Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 167204 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 557(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167204 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 557(@300wpm)
I flinch hearing her recount the details.
“And now that frat house has been mysteriously set on fire and some of the guys are dead, so while you have not filled me in on many of the details, I’ve gotta tell you, the ones I’m stringing together are not looking good.”
I’m still feeling a little hazy, so honestly, I don’t have the capacity to give her a proper explanation. I don’t even know if I can give her an explanation at all.
Fragments of things Killian has said flood my brain, reminding me I have to play dumb about the Blue Blood stuff and never give the impression I know more than idle gossip. I shouldn’t even know he is one, let alone any gory details about them.
I think if I tell her anything, I would potentially be putting her in danger, so I don’t. And somehow, probably because I’m feeling a little mentally fractured today, that message seems to get lost in my brain and interpreted as “say nothing.”
So I don’t say a word.
Which leads to her staring at me in annoyed disbelief. “Nothing to say?”
I shrug helplessly. “I just found out about what happened at the Rho Kappa house. It’s terrible.”
I guess that wasn’t what she wanted to hear—or wasn’t enough—because she shakes her head. “Look, Brynn, I love you, and I know you’re attracted to danger for whatever reason, but it was one thing when the threat was… normal. When it was some asshole at a frat party. But this… this is too much. The Blue Bloods aren’t an unruly group of frat boys, they’re legitimately fucking dangerous. I’ve heard they won’t even consider tapping anyone who hasn’t killed before. They’re criminals who don’t get caught, and since they know they can operate with impunity, maybe they’re emboldened enough to do shit like what happened last night to pay back a perceived offense. Now, I don’t think anyone else knows enough to connect the two things right now, but I know a Rho Kappa broke into our apartment a couple of nights ago and Blue Bloods showed up who weren’t very happy about it. You know I have no love for the Rho Kappas, but what happened to them last night was immensely fucked up.”
I nod my agreement, but I can’t seem to find any words.
I want to say something. To defend myself.
I’m not attracted to danger.
Am I?
If I were attracted to dangerous situations, I wouldn’t feel so traumatized after them, would I?
She’s speaking again, so I try to shift my focus and concentrate on what she’s saying.
“Anyway, I really wish you luck with all this. I hope you make good decisions and stay away from dangerous men, but I can’t be involved. I don’t want to get mixed up with the people you’re mixed up with. I don’t want my fucking house to burn down next. I just… You can’t move back in.”
Oh.
Well… I guess that’s fair.
Except it leaves me with literally no alternative but to go home to a murderer.
Cool.
“If you want to swing by the apartment to get the rest of your stuff… I need it all out by this weekend,” she says, defensively awkward. “I have to move someone else in because I can’t afford the place myself. But I’ll return your half of the security deposit, of course.”
I don’t know what to say. I feel like I’m being dumped, and I guess I am.
I’m a little stunned, though.
I didn’t see it coming.
Somehow, I didn’t see any of this coming.
I swallow, then I look around to make sure no one is around to overhear us. No one is, so I look back at Stacie. “Don’t tell anyone else what you just told me. The stuff about… the connection you made with the Blue Bloods and the Rho Kappas. We’re the only two people who were in the apartment that night. We’re the only two people who know what we know, and they know I’m not going to say anything.”
Her eyes narrow, and though she doesn’t say anything, I can feel her opinion of me changing. I can feel her thinking I’m complicit.
And maybe this is me being complicit, but it’s also me protecting her the best way I know how.
“I know you don’t think anyone should operate with impunity, and I agree with you, but… that’s not the world we live in. Maybe some people can get away with more than others. Just don’t… attract attention to yourself by mouthing off about what you think you know. Please. I’m not saying you’re right about any of this, it all sounds crazy to me, but what do I know? If you are right, if some group of dangerous men is behind this… then the only way to make sure your house isn’t the next one to burn down is to keep your mouth shut.”