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“Kian, I’m sorry it happened this way.” He sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. “But it all worked out, didn’t it?”
“Worked out?” Rynn repeated coldly as she stepped up beside me.
“I didn’t tell him,” I breathed out, shooting her a glance.
“You didn’t have to,” Hayes said. He moved closer, and my stomach clenched. I still had the gun in my hand, but I kept it at my side. Would I shoot him if he went after her? I wasn’t sure. As much as I despised him, he was still my dad. And even if I did, Nick and other Grimrose members surrounded us. I’d be dead a second later, and then Rynn would be alone with them.
“You think I didn’t see you pull out your phone the other day in your dorm?” he continued, his tone light and controlled. “What a coincidence that her man showed up a few minutes after.”
Footsteps came from behind us, and I whirled around, putting myself between Rynn and the two men who were coming around the side of the car. I vaguely knew them, but they stared at me with frowns as I stayed in front of Rynn. Either Hayes or Nick cleared their throat from behind me, and I grabbed Rynn’s arm, ignoring her arguments, and put her in front of me as I turned around. I’d rather have the men at my back than hers.
“You gave yourself away that day,” Nick said, sneering at Rynn like she was the cause of all his problems. “You’re protecting her. Did you forget she’s against us?”
“Now, don’t be hard on him, Nick,” Dad chastised, his eyes glittering with malice. “My son’s always had a soft heart. Just like his mom. And it worked in our favor this time.”
“What are you talking about?” I growled, the hair on the back of my neck prickling like it always did when he brought up my mom.
“The Disciples have no idea that she’s Shawn’s sister. I told you that because I knew what you’d do—rescue her. Get her safe, just like you did with your mother. I’ve been able to track your phone for months, Kian. All we had to do was wait and follow.”
His words had the blood draining from my face. He’d lied to me. Fucking played me. Pulled the strings of my emotions like he had my entire fucking life. A pit of rage swirled in my gut as my hands clenched into fists. The only thing keeping me still was Rynn, who was still standing in front of me. She backed up a step, pressing her back to my chest, as if she knew her touch would ground me.
“Well, it was all a waste of time,” she said, the loathing for my father thick in her voice. “Because if I don’t come back to campus, you and your gang will be fucked.”
“Get in the car,” Nick ordered, backing up and opening the door to the SUV.
“Your funeral.” She moved away from me, and I caught her arm, yanking her back.
“No. They get you back to Pacific Point, and who knows what they have planned. Because they still haven’t told me.”
“They won’t touch me,” she promised, a wicked gleam in her eye. “You think I’ve been using my boss’s identity as a threat if they really couldn’t back me? I’m good at getting out of sticky situations.”
I knew that. She was cunning. Strong. Though she didn’t flaunt it like Chris and many others in our world did. Her street name fit her well. She worked in the shadows, planning and scheming, letting it all play out just like she wanted. The people who worked with her were loyal, giving her a security blanket that she needed to keep the attention off her.
But this was different. I’d walked her right into a fucking trap. Something she hadn’t planned for. Although as she gently pried my fingers off her arm while giving me a wide grin, I realized maybe she already had something in place for a scenario like this.
“I want you involved with this, Kian,” my dad said, and I glanced away from her to see his eyes darting between me and Rynn. “But if you try to protect her now, I’ll shut you out.”
My jaw clenched, and I walked stiffly behind Rynn as she made her way to the SUV. Nick got in her way, and her body instantly went rigid when he got in her personal space.
“Phone,” he ordered, holding out his hand and looking at me. “Both of you. And the keys.”
Rynn hesitated before pulling hers out and shoving it into his hand. I didn’t have to be looking at her face to know that she was giving him a death glare. I tossed him my phone and keys, and he put them in his pocket before throwing Rynn’s into the ditch on the side of the road.
“Don’t need anyone following her,” Nick muttered, jerking his head in a silent order for Rynn to get in the car. She climbed into the back seat, and I sat next to her, close enough that our thighs were touching. My dad got into the passenger seat, and as soon as Nick got in, he began driving.
“Don’t be angry, Kian,” Dad murmured, not looking away from the windshield. “I think you’ll enjoy how this all works out.”
“Doubtful,” I muttered under my breath.
Rynn didn’t say a word. She stared straight ahead as Nick pulled onto the highway, heading toward Pacific Point. My body was bouncing with nerves, and as I glared at the back of my dad’s head, I decided I was getting her out of there. I didn’t care who I had to go through. Or what happened to me.
It really didn’t matter if I survived. Gage and Jace would fucking kill me for bringing her here anyway.
36
I tookanother sip of my beer, checking my phone again. My anger grew now that I’d been waiting thirty fucking minutes for this asshole.King. I really needed to start working on finding out what his real name was so I could figure out what I could hold over his head. I hated being summoned. And I was growing anxious about not being with Rynn when Hayes was still gunning for her. I was giving it five more minutes, and then I was gone.
I still had to drive twenty minutes to get back to Little Haven. He’d wanted to meet at this hole in the wall bar on the side of the interstate.Fuck it. If he really needed to see me, then he would have been here. I tossed some money down for the one beer I’d bought and moved to stand right as someone slid into the booth across from me.
