Page 84 of You Will Bow

He stomps back and forth from one end of the cabin to the next while I follow. His eyes dart around the room like a caged animal. Every few steps he pauses briefly to stare at me before continuing to pace.

"Answer me, goddammit!"

When he doesn’t, I walk steadfastly to the couch and pull the note out of the cushions where the pills were. I hold it up with a trembling hand. “I found this in your room, too. It’s a note Zeke wrote me. Why’d you do it, Lev?” Tears sting the corners of my eyes and my whole body shakes. “Why’d you take advantage of me then kill him?”

His face twists in rage as he slams his fist onto the kitchen table. “Because!” he screams. “Because Cade needed to be taught a lesson. He needed to be banished from The Society. He doesn’t deserve to be here, or even breathe the same fucking air as us!”

“So you decided to play God? You took an innocent man’s life, Lev. When I was blaming myself, you encouraged it. You made me think I did something wrong. You would have let the whole world believe it was me that pushed Zeke when all along it was you.” I can’t stop the tears as they fall recklessly down my cheeks, and I don’t even have the energy to try. “Why? Why do you hate me so much?”

“It was never about you, dammit!” He punches the table again and the impact causes me to jolt. “I would’ve never let it get that far. It was always Cade that needed to pay for this. And he has.”

“You framed me for the murders, didn’t you? All the evidence that was found in the ash of those men who died was put there by you, wasn’t it? You killed them and framed me just to get me under your thumb. And I fucking fell for it. I fell for your games, then I fell for you, and I’m such a damn idiot.”

He stops walking and turns to face me, his expression unreadable. His eyes search mine as if he's trying to find the truth in them. “You fell for me?"

After everything I’ve said, that’s what stands out to him? “Are you hearing anything I’m saying?”

He strides toward me, each step bringing him closer. I stumble backward and feel my heart racing as the space between us grows smaller and smaller. “Answer my question, Trouble.”

My breathing quickens and my palms grow damp as I curl my hand into a tight fist. I hold it at my side for a moment before thrusting it back and delivering a hard blow right to the side of Lev's cheek.“Fuck you!” I spin around and grab my phone and the pepper spray and quickly stuff them in the pocket of my cardigan. I swallow down the hard ball lodged in my throat and walk around him, knowing I need to get out of here fast because Lev would never allow me to get away with that.

But I’m not fast enough when he grabs me by the wrist. “Don’t go.”

Growling, I slap his hand down. “Don’t touch me!” I grit out.

Lev’s phone starts ringing, and it distracts him just long enough for me to make it out the front door. I have to talk to Ridge and Maddox. They need to know what happened, and that I plan to go to The Elders. I have to confess everything. The governor, how Lev killed all those men and set me up, and how he’s the one who killed Zeke.

The snow is falling fast as I race toward campus. There's a constant white mist in the air, drifting slowly down and settling on everything below. Hugging my arms to my chest, I move as quickly as I can in my heels. It wasn't snowing this heavily when I left and I didn't even consider my poor choice of shoes.

“Riley!” I hear Lev shout from behind me as I reach the gravel road. “Don’t go back to campus!” I glance over my shoulder to see him standing on the porch of the cabin with his hands cupped around his mouth. “Check your phone!”

I don’t stop walking. In fact, I’m practically running as I reach into the pocket of my cardigan and take out my phone. I’m shocked to see so many text messages and missed calls—there’s also a campus-wide alert.

I tap Ridge’s name first and read his messages.

Ridge: Where are you, Angel? Please call me.

Ridge: Don’t come back to campus. There are people here looking for you.

Ridge: Did you get the alert?

Ridge: Listen to me, Angel. I need you to go to the warehouse by the cemetery. Go inside and wait for me.

At this point, I’m just passing by the warehouse, so I turn around and move quickly toward the entrance.

As I’m walking, I read the campus alert.

Campus Alert: Shelter-in-place. Homicide suspect at large.

I stop mid-stride, my feet pinned directly in front of the door. My breath catches in my throat as I put together the pieces of these messages.

Someone is looking for me?

Because I’m the suspect.

EPILOGUE

MADDOX

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