Page 90 of Forsaken Oath

I turn to leave, but Levi’s next words make my blood run cold.

“I’m surprised, Carter. You run around the Alley like you’re the king, and you’re not even going to ask me about your girl?”

I freeze with my hand on the door handle, his words hitting me like a sucker punch. Slowly, I turn back to face him, my jaw clenched tight.

“What did you just say?” My voice is low, a dangerous edge to it I barely recognize.

Levi’s grin widens, his eyes glinting with malicious amusement. He leans forward, elbows on the desk, hands clasped loosely in front of him. “Oh, you didn’t know? That pretty little thing you’ve been running around with lately? She’smine.”

Something erupts inside of me at his claim, this insidious version of myself without all the social constraints.

Rage surges through my veins, hot and pulsing. My hands clench into fists at my sides, nails biting into my palms.

“You’re mistaken,” I grind out through gritted teeth. “Eloise isn’t anyone’s property. Least of all yours.”

Levi barks out a harsh laugh, leaning back in his chair. “You really have no idea, do you? That girl’s been tangled up with Seven Pines long before you came sniffing around.”

My stomach twists, a sinking feeling settling in my gut. Pieces of a puzzle start to connect, which is fucking wild, considering I didn’t even realize therewasa fucking puzzle.

I should have though.

I jumped headfirst into this thing with Eloise, and despite all the time we’ve spent together—all the secrets we’ve shared—I’mrealizing now how much we’ve skipped over. Day-to-day stuff. The kind of details that ground a person in your life. It might’ve been a misstep, though never a mistake.

Can’t say I enjoy this feeling. Like the wind was knocked out of me.

Walker laughs, dragging a hand over his jaw. “Damn.”

I arch a brow, not finding the humor in any of this. “Something funny?”

He shakes his head, his gaze flicking over my shoulder for a second. “After all this time, you finally wander into my side of town, andthisis what you say?”

“Yeah, I’m still not finding the humor in it, gotta say. Should I call the cops and explain you’re running an illegal operation out of this shitty garage?” His laughter fades into a cruel smirk. “Only if you want your little girlfriend to end up behind bars. And then what’s gonna happen to those sisters of hers, hm?”

I shrug, unfazed by his threat. “You’d be surprised what money can do in this town, Walker.”

He leans forward, bracing his palms flat on his desk. He bares his teeth a little when he says, “Oh, I know exactly what money can do.Son.”

The hair on the back of my neck prickles. “The fuck you just say to me?”

His mouth twists into a sinister smirk as he stands to his full height. “Ah, it all makes sense now.”

I fucking hate that I’m still standing here, but he’s got me, and he knows it. He strolls around the desk, stopping just in front of me, and gives me the most bullshit, condescending look I’ve ever seen.

“What’s that?” I grind out, my words scraping their way up my throat.

“You’re surrounded by cunts who keep you in the dar?—”

I don't let him finish that vile sentence. My fist connects with his jaw in a sickening crunch before the last syllable leaves his mouth. The force of the blow snaps his head to the side, spittle flying from his lips.

He braces himself on the desk, one hand cradling his jaw as laughter tumbles out of him like loose marbles. It bounces around the office, sharp and piercing.

“Watch your fucking mouth, Walker.”

He looks up at me, bent over and clutching his face, flashing me his bloody teeth. “There’s the Walker temper.”

My heart squeezes, a part of me shriveling at his words. I don’t know if it’s true. But I know I shouldn’t have had to find out from him. My parents should’ve been the ones to tell me.

And I won’t give this motherfucker the satisfaction of a reaction.

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