He cracked his knuckles and flexed his fist before settling perfectly still again. “It wasn’t me.”

“Come again?”

“I didn’t kill my father,” he spelled out slowly. “The police showed up on Keenan’s doorstep while they were out. I haven’t told him yet.” His frown deepened and his chest moved with harsh breaths.

I knew better than to think he mourned the motherfucker who almost succeeded in stealing his humanity, but the deep lines in his forehead told me his father’s death bothered him.

“This is good news. Mitch is dead and you get to keep your hands clean.”

“Do I?”

“So you’re saying you’d avenge him?”

“Fuck. No. I’m saying my back may have just become someone else’s target.”

“You know they say the enemy of your enemy is your friend, right?”

“Or just a bigger enemy.”

I stared at him at a loss for words knowing he could very well be right. Keiran trusted little and suspected everything. The worst part is he was always right. Except when it had come to Lake… It is clear that she had always been the rule rather than the exception. The day Keiran went against his better judgment could very well kill him.

“You have to tell Keenan and soon. Are you going to go after whoever killed him?”

I was hoping the answer was no, but I knew better than that. Keiran didn’t like loose ends and he didn’t take chances. Especially now that he had someone to live for.

He turned to face me and in his eyes I could see the killer born from slavery and pain. “Do I have a choice?”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

SUMMER BEFORE SENIOR YEAR

WILLOW

SINCE THAT FIRST night weeks ago, Dash had made every excuse, plan, or a ploy to get into my room or for me to come out. The very next day, he had come back, claiming to not understand the assignment given to us in our time management course. Since I’d refused to give him my number, he had been forced to come over.

Only when he was inside did I discover he had already completed the assignment.

He placed me in handcuffs again and made me watch another movie with us crammed together on the twin bed. Only this time was different for several reasons.

This time, he took the liberty of removing his shoes and locking our feet together. The movie was also different. It was a romantic comedy called Bridget Jones’ Diary.

That had been one of my favorite nights for one particular reason.

When Mark Darcy admitted to liking Bridget Jones just the way she was despite all her bad qualities, he had played it back and turned up the volume. As I listened, he placed kisses on my neck and when Darcy repeated it, Dash had whispered it in my ear.

Luckily, my roommate had been gone, and over the weeks, I found that she was always gone when Dash came over but never when I needed time alone.

The very next night, he claimed to have left his computer charger. He placed me in handcuffs, brought over Twilight, and removed his shirt and shoes.

By the fourth night, I assured him there was no need to handcuff me. He then attempted to bribe me with a kiss instead of the handcuffs. I was going to choose the less dangerous route, but he took the decision from me by trapping me against the door and introducing me to his tongue once again. That night was the first time he slept over. We were moving into dangerous territory at full speed.

I looked myself over in the mirror once again and couldn’t recognize myself. My hair had been tamed into disciplined waves that flowed down my back. The white sundress hugged my body and actually looked flattering against my curves. Plain white flip-flops and a long gold chain completed the outfit. Although I felt foreign in my own body, I liked what I saw so maybe Dash would, too.

I wanted to call Lake for advice but didn’t know how she would respond to my friendship with Dash. He was best friends with the enemy after all, and in a way, it made him the enemy, but being here alone made it easier to accept his friendship. I had no idea what would happen when we both returned to Six Forks.

We’d been hanging out for weeks in secret. I would only agree if we were in my dorm. Today when he asked, I finally decided to go on a date with him. I had no idea where we were going, but the butterflies in my stomach hadn’t let up since I agreed.

I opened my door and was greeted by a face that looked like Dash but a body that was not dressed like Dash. The bright yellow shirt with thin purple stripes was accessorized by a purple bow and suspenders. His jeans were plain dark and cuffed at the bottom with purple loafers to end his outrageous outfit.

He looked gorgeous.