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“I’m positive we won’t.” River crouched down and grabbed my purse.
“See you at dinner next week,” West said as they backed up. “This better not happen again. Or the next threat we carry out will be against your son. Understand?”
“Yes,” William ground out, shooting me a death glare.
“Let’s go, Kat,” Eli told me as he waited for me to follow. “We’re taking you home.”
I didn’t argue with him. I didn’t care how I got home, as long as I got away from William. River joined me in the back seat of the Escalade, while Eli and West got in the front. Surprise churned my stomach that River was riding with us. A mix of apprehension and relief swallowed me as I stared out the window.
The past hadn’t been wiped away because of what had just happened. I knew that. The guys didn’t trust me as much as I didn’t trust them. They’d try to get me to bow to their control in their own way. They could make my life hell. But I knew without a doubt that they’d never do what William had tried to do tonight.
Not that it mattered. Once I got the evidence James needed, I’d be out of this city for good. I only hoped it would be sooner rather than later.
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
Glancing in the rearview mirror,I clenched my jaw as I watched River stare at Kat with concern etched all over his face. I had no idea what had happened between them to make her hate him, but it was clear he didn’t share her feelings. Why the fuck was he in my car anyway? I should have left his ass with William.
I turned onto campus, glancing back again, and my anger increased when I noticed the red marks on her face from William touching her. I’d always known he was a piece of shit, but I never imagined he’d try drugging her.
When we came outside and saw what he was doing to her, our bickering halted. We didn’t need to speak a word before we reached her to know what we were going to do. For a split second, it felt like how it had been when we were kids. Protecting each other from the evils of our lives.
But that moment was done. Too much shit had happened for it to be like that again. And after what River had done to us, I didn’t trust him not to flip on us like he did six years ago. He threw away our friendship that night, and there was no going back.
“We need to make sure William doesn’t get her alone again,” West muttered. “I’m not sure he’ll leave her alone, even after what we threatened. His need for power is out of control.”
I nodded in agreement. William would try again. He’d get more creative about it to try and do it without us catching on, but I was positive he wasn’t going to stop.
“I’ll take first watch next Sunday,” River announced, showing West wasn’t as quiet as he thought. “Don’t worry, Kat. He won’t touch you again.”
“Let’s not act like this changes anything,” she snapped, her cold stare turning toward River. “You three stopped him because I’m not his problem—I’m yours. Those were your words, not mine.”
My grip on the steering wheel tightened as I parked in front of her house. I knew she was still reeling, and it was obvious she didn’t want to show weakness in front of us. After turning the car off, I twisted around to face her while West did the same.
“Would you rather us have let him go through with it?” I asked, causing her to focus her frigid hate onto me.
“What do you plan to do?” she asked, crossing her arms. “To keep me in line? To deal with me? All three of you spoke like you owned me. I can tell you right now, I’ll never cower to you either.”
“He needed to know it wasn’t his place,” West said, an edge to his voice. “Whether you like it or not, it’s us you have to deal with. Not our parents. Better get used to it.”
“West and I were the ones who stayed and dealt with everything,” I said quietly, shooting a glare at River. “Not you. Or him. After the shit you’ve done for the past two years, we don’t trust you. You didn’t even want to come back here.”
“I trust you, Kit-Kat,” River said with a grin. “We can be outcasts together.”
“Or how about we all be adults about this.” She raised an eyebrow. “And you two let me do what my family name allows me to. Which is have a seat at the table. I don’t need to like any of you to do that. We don’t need to be friends. Or get along. As long as this city runs smoothly, it doesn’t fucking matter.”
“It matters,” I told her. “Because I’m not spending my entire life being miserable and having to worry about you pulling some shit behind our back.”
“I’m not going to let you two control me my whole life,” she shot back.
“I don’t know what you two are arguing about,” River muttered with a shake of his head. “Our entire lives have been controlled. You think it’ll stop when we’re adults?”
“Our lives?” West asked, shooting him a dirty look. “You got out of this life years ago.”
“Yeah, well the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.” With those words, River pushed open his door and jumped out before looking back at Kat. “Don’t go to the Estate by yourself.”
She scowled. “I know.”
He nodded, slamming his door and walking away.
