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Garrett growled, but didn’t contradict him.
I could see in Devan’s eyes that he meant it, but at the same time, I didn’t know what was holding them back, and when ‘as soon as we can’ would be. Never, at the rate we were going.
I huffed. “Look, can you at least—”
But my words were cut off by a harsh ringing sound, and I pulled my phone out of my pocket. It was Nora.
“Hey girl,” she said when I answered. “Just checking to see if you were going to need a ride back to campus. I’m at the airport now.”
“No, it’s okay,” I told her. “I got a ride already. How was Spain?”
“It was amaaaaazing,” she drawled, then launched into an excited description of her trip. I cradled the phone to my ear, half tuning her out as I looked around the tense circle of guys. They were trading glances between them, as if holding silent arguments through their eyes alone. I couldn’t tell who was winning.
“Oh, hey, listen,” Nora interrupted herself, dragging my attention back to the phone. “I was supposed to be back by now and I told Frank I’d help her move some boxes down at the auditorium. The performance is coming up and we’re supposed to get one of the practice rooms cleared out tonight. If you’re already on campus, can you help her ’til I get there? It shouldn’t take long.”
“Of course,” I told her. “I’ll head over there now.”
“You’re the best,” she said exuberantly. “I’ll be back soon, and then I’ll tell you allllll about Spain.” Considering she’d spent the last few minutes doing exactly that, I could only laugh, and we said goodbye and hung up.
“I have to go help Frank at the auditorium,” I told the guys, pushing to my feet.
Micah eyed me skeptically. “With that arm?”
Oh, right. I’d forgotten. Shit.
Devan used the wall to help lever himself up and came to stand next to me. “I’ll come along and help out. We can talk some more on the way.”
“Devan,” Garrett growled in a warning voice, but Devan rolled his eyes.
“Chill, man. I know what’s at stake just as well as you do. We’re only going to talk, okay?”
36
“I know this must seem like a lot of bullshit to you, huh, Millie?” Devan said as we walked side by side down the path toward the auditorium.
“Honestly, yeah, it really does,” I told him.
He took hold of my good hand and tugged me to a halt. It was dark out already, but the pathway to the auditorium was lit at intervals with elaborate wrought-iron light posts that cast warm circles of yellow light down onto the pavement. We stopped under one, and he perched on the edge of a nearby bench, pulling me to sit next to him. It was freezing cold out, but I was bundled up, and I pulled the end of my scarf tight around my neck.
“So, now that we’re out of the room, are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?” I asked.
Devan’s face was serious when he turned toward me. “No. But rather than shut you out, I’m going to tell you what I can.”
I blew out a breath, watching it puff in front of my face. Okay, that was promising, at least.
“The first thing you need to know,” he started, “is that when Garrett says it’s not our place to tell you anything, he doesn’t mean that out of some misplaced sense of honor. There’s a lot at risk, and there are some secrets we simply can’t share.”
“I’m not asking you to tell me your secrets,” I protested. “I just need to know why people are threatening me, why I’m at risk.”
He gave me a sad smile that didn’t reach his eyes and took my hand in his, gripping it tightly. His skin was dry and warm against mine, and I shivered at the touch. I was mad and confused, but I found myself no less affected by his proximity.
“What if it was all part of the same secret?” he said in a low voice, and I blinked.
“How is that possible?” I asked, my eyebrows drawing together. “I only just met you guys when I came here at the beginning of the semester. That guy was looking for me in California.”
Devan gave a one-shouldered shrug. “I know this isn’t fair, and we haven’t exactly given you reason to, but I want you to know that you can trust us. We will keep you safe.” His pale eyes were sincere. “And I promise, this isn’t forever. If you can trust us a little longer, we’ll be able to tell you everything.” He was quiet for a moment, then cast me a sidelong glance. “But if you want to know more right now…you really should talk to your aunt.”
“My aunt?” I asked, glancing at him sharply. “What does she have to do with this?”
