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“Shut up,” West snapped.
Eli still hadn’t said a word. Or moved. His fast breathing was the only outward sign that he was nervous. His face was unreadable as he kept his gaze locked on mine.
“I told you I wasn’t the same fragile girl I used to be the night you dragged me back here,” I murmured. “I promised myself I would never live my life in terror again. Back then, that was directed at William. But it applies to you now too. I will not run scared. Especially for something I didn’t do.”
Eli stayed quiet, a muscle in his jaw ticking. With my free hand, I trailed it over his chest and slid my finger under the silver chain he had around his neck. He moved so fast, I nearly jerked the blade into him. He grabbed my wrist, tugging it away from his chest. My grip on the knife tightened as I kept it against his throat.
“I believe you. That you didn’t do it,” Eli hissed, his anger still evident. “But that means someone else is trying to finish what you started.”
His fingers stayed around my wrist as I spoke. “It has nothing to do with me. So leave me out of it. Actually, all three of you can leave me alone, unless it’s something I have to do for the family business.”
A gleam brightened Eli’s gaze. “Leave you alone?”
“That’s what I said,” I gritted out, trying to get a read on his thoughts.
“We never thought you were weak, Kat.” His words had me narrowing my eyes. “And this new side of you? It makes me wonder what else you haven’t shown us. If you look at the other two guys in this room, I bet they’re just as curious as I am.”
I didn’t need to glance at West or River to know Eli’s words were the truth. This was exactly why I’d been keeping quiet. I didn’t want them digging around and questioning what I’d been up to for the last six months. If they made any connection between me and the state police, I was in major trouble. Especially after what had happened to Eli today. Then they’d never believe I had nothing to do with it.
But as I witnessed a tiny amount of respect in Eli’s eyes, I decided it was worth it. I wanted them to know they couldn’t keep pushing me around. I just hadn’t figured out whether this would make my life easier or harder as I tried to get what James needed.
“Well, I think this new side of you is fucking hot,” River chimed in. “And if the tent in West’s jeans is any indication, he thinks so too.”
“Jesus,” West muttered. “Shut the hell up.”
Eli kept my attention from drifting to them when he circled his thumb on the skin of my wrist as he held it. Goosebumps ran up my arms, and I kept the knife steady on his neck.
“You can’t have it both ways,” he said, the edge in his voice not gone, but softer. “You can’t be left alone if you want to be included in the family business. You want to be a part of that, we come with it. Same goes for basketball. There’s no getting away from us, Kat.”
I frowned. “You will not treat me how you’ve been.”
“Believe me,” he chuckled, “now that I know you can fight and use a knife, things will definitely not be the same.”
I couldn’t tell if that was a threat or a compliment but knew it was as good as I was getting when it came from Eli. He let go of my wrist, signaling that this was the end of the conversation. After a few moments, I lifted the knife from him and almost expected him to grab me again. But he didn’t move as I slid off him and jumped to my feet.
“I think there’s something you should know—”
Eli cut West off with a glare. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does,” West snapped, stealing a glance at the knife in my hand. “And I’d rather not worry about her stabbing us in our sleep.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked as I looked between them.
River looked just as confused as he tried to stand until West shoved him back into the chair, keeping the gun on him. Eli leaned against the bar counter, crossing his arms while his frown stayed directed at his best friend.
West hesitated. “I want to tell you about the night Noah got arrested.”
My heart dropped, not liking the change in conversation. “I’ve already heard the entire story.”
“I highly doubt that if you’re getting your facts from your brother,” Eli told me, giving in that we were talking about it.
“I’m not going to sit here and listen to you talk badly about him,” I snapped.
“We only want to tell you the facts,” West said quickly.
“That night, we were picking up cash to bring back to be laundered through the Blue Lounge. And picking up money that the gang owed us,” Eli said grudgingly, looking ready to be done with it. “Usually they bring it to us, but something happened to their driver. But when we got to the meetup site, they wanted to trade drugs instead of the money they owed us.”
My heart pounded. “I already know all this.”
