Page 121 of The Love Penalty

“You guys take care.” Zander pats my shoulder as I walk past.

Wily opens the door for us, and I usher Lani down to my car. I hold the door for her, and she doesn’t even protest. No comments about her capability and how I don’t need to be so chivalrous all the time. She just slips into the passenger seat with murmured thanks, and I walk around to the driver’s door, wrestling with shock and grief and rage and…

Yeah, I really have to kill Harvey.

CHAPTER 53

LEILANI

The deathly silence in the car is suffocating, and I don’t know what to say. I don’t feel like myself as I fidget with the flash drive in my hands and try to shake off the memories that took me out while watching that security footage.

I should be happy about this.

I have the evidence I need—the proof that what I felt when I saw Harvey that day was 100 perfect accurate and real. I hadn’t gotten it wrong.

But the fact that I got it right is awful.

So awful.

Glancing at my boyfriend’s face, I watch the muscle in his jaw tic as he clenches and unclenches his teeth. He’s furious. His white-knuckle grip on the wheel, the way his breaths are short and kind of shallow. There’s a lethal vibration coming off him, and I… I don’t know what to say to make this better.

There’s nothing to say.

I need to take this to the police, and Asher… shit, he’ll probably need to start packing boxes.

Unless I don’t go to the police.

I stare down at that flash drive, letting the turmoil whip through me.

Do I fight for justice and cause Asher all this pain, or do I?—

“I’ll take you to the police station. There’s just something I need to do first.” His voice is terse, but when he looks at me, his expression softens for just a minute. “Is that cool?”

“Y-Yeah. I mean, you don’t have to take me. This is a lot, and I don’t want to torture you unnecessarily. I can go on my own.”

“You’re not going on your own.” His tone leaves no room for argument. I’d usually ignore this fact and spit back a little venom, but I just don’t have it in me.

I’m drained. Exhausted.

I need this to be over.

But it won’t be anytime soon.

Squeezing the flash drive, I shuffle in my seat to face him. “When you said there’s something you need to do first, are you… talking about morning classes or…?”

His response is a nostril flare that makes me nervous. “I can drop you wherever you need to go, and we can meet up later, go to the station.”

“Asher, where are you going?”

His jaw works to the side as he pulls up outside Huxley Hall. “I’ll see you later. Call me when you’re out of class.”

“I’m not getting out of this car until you tell me what you’re up to.”

He huffs, a sharp, irritated sound. His finger taps on the steering wheel, and I bore him with a look that I hope is unrelenting enough.

“Asher, come on. What?—”

“I have to go see Harvey.”

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