She turned her icy gaze to Keiran. “When Esmerelda threatened my life, I simply left… or at least I tried.” She shot me a glare full of accusation. “The second time she took me, her men cut down Dash’s security effortlessly and then she threatened my family and everyone else I know. If you’re wondering if I thought about killing you, the answer is yes.”
“So what made you change your mind?”
“Sheldon told me what happened to Kennedy a few months ago, and it all sounded too familiar to not be connected. I realized there was more at stake than just my family.”
The room fell silent when everyone retreated into their thoughts. I was mulling over the meaning of Willow’s decisions when Sheldon spoke.
“Willow, I know it couldn’t have been an easy decision. A decision none of us could have made any easier,” Sheldon directed to the rest of us, warning not to condemn too quickly. “You risked your life and your family by sharing this information for my daughter. I only hope we can help protect you and your family in return.” Sheldon met my gaze issuing a warning and I nodded my head.
“We will protect them,” Keiran agreed. “Right now, Willow is our only connection to catch them. As long as she’s alive we have a chance.”
Keiran nodded his agreement. “How long did she give you?”
“She didn’t say.”
“She just told you to kill me and nothing else?”
She merely shrugged. I could tell she just wanted it all to be over, but I couldn’t muster sympathy for her. Willow had proven a second time that she couldn’t be trusted. Instead of confiding in me, she kept it to herself and even considered going through with it. It was a struggle to remain silent, but I would get my answers and my retribution for her lies when we were alone.
If I was supposed to thank her for her mercy, she was wrong. My sister had been forgiving, but nothing in me could bring myself to forgive how she hadn’t trusted me and had intended to betray me.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
WILLOW
REGRET WAS SOMETHING I had become accustomed. Ever since I ran, I’ve lived with it every day. And now it seemed at every turn, I was adding to my list of things to regret. I saw the accusation, the anger, the distrust…
I’d made the wrong decision and paid the consequences by further damaging my friendship with Lake.
I excused myself to the bathroom when I couldn’t fake it with my head held high anymore. I splashed water on my face and pretended I wasn’t crying. I told myself I wouldn’t be a bad person and that from now on, I would only make good decisions, but I knew when I reentered reality, none of it would hold any weight.
A knock on the door jolted me out my self-loathing. I became as stiff as a board and held my breath as if the person on the other side could actually hear.
“Willow?” The feminine sound of Lake’s voice calling my name made me grip the counter. “I know you’re in there.” The doorknob turned as she knocked again.
With a deep breath and then another, I unlocked and snatched open the door. “Yes?”
“What was that down there?”
“I don’t follow,” I answered slowly.
She pushed into the bathroom and closed the door shut. “Who are you?” The pain was etched all over voice. “The Willow I know would never have kept such a dangerous secret like that and put lives in jeopardy.”
“The Willow you knew isn’t standing here. You took what was left of her when you walked away for him.”
“If you think it hurt watching me move to another school, then be thankful you never had to feel what it was like to find one day that your best friend was gone without a trace. I fucking mourned you, Willow. I didn’t leave because I preferred him. I left because I needed him. I love him, Willow.”
“And I needed you.” The volume of my voice increased with the overwhelming emotions raging inside. “He’s abused you since we were kids. You’re such a fucking masochist.”
“I’m not living in the past like you. I forgave him for me.”
“Have you? Why? Has he even apologized or did he just make you a bunch of promises that sounded good?”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”