“Shit, I knew this was a bad idea,” Willow whined. “Should we go out there?”
There were a million valid reasons why I shouldn’t, but I reminded myself I wasn’t afraid of him any longer. When he turned his steely gaze on me, clearly seeing me through the window, I met his stare dead on. He was challenging me, but this time, I challenged him back. His mouth lifted in a smirk, and he nodded his head once in assent, accepting our silent standoff.
Never again, I vowed. So much had changed inside me in a matter of months. I felt like an entirely different person. Sure, I felt my moments of skepticism. No one really changed overnight, but I had the last ten years to build up immunity to him and it was just only starting to kick in.
The sound of the door slamming broke me out of the trance he had me caught in, and all I could hear was the sound of running footsteps traveling throughout the house.
What the?
When Sheldon reappeared, she looked out of sorts with a worried look in her eye. “Guys, I swear I didn’t know they would be here. Dash promised he would stay away, and he promised to keep Keiran away.”
“Wait… you knew Keiran was out?” I asked incredulously.
Sheldon bit her lip worriedly and nodded. “I didn’t know how to tell you. You were just starting to relax, and it’s crazy because he hasn’t said a word about you.” She lifted her eyebrows and cocked her head to the side.
“Well, are they still outside?”
“I think so.” She stalked over to the window and peeked outside. “Damn.”
“You think so?” My teeth were grinding against each other as I prayed for patience.
“I locked them out and told them to go away.”
“But doesn’t Dash have a key?”
“Yes. I did it to piss them off so it won’t be much help. I wonder what’s keeping them?”
“Maybe their male egos finally fried their brain and they forgot how to use a key?”
“One can hope.”
“We should just go.” Willow released a deep breath, and I suddenly heard her voice call out for me. “Lake?”
“Yes?” I answered absently, barely paying attention. I hadn’t realized I had turned back to the window. Keiran was sitting on the hood of his car now with a foot perched on the bumper, watching me with his eyebrow raised and his arms casually resting on his legs.
Fuck you. I stuck up my middle finger to piss him off, but he only blew a kiss before turning back to Dash, dismissing me.
“Should we go?”
“Yes, I think that would be best.” I took a deep breath and released it slowly before turning to face their curious expressions. “I have to tell you something.” I beat down the onslaught of panic and regret and forced the words from my chest. “I was the one to turn Keiran in.”
“What?”
“Come again?”
“Yeah, I uh—didn’t think I had a choice.”
“But… how do you know he killed them?” Sheldon asked.
“You guys know what happened at the fair. You were there. He was the last one with them.”
“Yes, but so were Dash and Keenan, but you didn’t turn them in.”
“Because they didn’t have anything to do with Trevor and Anya’s actual deaths. I overheard them talking the night we went out to play laser tag.
“It doesn’t make sense.” Sheldon shook her head. “Why would he kill them? He was bringing them back.” She looked at me in disbelief. “Lake, I think you were mistaken. He didn’t kill them.”
“What do you mean he was going back to get them?”
“Right before Keenan and I had our fight, he got a call from Keiran. I could only hear Keenan’s side, but he asked Keiran why he was going to help them. I didn’t know until he ended the call that Keiran was going to bring Trevor and Anya back. I just never found out why. Keenan was pretty tight lipped.”
“If Keiran didn’t kill them, then who did?” I challenged.
“I don’t know. Keiran was turned around before he could reach them. I guess that’s when he got the phone call from you.”