I suck in a breath through my nose, trying to keep my patience. “I think, since Finn and I came and saved your ass, you should give us an explanation.”
He stares at the floor. “I can’t.”
I press the towel harder against my side and wince. “Why not?”
“Because I can’t.” When he lifts his gaze to mine, his eyes are full of what looks like fear.
What is he so afraid of?
“What the hell happened?” I ask. “And I mean, with everything. We used to be like brothers.”
He smashes his lips together and stares at the door. “Used to be. Not anymore.” With that, he stands. “I’m going to go get some fresh air.” He rushes across the room and exits through the sliding glass doors.
What in the hell is he hiding? Because while we might not be like brothers anymore, I still know him well enough that I can tell he has a secret, one that has him afraid.
Thirty minutes later, I’m being checked out by a doctor. I think Finn used our family name to move the process along, which makes me feel both bad and relieved. It’s a complicated feeling, knowing we’re using our wealth to get what we want, but the pain is also starting to spread.
The wound is too round to get stitches, but the doctor cleans it, bandages it up, and gives me some painkillers. He doesn’t even act suspicious when I tell him it’s a bullet wound.
By the time we leave the hospital, the sun has risen over the peaks of the mountains, and the pain medication is making me drowsy. I end up falling asleep in the car.
When I wake up, we’re back at the academy. Finn has parked my car in a spot near the front, and Noah is bailing out of the back seat.
Finn shakes his head as he watches him stride toward the academy. “He’s annoying the shit out of me,” he mumbles as he pockets the keys.
“He has a secret,” I say through a yawn. “And it has him spooked.”
Finn glances at me as he shoves the car door open. “How do you know that?”
I shrug, blinking a few times. “While you were talking to the nurse, I asked him what happened, and he got tense then took off. I could tell he was scared.”
A crease etches between his brows. “What the hell do you think it could be?” He reaches to grab his phone from the middle console, and I notice he has dried blood on his hand—my blood.
Because I was shot.
I’m unsure if the reality of that has fully set in.
I have blood all over my shirt, as well, but I put on a jacket that was in the back seat so it’s mainly concealed.
“I’m not sure,” I tell him tiredly.
“Well, why does he not just tell us?”
“We’re not friends anymore. Why would he tell us?”
He wavers. “True. He told Maddy, though.”
“He hasn’t told her everything.” The mention of Maddy has my heart speeding up, even with the sedative in my veins. “And I don’t think he purposefully got her involved in this. But I don’t know all of the details because she told me to talk to Noah and ask for myself because she didn’t want to tell his secrets.”
A trace of a smile tugs at his lips. “That sounds like something she’d say.” His smile fades as moves to duck out of the car. “Speaking of Maddy, we should go make sure her and Lily are okay.” He closes the door.
I push my door open and carefully climb out. I have to move slowly or the wound starts to throb. I shut the door and round the front of the car. Thankfully, it’s early enough that hardlyanyone is awake. That way, no one should see me like this. It’s going to set me back a handful of days with my training, which sucks, but I’ll be okay. Maddy will blame herself, of course, when she finds out.
I’m not thrilled at the idea of keeping secrets from her, but I’m not keen on telling about this either.
In my head, I go over ideas on the best way to tell her while Finn and I walk up the stairs and into the academy. Our footsteps echo against the domed ceilings of the empty hallway. Not all of the lights are turned on, so the alcoves are shadowed over. Finn is uncharacteristically quiet, his expression set in deep thought. I let him be, figuring it’s probably a combination of exhaustion and worry.
As he reaches up to sweep his hair out of his eyes, I realize another problem—the dried blood on his hands. And, while the jacket conceals most of the blood on me, a few drops are on my hands, too.
