Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 81285 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81285 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Again, he didn’t speak.
I knew he would be angry, but the silence was killing me. I was afraid to say anything more, so I waited until he said, “You knew.”
“I did, but I didn’t,” I stammered. “I had no idea what he was planning until the night of the party, and even then, I didn’t know specifically what his plan was.”
“You knew he was going to steal the money. You had to know that.”
“Yes, I knew he was going to steal it from somebody. I wasn’t sure who. Even when he took me to the Vault and he had me pretend to be his girlfriend I wasn’t sure. But it didn’t take long for me to piece it together.” My voice cracked as I told him, “I couldn’t go through with being part of it. I wouldn’t participate in something that could hurt you or your brothers, so I backed out and ended it the night of the party.”
He lowered his head and sighed.
I’d hurt him.
I kept telling myself that I’d agreed to Davis’s plan because I had no choice. That it made the most sense. Because it felt like the least terrible option in a room full of bad ones.
But as I stood there seeing the anguish in Luke’s eyes, I realized how truly wrong I really was. I hated seeing him so hurt and angry, and I hated it even more that I had a part to play in it.
We weren’t anything. Never had been. Probably never would be, especially now. I’d ruined the possibility of us ever being more than two strangers who once passed each other in the hallways of our high school, and that hurt more than it should have.
Because somewhere along the way, the girl who’d wanted nothing to do with a guy like Luke had started wanting him more than she cared to admit, even to herself.
Man.
I needed to get a grip, and I needed to get it fast, before I made an even bigger mess of things.
Sadly, it was too late.
Things were about to get a lot messier.
13
GOOSE
The words landed hard. One right after another.
I didn’t interrupt. I didn’t raise my voice. I just stood there and listened to her explain away her betrayal.
And all I could think of was how tired I was.
I was tired of second chances. Tired of finding out too late who was standing next to me and who was standing behind me with a knife at my back.
I didn’t want to do this anymore.
The words tasted bitter as I told her, “This is a lot… I want to say that I get why you did what you did, but the truth is, you lied to me. You lied to everyone.”
“I know, and I’m so, so sorry.”
“You should’ve told me.”
“I wanted to. I really did, but I didn’t know how. I didn’t know you all that well, and I wasn’t sure if you’d even believe me. He’s your brother.” She let out a defeated breath before adding, “Besides, Davis said he’d send those men after Lila and me if I said anything.”
I got that she was desperate. Anyone would be. Her sister’s life was on the line, and I’d seen for myself that fear can make people do stupid things. I just didn’t know if I had it in me to keep being the one who understood while I got fucked over.
The weight of it all was pressing down on me.
I ran my hand over my face, hoping for a little clarity, but none came.
The smart move would be to walk away. I should protect what was left of me and just send her on her way. No more letting people get too close. I’d done it before. I could do it again. It was safer that way.
But the thought of walking away from her ate at me in a way I couldn’t describe. So, I asked the question that had been gnawing at me since the start of this conversation. “What men?”
“I have no idea who they are.” She shrugged. “When Lila told Davis what happened, he told her that they would expect her to come up with the money or they would come after her.”
“And you believed him?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because it’s Davis,” I scoffed.
My mind drifted back to the night at the Vault. I was fucking pissed that he’d tried to stab me in the back, but more than that, I was hurt. It was hard to stomach the idea that my own flesh and blood would betray me like that, especially after I’d tried to help him.
But that wasn’t even the part that got to me the most.
That came after I got to the clubhouse and found that the prospects had already cleared his room. They’d done what had been asked. They shoved all his shit into his bags, and whatever didn’t fit went into trash bags. They’d loaded it into Memphis’s SUV and were waiting on my go-ahead to take it over to my dad’s place.