AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, they did,” Eli cut me off. “But by then, we had already changed your contact info, so it all went to me.”
My arms fell from my chest before I gripped the back of the couch as the room spun. If I wasn’t going to college, William would drag me back home in a heartbeat. My eyes shot to West when I remembered who the girls’ coach was at Braidwood was.
“I know your uncle. He’s more serious about the game than anyone. He wouldn’t have just let me on the team. Even if you asked.”
“True,” West mused. “But he showed up just in time to watch you play against us at the tournament the other night. When he saw a girl beat the two best players on the guys’ team, he wanted you on the team immediately. Then he found out who you really were, and it was a done deal. You know there’s been a spot at Braidwood for you ever since freshman year. Be lucky we were nice enough to get you on the team.”
River rolled his eyes. “That’s why you let us win. Assholes.”
“You can’t do this,” I choked out, not ready to believe my freedom was gone.
“It’s already done.” Eli checked his watch. “You’re expected to be on campus in Braidwood tomorrow, before classes start in two days.”
“After the shit you put us through the last two years, I hope you’re ready for some payback.”
I glared daggers at West, not letting his words get to me. There was only so much they could do before our parents stepped in. I was still part of a founding family. There were rules they had to follow.
Eli stepped forward. “Now, you have two choices. We can bring you to Braidwood tonight. Or you’ll be picked up tomorrow morning. Honestly, we’re doing you a favor.”
Forcing out a laugh, I shook my head. “How’s that?”
“Because guess who’s willing to drive three hours to come get you?” River asked with a pointed look.
I swallowed. “William.”
West nodded. “Pick your poison, Kat. Us or him.”
Running my hands through my hair, I tried clearing my head to debate my options. I hadn’t been in a room with William more than a handful of times since I was thirteen. Phone calls had been more than enough. I would rather deal with them than him. There was no getting away from it. I didn’t have money to leave on my own. They’d never let me get far anyway.
I couldn’t leave tonight. There were things I needed to deal with before I went back to Braidwood, where I’d be watched. All the planning I’d been doing for the last year was swirling around the drain. I couldn’t just let it all go. I needed the night to try and salvage it.
“Him.”
River frowned, obviously expecting me to choose differently. Both Eli and West were studying me, trying to figure out why I’d risk seeing William again. All three of them knew my stepfather treated me like shit. He got high on my pain like my mother did with her drugs.
“Wrong answer.” Eli crossed the small room and was on me before he even finished talking. He flipped me over his shoulder before heading straight for the door.
“Let me go,” I snapped, pounding my fists on his back. “I want to say bye to my friends. And pack my own stuff up. You gave me a choice.”
“Only because we thought you’d choose differently.” Eli’s grip on my thighs tightened. “Keep fighting, Kat, and I’ll follow through and break your friend’s hand.”
I stilled, craning my neck to glare at West and River. “Can one of you at least grab my phone out of my room?”
River’s grin grew wide. “If you say please.”
Knowing I needed my phone to try and get out of this mess, I swallowed what I really wanted to say. “Please.”
“It’s going to be an interesting year,” West muttered as he followed us, grabbing my shirt before he walked out the door.
“I’m not the scared little girl you used to know,” I warned as Eli threw me into the back seat of a black Escalade. “Don’t think I’m going to sit down and let you take your revenge without fighting back. You both deserve worse than what I did.”
“That wasn’t our fault,” Eli snarled, pushing me into the middle of the seat and sliding next to me.
“You were supposed to take care of him. Instead, you threw him to the wolves.” I scooted to the other side of the car and faced Eli. “You think bringing me back will fucking break me? Now that I’m back, I can make you really pay for what you did.”
West snickered as he tossed me my shirt. “I’m excited to see you try, Kat.”
He began backing out of the parking lot, and I peered through the back window to see River racing down the apartment stairs. Once West straightened out the wheel, he sped up, heading for the road.
