Closing my eyes, I began to dissociate. If I was outside of my body, it wasn’t as if it were happening, but I was still there. All of this had been for nothing. I was witnessing it disintegrating before my eyes. My planning. My hopes. I tried. I really tried to have a normal life, but all of it had been for nothing because—the door opened again.
More of Creighton’s men came in. I recognized my watcher, along with three guys who’d been acting as security at the fights. Lassiter motioned them over, pointing to the two that they had zip-tied. “Take them out.”
“Wait. What are you doing?” Marshall started to stand up.
I flinched when Levi shoved him back down.
Marshall looked so confused. Heath wasn’t.
Palma gasped. “What?” She was looking at Levi as if he’d grown three heads and turned green. “What’s going on?”
“Just,” Heath spoke up, then faltered. He cursed under his breath, shaking his head. “Just be quiet for a minute. Okay? We’ll be fine. Just, shut up and don’t say a thing.”
Marshall made a protesting sound.
Heath whipped his head around. “I mean it. Not agoddamnword. You have no idea who—just shut the fuck up. There’s no narcs here.” His eyes lifted, growing hostile as Levi towered over him.
Levi gave Heath a smug look of approval. “That’s a good little Nogoskeski.” He put his finger in Heath’s forehead and pushed him back. “You know the drill. I’ll be sure to let big bro know how helpful you were. Both of them.” Levi winked at Heath.
The other guys were picking up the two robbers and carried them outside. Doors were slammed shut a moment later, and the screech of tires sounded next.
“Whe-where are they taking them?” Palma shrunk down when Levi looked her way. She hugged her knees to herself, but she was still thinking. She was questioning things. She wasn’t so scared that she ceased thinking.
It was a trickle. A small one, but I felt a spark of warmth start in my chest. It grew and stretched, and slowly, painfully, I was back in my own body. I hadn’t dissociated from this situation for too long, and I gasped, silently.
Palma turned her head, her eyes widening. “Blake. Are you okay?” She tried scrambling toward me, but Marshall and Heath both reached for her, holding her down.
Levi had also moved to block her, standing between us, but when he saw the others were holding her back, he relaxed before stepping to me.
Lassiter was on his phone, standing by the last remaining robber. He was watching me as he continued typing on his phone with one hand.
“Blake.” Levi dropped his voice so the others couldn’t hear.
I ignored him.
I hated this next part. Hated it. Bitterness and resentment and regret all began to burn inside of me. Mix it with anger and loathing andknowinghow this would change everything. It already had. Palma had been my friend. Or she could’ve been a friend. She was a roommate. Marshall. Even Heath. All of it was gone now.
They would demand an explanation. Heath would give it to them. A normal response would be to call the police. No cops were being called in this situation. Creighton would handle it, just like he always did. And in the process, he’d destroy yet another attempt I made at living some sort of normalcy.
By the time that door opened, and by the time the usual reaction happened whenever Creighton was present, I was beyond giving a fuck. I watched it all, barely staying in my body, but this time from my own fury.
Levi straightened, his cocky attitude falling away.
The robber snapped to attention, jerking to his feet so quickly that he almost fell.
Lassiter reached out, steadying him, his eyes going to Creighton, a knowing wariness there as well.
Heath turned away for a moment.
The only two other reactions I cared about were Marshall and Palma. Both were confused, but interest swirled in Palma’s eyes. It was mixed with other expressions. Being scared. Nervous. Not knowing what was happening, butknowingthat Creighton was someone.
A flash of attraction was there too. It was gone as quickly as it appeared, but I caught it. I even understood it. How could I not?
Then the last, recognition.
Her eyes darted to mine.
After that, I couldn’t look at her anymore. I didn’t want to see the accusation or the horror when she would realize my connection to these men. My stomach churned, and I forced my gaze away, accidentally meeting Creighton’s, who was watching me.
