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He strode around the table, his face going dark. I scrambled away, deciding I was finished with this. I never should have given him a moment of my weakness when he first came in here. Rushing to the door, I ripped it open, only for his palm to slam against it. His chest hit my back as he pushed the door shut again.
“Aren’t you tired of running?” he murmured. “Or do you just like us chasing you?”
I swallowed, hearing the change in his voice. I knew what he was doing. He couldn’t get me to be honest by talking, so he was switching tactics. Letting a grin grow on my face, I spun around, meeting his gaze.
“Chase me all you want.” I slid my pocketknife out of my pocket. “Maybe sometimes you’ll even catch me. But you’ll never keep me. No one will in this city.”
He tensed when my blade touched his stomach. I’d been bringing it with me any time I came to the Estate. There was no way I was giving William another chance to corner me like he had before.
“Want to know what I’m hiding, West? I learned nine years ago that there’s a whole world outside this town. One where people don’t care what my last name is. I had my own life. And someday, I’ll have it again.”
“You’re trying to leave Braidwood?” he asked in disbelief.
“Not now. I’m not stupid enough to try with William breathing down my neck,” I lied. “But I can promise that I won’t be forced into a marriage. I won’t live like my mother. Or even River’s mom. This city isn’t kind to women, and I have no plan to fall victim to it.”
“You think they’ll let you just leave?”
“By the time I get it all sorted out, it won’t be them in charge.” I trailed the knife over his stomach. “It’ll be you and Eli. And River. Are you three going to hold me hostage here?”
He didn’t answer. His eyes narrowed as he studied me. It was all bullshit. By the time we graduated, I’d be long gone. But this would keep their suspicion sated for now, while I got what I needed. I knew the second West left here, he’d tell Eli. I’d rather have them think I had a far out plan than what I was doing right now.
Muffled voices came from outside, causing West to back away. I chuckled, putting my knife back in my pocket. I highly doubted the three of them were going to leave me alone, but after the conversation in Richard’s office, they’d keep their distance when we were anywhere in public.
“If they find out what you’re planning, the freedom you have now will be gone,” he muttered as I opened the door.
“You said you wanted to help me.” I walked outside without looking back. “If that’s true, then you and Eli will keep this to yourselves. And if you don’t, then that will only prove why I can never stay in a city with people who don’t have my back.”
CHAPTERTHIRTY
“This better not take all damnnight,” I muttered, knocking on West and Eli’s door. It had already been a shit day after the conversation we’d had in Richard’s office. I went looking for Kat after but couldn’t find her anywhere. By the time I’d gotten outside, her car was gone and wasn’t back at her house when I got on campus.
West pulled open the door, stepping to the side to let me in. Eli was on his bed, and he tossed his phone down, standing when I walked into their room. The door clicked shut behind me, and I didn’t miss the sound of West locking it. Tension filled the room, and I bit my tongue, realizing this wasn’t going to be the conversation I had been expecting.
“You wanted to talk about what Richard said today.” I crossed my arms and leaned against West’s desk, keeping them both in my sights. “But now I get the feeling that was bullshit. What do you want?”
“We want to know what you were up to in Detroit,” Eli answered.
My gaze darted to West, who stayed in front of the door. “Why so curious all of a sudden?”
“We’ve been wondering since you got back.” West inched closer. “But after you went to Detroit with Eli, we decided it’s time for you to come clean. We’re in business with Cole. You have history with him. We want to know what it is.”
I kept my arms across my chest as I shifted, preparing for one of them to come at me. I’d been waiting for them to try something like this, but I had to admit, I hadn’t expected it today. Eli stared at me, giving me a chance to come clean. I shot him a grin before pushing off the desk.
“It doesn’t concern you,” I stated, stopping in front of West. “I have things to do. Get the fuck out of my way.”
“Not happening, River,” West murmured. “We gave you months to tell us. It’s not a choice anymore.”
Tension coiled in my gut when I saw Eli out of the corner of my eye, moving stealthily closer behind me. They weren’t going to let me leave until they got what they wanted. Something I couldn’t tell them.
“Last chance.” West didn’t hide the threat when he spoke this time.
“You think you two scare me?” I mocked, letting my eyes go cold. “You’re nothing compared to the people I’ve dealt with.”
“We’re not going to hurt you. We’re just going to find out what you’ve been hiding—”
I cut Eli off when I whirled around and lunged at him first, not giving him a chance to go for my gun that was under my shirt. I lowered my shoulder and slammed it into his ribs before wrapping my arms around him. He had been waiting for it and didn’t go to the floor like I wanted. He slammed his elbow into my spine, right between my shoulder blades.
Pain shot down my back, and I dropped down, grabbing his knees. I yanked his legs toward me, and he tumbled backward, landing on his back. It was enough to knock the wind out of him, giving me a few seconds to deal with West before Eli could get back on his feet. Pain flared through my side when West landed a punch to my kidney. I spun around, raising my arms to block his next hit.
