Page 101 of Private Exhibit
He heard Oliver sniff. “I just wanted you to know that I love you, and that I'm gonna be alright if you go. Gods. I don't want you to go. I know you'll still be here, but it won't be the same. Damn it. Sorry. If you need it to be over, I'll understand. You've suffered enough. And I'll be alright. I promise. You know me. I'm a survivor. I'll pick myself back up eventually.”
Devon felt a sob rush through his soul. He didn't want it to be over. He didn't want Oliver to be left on his own.
“I know you found out what happened to Dannika,” Oliver eventually went on.
Devon tensed.Oh gods.He'd completely forgotten about that again.Damn it. He'd never told Oliver what he found!
“Andy told me all about it.”
Shit.
“And I understand why you didn't tell me. It was hard.” Oliver's voice hitched, heavy with emotion. “It was hard, hearing how she died. I don't think I could have done it in your place, either. Hearing it was bad. But having to say all that out loud? Gods. I don't know how Andy does it.”
Devon shook his head. Or, at least, imagined he did so.I don't, either.
“Anyway, I don't blame you for keeping that from me. Besides, knowing you, you were probably waiting to get the full story before you told me, and I appreciate that.” Oliver sighed heavily. “Maybe I'll never really know what happened to her. Why she did it. But she's gone. Maybe I just need to accept that.” Oliver's breath hitched again. “But I'm not ready for this. I'm not ready to lose you, too.”
Devon cried.Oli…
Several minutes of silence passed, broken only by the intermittent sounds of hiccups and shuddering breaths. Devon stilled, grasping for every tiny sound. For every hint that Oliver was still there.
And where wasthere, anyway? Devon had no idea. Was he in the hospital? Or was he already dead? For all he knew, he could be lying in a coffin, his soul refusing to leave his body, swimming in blackness as it fruitlessly clung to the space it had always inhabited.
If he let go, it would be too late.
Finally, Devon heard the sound of a nose being blown before Oliver took a deep breath.
“And I wanted to say that I'm sorry I've been keeping secrets from you, too,” Oliver went on. “I hated not telling youthings, but they weren't my secrets to tell. But you know what? At this point, I don't care. I need to talk about it, and maybe, if you can hear my voice, you'll keep fighting to come back.”
I'm here, Oli, Devon whimpered.I'm trying. I'm here!
Oliver sighed heavily. “I've been doing side jobs forGrim. Nothing to do with G.H. It's still hacking, but definitely not the white-hat stuff he pays us to do.”
What?
Oliver was silent for a long while. Devon almost thought he'd completely lost contact when he finally heard Oliver sigh again.
“It started right after my huge screw-up with having Thomas Pennington kidnapped,” Oliver began slowly. “Gods, I was such an idiot. I thought for sure it was him.” He fell silent again, then said, “ButGrimsomehow found out what I was doing. I thought for sure he was gonna kick me out of the club.” Oliver breathed a laugh. “Instead, he offered me a chance to helphimget some revenge.”
Devon felt like he was holding his breath, waiting for more.
“He told me about this case,” Oliver went on. “Something from over twenty years ago. There was a girl who got gang-raped by six of her schoolmates. I have no clue who she was toGrim, but she was obviously very important to him, because he ishellsbent on tracking every one of these guys down. Apparently, he's been screwing with these guys for years. Draining their bank accounts. Spilling their secrets so they lose family, friends, jobs. But he got caught up in some other project recently, so he asked me to step in and help while he was busy with other things.” Oliver paused. “Truth be told, I'm not sure if that was truth or just a line. Maybe he knew how much I needed revenge myself. Maybe he thought I could at least live vicariously by getting revenge for this girl.” Oliver breathed a laugh. “I have to admit…it worked. It felt good to go after this one guy…”
Oliver's voice faded. Devon scrabbled for it, reaching out, desperate to hold on.
“Honestly, I never expected him to take his own life,” Oliver quietly went on. “It was that guy you told me about. The one whose identity you had to track down for Andy. I don't know if you noticed, but I had to change the subject real quick when you brought him up. I didn't want you to find out what I was doing. I wasn't sure you'd approve of it. And, like I said, it wasn't my secret to tell. But, gods, I hated keeping things from you.”
Devon gasped.Steven Mason? Holy shit.
“I still want revenge for Dannika,” Oliver continued. “But I'm not sure I'll ever get it. Maybe I'll never find out who drove her to do it. Gods. For all I know, it might have beenme. And if that's the case? Fuck. I'll never be able to live with myself.” Oliver paused. “But there's only one left now. One of the six thatGrimwas after. Five of them are either dead or completely ruined. There's just one more, and I'm gonna helpGrimgo after him. Maybe it'll help me feel another small sense of closure. Some sense of justice. If I can't help Danni, maybe I can at least help this girl, whoever she is. Was,” he quickly corrected. “For all I know, she might be dead.Grimnever really clarified one way or the other. But if she is dead, maybe soon her soul can rest.”
Devon winced.Gods, Oli. I'm so sorry. He wished there were something he could do. Wished he could really help Oliver get the answers the boy so desperately needed.
Maybe, if Devon died, he could find Dannika's ghost and learn the truth.
But he didn't want to die. Not yet. He wasn't ready!
Trapped as he was, Devon knew he didn't have much choice. Still, he fought. It didn't seem to make any kind of difference, but he didn't stop.
