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I bit my lip, agony tearing through my chest as my brother’s face flashed through my mind. Jace’s stare didn’t leave me as he moved up the bed until he was sitting next to me. His hand fell on my thigh right below the hem of my skirt, massaging it gently.
“I just want an answer,” he said quietly.
“No,” I finally choked out. “You can’t fix it.”
Jace’s hold tightened on my leg. “We hurt someone close to you.”
A chill ran down my spine. His statement hit too close to home. I gazed at him, curious if he knew more than he was letting on.
“There are only a couple of things that aren’t forgivable,” he continued. “I saw how you looked at Chris. Youhatehim. And our gang. I never thought you had any connection to the Disciples. But I’m thinking now that I was wrong.”
“He did hurt someone.” I glanced at Kian, who was still standing near the door. “Both of your gangs did.”
I wasn’t sure how much I was willing to share with them, and I refused to go into details, but I was tired. Right now, I really didn’t care if they found out there was a reason I detested their gangs. It wouldn’t change the outcome of anything now.
“Who?” Jace pressed.
I sucked in a breath. “My brother.”
“You have a brother?” Kian asked in shock.
“Ihada brother.”
The silence was heavy as they both stared at me. My heart was hammering against my ribs. Had I fucked up by admitting that?
“Fuck,” Jace muttered. “Did I have something to do with it—”
“We were kids when it happened,” I cut him off. “I doubt either of you even met him.”
Relief flashed across Jace’s features, and my stomach flipped. He cared enough for me that he was worried that he’d killed my brother without even knowing. But we were all fifteen when it happened. Right around the time he and Kian wrecked their friendship. Grimrose was the reason my brother was taken from me.
But Chris?
HekilledShawn. And I wouldn’t rest until he fucking paid for it.
I jerked in surprise when Jace wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. Kian strode closer, falling onto the edge of the bed. Tears welled in my eyes, and I blinked them away. I couldn’t think of Shawn without my emotions getting the fucking best of me.
“I’m sorry about your brother,” Jace murmured softly.
I didn’t answer, not trusting myself not to break down. I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. Nothing I said would change it. We sat there in silence until my eyelids became heavy, my head falling onto Jace’s chest as I let sleep claim me.
27
I slammedthe car door shut, my eyes burning from exhaustion. It was nearly noon, and I’d been up all damn night. After bringing Rynn and Jace back to campus, I went to talk to Ellie. To say she was furious with me was an understatement. I’d gone around her orders to keep Jace alive. The men thought she’d signed off on it, but she hadn’t. It took three hours to convince her that we could spin this in our favor. She still wasn’t happy, but at least she wasn’t going to have Jace killed anymore.
I fumbled with the key fob, locking the car and then heading toward the dorms. Before I even left the parking lot, a figure stepped out from behind a sedan. My heart thudded when my gaze met his. I hadn’t seen him since our conversation at the park, and now he was on campus in broad fucking daylight. He stood out in this place as much as I did.
“Where have you been?” King asked, tilting his head.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I hissed quietly.
“I told you one thing,” he murmured, threat lacing his voice. “To answer when I call. Yet last night, I called twice. And guess what? No fucking answer.”
“I was busy.” That was the truth. But I’d also left the phone he’d given me in my room. There was no way I was having it on me when I did any business for Ellie. I was positive they had a tracker on it, and since he didn’t mention Ellie or the Underground the first time we met, I doubted he knew who I worked for. I planned to keep it that way.
“Where were you?” he questioned.
“Out.”
