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“Let her go,” Derek growled. “I’m about to call the cops.”
I scoffed. “Go right ahead.”
Fear smothered Everly’s eyes as she pulled away from me and faced Derek. “Don’t. It’s fine, Derek.”
He gaped at her. “Fine? They took Katie—”
“Everly,” I cut him off, growing tired of this conversation, “do you remember the girl we used to talk about? The one who grew up with us and then left?”
She turned back toward me, curiosity replacing her fear. “Yes, I remember. West talked about her constantly because he had no idea where she went. I didn’t start coming to Braidwood until after she left.”
I nodded. “You remember her name?”
Derek stayed silent as Everly thought about it for a few moments. The second she made the connection, her eyes went wide.
“Kat,” she finally mumbled. “You all called her Kat.”
“Pretty close to Katie, don’t you think?”
“Katie is from Braidwood?” Everly asked in disbelief. “No, that’s not possible. She’s been going to school here for the last three years. West tried leaving for college and his parents wouldn’t let him.”
“Yeah. Sucks for him.” I shrugged. “Kat and I were able to leave. But that’s done. We’ll both be going to Braidwood University this year. You’re going to have to find another roommate. Sorry.”
“What’s so important about Braidwood?” Derek asked, distrust written all over his face.
“It’s a city on the west side of the state,” Everly explained, tightly. “I have family there. It’s a very…traditional city.”
I snorted. “That’s one way to describe it.”
“She never told me,” Everly muttered.
“She didn’t tell anyone.” Checking my watch, I groaned when I saw I’d only been here forty minutes. I was not staying in this apartment for another two hours. “I’m sure she’ll explain it all the next time you talk to her, since her secret is out now. Someone will be here tomorrow to get the rest of her stuff.”
I strode across the living room toward the door, but a hand clamped down on my shoulder before I made it halfway. Turning my head slowly, I glanced at the hand as I went rigid.
“You’re not leaving until I call Katie and hear from her that she’s okay.” Derek’s hold tightened as he spoke.
I slid my hand into my suit jacket pocket, revealing what was in my grip. “That will be hard, seeing as I have her phone. But don’t worry, I’ll pass on the message the next time I see her.”
“Let him go, Derek,” Everly told him quietly. “She’ll call us when she gets a chance.”
“No. This is all fucked up. He can’t just leave—”
He grimaced when I bent his finger back that had been on my shoulder. Keeping my grip on him, I turned around, facing him. I applied a bit more pressure, blocking his hit with my forearm before slamming my fist into his ribs. He hissed out a breath as I pushed him away from me.
“Try to stop me again and you’re going to end up with a concussion from being knocked out twice in the same night,” I warned him coldly. “It’s been a long couple of days, and my patience is officially gone.”
Derek glared daggers at me but was smart enough to keep his distance. I usually enjoyed messing with people more before getting to the threats. But I had too much on my mind at the moment. Without another word, I walked out the door as I texted my family’s driver where I’d be so he could pick me up.
This college wasn’t all that far from Detroit. Which was where I’d spent the last six years. I knew this area pretty well and remembered a bar I used to frequent that was a couple of miles away. As I walked down the sidewalk, I pulled Kat’s phone out of my pocket and stared at her lock screen. It was an old picture of her and her brother, Noah. Both were smiling big, and no one would have ever guessed their home life was hell. She did whatever she could to protect him. Until she left town.
After everything that happened two years ago, I understood why she hated Eli and West. She despised me for a completely different reason. And it was justified because what I did was a shit thing to do. Unfortunately, even after leaving Braidwood, my free will was nonexistent. I didn’t have a choice.
But if she thought I was leaving her alone, she had another thing coming. The four of us were stuck together again, and I could only watch my back against Eli and West for so long. I needed her help with certain things. There was a reason I came back to Braidwood, and it wasn’t to make nice with my ex best friends.
If I could convince Kat to play nice with me, it would make both our lives easier this year. If not, I was sure it would be fun trying.
CHAPTERSEVEN
