Page 46 of Cruel Betrayal

If I go back, they’ll also lock me up, and it will either be back to business course, or no college at all. For “safety reasons”, of course.

So, as horrible as it sounds, I might be making the right choice by going with him. I might be doing the best thing I can do for my future. For me.

But there’s no doubt about it.

One of us is going to end up dead at the end of this.

Chapter Fourteen

EZRA

I pullup outside Jade’s new university, waiting for the shocked expression I know is coming. Along with the threats. Although, I like those. I like her thinking that she has some power here.

“This isn’t my school. Where did you bring me?” Her tone is low, a little bit of fear seeping in.

I chuckle and drum my fingers on the wheel. “You didn’t think I’d take you back to the old school where you had people to contact. Did you?”

“What about making me visible, so my family knows I’m fine and they don’t come after you?”

“You’re going to be visible if they look hard enough. You didn’t think I was just going to let you waltz right into the school where your sister is, did you?” I lean a little closer to her, taking her chin between my thumb and forefinger. “I told you before, love. I’m not going to let you go.”

“You should. This is going to be nothing but a bad time for you. It’d be a good idea to just leave me somewhere and move on withyour life. I’m not worth the effort you’re going to. Especially not when it’s going to piss off your family and mine.”

I brush my thumb over her bottom lip. “I don’t give a shit what you think your family is going to be able to do with me. I’ll kill them all where they stand if it means that I get to keep you.”

“I’m not somethingto be kept.”

Smirking, I drag out her bottom lip for a moment before leaning back in my seat. “I know you think that, love, but you are very much someoneto be kept and cherished. Now, get to class before you’re late.”

She stares at me for a moment, like she isn’t sure what to think, before she nods and gets out, grabbing her tote bag and leaving me there.

I wait until she’s walking away before turning back out into traffic. I head to the parking around the corner, my phone ringing incessantly.

Tyson’s name flashes on the screen as I find a parking space and back into it.

I shut off the car and answer the call. “What? I have something I’m doing.”

“Does that something have to do with the fact that you moved out?” Tyson sounds incredulous on the other end of the call. “What the hell is going on, Ezra? If you’re playing games with Noah, this is going to get messy, and I’m not going to be able to help you. You know that. I need the Rinaldos.”

“If I cause any problems with him, he’s going to come after me. He’s not going to bother with you. You’re not high enough up thepole to matter to him. You’re a good fighter, but you don’t bring in the money I do.”

“Okay, let’s stop pretending that this has anything to do with the fighting.”

I get out of the car and pull up the hood of my sweater, doing my best to blend in with the students heading out of the parking and to the courtyard. “It doesn’t have to do with the fighting.”

“He didn’t see Jade that night, but he knows about her.”

“I know.” I shoulder past a couple of people, weaving through the crowd and going to find a good place to sit outside the building Jade’s classes are being held in.

She’s going to try something now that she has this little bit of freedom. I just don’t know when she’s going to try it or what she’s going to do when she has it.

Tyson sighs. “Man, you’re playing a dangerous game and as much as you say you’ve thought about what’s going to happen, I don’t think you have. Not really.”

“Look, what did you really call me to talk about?”

He makes a strangled noise in the back of his throat. “You’re really not going to shut this shit down, are you?”

“I think we both know the answer to that.”