Page 66 of The Secrets We Bury

Mind. Blown.

Hours later, Viks slips out the back door of Bar and Bassalong with Abel motherfucking Frazier. Juliet’s family might have rubbed elbows with the likes of him in their past life, but the Fraziers are known to have more money than God and Abel Frazier is the last of them left. If there was any question of Viks’ connections in Eastpoint before, those are long gone now.

“What are we going to tell Juliet?” Lex asks as we leave the bar, locking up behind us and slipping the spare key back into place in a lockbox for the owner to grab when he opens later.

“There’s no body,” I say as we stride across the gravel parking lot in the direction of his SUV. “We shouldn’t say anything until we have proof.”

“Viks and Abel seemed pretty confident that she’s dead,” he replies, scratching his jaw as he fishes out his keys with his free hand. “And to be honest, her lack of a trail would be explained by her death. It’s possible she’s still alive, but Viks’ hacker had a few good notes through the files he let us into. People don’t just disappear with no preparation.”

“We don’t tell her anything until we know for sure,” I say as the SUV lights flash and the doors unlock. “She’s got enough to deal with.”

Lex hops into the driver’s seat and I get into the passenger side. We’re buckled and the engine rumbles to life before he speaks again. “How long do you think she’ll get for suspension because of the fight?”

“A week, maybe?” I shrug. “Long knows they attacked her. She’s got to do something because their parents are pissed, but we both know she’s gonna go easy on her.”

Turning my head, I take in my friend’s profile. “So…”

“Don’t.” Lex’s jaw hardens, but he doesn’t look my way.

“Don’t what?” I ask.

“Don’t ask me about him.”

“Viks?”

The growl he releases makes my lips twitch. “You’re the reason he’s helping us, you know,” I point out. “He seems to want to get to know you.”

“I don’t give a fuck what he wants. The only reason I’m still entertaining that asshole is because he’s helping us.”

“An uncle you’ve never known shows up, offers to help you, and has high-profile connections…” The words sound crazy even to my own ears, but they need to be said.

“I don’t like that he’s bringing others in on this,” Lex says. “If Abel Frazier decides to turn on us, we’ll be in a heap of trouble. He’s practically Midas.”

“He’s rich, but he’s not infallible,” I say.

“If we take the help they’re offering us, then we’re selling ourselves to them,” Lex replies. His head turns, eyes glancing in my direction as he makes the statement.

My lips press together. “Yeah, I know.” And as much as I hate it, I don’t see much of a choice. If we want out of this life—away from Darrio and the gang—then we need to be willing to get our hands dirty. We need to find someone bigger, badder, and stronger to set ourselves up with.

“We’ve never been the type to be comfortable taking orders,” Lex says. “You told us it was temporary when we agreed to work for Darrio.”

“It’s not forever,” I say. “We will be free.” Even if it means I have to sell my soul to the devil himself, I will make sure Lex, G, and Juliet all get out of this hellhole. “Trust me.”

The interior of the vehicle falls into silence at those final words. Fifteen minutes later, as Lex turns into the parking lot of Silverwood Public, he slows and lets out a long sigh.

“I trust you, Nolan,” he tells me. “I’ve never in my life trusted anyone the way I trust you. If you say we’ll get out, then… we’ll get out.”

“Good,” I say with a nod as he pulls into a parking spot and turns off the car. I reach for the door handle.

“Just don’t forget we’re supposed to get out together.”

My hand goes still and this time, when I open my mouth, I do something I’ve never done before. I lie to him.

“Of course we will,” I say. “The three of us and our girl. We’re going to get out of Silverwood and when we make it to Eastpoint, we’re going to be just fine.”

Maybe if I say it enough, it’ll come true.

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