The boys were waiting for me in the waiting room, then they ushered me out of the ER and back to the cars. I had no idea what to say to them, and they apparently didn’t know what to say to me.

I got in the car because they told me to. When I didn’t buckle my seat belt, Cole reached over and did it for me. I had no idea why. Why should I care about keeping myself safe in the event of a car crash when Lucy had almost died tonight? Caleb sat beside me, holding my hand while I stared out the window at the world rushing past.

I had so many questions for Lucy’s doctors that I wasn’t able to vocalize. How long would she be in the coma? Would she have any aftereffects of the brain trauma? What if she could never speak again? What if she could never work her magic on the computers?

That didn’t even take into account the damage to her right wrist and hand. How would that affect her gadget creation? Fuck me, she lived for those inventions. Had knowing me cost her everything? She’d never forgive me.

I’d never forgive myself.

At some point I realized we’d arrived home because Caleb had my door open and unbuckled my seat belt. Then he tugged me out of the car and guided me inside. He didn’t slow until we reached Wesley’s bathroom.

While he messed with the tub, I stared out the picture window. How long had we been at the hospital? Then Caleb stood between me and the window, and his mouth moved.

What the hell did he want from me?

I looked past him to the bright blue butterfly flapping around the windowsill. It reminded me of Lucy’s awesome new hairdo since summer break. How she managed to get that color past our school headmaster was beyond me, but she always did have a way with people. Does. She does have a way with people. Fuck, she was not gone. She had to be fine. That was what the nurse said. Wasn’t it? A tear rolled down my face.

Fabric briefly obscured my view as Caleb began stripping me out of my clothes. The butterfly disappeared, and then Caleb lifted me into the hot, foamy water.

My limited attention shifted to the softly moving bubbles. Caleb crouched beside the bath, an expression of anguish on his face. What did he have to be so upset about? It wasn’t like he even knew Lucy. Not really. Ugh, he continued talking, and it distracted me from my inspection of the bubbles.

“Get out,” I croaked.

“Kitty Kat! Hey! I was—”

“Get. Out,” I repeated, forcefully. Lucy was my fault, but the boys weren’t without blame.

Hurt creased his features, but I didn’t care. They’d betrayed me by going behind my back on a choice that was mine and mine alone. Eventually he stood and left. The warm bath must have thawed me some because I could hear the quiet exchange between Caleb and one of the other guys just outside the bathroom door. A moment later it opened again, admitting Wesley.

“Kit, um... Caleb thought maybe it’s best not to leave you alone, but I understand why you maybe don’t want to see any of us...” His mouth twisted downward, and he shuffled his feet. “Would you be okay with me hanging out with you for a bit? We don’t have to talk.”

I dragged my gaze from the bubbles to his face and stared for a long time. I didn’t get them. None of them. Wesley least of all.

“Aren’t you worried?” I asked suddenly.

He flushed, his face crimson. “About ahh..?” He couldn’t seem to finish the question and settled for pointing at me in the bathtub.

I didn’t give a damn if he saw me naked. “About your family. Grant and your mother.”

Strangely, he looked relieved rather than concerned. Venturing into the bathroom, he closed the door behind him. Finally, he settled into the same spot he’d sat in when I bathed the last time.

“Um, no?” He sounded confused. “Why would I be?”

“That bitch threatened them. She said if I don’t turn myself in that she will go after your loved ones. You said your little brother was in a wheelchair... what if…?” My voice hitched, and the tears threatened again. It was bad enough I had Lucy on my conscience. I couldn’t fathom it happening to other innocents.

“Oh that.” Wesley nodded, but he still didn’t sound concerned. “No, I’m not worried. She was bluffing. We all got new surnames and histories when we joined Omega Group. There is no way of connecting our families back to us. Even if she had somehow worked it out, which I promise you she hasn’t, I have all sorts of alerts and cameras set up so I know they’re safe.”

“What about the others?” No one could be totally safe.

“Um, well, I guess they won’t mind me saying too much under the circumstances...” he spoke to himself thoughtfully. “River, I think he already told you, has no remaining family. The twins lost their parents and older brother in a plane crash when they were little. They grew up with an aunt, but there is definitely no love lost there. Cole...” He paused, his mouth twisting slightly. “Cole lost his mother when he was twelve. As for loved ones, they’re all here in this house.”

I considered his words. Despite Wesley’s objections, I still didn’t believe Dupree had been bluffing. Wesley’s little brother seemed like the most obvious target, but it could be anyone. I found it unlikely that the other four men in the house had literally no one else they cared about.

“Come on,” Wesley said, rising and grabbing a massive towel. “Your water is probably getting cold, and you’re running out of bubbles.”

He held the towel out and politely averted his gaze, his cheeks flaming. My bubble cover was sparse at best. Standing, I took the towel from him and wrapped it around me before stepping out of the tub. Someone had brought in a change of clothes for me at some point. Probably a good idea since all my other clothes had been drenched in blood.

“You can, um, sleep in my bed if you want? I know you’re still pretty pissed at everyone... I can go sleep on the couch or something.” His awkwardness made it impossible to stay mad at him.

I was too tired to be angry. “Don’t; your bed is big enough. We can share.”