AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His fingers on my chin tightened. “I can deal with that hate.”
“I think this was the longest conversation we’ve all had without one of us hitting each other,” River piped up. “Started off a little rocky, though.”
“Since we’re talking about the past, why don’t you speak up next, River?” West asked, his gaze going between River and me.
River clammed up. “Like you said earlier, this isn’t about me.”
“Are you going to ask Noah about what we told you?” West asked.
I got defensive. “Is there a reason I shouldn’t?”
“He didn’t tell you the truth the first time; what makes you think he will now?” Eli interjected.
I didn’t say anything. I had been planning to visit Noah this weekend, and I wondered how he’d react when I asked him about that night. He had never given me a reason to think he had been lying. It hurt my heart that my brother would lie.
I crossed my arms. “Are we done? I want to go home.”
“We’re done.” Eli stepped away from me. “I better not find out you know anything about what happened today, Kat.”
I scowled. “I already told you, I have no idea.”
West lowered the gun, and River ripped it from his grip. His joking manner was gone as he glared at West. “You touch my gun again, you’ll regret it.”
“It’s fine,” West drawled, not looking concerned. “I’ll bring my own next time.”
Eli and West didn’t move as I unlocked and pulled open the entrance door. My car was still off campus, so I began walking back to the house with River keeping my pace. My body trembled as the adrenaline wore off, and the reality of what I did to Eli was setting in. I hadn’t wanted them to realize that I had learned to defend myself.
“Where the hell did you learn to do that?” River asked, glancing at me. “You never liked to handle weapons. You looked like a natural with that knife.”
“Where did you get that gun?”
He laughed. “Point made.”
“I need a drink,” I muttered.
“They’re going to try and find out what you’ve been up to,” River said, turning serious. “They’re going to look for whoever helped you with that blog because that will be their first suspect. Then they’ll keep digging.”
“I took classes to protect myself against William.” It was only a half lie. I did do it to protect myself from the families. Just for a very different reason. “I knew I was coming home eventually, and I wanted to be ready.”
He shook his head. “I don’t believe that’s the whole story. And I doubt they will either. But good try.”
“What about you?” I shot back. “You seem to keep quiet about what you’ve been up to. Does wherever you got that gun have anything to do with how you fucked me over?”
“Some things are better left in the past.”
“Not when I don’t know why you did it.”
“Let it go, Kat.” His serious frown had me swallowing my next words. He was as tight-lipped as me. Which meant I wasn’t the only one carrying a secret.
“Do you believe them?” River asked quietly. “About Noah?”
“I don’t know.” But I planned to find out when I visited my brother. I’d add that to the list of things I needed to do.
Since Richard and William were allowing me to help with the business, I had one foot in the door to start making a list of evidence. But one bogus business wouldn’t be enough to free Noah. I’d need more. Maybe that burlesque club had paperwork I could look through. It was important for them to talk business there.
Whatever I did, I’d have to be even more careful. The three of them were only more suspicious now.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE
