“Nope,” I pop the p sound.

“Take the damn beer,” Sebastian snarls.

Reaching out, I take the bottle and immediately tip it, letting the contents fall to the ground beside me. “Thanks, that was delicious,” I deadpan.

“Fucking hell,” Sebastian curses. “Come on, let’s go, I want to make sure everyone sees her with me.”

“Will I get to leave quicker if I ask people to form a circle and then just bend over? You can fuck me, shouting mine, mine, mine, then everyone will know,” I snark.

“Shut the fuck up, Starling.”

Miming zipping my lips, I focus my attention back on my cell and start to read, or at least I pretend to read while Sebastian guides me with his tight territorial grip on the back of my neck.

People stop us every few steps, greeting the guys like they’re the prodigal sons, returned to save the world. Sebastian introduces me to each person, but I don’t bother to engage with more than a tip of my chin, or a distracted “Hey” before I focus my attention back to my cell.

I know people are wondering who I am and why Sebastian is giving me so much attention, when I’m making it obvious I don’t want to be at the party or with these boys, but just like in high school, no one questions them. The guys bring me more drinks, but I tip them all away without taking a sip and in the end, they give up, staring at me with sad eyes and forlorn expressions.

All of a sudden, Sebastian’s grip on me loosens as a girl barrels into him, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him passionately. “Bastian, baby, I missed you, I missed all you guys,” Courtney says, in a breathy, lusty tone that makes me snort derisively.

“Courtney,” Sebastian says coolly, removing the limpet from his body and setting her down a few steps from us, before reaching for me and wrapping his palm back possessively around my nape.

“Starling, I’m surprised to see you here,” Court says tersely.

“Hmmm,” I agree noncommittally.

“Boys, you should come back to Harrington House with me, we could have fun, like we used to.”

“We’re good,” Hunter tells her dismissively.

Courtney scowls, then her gaze swings back to me. “It didn’t take you long to crawl back, you know they like to share, don’t you? Did you offer to whore yourself out for all of them? They won’t keep you, you were only ever a toy, they’ll use you, then discard you.”

“Here’s hoping,” I say, lifting my head and smiling widely.

“Starling,” Sebastian warns.

“What? You can parade me around and pretend we’re all happy or what the fuck ever, and strangers might believe it, but she knows the truth. She knows I left my mom, my home and my life and ran halfway across the country just to get away from you. There’s no point pretending with her. Court wants you, she’d make perfect arm candy. You could train her to be the perfect little robot you want and when you get fed up, you can pass her along to one of the others. I’m happy to step aside and leave you two lovebirds to it, in fact, I’ll just go.” I try to step away, but Sebastian snaps his hand out and catches my wrist, manacling it in his grip, as the others close in around us, forming a human cage around me.