?”

He ignores me, though, and continues tugging me closer and closer to the pool. I realize his intentions too late, and before I can stop him, he grabs me around the waist and lunges into the water. I scream, though I’m more startled than scared, but my voice is cut off as we’re submerged.

He releases me and I scramble for the surface, taking in a big gulp of air when I break through. Liam pops out of the water next to me, laughing.

“What the fuck, dude?” I gasp, splashing him.

He laughs harder. “Needed to get you in the partying spirit, Ellis. Fucking relax.”

I shake my head at him in disbelief as I tug my phone out the back pocket of my shorts and wiggle it in his face. Luckily, after my last one was decimated the night Angelle House burned down, I’d invested in a water and smash proof case. “There are so many other ways you could’ve done that, you know?”

He grins at me, then slides through the water until he’s treading right in front of me.

“This way is more fun than all the others,” he murmurs.

His shift in behavior leaves alarms blaring in my skull.

“Liam, we shouldn’t…” I swallow hard and move away from him. “I need to get back inside. Saint—”

“I’m so fucking sick of hearing about Saint.” His words are slurring badly now, and I start to really question his overall state of being. “I warned you about him, didn’t I? I said he ruins lives. He’ll drag us all down if we let him. You’re too good for him. Too…”

I put a hand against his chest and say in calm voice, “Liam, you’re really drunk. Maybe we should get you some water?”

“We’re surrounded by water.”

“Water you can drink,” I clarify.

A grin tugs at the corners of his lips. “That’s not what I want.”

Before I can respond, he moves closer, leaning his face toward mine, looking for all the world like he’s going to kiss me. I don’t have time to react, or time to get away. His lips draw closer and closer to mine, and I freeze.

“What the fuck is going on here?”

The sharp voice whips across the water to slice at me. I gasp and look to find Saint standing on the edge of the pool, glaring down at us. Liam pauses his advances on me and turns narrowed eyes up to his best friend.

“Can I help you with something?” he asks, his drunke

Saint ignores him and turns his frigid stare to me.

“We’re leaving. Get the fuck out of the water.”

“Stop telling her what to do.” Liam sneers. “Maybe she doesn’t want to leave with you?”

I do, though. I really, really do. I try to disentangle myself from Liam’s hold so I can swim to the edge of the pool.

“Mallory—” Liam starts in a strained voice.

“Get your hands off her before I break your fucking fingers,” Saint snaps down at him, his tone vicious. Before I can drag in a breath, Liam releases me as Saint continues, “Pull your shit together so you don’t fall apart like last time.”

I don’t know what that means, but it shuts Liam up. Reaching the side of the pool, I gaze up at Saint, who thrusts his hand down to me.

“Come on,” he says.

I stare at his long fingers for a brief moment and then reach up to accept them.