Dare Series Collection - Shantel Tessier Page 0,187

My jaw clenches, and he laughs. “You guys think you own this town? That you were the only sharks in these waters?” He shakes his head. “Who do you think taught you how to kill? How to hunt?” He gives me a threatening smile, and it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. “Don’t get me wrong. I am proud of you, son. You’ve done well for yourself. And you did me a favor by getting rid of Bruce.”

I bet I did. “I’m sure he knows all your secrets.”

He nods. “He knew enough.”

I take a step forward, closing the small space between us. We both stand eye to eye at six feet two. “And what about his secrets, Dad? Did you know this whole time that he paid to have me killed?” I have to ask. “See, I thought that you fought to keep me out of prison because you were afraid that having a son in jail would lose you multimillion-dollar deals. But maybe it was because you didn’t want them to investigate and get your best friend in trouble.”

He knew I wasn’t at fault, but he never tried to get me to confess. Or even bothered to ask who was really driving.

“What were you thinking?” my father snaps at me while we stand in his office.

I say nothing.

“You could have ruined your life! You’re lucky that I have pull in this town, or you would be spending your life in prison.”

“Lucky?” I can’t help but ask. “Three of my friends are dead!”

“But you’re not!!” He slaps his checkbook down on his desk. “Fuck, you know what this town thinks of you now? I mean, they already knew that you were a fuckup. Now they know you as a murderer.”

“Because I am!” I shout. “I killed them!”

“Don’t you fucking say that!” he barks, pointing his finger at me. “You keep that shit to yourself!” He falls into his seat and sighs. Then he looks at my right arm that is in a sling. His eyes narrow on it. He knows I wasn’t driving. I lied to the cops. The paramedics. Everyone. And no one questioned it. But he knows. Nothing gets past him. “Eli’s funeral is tomorrow.”

I swallow around the knot in my throat. I’ve already missed the others. Landen was cremated, and Maddox’s was held while I was still in the hospital. “What time?”

“Doesn’t matter. You’re not going.”

My jaw tightens. “Yes, I am—”

“This is not up for discussion.” He interrupts me. “You are not going to his funeral. The entire town is going to be there, and you think they want to see the boy they all think killed him?”

I look away from him, hoping he doesn’t see the tears that sting my eyes. “I made him a promise.” I have to check on Aimee. Eli was so sure that something was wrong with her, and I can’t let him down. Not now. I just got released and haven’t had the chance to get over to his house to grab his computer and see what he was talking about, her not being safe. What Jerrold does to her when no one is looking.

My eyes find his again when he doesn’t speak right away. He watches a tear roll down my cheek with disgust. I hate that for once I look so weak in front of him.

“You should have thought about that before you took the fall.” He stands from his desk and crosses his arms over his chest. “You made a decision, and now you must face the consequences.”

The next day while the whole town was at Eli’s funeral, Deke and I set three crosses at the scene of the accident. We silently cried and said our own goodbyes to our brothers.

Liam places his hands on my shoulders, and I stiffen. “It doesn’t matter why I did it,” he finally answers.

I shove his hands off me. He’ll never tell me. Even if he were to answer, it would be a lie. “Did you know Celeste killed Mom?”

The corners of his lips turn up before he looks me up and down. “You look like shit, son.” Then his eyes slide to Austin. “Get some rest. You’re gonna need it.” He pulls away and smiles at me as though I just told him a joke. “When she is released, I want you to come by the house …”

I snort. “That won’t be happening.”

“Yes, it will,” he says matter-of-factly. “I have something to show you. And we