AllFreeNovel
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This place was huge, and like every other building on campus, it was all redone. Huge flatscreen TVs lined the walls, with every sports game that was on at the moment. The bar was in the middle of the room, with a bar counter wrapped in a rectangle around where the bartenders made drinks. Booths and tables were scattered in every available space to accommodate the busy weekends. Pool tables and dart boards were in the back. The music was quiet right now, but it would be blasting once the sun set.
“She’s in my psychology class,” Marissa said, following my gaze. “The one with the purple hair.”
My shoulders tensed. “Stay away from her.”
“Why?”
“She’s founding family.”
Her eyes widened. “Like you? No one has talked about her. You and those two other guys are known all over this place.”
I scoffed. “Yeah. She’s not using her real name at the moment. Not sure it’ll last much longer.”
“She seems nice.”
“She is.” I watched as Kat sat at a high-top table, making sure she had eyes on Eli and West. She hadn’t seen me yet. “But she’s stuck in the middle of a lot of shit. You need to stay far away from all of it.”
My gaze trailed down Kat’s body. She was wearing tight black jeans and a silver top that stuck to her like a second skin. Every one of her curves was accentuated, and heat rushed through my veins as she turned around. The two thin straps that crisscrossed were the only thing covering the skin of her back.
She was fucking gorgeous. And she’d never be mine. Not after what I’d done.
“I’m going to go,” Marissa said, standing up. “I’m not in the mood to pretend tonight.”
“Text me when you get to your dorm,” I told her.
With a roll of her eyes, she turned and left. I looked back at Kat, my pulse spiking when we locked gazes. She didn’t have to say anything for me to know what she was trying to tell me. Her annoyed frown was more than enough. She wanted me to leave her alone. After a few moments, she turned her attention back to her friends, and I sighed.
Standing up, I grabbed my beer and made my way to the bar. Plopping on the stool next to West, I got the bartender’s attention and ordered three shots. The second he heard my voice, West went rigid, and he faced me.
“What the fuck do you want?” he asked as Eli glanced over West’s shoulder at me.
“Hey, I’m trying to make peace,” I said, flashing a grin. “We’re all stuck here for the rest of our lives. I think it’s time to forget the past.”
I needed to gain their trust. Part of how I could keep Marissa safe had to do with the secrets of this city. I’d made a promise to her family, and I intended to keep it. Not that I really had a choice anyway. Seeing as I’d been gone for six years, I didn’t know shit. I’d already tried talking to my mom about it, but she was adamant about waiting until I graduated from college. She didn’t want me to bear the responsibility of this city until I absolutely had to. If only she knew what I’d been up to since I left Braidwood.
“You think your jokes can make us forget what happened?” Eli snapped.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured, growing serious. “I should have had your back that night. And I didn’t. It won’t happen again.”
“We’ll never trust you to have our backs again,” West said, his eyes growing dark with anger of the past. “Even next year. I think there’s a better chance of us including Kat in everything before you.”
All three of us glanced across the room at her. She was ignoring us, having a good time with her friends as she downed a second round of shots. The bartender brought the tequila I ordered, and I slid two of them down the counter. Eli scoffed and drank his beer while West shoved his glass back at me, spilling half the liquid onto the polished wood.
“If you guys can’t deal with me, then feel free to leave.” My patience with trying to be nice was wearing thin. They wanted nothing to do with me. And that was my fucking fault too. But I couldn’t go back and fix it. “I’m not planning on leaving any time soon.”
“Neither are we,” Eli muttered, his eyes not leaving the only girl at this school who wanted nothing to do with us. I leaned back in my seat and chuckled when I realized they were doing the same thing I was. Even on campus, I was wary of William finding a way to get to Kat. I’d been keeping an eye on her, and I knew they were too, since I’d been running into them fucking everywhere.
“You don’t think the threat against Noah is enough to keep him away from her?” I asked. They knew William better than I did.
“I think he’ll find someone else to do the dirty work so he can act like his hands stayed clean,” West answered, snatching back the drink I’d bought and swallowing it.
The music was turned up, and more people started coming until every chair and table was overflowing with drunk college students. Eli’s eyes darted around until they landed back on me as he scowled.
I shrugged. “If you didn’t want to sit near me, you should have gotten a table sooner.”
West turned away from me as he and Eli pushed me out of their conversation. Tapping my fingers to the song, I sipped my beer, watching as Kat lost her care about us being here with every drink she had. Her cheeks were flushed as she stood near her table, laughing about something her friend said.
“Can I have everyone’s attention please,” one of the bartenders announced over a microphone. “One special lady is getting the Wolves shot tonight. Please give it up for Katie White.”
