AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Nathan’s eyes narrowed into slits, but Katie didn’t back down even as she took her seat in her wheelchair. If anything, she looked even more calm and in control than I’d seen since before she got shot.
“What? Say whatever it is you want to say, Nathan.”
“... People are going to die if you do things this way.” Blood drummed in my ears at the ominous silence that ensued, and Katie tilted her head back quizzically.
“Do you have a better idea?”
But Nathan only thinned his lips and finally relented, tearing his eyes off Katie to glare at the floor.
“People are going to die, probably. You’re right. Being gunned down like it’s Vietnam all over again is not what anyone expected, but it’s what’s happening. I’d rather stay and make sure Jett was dead— see it for myself.”
Mumbling more to herself at the end, there, Katie scowled darkly, and I crossed my arms over my chest tightly. My heart lurched at the idea of all of this going down so quickly, and she nodded when no one objected. Julia backed out of the room quietly, and I closed my eyes briefly to wonder how things got so out of control.
ChapterEleven
KATIE
“Katie. Hey—”
My eyelids fluttered closed automatically as irritation instantly spiked my blood, and I pursed my lips as I twisted around. Brandon fast-walked down the hallway, worry drenching his features.
“Can I talk to you about this?”
“If you’re going to tell me there’s peaceful alternatives, then no. I’d rather you didn’t, Brandon.”
He stopped short at my sharp rasp, instantly on the defensive, and I whirred around in my chair to face him.
“I know about this stuff, and you don’t. If Nathan thought there was any other way, he would’ve said something. For once, please... just don’t. We’re too far for a peaceful resolution.”
“But more people are going to die.”
My brain almost short-circuited from Brandon’s broad, very obvious concern, and Ifucking lost it.I didn’t understand how he couldn’t see that we were out of options because he panicked.
“Would you rather I died?”
Brandon paled at my pointed question, and the silence began to stretch into discomfort very quickly. Catching his gaze, I didn’t let myself feel bad for the sorrow and desperation that swirled there.
“Seriously. Would you rather that I was the one who died, or one of the security guards? Because that’s what we’re down to, Brandon. Peoplearegoing to die. No one wants to die. None of these people transferred here expected to fight here like it’s 1968. But all we can do now is mitigate damage.”
“Why can’t we just take everyone at the same time?”
“I already told you why. We’re playing the long game, here, Brandon, and if you didn’t plan this far ahead, you shouldn’t have decidedby yourselfto come here.”
He opened his mouth to refute me, but I held up a hand to stop him. Pushing myself out of the wheelchair, I walked over to poke him in the chesthard, and his breath hitched overly loud.
“Back off. It’s my turn to make decisions because you’re incapable of doing what needs to be done. Go ahead, blame me, pretend you don’t have a say, and ignore what’s happening if that’s what you need to do. You’re good at that. WhatI’mgood at is dealing with Mason.”
“Then what’s your plan when we get back?” His aggressive question tinged in desperation, and Brandon’s lower lip wobbled dangerously. It was kinda pathetic, honestly, and I shot him a dumb look under heavy lids. This innocence that he had that was so wonderful, and refreshing, and beautiful... was a handicap, now.
“I’m gonna kill him. That’s the plan. When we get back, I’m going to go to your building, and I’m going to fucking shoot him right in the head. Does that bother you?”
It did— I could see the horror in his eyes, and Brandon stepped back, away from me, to cross his arms protectively over his chest. My eyelid twitched before I returned to my wheelchair to sit with a sharp sigh.
“Even if Mason realizes we’re coming back, he’s not going to run away again. He’ll meet me head on. He can’t resist the compulsion to try to get me on his side because... in his head, he’s got leverage on me. We’ve got history.Whenhe contacts me with a meetup place, you aren’t going.”
“You can’t be serious!” Brandon’s bellow echoed down the halls, and I ground my molars as he began to pace furiously. “I can’t allow that. I won’t. I killed your father because of my own incompetence— I’m not going to let that happen again!”
“You should’ve thought about that when you decided that coming to this God forsaken island was a good idea! Brandon! It was a terrible idea! You didn’t think anything through that needed to be considered! You left your whole empire vulnerable to Mason! This predicament we’re in right now, right this second, is your fault, and you’reincompetentwhere it counts— cleaning up your mess!” Shouting back at him, I pushed myself out of my chair again to stride past him.
