Page 9 of Snitches and Serpents

“It’s illegal! If I had said that I didn’t see you, I would’ve been complicit in your crime. And it’s not my fault that you made poor life choices.”

The temperature plummets several degrees. And I suddenly realize that I’ve crossed some kind of line. A massive line that I really shouldn’t have crossed.

He doesn’t get angry and loud. Instead, he goes silent. Deadly silent. And his eyes turn so cold and hard that I fear one glance is enough to draw blood.

Swallowing, I edge a step back.

“Have you ever heard the phrase ‘snitches get stitches’?” he asks, his voice slicing through the air like a blade.

And then he takes a step forward.

One single step.

But the threat in that one step is enough to make my knees buckle as a wave of fear crashes over me. I can’t fight him and hope to win. He could break every bone in my body if he wants to.

Dropping to my knees on the mossy ground, I hold up my hands in a desperate plea and surrender. “I’m sorry. Please.”

His eyes light up with wicked delight, and a smirk curls his lips, as he rakes his gaze over my kneeling body. “That’s better.”

“Look, I’m sorry that you got community service,” I blurt out. “I was?—”

“I didn’t just get community service!” The words tear from his chest, harsh and full of rage. “You ruined my life.”

Confusion swirls through me, and I slowly shake my head. “What? But that’s all that happened. You were charged and you got a few weeks of community service. You graduated like normal. You didn’t serve any time. How could I possibly have ruined your life when?—”

“I lost my scholarship!”

The words echo through the dark forest. Echo through my own brain until I feel like my ears are ringing.

Tristan blows out a harsh breath and rakes both hands through his hair. Then his eyes lock on mine again, and for the first time, I register a note of pain in his gaze as well.

“I had a full scholarship to Bercester U,” he says. It sounds as if he is dragging the words up from the depth of his soul. “But I lost it.” In a flash, the pain evaporates and is instead replaced by burning rage, hot enough to set the whole world on fire. “Because of you. Because you couldn’t keep your fucking mouth shut about things you don’t understand. About something that doesn’t even affect you.”

Still on my knees, I just stare up at him in stunned silence. Shock still clangs inside my skull.

He leans down, getting right into my face.

A jolt shoots up my spine as he wraps his hand around my throat.

I suck in shallow breaths as I meet his furious stare.

“You ruined my life.” His gaze sears into me, and a muscle twitches in his jaw. “And now, I will ruin yours.”

Then he abruptly pulls back and spins on his heel. I collapse forward, bracing my palms on the soft moss, and drag in deep breaths. My heart is beating so hard in my chest that I can barely hear Tristan’s footsteps as he starts walking back to the car.

Panic shoots through me like a gunshot.

The car.

Snapping my head up, I scramble to my feet and call out, “Wait! My car keys.”

Tristan, who is already halfway back to the road, trails to a halt. Without turning around, he slides his hand into his pocket and fishes out my car keys.

I take a tentative step forward.

He turns towards me.

Because of the gloomy darkness wrapping around the trees like gauzy fabric, I can’t see the expression on Tristan’s face as he watches me in silence for a few seconds.

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