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He’s not entirely innocent, and I know I made a serious mistake. And now I can’t stop thinking about how he called me beautiful.

Micah leaves and I do my best to clean the fish guts he left behind. I wash my hands and lay back on the rock, severely annoyed by how quickly they attracted flies. The storm blows over, merely skirting me, but still kicks tiny drops of rain on my face before a hint of sun drops through a tiny hole in the clouds like a fan casting a streak of pink across the now boiling waters.

I can’t move yet, not until I can get my heart rate under control. I’m unsure how to face Maison after what I did. My heart and mind race with desire that I desperately try to control.

I was so into Micah that I almost had sex with him. How did I not know? How did I not feel it? I was blind to the fact that his hands were clearly not Maison’s. His touch, the flicker in his eyes, and how badly I wanted to put on a show for him.

He used my physical attraction to him to his advantage, to play with me and paw at me, as if I’m nothing but a ball on a string. But it was his comment about Maison that bugs me the most. Maison never held his brother responsible for what happened to Olivia—not like that, not in that way.

I rise and wipe the dirt off myself.

Enough is enough.

It’s time to have a real conversation with Maison. I need to know exactly what occurred between them and Olivia.

After this, I have a right to know.

It’s nearly dusk by the time I walk back, carefully stepping through the wet moss and rocks. Once I arrive close to camp, I stop in my tracks as voices cut through the woods. A female laugh echoes through the forest, and it’s not Naomi or Jade.

A rush hits me as I realize the others are here. Micah must have brought them back and didn’t think to mention it. As I approach, my eyes immediately draw to Maison, who is sitting in our spot with Serena. Her head is on his shoulder and his arms are around her, and I immediately suppress the jealousy that tightens my insides.

Friends. They are just good friends.

After what I just did, I can’t be upset with him. I watch him for a moment before anyone notices me. He’s smiling and looks alive. It’s nice to see him up and back to his regular self after two full days in bed—yet another clue it wasn’t his mouth I shoved my tongue inside.

Three rabbits hang from the string a few feet away near our cook site, evidence of their successful trapping today. That, with my fish, means we will eat well tonight. Micah is busy already tending to them, and pointedly ignores me, even though his eyes graze me as I walk up. He’s the only one who notices me as I hide among the thick woods, and he barely spares me a sidelong glance before going back to skinning whatever animal they had trapped earlier.

I’m cold and bitter, so I slide into my shelter unnoticed and change into sweats and Maison’s hockey sweater. Micah’s not the only one who can make a fucking point.

I finally join the others, walking in as casually as possible, even though tears burn the backs of my eyes.

Maison shifts when he sees me, as if he knows he’s being a bit too handsy with Serena. His eyebrows rise as I walk up, wrapping my arms around myself as a cool breeze hits my face. He knows something is wrong.

James, along with the others, is busy constructing two new shelters for the four newcomers. Nigel and Ezra sit to the side, engrossed in their own conversation yet again, and I suddenly feel like an outsider among this group—or rather, more than usual.

Naomi’s busy snapping pieces of wood for the fire, and her head whips up as I approach. Her eyes flicker and my heart tightens as she looks at Micah, then at me, and hands me two water bottles. “Micah needs you to fill these up from the river.” Her tone is flat.

Her eyes are electrifying, eyebrows arched, and lips tightly pressed. It’s a look I would give to someone if I suspected they had just hooked up with the guy I’m seeing.

She knows something happened—I can feel it. Our conversation, her warnings and threats, all of it in her eyes as she hands me the bottle.

I quickly snatch them from her. “Why doesn’t Micah tell me himself, then?”

With her hand on her hip, her brown eyes flash. “He told me to ask you when you got back. He’s obviously busy.”

Micah’s concentration on gutting the rabbits a few feet away is broken only by his occasional glance up at us. His face is stone cold.

I snap my gaze across the fire where Maison is still chatting with Serena. He’s watching me now. In fact, everyone’s looking at me, except for Micah. The daylight is fading quickly, so I twirl on my heels and head toward the river, happy I have an excuse to get out of there. I’m barely at the twist of trees when I hear Maison’s voice.

“London, baby, wait,” he calls out. I swallow and face him, a look of faint worry etched on his face as he runs his hands over my arms. “What’s wrong? Are you upset I was talking to Serena? I’ve told you many times that I’m not into her.”

I try to put out the image of Serena smiling, leaning into him, twirling her hair, or the fact this island would be easier for everyone if I wasn’t on it. He’d be with Serena, I’m sure of it. She’s a gorgeous brunette—not as pretty as Naomi, but pretty enough. They are both bright and shiny, and I’m just a dark cloud.

I shake my head. “No, it’s fine. I’m happy they’re here. Hopefully new people will brighten the mood.”

“Then what is it, baby?”

I press my lips together as tears form in my eyes. Instead of saying anything, I just fall into him. The weight of everything crushes me, and I can’t look at his beautiful face while feeling this guilty.