Page 18 of Wicked Waters

“We’re taking you,” Elena said firmly. “Don’t worry about anything else. We’ll take care of it all.”

A tiny bit of the tension I was holding drained away at her decisive words. And then my fingers brushed against soft fabric.

Roman’s T-shirt. I’d done as he instructed, putting it on under my hoodie.

Bile rose in my throat. I mumbled something about feeling sick and staggered towards the bow. When I was alone, I stripped the T-shirt from my body while covering myself with the hoodie, a process that took far longer than I wanted. But finally, I was free, and with another glance around me to make sure no one was paying attention, I balled up the T-shirt and dropped it over the side of the boat.

Saltwater licked up the fabric until it was soaked through, and then it sank beneath the waves.

10

ROMAN

“Where’s Knox?”

Tristan exchanged glances with Blaine and Lincoln across the beach house deck. “Gone.”

“What do you mean, gone? He was supposed to be coming with me to meet up with my cousins.”

Shaking his head, Tristan stepped closer. After giving Blaine and Lincoln another pointed glance and they took the hint, disappearing back inside, he leaned his elbows on the railing as he stared out to sea. “Mate, I don’t really know how to say this.”

“Just say it,” I growled, yanking off my sunglasses so I could glare at him properly.The pounding in my head increased dramatically as I screwed my eyes up against the brightness of the late-afternoon sun. Shoving my sunglasses back on, I pointedly cleared my throat, and he sighed.

“Okay, okay. Fucking hell, what pissed you off today? Wait, don’t answer that. I know what it was. The same thing that’s been pissing you off ever since a certain brunette beauty made a reappearance in your life.”

I gritted my teeth. I had the hangover from hell, and I didn’t need to deal with Tristan’s shit on top of everything else. “Tristan.”

“While you were still wasted from yesterday and sleeping it off, Knox left with Elena to drive Quinn back to Hatherley Hall. He won’t be coming back.”

“What?” My jaw dropped at the utter fucking betrayal from one of my best mates. “What the actual fuck?”

Tristan pounded his knuckles on the railing. “No. Look, I didn’t say anything when you pulled that stunt at the lake, but what you did last night…leaving her on that boat…that’s seriously fucking unhinged. Anything could have happened. Fuck, man, she could’ve died or something.”

I reeled back, struck by his harsh tone, at the fact that, somehow, everyone seemed to have turned against me. “I thought you were on my side.”

“I am, but when you make stupid decisions, I can’t support them. I stood by you with the arson and all that shit—” He cut himself off, pacing up and down the deck while I stared at him in disbelief. Finally, he came to a stop in front of me. “That’s all irrelevant, in this case. You know I’m down for fucking with people, and you know I’ve got your back, but you took it way too far this time. And as your friend, I’m here to tell you the truth, whether you want to hear it or not.”

I couldn’t listen to him. Not then. I needed to be alone, to cool down before I said something I’d regret. And I didn’t know what the fuck had happened last night, so how was I supposed to defend myself? Ignoring the nausea that was rising inside me, the insistent feeling that everything was so wrong, that I’d fucked things up irreparably with Quinn, I slammed my fist down on the railing. “I’m going out,” I muttered, pushing past him and stalking back into the house, ignoring his calls after me. Heading into the hallway, I didn’t stop, pulling the front door open and letting it slam behind me as I stalked down the driveway. Passing the cars parked up against each other, it hit me that I’d come here in Knox’s SUV, so I didn’t even have a fucking car to drive anywhere.

As if the universe was fucking with me, my phone started vibrating in my pocket, and when I pulled it out, I saw my uncle’s name on the screen.

“Roman. Caiden tells me you’re in town. I know you’re supposed to be meeting him and Weston while you’re here, but I’d like to meet with you first to discuss a few things.”

Fucking brilliant. Not only had my best mate decided to give me a lecture, but now I got to hear one from my uncle. All so he could delude himself into thinking he was doing his familial duty since my parents were out of the country and he was their de facto representation.

“Arlo.” I never referred to him as “uncle.” “I’m unfortunately without transportation.”

“I’m in the car. I’ll pick you up. Send me your location,” he said, and then disconnected the call.

Well, fuck.

When I was seated inside my uncle’s spacious SUV, I tipped my head back against the headrest and closed my eyes, steeling myself for his words.

“Roman. It’s good to see you. I want to apologise.”

My eyes flew open. “Huh?”

He laughed. “Not what you were expecting?”

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