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“Why’d you take it?”
“That would fall under none of your business.”
“What did he do to make you hate him?”
I gritted my teeth at his questions. I wasn’t surprised; I’d been waiting for him to bring it all up. He wasn’t one to be left in the dark. He hated secrets and would do whatever was needed to figure things out. Out of the three of them, I was worried most about Eli discovering what I was doing with James. If he even had a hint, he wouldn’t stop until he found everything out.
“I saw him five years ago.” My words made his steps falter for a second. “He screwed me over, and then I left.”
“What did he do?”
I hesitated, not wanting to delve into the past. But I’d rather his brain be filled with what happened between River and me than what I was really doing. We turned a corner, and my house came into view. Eli grabbed my arm and pushed me up against a tree, clearly wanting my story before we got interrupted.
“What did he do, Kat?” he repeated the question, his gaze not leaving me.
“I was going to get Noah out. And my mom,” I muttered, realizing this was the first time I’d ever told someone this. “That year, I was at a private school right outside Detroit. We played basketball against one of the public schools, and there was River, on the boys’ team of that school.”
Eli’s eyes widened. “What school?”
“I don’t remember. Some local school in Detroit.”
“He was in Detroit this entire time?”
“I have no idea. I only saw him for a few weeks.” When I first saw River, I was ecstatic to have someone I knew near me. “After everything happened, William sent me out of Michigan.”
“What did you do?”
I swallowed. “My mom and William came to visit me. At least I thought that’s why they came. Until I eavesdropped on one of William’s conversations. He was meeting with one of the gang bosses in Detroit. Did you know they do business with them?”
Eli’s face was unreadable when he answered. “Yes.”
“I heard everything,” I said bitterly. “I knew where they were going to meet. What they were doing. It would have sent William away for life. And the gang members that were there too. But I didn’t care. It would have gotten William out of our lives.”
I took a shaky breath, glancing around. I didn’t want to tell this story anymore. It had been a dreadful night that turned the entire next year into a nightmare. Eli must have realized I was about to run because he brought his arms up and pressed them next to my head, caging me against the tree.
“Tell me the rest,” he demanded. “You’re not leaving until you do.”
I frowned, knowing he wouldn’t leave me alone until I told him all of it. Crossing my arms, I tried to relax.
“After I overheard William, the first person I told was River. I explained that I was going to tell the police about their meeting. It would have been a huge bust for them—”
“And if the cops you told were dirty?” Eli cut in.
I shook my head. “I didn’t think that far. I just knew it was the only time to get to William. He wasn’t in Braidwood, where he was protected. It was my only chance.”
“What did River do?”
“I was in my dorm, anxious to see if it worked. I had called the police earlier that day and told them everything. They seemed eager about the information I gave them, and I was sure they were going to make the arrests.” I bit my lip, my body going tight with anger as I relived that night. “An hour later, River walked through my door. With William right behind him.”
Shock lined Eli’s features. “River sold you out?”
“Of all people, you choose to tell him?”
Eli and I looked to the side to see River staring at us. Pain and trouble saturated his gaze as he glanced at me. Rage bubbled through me as I ducked under Eli’s arm, only for him to yank me back.
“Her story sounds similar to what you did to West and me,” Eli murmured, keeping me in his arms as he faced River. “Is there a reason you chose to fuck over every person you called a best friend?”
“If there was a reason, I really don’t feel like sharing it with you,” River snapped, losing his laid-back demeanor for the first time since I’d been back. “But I do need to talk to Kat.”
