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“I don’t live in a dorm Hardin and I” I can barely finish my sentence “He convinced o”

“He didn’t,” Zed gasps

“He did He’s so beyondhe’s j-just” I stutter, unable to co word for his cruelty

“I didn’t knoas going this far I thought oncetheyou know, the proofhe’d be back to norht But then he disappeared He’s barely coht he showed up at the docks and was trying to get Jace and ree not to tell you He offered Jace a shitload of money to keep quiet”

“Money?” I say Hardin couldn’t be lower The space inside Zed’s truck grows s revelation

“Yeah Jace laughed it off, of course, and told Hardin he would keep his mouth shut”

“And you didn’t?” I ask, re Hardin’s busted knuckles and Zed’s face

“Not exactlyI told him that if he didn’t tell you soon, I would He didn’t like that idea, obviously,” he says, and waves at his face “If it makes you feel any better, I do think he cares about you”

“He doesn’t And if he does, it doesn’t ainst the

Every kiss and touch have been shared a Hardin’s friends, every moment on display My most intimate moments My only intimate moments aren’t mine at all

“Do you want to come back to my place? I don’t mean that in a pushy or creepy way I just have a couch you could stay on until youfigure things out,” he offers

“No No, thank you Can I use your phone, though? I need to call Landon”

Zed nods at the phone resting on the console, and for a s would be different if I hadn’t blown Zed off for Hardin after the bonfire I would never have made all of these mistakes

Landon answers on the second ring, and just like I kneould, he tells ht over Granted, I haven’t told hiive Zed Landon’s address, and he stays quiet for most of the drive across town

“He’s so going to co you anywhere but to him,” he finally says

“I would apologize for being in the uys did this to yourselves,” I say honestly I do pity Zed slightly, because I believe he had much better intentions than Hardin did, but ht now