Once the gunshots quiet, he leans up, pulling me with him.
“Rocky,” he calls out.
He steps out of the dark, walking over to us.
“You okay, bro?”
He nods, looking down at me. “Are you okay, Comet? You’re shaking.”
I barely nod, pushing the gun I didn’t realize I was still holding into his chest.
He takes it easily, standing before helping me up.
“Take Hailee back to the house. I need to take care of Mitchell.” Rocky turns and looks at me. “We will talk later.”
I swallow hard. “Okay.”
Nate leads me back out to his truck. Once we are both inside, I turn to him. “I’m so sorry. I never wanted you to get hurt.”
He chuckles. “I know that.” Reaching his hand over, he takes mine in his. “I won’t lie. I’m angry at you. So fucking angry for lying to me all this time. But Willow explained quickly what was going on when you had Jacob deliver the note. There wasn’t enough time to get the play-by-play, but I got the gist of it.”
“You knew you were walking into a trap?”
He nods, pulling my hand up to his mouth to press a kiss to it.
“Why did you come?”
He shrugs. “If I didn’t, they would have hunted you down and killed you. It was worth the risk.”
I shake my head. “No. That’s not it. You hate me, Nate.”
He scoffs. “I have never once hated you. I was angry at you, but even when I thought you were a traitor I still fucking craved you.”
Before I can respond, his phone rings in the center console. He answers it quickly, Rocky’s voice filling the car.
“It wasn’t just a trap for you. Get to the house as soon as possible. Willow’s in danger.”
Nate hangs up, pressing his foot harder on the gas. Within minutes he flies into the driveway, barely throwing it in park before he jumps from the car. I follow behind him, not stopping until I run into his back.
He stands on the edge of the living room, his body tense. I glance around him to see Celeste holding a gun against Willow’s head.
“Oh look. The whole party is here. I guess you weren’t as great as Jared had claimed, huh?” Celeste calls to me.
“Oh, Celeste. I’m way better than he could have hoped. What are you doing here?” I ask, stepping around Nate.
She shrugs. “When I heard you were hand delivering Nate to them, I knew you would rat to my darling daughter. They wanted to believe they had flipped you, but I saw the video too. The one of you two fucking. I saw the emotion. Men wouldn’t understand. They couldn’t see it, but I could. So I convinced him to send me here as insurance. If I was right, she would be left virtually unprotected. If not, then well you wouldn’t be here with us, Nate.”
I meet Willow’s eyes. Her eyes are hard with a determined look. I glance back up to Celeste as Nate speaks.
“I suppose not. So what’s the endgame, Celeste? You kill her and I kill you. You willing to give your life just to end your daughters?”
She scoffs. “Of course not. We have a failsafe plan in place.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “If you think that man has any concern for you whatsoever, then you are as dense as you look. I can promise you they are not coming for you.”
Her eyes flash with uncertainty, but she shakes it away. “Of course they are. Jared and Malcom assured me they would be around to pick up Willow and take me with them.”
My laughter rings out in the otherwise silent house. “Jared is no longer breathing. I’m sure if his father is, it won’t be for long.”
