AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I watch him leave and hurry to dry off and get into my plush robe. I don’t feel like putting on clothes quite yet, and I honestly need a nap before I go and tell my best friend that I’m really a fraud. Arrow hands me a drink once I get settled under the covers and he joins me on the other side and takes one of my hands in his.
“What’s going on?”
I bite my lip, anxious to confess everything but also nervous he won’t want me anymore once he knows. “You know how we just found out about Evie’s uncle?” He nods his head in response.
“Three years ago my brother was murdered, brutally. A rival of my father captured him and tortured him for days before killing him. The rival negotiated for days, making my father all but beg just to then turn around and kill my brother anyways.”
I look down in my lap, not wanting to relive any of those days or memories ever again. Clearing my throat, I continue as Arrow takes my hand in his. “My father didn’t have a lot of money left, but he knew a guy and hired him to kill his rival for a favor in the future. And seven months ago, Adrik cashed in his favor. Turns out he was a friend of a friend of my father's and when he found out I got into this school, he said the favor was that I needed to spy on Evie for him and report everything back.”
I let it all sink in for him. “What the fuck?” Arrow says, letting go of my hand. “You’ve been lying to her this whole time? Pretending to be her friend?”
He’s nearly out of the bed when tears spring to my eyes. This is exactly what I was afraid of. “No, it’s not like that, please let me finish.”
He eyes me warily, but he knows me better than most. And he knows I don’t hurt people for no reason.
“Two weeks in, I was sick with myself. I hated everything so I called my parents to talk about it. We agreed they would go into hiding, and I would find a way to get on Evie’s side here so that maybe she could find a way to protect us. I knew after only a short period of time with her that she was someone who could help us. I chose her, we all chose her.”
My voice breaks as I come to terms with this next part.
“But he caught my younger sister. She insisted she say goodbye to her boyfriend and got caught. He said if I didn’t make a statement that I was on his side then he was going to kill her.”
A sob breaks free, and I choke out the final words as I feel bile rise in my throat. “The video, it was me.”
My hands cover my face as the tears pour out. I have never felt worse about myself than when I hacked into that mass message and changed the video. I have never wanted to die more. If my sister hadn’t gotten away from him, I likely would have killed myself soon after, especially after helping Evie in the shower with the aftermath of it all.
Strong hands grab mine, pulling them away from my face. Arrow takes one look at me, then pulls me into his arms as I cry the tears that have been begging to be set loose since that day.
I’m not sure how much time passes, but when I finally open my eyes, the sun is starting to set.
“You didn’t have a choice,” Arrow says, gently combing his fingers through my hair. “Where is your sister now?”
“She got away. My dad was able to get her out, but I got this message just as I was leaving Havoc.” I grab my phone from the nightstand and hand it to him. The anger that flares in his eyes has me terrified he’s about to lash out. But when he drops it and pulls me closer, I’m reminded of the man he is and why I trust him.
“You need to tell her first so you can all come up with a plan.”
I nod into his chest. I know I need to tell her, I’m just afraid that when I do, everything is going to change.
Chapter 3
They are finally letting me stay awake. It’s been just over thirty-six hours since the surgery and I feel like shit. The pain medicine is helping, but it also makes me feel weak and spacy. I don’t like it.
Lev is sitting at my side, and I still can’t figure out why they suddenly don’t hate me anymore. So instead of working myself up and freaking out, I take the more logical approach.
“What changed?” I ask him.
His eyes shoot up to meet mine like he’s shocked I’m speaking. Then they go soft as they take me in. I know my face looks like shit. I can feel the bruising and honestly, even talking hurts. But I need to know.
Lev gets up from the chair beside my bed and scoots in next to me. It’s larger than most hospital beds, allowing both of us to fit comfortably, but him being close is overwhelming right now. I feel like my emotions are everywhere and I can’t think straight.
“When we got on the boat, we regretted everything immediately. I think the shock of it all got to us.”
Gently, he wraps me in his arms until my face is lying on his chest.
“Alexi installed cameras in the living room, and we checked to see if you had left yet. That’s when we saw them attacking you. He called Laney, I called Nessa, and when we got back, I ran.”
He squeezes me tight, but also tenderly. I can feel his body start shaking and when I look up, his eyes are glassy.
“You said you loved us,” he informs me as the tears track down his cheeks. “But it was said more like a goodbye.”
