That’s worse somehow.
“Both of you. Out. Now.”
The professor’s voice cuts through the chaos. I’m breathing hard, knuckles throbbing, and Silas is already rising from his chair like this is all mildly inconvenient.
We end up in the hallway. The door shuts behind us and it’s just the two of us now, no witnesses, no buffer.
Silas brushes off his shirt. Straightens his collar. Doesn’t touch his jaw even though I know it’s going to bruise.
“That’s it, Trey. We’re done.”
“We were done the second you made her cry.”
“No. We were done the second you decided she mattered more than your future.” He straightens his collar. “My father was disappointed, by the way. When I told him you weren’t interested anymore. He had such high hopes for you.”
I don’t say anything. I made my choice three days ago.
“And when he comes for her,” Silas says, softer now, almost gentle, “I’ll be the one helping him.”
The world narrows.
“When hewhat?”
“You didn’t think this was just about you, did you?” He takes a step back. Smiling now. “She’s an anomaly, Trey. An unmarked adult who slipped through the system for fifteen years. My father’s very interested in understanding how that happened.”
“You stay the fuck away from her.”
“Or what? You’ll hit me again?” He laughs. Short, sharp. “Pathetic.”
I lunge.
And then there are hands on me—two sets, grabbing my arms, hauling me back. I’m fighting them without thinking, still trying to reach Silas, still trying to—
“Trey.Trey.Stop.”
Locke’s voice. Low and hard in my ear. His grip is iron on my arm.
Rane’s got my other side, pushing himself between me and Silas. “Walk away,” he says to Silas. “Now.”
Silas doesn’t move. He’s looking at all three of us with an expression I can’t read.
“You’re the ones running out of time,” he says. “Remember that.”
Then he turns and walks away. Unhurried. Like he didn’t just say he was going to help his father.
Locke doesn’t let go until Silas rounds the corner.
“What the fuck was that?” Rane’s voice is tight. “What did he mean,when he comes for her?”
I’m still shaking. Still trying to breathe through the rage that’s sitting in my chest like its trying to claw its way out.
“He wasn’t talking,” I manage. “That was a promise.”
Rane’s face goes pale. “We knew his father was watching. Gathering information. But this—”
“This is different.” Locke’s jaw is tight.
We stand there for a second, the three of us, the hallway empty and too quiet.
