Page 74 of Bound By Water
He clenches his fists. “I’m sorry. Hightower became suspicious and sent his goons to pick me up. I tried to get word to you that afternoon, but neither you nor Lionel were at the house. I swear, I didn’t know what those neanderthals were planning. If I had, I’d have found a way to get you to safety,” he says with a shake of his head. His green stare implores me to forgive him, but I can’t.
“You could have come to me and Lionel. He would have taken you seriously. Instead, you let them ruin my life,” I insist, trying to understand his point of view, but it’s so damn hard. Not only did his stalker activities scare the shit out of me, but doing nothing to prevent them from kidnapping me made him their accomplice.
He sits down on a nearby rock and hangs his head. “Everything about you took me by surprise. I didn’t know what to do. For the first time in my life, I put someone else ahead of my mother and sister. To be honest, I hated myself for it. I wanted to save you, but I knew Hightower would kill my family. I was stuck.”
My jaw drops at his confession, but I’m still so furious. That’s why he’s so protective about his family. They’re captives.
“You should have saved me. Period.” If he had, I wouldn’t have killed Trent, and I might have had a chance. Now, there’s no going back. “You could have easily told Senator Hightower I didn’t have any powers. He would have called off Trent. Instead, you selfishly stayed, which put me in Trent’s sights, reinforcing his right to kill me. Or so he thought.”
He winces. “Honestly, I didn’t think he’d believe me. He’s extremely paranoid. But you’re right, I should have come up with another plan. You threw me for a fucking loop, and my whole head was spinning. I couldn’t think.”
His answer doesn’t ease the anger, but it I force myself to exhale slowly and sit down next to him. “This story sucks, by the way.”
He chokes on my words. “It totally does. You don’t even know the worst part.”
More? I angrily cross my arms over my chest and brace myself. “Tell me.”
His voice is hoarse as he continues, “Lance is telling the truth. For three years, Hightower has held my mom and sister hostage while he sends me out to find a unique talent or a lot of power. I turned in Lance and the other guys. Not just them, either. Countless others. I convinced them to trust me and sold them out. I didn’t know what else to do. When I first started, I thought I could do it a couple of times, then he’d let us go.” A tear rolls down his face. “I was completely naïve. My success fueled his need for more. If I refused, he’d torture my mom or experiment on my sister. And me when I returned.”
This is really, really bad. “Damn. You’re the villain in this story. You’re Raven.”
CHAPTER37
WILLA / GREER
After a bit of silence, he takes a deep breath and turns to me. “With Lance here, I have to leave. Tonight. I’m already on borrowed time. If Phoenix discovers what I’ve done, they’ll hold me indefinitely. If I don’t return, Hightower will kill my mom and do worse to my sister. You understand, don’t you? I’ve been putting this off because I didn’t want to leave you, but I’m out of options.”
“Why didn’t you save Lionel?” The question leaves my mouth before I can really think about it, but now that it’s out, I have to know. My breath stalls as I wait for his answer.
“I tried to save you both at the gas station, but I was groggy from the drugs they gave me when they captured me, and my powers were muted,” he says, looking at me. “I didn’t have enough juice to do it all. I’m sorry. When I saw him go down, I didn’t think. I knew I couldn’t let you end up like him. I jumped out of the vehicle and ran to you. You know the rest.”
I think back to the gas station. He hadn’t been moving when they first arrived. Now I know why. “Knowing what I know now… it would have been so easy for you to fall back into old habits and let them take me like you did with countless others. But knowing it would cost you; you still saved me. I looked at those captives today, and I was so grateful I wasn’t standing with them.”
I’m not sure I would have survived. These last few weeks have been enlightening. Lionel sheltered me from the world and its dangers. So had my parents. If River hadn’t been with me, I’m sure Raven would have quickly captured me.
With a shiver, I lay my forehead on his shoulder. “I’m still angry with you, but I can’t say I’d have taken those same risks. I’d have been too scared. So, thank you.”
He turns and pulls me into his arms. “Stay mad at me. I deserve it. Seriously. But I’m glad you know. I didn’t want you to find this out from someone else, and with me leaving, Lance will happily tell you all my traitorous faults.”
In the heat of the moment, I’d forgotten he was leaving. Tonight. I raise my head. “What can I do to help save your family? Tell me.”
“Stay here where it’s safe,” he replies immediately. “Seriously. Everything is my fault. They were captured because I was bragging on the boards about my powers. Back then, I was a stupid kid. Didn’t know anything. My mom tried to tell me, but I brushed her off. Raven sent a team to track us down. For three years, we’ve been under their boot. The last time I saw her, she begged me to take my sister and leave, but I refused to leave my mom behind. I promised her I’d find a solution. Instead, I fucked everything up. This is my only chance to save them and myself. To give us a better life.”
“Let me talk to Quaid and Oliver,” I beg him. “Please. They’ll help you.”
He adamantly shakes his head. “No, they won’t understand. Nor will they let me go. I can’t trust them.” He sighs. “Besides, someone has to lead the fight against Raven, and I believe Oliver is our best shot. That’s why I didn’t give Hightower any information about this place or its location. Whatever Oliver’s father did to hide this place, it worked. Raven doesn’t have a clue about it.”
There’s a note of admiration in his voice I didn’t expect to hear, but I’m not surprised. Oliver’s willingness to help others is impressive, but his determination to take down Raven is pure steel.
“Don’t worry. The compound is very small with few guards. Plus, they’re used to me coming and going at odd hours. I’m going to slip in and out, and if I time it right, I’ll hit shift change,” he says, trying to convince me and himself that everything will work out.
“I’m going with you,” I blurt. Once I say the words, I know it’s the right thing to do. Doesn’t mean I’m not scared out of my freaking mind, though. Or that things will ever be the same between us, but River needs someone in his corner.
He drops my hands and steps away from me. “Absolutely not. No fucking way. You don’t get it, do you? You’ve been the best thing that has ever happened to me. You make me want to be a better person. To stop hiding behind my excuses. But the only way forward for us is to save them. I should have done it a long time ago, but I was in so deep, I couldn’t see a way out. Now, I do.”
He moves closer and tugs the neck of my sweatshirt until it exposes the mark on my shoulder. “Besides, you’re special. This mark means something. I think you might have two powers. If you do, Hightower will kill anyone he has to in order to get his hands on you.”
“This mark? It means nothing. I can barely use one power. How the hell could I have two and not know about it?” I ask him, freaking out about the possibility.
