Dare Series Collection - Shantel Tessier Page 0,359

they all came together to help me tonight.

“Where is Shane?” Austin asks no one in particular.

“He’s got my car,” Deke answers. “He had to run an errand but will meet us back at the house.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

DEKE

I PACE THE gravel road, holding my phone to my ear, but I’m met with silence. The drizzle slowly soaks my shirt, making it cling to my body. The Collins night air is cold, but I don’t feel it. I’m too wound up. My free hand is shoved into my jeans pocket, and I kick a loose rock around.

“I miss you,” she finally says. Her voice so soft, I barely hear it.

I smile and admit, “I miss you too, princess.” Coming to a stop, I turn and look at the clubhouse where the sharks and I spent most of our time over the past year and a half. “What are you doing right now?” I ask her while watching Cole pack his black duffle bag into the back of Bennett’s car.

“Lying on your bed,” she answers. “Naked.”

I moan at the visual. “You better be that way when I return tomorrow.”

The guys and I decided last night to make a quick trip back to Collins. Well, Bennett and Shane were coming home, but after Shane suggested Becky was Evan Scott, Cole and I decided it was time to find out once and for all. And if she is, we’re ending it.

We weren’t putting anyone else in danger. Evan had threatened Demi when Seth didn’t do as he ordered, so the clock was ticking. I wasn’t taking that chance again. I won’t gamble with Demi’s fate. Especially if her sister is the one calling the shots. She’s already hurt her enough. I was gonna end it for her. That’s the least I can do after trying to kill her myself.

“We’ll see,” she teases me. “Depends on what time you get back.” She’s fishing.

The guys and I didn’t tell the girls much. Just that we were taking a quick trip to Collins to take care of something. They knew. They exchanged a look. Austin turned and left the room. She’s still not talking to Cole. And Demi just nodded, leaving it at that.

They both knew they weren’t going to change our minds. It’s not like we’re gonna kill Becky. We’re just gonna make sure this shit ends once and for all.

“You ready?” I hear Austin’s voice on the other end of the phone.

“Yeah, give me one minute,” Demi answers her.

“What are you girls doing?” I ask. It’s a little after seven here. That makes it past nine there.

“Austin and I picked up Lilly earlier, and she asked if we could have a girls sleepover tonight since you guys are gone. So we’re gonna make a pallet in the living room, pop some popcorn, and eat our weight in chocolate while we get drunk off cherry Kool-Aid.”

I laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“Just remembering when we were at Silence standing in line to get popcorn and you told me that you admired my lack of empathy,” I recall. She stays silent, and the smile drops off my face.

“I still do, Deke.” she says in a soft voice. “I never once wanted you to be or pretend to be someone other than who you are.”

I hate how much I needed to hear her say that. Deke Biggs doesn’t need permission to do anything. I always kept Becky in the dark regarding what I did with the sharks. She would have hated it, bitched about it, and made me out to be the bad guy. Which I am, don’t get me wrong. I know where I stand in the world of good versus evil. The one drowning in blood and full of hate. But look what she did. Look how far she went to hurt Demi. Or what she did to her back when they were younger. She’s tried to have her raped twice now. She deserves to pay for that. And that’s what the sharks do. They make you pay. In blood.

“I gotta go,” she says.

But how would she feel if I said those words to her? Her imagination isn’t nearly as dark as our actions are. “Demi—”

“I’ll be here when you get back tomorrow.” She interrupts me. “Waiting on you.” Then she hangs up.

I drop the phone from my ear and walk over to the door of the clubhouse. Cole stands over at the table, leaning up against it. Shane sits on the couch typing away on his phone, and Bennett is