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Jealous. She’s jealous Micah didn’t go back to her last night; instead, he was too busy digging his fingers into my hipbone.

Jade walks over to our supply area and hands me an apple—the last apple. My mouth waters looking at it. Jade takes a bite of it and gives it to me. “Micah says we can eat this, but we have to share it.” I take it and savour every juicy drip before handing it over to Naomi, who finishes it. It takes every ounce of willpower not to tear that apple straight out of her fingers.

She rolls her eyes as I glare at her after her final bite. “What?” she says to both of us. “If it weren’t for Micah and me trapping, you wouldn’t have meat to eat.”

Micah, Micah, Micah—all they talk about is Micah.

My attention darts to the stockpile of food, all that fat and protein stored up in those cans. Given my size, one can of beans would sustain me for a week. Instead, we live off whatever dried up disgusting meat we rip off the bones of rodents. That is all Micah allows us.

Naomi tosses the core into the fire. “We need to fish and contribute.”

The fish haven’t been biting the last couple of days, which caused everyone’s sour mood. Even Maison hasn’t caught anything, and he’s the best fisher here.

I have no desire to wade into the cold water today, especially with Naomi and the bone-chilling rain last night. So I grab my backpack with my journal and a bottle of water tucked inside. “I’m going to pick berries,” I inform them.

Jade sighs beside me. “London, don’t be like that.”

“Let her sulk,” Naomi snips, crossing her arms. “Are you coming with me, Jade?”

The two of them are best friends now, apparently. It won’t last long, especially with Serena returning soon. The plan is to check if James is fit for the trip. I’ll be happy to see James again—he’s the only other male on this island I can stand.

Jade gives me a sympathetic look before they stroll off to the water’s edge, leaving me alone. At least now I don’t have to hear Micah’s name every two minutes. He needs to leave my head. I won’t be alone with Micah if he behaves like that again. The games, the fire in his eyes, I’m pretty sure he’s out of his damn mind. He knows Maison and I are getting closer, so his hands shouldn’t have been on me.

I walk along the edge of the lake toward my hidden spot through the speckled forest. During the past few days, the foliage has turned, the tips of bushes bleeding reds and yellows. I saw fresh berries near where Micah and Naomi were hunting, so I go in that direction.

A couple of hours go by, and I forage all the berries I can. I can’t identify the type, but they are orange and look like raspberries. I’m not sure if they are edible, so I don’t dare eat them. I’ll wait for Micah to inspect them and give his approval. I move onto searching for wood, making my way closer to the camp. I don’t want the girls to stumble upon my cove.

A twig snaps, and Naomi walks into view through the shrubs. She’s changed into a warmer sweater, her hair pulled back, and her green eyes are dark as she takes me in. Jade is not with her. “Stay away from Micah, London.” Her voice is threatening, and I realize she was lurking in the shadows, stalking me.

I tuck in my bottom lip as my mouth dries. “I’m not interested in Micah.”

She scoffs and crosses her arms. “That’s what she said, too, before she sunk her claws into him and ruined his life.”

Olivia, the elusive fucking ghost people keep comparing me to. It’s like she’s haunting me, warning me from her grave.

Don’t get involved with these twins…

Either that or she’s a jealous spirit, trying to keep me away.

“I’m with Maison,” I say cooly, as if she didn’t know.

The laugh that comes out of her is ugly, almost guttural. Nothing like the pretty faced girl I see in front of me. “For now.” Her jaw clenches and she steps toward me, inching ever so forward. “Maison has the attention span of a puppy. He’ll lose interest in you as soon as Serena gets back. He always goes back to Serena. They’ve been best friends forever. You’re nothing but a distraction for him, and you aren’t special. Maison’s the biggest slut in New Ocean, London.”

My chest caves at those words. “That’s not true. Maison told me he isn’t into her that way,” I tell her. And I believe him. I trust him more than Naomi.

Her face turns cruel. “Micah and Maison both seem to have a thing for damaged girls, but I won’t sit by and watch another girl destroy them again. So, hear my warnings, London. I can’t do much about Maison because he seems into you, but stay away from Micah.”

I bristle at her words. Damaged. Is that what I am? I shudder at the truth of that statement.

“Get out of my way, Naomi,” I say, trying my best to ignore her harshness. I am not Olivia, but I can’t stop the burning in the pit of my stomach. Nigel’s heinous words hit me. Last night, Micah made a subtle play on me, just as Nigel predicted he would. Is that how it started with Olivia? He’s jealous of his brother’s happiness, so he watched her, stared at her under his dark hood, then touched her when he thought no one was looking?

Similar to how Chris was with me.

This is the reason I took this assignment to begin with—shitty male behavior.

No. That makes no sense. Naomi is gorgeous—even if she plays games with Ezra, too. Micah has no rational motive to touch, watch, or want me. Something deeper happened between them all, and for some reason, I remind them of her. Damaged might be accurate.

Everyone on this fucking island is damaged.