Page 105 of Sinister Legacy
Stepping out of the way, I stare after her as she leaves the room. I should wait to avoid anyone seeing us walk out together but fuck it. I don’t care.
She strolls down the hallway toward the locker rooms before turning and winking at me over her shoulder. Her gaze soon slides past me, and the flirty sparkle in her eyes dims.
Frowning, I turn around and pause.
The man in front of me clears his throat. “I’m Officer Wells, and this is my colleague, Officer Riveiro. We need you to come with us to the station.”
Keira starts to walk over, but I hold my hand up behind me, silently telling her to stay back.
“Why?”
“I think it’s best that we discuss it in private,” his eyes skate past me to Keira, “away from here.”
I half turn to Keira. “Get back to class.”
“Mr. Knight, with all due respect, we need you to come with us,” Officer Wells says, getting on my last nerve.
I plead with my eyes for Keira to walk away. “I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”
Officer Wells clears his throat. “You can either leave with us peacefully, or we can cuff you.”
Turning back around, I pull a face. “Cuff me? The hell?”
“We have an arrest warrant.”
“He didn’t do anything,” Keira speaks up behind me, her tone thick with worry.
“Miss Hill, please stay out of this.”
“The hell I will!” Shouldering past me, she glares at Officer Wells and Riveiro. “What’s this about?”
“Miss, step out of the way.”
“Not until you tell me what evidence you have.”
We’re starting to attract a crowd now. Students hover nearby, whispering to each other with their phone cameras out.
I pick Keira up by the waist and physically move her out of the way before gesturing toward the entrance at the end of the hallway. “Lead the way.”
As I start walking, Keira wraps her small fingers around my wrist. “King? No. Don’t go with them.”
“It’s okay, baby.” I keep my voice low. “I’ll see you later.”
Her hand slips away as I walk off, following Officers Wells and Riveiro out the door.
I don’t look back.
If I catch sight of her sad eyes, I’ll burn down the fucking town to get to her.
King exits the school building and enters the cop car parked on the sidewalk. I want to run after him. To plead with Officer Wells to let King go. To convince him that he has the wrong guy.
But my feet stay rooted to the floor, and my breath stays lodged in my thick throat. I try to swallow past it. To inhale a breath. But all I manage is a choked sound that sounds surprisingly like a sob.
“Keira!” Madison runs up to me with Hayley, Ava, and Kara in tow. I’m wrapped up in an embrace, breathing in the comforting scent of strawberries and minty bubble gum. Madison soothes me like I’m a baby.
“What happened?” Hayley asks, stroking my hair away from my wet cheeks.
Iamcrying.
