Page 170 of The Pact

“No, you’re not.” Wesley’s words halt him. He reaches inside of Jake’s pocket instead, pulling out his phone. He holds it up to unlock it using the Face ID.

I watch in anticipation as Wes scrolls through it. He turns the phone for Damian to see and his jaw clenches.

“Tell me everything,” Damian grates out.

Jake recounts how he ran into Cole when he was running errands in Willow Hill a few months ago. He needed help with getting his nephew a job, so Cole hired him at the bakery. In return, Cole asked Jake to scare “this chick”. He looks at me when he says this.

Cole showed him a picture of me and gave a description of my truck. He told him to figure out a way to really freak me out and to go along with whatever happens. Cole told him to shake me up, but not to touch me.

“I purposely stepped out into the road and flew into a rage as if you were being reckless. Then Cole was behind me, throwing me to the ground, so I took off. It seemed innocent enough. He texted me the next day apologizing about getting rough with me and thanked me for the help.” Jake turns to look at me. “I’m sorry. I really wouldn’t have hurt you. I was just trying to help an old friend.”

Damian’s grip tightens, making Jake’s face redden. “Let this be a lesson. Don’t blindly follow some idiot’s plan. Might get you killed next time.” He pushes Jake back and releases him. “Get the fuck off my property.”

Jake doesn’t hesitate. He takes off.

My shock slowly wears off and my body shakes as my mind shoots in a million directions. Cole set up the attack. He set up running out of gas. This wasn’t some innocent ploy to spend more time with me. He’d coordinated these things. Why?

I’d willingly wanted to spend time with him. I genuinely liked him and hadn’t given him any reason to orchestrate any of this.

Damian and Wesley don’t know what I found on Cole’s computer earlier. Considering how Damian reacted to Jake, I’m not sure it would be the best idea to tell him right now. I want my own answers from him. If Damian gets his hands on him, I may not get them.

I need to confront him by myself, somehow.

A scary realization hits me with brutal force. These are only two things that we know of. What if there are more? Between Cole and Gavin, I’m not sure where their manipulation ends and the other begins. The starter, the notes, the flooding, the studio break-ins. I need some fucking answers.

My head snaps to Wes. “The night the guys attacked me. How did you guys get into the studio? I locked it behind me.”

Damian answers instead. “Cole had a key. He opened the door.”

My stomach feels like lead. I never gave him a key.

Damian puts two and two together because his brows drop as he glances at Wes. “Find out where Cole is. Now.”

Just as the words come out of his mouth, Damian’s phone rings. “Hey, Sutton. Where are you? We’ve got a big problem.”

Damian’s face falls and his jaw goes slack. Dread creeps over me. I can sense something’s wrong. He’s barely saying anything.

“What is it?” Wes asks impatiently.

He hangs up the phone and his hand falls to his side limply. Damian’s face has drained of all color.

“Everyone, get the hell out.” It comes as a low order at first. “Get the fuck out!” Damian roars. Someone cuts the music and suddenly the energy shifts. People are grabbing their things and filing out of the patio gate. Hushed whispers follow.

Cassie gives me a tight hug. “Do you want to come home with me?” She offers.

“No, I need to be here.”

She grips me harder. “Call me if you need anything. I’ll come get you right away. Please be safe.” I let her go, watching as they leave.

I turn to Damian. “What is going on?”

My heart pounds against my ribs as I notice his eyes are glossy, holding back tears. “Sutton’s been in an accident. He’s in surgery. They don’t know if he’s going to make it.”

57

THEA

I barely register that we’re doing well over the speed limit. I don’t care. My only concern is getting to Sutton.

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