Wretched (Never After Series)(65)

My nostrils flare, sharp prongs of betrayal tightening around my middle.

Brayden turns around and sees him. “Man, put the gun down, Jesus.”

“Nick, I—”

Brayden freezes and everything in me goes ice cold at the name, even though I’ve already heard it said.

I shake my head, and Nick puts his hands up in front of him, like he’s approaching a predator. “Eveline, I can explain.”

“I don’t want to hear your explanations,” I hiss. My vision blurs with tears and I grit my teeth, shaking my head, so fucking mad that I’m showing everything he’s making me feel.

“Eveline,” his friend says calmly. “Drop your weapon.”

“Seth,” Nick snaps. “Shut the fuck up. I can handle this.”

I huff out a laugh. He can handle this. My chest burns, and then something else dawns on me, the phrasing of the words hitting me like a dagger straight to the heart.

My mouth drops, and I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to keep my focus so I don’t lose it completely. I take a moment and breathe deep to find my center. When I pry my lids back open, my gaze meets concerned green.

But they don’t have the same effect on me like they did before.

My hands tremble so much the gun shakes in my grip. “Are you a cop?”

His face twitches and his mouth parts, but then he closes it again, his head shaking as he takes moves toward me.

I back up, bringing the barrel higher. “Take another step and I swear to god Brayden, I will empty this entire clip in your lying fucking mouth.”

He swallows, his eyes growing glassy. But he doesn’t move again. “Eveline.”

“Don’t.” My teeth ache from how tightly I’m clenching them. “Just… tell me the fucking truth for once in your life.” My tone rises with every word.

He presses his lips together, his nostrils flaring and chin lifting as he watches me with watery eyes. “I’m a federal agent.”

It would have hurt less if he shot me.

My eyes close and my face turns to the side, hot disgusting tears flowing down my cheeks like tangible heartbreak.

“Please,” his voice cracks. “Please, pretty girl… let me explain.”

I breathe through my nose, trying to count back from ten, but the numbers don’t come.

All that comes is anger.

Slowly, I open my eyes and straighten my spine, letting the salty wetness drip from my chin and onto the ground.

I move my aim from him to his partner.

It happens in slow motion after that. Brayden—Nick—drops down and picks up his weapon, his hands as steady as his empty chest must be.

“Don’t do this, Eveline,” he says, bringing up his pistol.

“You would shoot me?” Another traitorous tear falls to the floor.

His jaw clenches but he doesn’t move his aim. “I won’t let you kill him.”

“So it’s like that then?” My mouth tilts up.

He steps to the side, blocking Seth. “Yeah, pretty girl. It’s like that.”

My finger sits on the trigger and I step toward him until the end of the barrel is pointing directly at his chest. He lowers his arms, like he’s accepting death if I choose to give it.

“Drop your weapon!” His friend yells. “I won’t tell you again.”

But I ignore him, craning my neck and staring into eyes I’ve never really known. “Will you let him kill me?” I whisper.

He looks down at me, his Adam’s apple bobbing with his swallow.

His silence is all the answer I need.

“Do it then.” I turn around and walk away, my heart in my throat, half of me wishing he’d just finish the job now and shoot me in the back. But nothing happens. So I leave, a heavy type of numb dropping into place like a curtain, shielding me from anything other than darkness.





36





NICHOLAS





My cover’s blown.

Obviously. So I’m officially pulled from the case, and now I’m sulking in my apartment—my real apartment—the decision on whether to tell my department everything I know sitting so heavy on my chest that I can’t breathe.

Last night, I had made the decision, sure I was doing the right thing no matter how much it hurt. No matter how much it tasted like I was betraying the only person who had never let me down. But when I stared Seth in the face, I couldn’t push the words off my tongue. And when Eveline busted down the door and looked at me as though I had killed her spirit?

That’s when I knew.

I would pick her a thousand times over even if it meant rotting in hell.

I let her walk back out of the door, because I don’t deserve to keep her, and I broke down telling Seth everything. Everything except who the supplier is. Then I came home to my sister, not knowing where else to go.

Rose sits at the small round table across from me, a steaming cup of tea in her hands. She purses her lips as she watches me. “You look like shit.”

“Feel worse,” I grunt.

She sets down the mug, reaching out to grab the top of my hand. “Well, it’s good to have you home.”

I run my fingers through my hair, the cavity in my chest rattling. “Yeah. Feels good to be here.”