I school my expression though. As much as I want to run to him without question, I know I can’t. Not only because of my new mission, but because he heard me today. That means this is a trap.
I cross my arms over my chest. “Excuse me?”
He pushes off the truck, coming toward me. Before I can say a word, he grabs me, throwing me over his shoulder, carrying me to the truck. Once at the passenger side, he throws the door open, depositing me into the seat. Before I can do anything, the door is shut.
I consider jumping out while he makes his way to the driver’s side, but there’s no point. He would only grab me again.
Once he climbs inside and the truck starts moving, I turn to him. “What the fuck are you doing, Nate?”
“Me? What are you doing? Joining the cheerleading squad?”
“That’s really none of your business.” I turn away from him, back to the window.
I’ve never been a great liar. I’m scared to death he will see the truth written on my face.
“It is my business. You’re in the inner circle, so you are my business.”
I scoff. “I’m your brother’s girlfriend’s friend. That doesn’t make me part of anything.”
He doesn’t respond for several minutes, instead focusing on the road. When he pulls down his driveway, my heart races. I can’t be here. He is going to ruin everything.
Before he can pull up to the house, I turn to him.
“Stop the truck, Nate.”
“No.”
“Stop the fucking truck!”
He slams on the brakes as soon as I raise my voice, turning to look at me. He throws it in park, stopping right in the middle of the driveway. Then he turns and faces me.
“Why? Why don’t you want to go to my house? Don’t you want to see your best friend? Have you even checked in on her today?” His eyes are narrowed.
I did check in on her for the last time. I texted her letting her know the plan was a go. She responded with a thumbs up. He doesn’t know that though.
“No. I don’t want to. What is this about, Nate? You haven’t spoken two words to me since we left Finley’s, and now all of a sudden you want to be buddies again? I can’t handle your whiplash.”
He growls, turning off the truck to toss the keys on the dash.
“I’m angry with you, Hailee. You deceived me in order to help Willow escape. She almost died. So I’m sorry I haven’t felt awfully chatty to you. If I had talked to you, I would have taken my anger out on you, and I didn’t want to fucking hurt you. Look at the times I did speak with you. I don’t want to be this way with you.”
I hear his words, but I’m so worked up I can’t process them. Instead, I lash out.
“Oh? You would’ve hurt me, huh? Big man can’t handle his anger so he takes it out on others?”
He scoffs. “I would never lay a hand on you and you know it. I meant I would say things I would only end up regretting. I didn’t want to regret you.”
His words hang in the silence that follows them. I swallow hard.
Fuck.
Is he saying what I think he is? Does he care for me?
I’m going to break him. There’s no going back now. I’ve joined the team. I’ve started down this road. Willow is trusting me to figure out who is selling the drugs. I refuse to let her down.
My heart hammers in my chest as Nate continues to stare at me.
After a moment, he asks again, “Why did you join?”
