Page 80 of When You Stayed
Nova seemed shocked by Taryn’s statement with how her brows curved in, and her lips thinned. “Matt isn’t like that…”
“But you can’t speak for his club.” Taryn laughed, but not in a way that would be considered funny. “You don’t even know if they’re somehow connected to the Destroyers do you? That asshole who came here and threatened us as kids, the one who’s related to your best friend…which, by the way, what does Ryle think of all this?”
Nova’s grimace was answer enough.
“He doesn’t know?”
“We’re not as close as we used to be, mostly because he fucking disappeared. Have you two tried talking to Rook lately? It’s impossible to get either Silva brother to respond to texts, DMs, phone calls, or anything.”
I hadn’t really thought about the Silva brothers in a while, outside of what I read about when I was cleaning their house. I had a bit of a bone to pick with Rook.
“So we’re supposed to let you leave and ignore the danger this club poses to ours and lie about it all so your boyfriend stays protected?” I asked bluntly.
She was going to pretend like we didn’t need to be in lockdown, and downplay who was here, but really, they were extremely dangerous.
“Can you just trust me? They don’t want a war,” Nova begged.
I argued right back just as vehemently. “But a war is exactly what they’re going to get, Nova. You’re being stupid and reckless. You know exactly who they’ll use as bait when the time comes.”
Her eyes slammed shut as she turned her head to the side. “Matt isn’t like that. He would get me out if it ever came to that.”
There was no use in arguing with her, she had her mind set. Taryn must have figured that too because she tipped her head back, catching my gaze.
“Thank you for telling me, and for getting the video taken down, Nov. I truly appreciate that, I hope you know that. I just love you like a little sister and want you to be okay.”
“I know, but honestly, Royce, I don’t think a war will start over this.” Nova joked.
My resolve was starting to wane, and something like a rabid animal began burrowing through my chest. I stepped closer, hissing in reply. “If Ford ever finds out that they’re linked to releasing that video, I promise you there will be a war.”
“Dad wouldn’t allow him to, Sis,” Taryn added her thoughts, but she didn’t know what I felt deep in my gut.
“The second Ford becomes president, he will.” If he wasn’t already.
“So we don’t let it leave this room.” Nova suggested with a shrug of her shoulder.
Taryn checked with me first, but all I did was give her a nod. “It doesn’t leave this room.”
Nova finally stood, concluding this. “I better go, so they’ll leave the area.”
Taryn pulled her friend into a hug first, and then Nova came over to me. “I have a feeling our entire world that we grew up with is about to be tossed on its head, Royce. I’m glad you and Ford stayed. Inever knew why he did, but it seems like maybe it was because of you.”
She pulled away, and I couldn’t help but let my mind wander to the possibility of that being true. Ford had an entire plan in place for college, and to become a mechanical engineer, and then out of the blue, two months before he was set to leave, he decided to stay. I had never asked him why, nor had I cared, but now it seemed it was all I could think about.
Maybe Nova was right. Perhaps everything I knew was about to be tossed on its head.
NINETEEN
FORD
“We can’t keepthis charade up.” Jameson’s raspy voice echoed through the room as he tipped back the glass of whiskey.
The late afternoon light cut through the top windows of the club, making dust motes dance in the air. As if it were simply a lazy summer day and not a tense lockdown that had our members nervous about who was patrolling our town. I checked my watch to see if Royce was done talking to Nova, and she’d confirmed so hours ago.
I was ready to head back to her when she informed me she was taking a shower and had some work to do, telling me to come find her when I was done. I never thought I’d have to balance running the club and feeling pulled to leave it simply because I didn’t like being apart from her.
Johnson immediately caught my eye before checking with my dad, and Killian to see if they agreed. The club had been called in for the lockdown, but most of them were outside, keeping post while a few milled about but out of earshot.
The wolf who wanted to rip my throat out flashed an angry look at me before replying to Jameson. “You think it’s time to let people know?”
