Page 100 of Kings & Chaos

The knife clattered to the floor, and I stepped away with a gasp, my body shaking.

“Fuck,” Neo said.

I turned on him. “I’m not hurting someone for the stupid game!”

“This isn’t about the fucking game!” Neo roared.

Oscar’s arms came around me. “It’s okay,” he said, smoothing my hair. “It’s okay.”

“Get her out of here,” Neo ordered.

Oscar pulled me into the hall, shut the door behind us, and pulled me into his arms again. “Fuck, tiger.”

“I’m not going to apologize for not hurting someone,” I said.

“I’m not asking you to,” he said. “I love you the way you are.”

The words washed over me and I looked up at him. “You…”

He shook his head, his expression almost sad as he looked down at me.

He touched my face. “I love you. Just the way you are, right now. I don’t need you to change for us.”

“I don’t…” I shook my head. It was all too much for one moment.

“Hey.” He smiled down at me. “There’s no pressure. We have all the time in the world.”

It didn’t feel true, but I didn’t have a chance to figure out why, because a second later a scream sounded from the apartment and echoed down the hall.

Chapter38

Willa

“I’m not apologizing,” I said, walking next to Rock on the way to the quarry. Oscar was behind us, Neo stalking ahead to the bonfire.

“No one’s asking you to,” Rock said, reaching for my hand. “You did what felt right for you.”

It had been a little over two hours since Oscar and I met Neo at the building in Blackwell Falls, but it felt like it had been a year. We’d waited in the hall until I couldn’t handle Connor’s screaming and begging anymore, then Oscar had taken me to the car.

We’d been sitting in the dark, waiting for word from Neo, when we’d gotten the pictures confirming the Knights had completed the second game. We hadn’t even had a chance to talk to Neo about what, if anything, he’d learned from Connor.

“I still don’t understand why we have to do this tonight. It’s a school night.” I didn’t even care that I sounded like a five-year-old.

Game nights were usually held the weekend after a challenge ended, but Oscar had texted Neo and headed for the quarry as soon as he got the news. When I’d asked him about the rush, he’d given me the word’s least satisfying answer: “Neo wants it that way.”

“It’s going to snow in the mountains this week,” Rock said. “After that, it’ll be too late.”

“Where are the parties held during winter?” I hoped my voice didn’t give away my hope that they were suspended altogether.

I’d had about all thefamiglia oltre il sangueI could take. It was at least ten degrees colder on the mountain than it had been in town. I could see my fucking breath.

“We have a few different indoor locations,” Rock said.

“Why didn’t we just start that now?” It was hard to believe it had been twelve hours since I’d lied my way into the Giordana house. I was exhausted and more than ready for bed.

“Some things we can only do here,” he said.

I didn’t have a chance to ask any more questions. We reached the end of the trail, spilling out into the clearing where a bonfire was already raging, the Knights in full-on celebration mode.

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