Page 78 of Little Did You Know

I needed to talk to Nick.

"Olivia." Anthony pushed his untouched beer aside and turned to face me fully. "There's one last thing, and I've gone back and forth on whether or not I should say this, but since you want the truth, I'm going to."

I gripped the edge of my barstool, the vinyl cushion creaking as I shifted closer. My chin dipped in a tight nod.

Anthony's voice dropped so low I had to lean in to hear him. "I'm pretty sure Emmett killed your parents."

The bar tilted sideways, the bottles behind the counter blurring into streaks of amber and crystal.

I'd been stabbed in the back that day. Wouldn't I have known if it was my own brother? And he was with Nick. Nick never said anything about Emmett having the opportunity to kill our parents.

"That's not possible." My voice cracked on the last word, betraying me. "Emmett was with Nick."

"Ask Nick what actually happened that day." Anthony's gaze dropped to his beer.

The room spun as I gripped the edge of the bar. "Does Nick think this, too?"

Anthony rubbed his jaw, the stubble making a scratching sound in the quiet space between us. "No, or at least not that he's told me, but I don't think, even being as messed up as he was, that he would have left you with Emmett if he thought you were in danger. Look, I know this sounds crazy, but Emmett was angry. Your parents were cutting off his access to the money until he completed the rehab and proved he could be responsible again. I'd never seen him so angry. You thought he was mad because your mom wanted him to take you, but that's not why. He'd just found out about his parents' plans."

"Did Nick know?"

"No, and when I asked Nick to tell me where they were while you were in the hospital, he was so messed up I don't think it ever crossed his mind that I might be asking because I thought Emmett did it."

I needed a break. This was all too much information at once.

"Anthony." I pushed out of my seat and grabbed my purse. "I need to talk to Nick."

He nodded, dropped some cash on the bar, and escorted me out, and that's when I noticed we weren't alone.

"Who are they?" My gaze tracked the three bulky figures positioned near the exits.

Anthony guided me toward the door with a light touch on my elbow. "Walker's security team." His eyes swept the parking lot through the grimy windows. "We don't know the intentions of the girl dating Emmett, and we can't ensure that no one will come after you for what Emmett owes. So, for now, you will have security with you wherever you go for a while."

I was too drunk to know how I felt about a security detail but what I did know was that I needed to talk to Nick.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The darkness of Anthony's spare bedroom pressed in around me, as heavy as the guilt churning in my stomach. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Olivia's face—hurt, betrayed, angry. Sleep wasn't coming. Not while the weight of everything left unsaid between us hung in the air like a storm about to break.

My mind raced, realizing I should have been honest with her. I should have told her everything from the beginning. My chest tightened with the fear that I probably lost something I didn't even realize I wanted, no needed. The thought of living without her was suffocating.

Olivia and Anthony hadn't returned from wherever they were, and even though I knew she had a security team on her, I couldn't help but worry. Anthony had kept her safe for much longer than I had, so I knew I had nothing to worry about, but I still did.

The door hinges creaked—that soft, tentative sound that made my heart slam against my ribs. I jerked upright, squinting against the sudden invasion of hallway light.

Anthony’s wife, checking on me again, I thought. But something about the hesitation in that pause, the way the door hung half-open, sent a different kind of tension through my muscles.

"Nick?" Olivia's voice drifted through the darkness, barely above a whisper. I darted out of the bed. "Olivia?" Her fingers curled around the doorframe. "Can I come in?"

"Yes." I flicked on the lamp on the nightstand, and she closed the door. The room filled with an awkward silence for several long minutes, and I wasn't sure if she wanted me to say something or be quiet.

Olivia wrapped her arms around herself. "I know there's a lot we need to talk about." I blew out a heavy breath, thankful she was going to talk to me. "But right now, I need to know what happened the day my parents were killed. I don't remember much, and I need to remember."

"I will tell you anything you want to know." I stepped forward, but she retreated, each backward step like a knife to my chest. "As long as you are sure you want to know."

"I am, Nick." she held out her hand stopping me. "I need to know."

I nodded, swallowing past the lump in my throat.

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