Deviant (Boys of Winter #3) - Sheridan Anne Page 0,144

me a conversation’ so I let her have it, but she started talking shit about how I’m trash, and how she’s going to kill mine and Carver’s unborn baby.”

“The fuck are you talking about?” Carver demands. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Just shut up and listen,” I snap, sick of being interrupted. I let out a big breath and take a second to try and focus. “She said that she stands by what Royston did and that she intends to follow through on their plan.”

I look back at Carver, feeling myself finally beginning to think straight, the more of the story that comes out. “I’m sorry,” I tell him. “But when I threatened that I was going to tell you this, she said that she’d slit your throat and make me watch just like your father did to my parents.”

Carver’s mouth drops and he just stares, watching me as though I’ve completely lost my mind, either that, or he’s in shock. Knowing my luck, it’s probably the first option.

“You’re fucking with us,” Grayson says, stepping forward and bringing my full attention back to him.

“You don’t know how badly I wish that I was,” I tell him. “I can’t even think straight from everything that just went down over the past twenty minutes, and to think that wasn’t even the worst part.”

“The worst part?” Cruz asks. “How could it possibly get worse than that?”

I reach behind me and pull out the little bottle of cyanide and meet Cruz’s heavy stare. “I found this hidden behind a bottle of wine,” I tell him. “I’m sorry, but I think your dad is responsible for killing Tobias King.”

Each of the boys freeze and my gaze slices across to King, waiting for his reaction to what I just said and I watch as unease filters through his gaze and his jaw clenches. He looks across at Cruz and they stare at each other for a silent moment before Grayson starts looking around too.

Carver though, he just stares at me.

He lets out a heavy sigh before walking toward me and taking the bottle of cyanide out of my hands and gazing down at it. Resignation flashes over his face and as he looks back up at me, I know that whatever he’s about to say is something that’s going to shatter every little piece of my soul.

“There’s something you need to know,” Carver says as the boys step in line with him, showing their support for whatever they need to tell me. I keep my stare on Carver’s, silently begging him not to break my heart. “I killed Tobias King.”

CHAPTER 35

No, no, no.

I shake my head and start backing away from them, but they match me with every step I take, keeping right up with me. It can’t be true. “Tell me you didn’t,” I demand, tears welling in my eyes as I stare back at Carver, someone I thought I knew. “Tobias was my father’s best friend. He was the closest thing I had to my father and you took him away. Please. Please, no …”

Carver looks shattered, but it’s clear that it’s only because he hates hurting me, not because he feels remorse for taking Tobias’ life. “I’m sorry, Winter,” he whispers, reaching out to take my hand, but I pull it far out of reach.

“Don’t,” I snap. “Don’t touch me.”

“Winter, I swear. It wasn’t my intention to hurt you, but I had to. I had to do it for you.”

“What?” I cry. “For me? What the hell is that supposed to mean? I never asked for this. Tobias was a good man. He was the only one I trusted at the table, the only one who took the time to teach me what I needed to know and taught me more about my father than I’ve ever been able to learn on my own. How the hell was this for me?”

Carver just stares at me, his heart out on his sleeve, completely broken. “Babe,” Cruz says, moving forward. “Please, just give us a chance to explain. I swear, you’ll understand when we’re through.”

I shake my head, glancing at King and wondering why the fuck he hasn’t got Carver on his knees with a gun shoved right up against his temple. “I was there,” I remind him. “I saw it. Tobias was a good man. How … how can you just stand there and be okay with this? He was your father, the man who raised you. Why aren’t you doing something about this? Why are