AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You probably don’t want us to share that video,” Kai started. “But people won’t believe us without it, without even a couple seconds of it. We need to use it if you want to take down the Redwood Police and everyone else who’s used you.”
Nicole sat at the kitchen table tensely and stayed quiet. She fiddled with her fingers and gnawed on the inside of her cheek. “I … I don’t know. I don’t want anyone to ever see that. You know how people in Redwood really are. What if they don’t believe me? What if … all they do is put me down because my father used me? That’s how the cheer team acts to me now.”
“You have people who will support you,” I said, giving her my best half-smile. “Allie and I will be here if you need anyone to talk to or lean on. I know that we all haven’t had the best relationship with you before, but … we’re here now.”
“Really?” Nicole asked, tears wavering in her eyes.
“Yeah.”
She let a tear slip down her cheek. “That means so much to me.”
Kai and Landon glanced over at me as Nicole wiped away another tear. God, they were useless when a girl was crying. They didn’t know the first thing to say or how to act around her, so Kai cleared his throat and continued.
“Anyway,” Kai interrupted, “we need to use it, but I wanted your permission.”
Still, Nicole seemed hesitant.
“Everyone knows the police are shit, but when they see this,” João started, still mixing the ingredients over the stovetop with Ana, “they’ll think twice about trusting them for anything. This town will be ruined for good.”
Nicole swallowed hard. “Promise?”
“Yeah, pinkie promise or whatever shit you want,” João said.
I rolled my eyes and sat at the opposite end of the table. “They’re going to use it to help you, Nicole. They’re not going to try to fuck with you, and if they do”—I shot them daggers with my eyes—“I’ll kill them.”
“Okay,” Nicole finally said. “You can use it, but I … I need protection. A lot of it. My father will try to find me and kill me if he finds out that I was part of this. Sleeping over Jamal’s place won’t do anything.”
“We’ll get you protection,” Kai said. “Don’t worry about that.”
