He shrugs. “Figured she should know Christian is a piece of shit.”
Eyes wide, I regard my perfectly put-together brother. He hardly ever swears—the hallmark of a strict education and even stricter upbringing at the hands of our mother. “Weren’t you the one who introduced them?”
He swallows before answering. “I thought he wanted a casual hook-up.”
“And now it’s not.” I am so sipping the tea for this extra info.
“He uses her, Lacey. Lines her up as some kind of chess piece for his hooks in Portside.” Colt’s brow dives lower. “You wouldn’t want that for Willow, would you?”
Never. I might have left our social circle under a cloud of suspicion, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about her.
“What time are you leaving?”
“Soon as I can.” He leans back, glancing down the hall. “Those feds are ruining my vibe already.”
I sigh, setting my coffee and phone aside. “Give me half an hour to clean myself up, minimum.”
Colt’s blush lips curl up on one side. “Sis, it would take ten minutes at most to clean yourself up.” He steps away, calling after himself. “Admit it: you want to one-up her.”
I toss a fake laugh in his direction, my hand drifting across to where my phone rests on the bedspread. Without lifting it, I unlock the screen and navigate to Instagram. I muted her account a long time ago, unable to stomach the thought of being permanently shut out of her life I unfollowed and found she’d made her account private.
Filled with images of her dancing, inspiring snippets shared from people in power, and candid shots with friends … nothing’s changed.
I don’t know if I expected it would, but some sign that she missed me like I’ve missed her would have been nice.
We were partners once. Kindred spirits with the same drive to make a name for ourselves, even if that meant borrowing the one that we’re born with to get our footing in this crazy world.
Colt’s right: I couldn’t and won’t stand by and watch while Christian uses her for his personal gain. I’ve been friends with the spoilt child of a lawless legal dynasty long enough to know that every move, every little thing he does is calculated and pre-planned.
He wouldn’t hook up with her because of her stunning looks, or the enormous heart that those close to her are lucky to share.
I entered Riverbourne well aware that my name meant I had to choose my allies wisely. It never meant I had to put them above all others, though.
Perhaps Willow has missed me? Perhaps, the same as I do, she masks her hurt well?
I’ll only know if I show up.
No matter how vulnerable that may leave me.
“What the hell do I say to her?” My foot taps against the floor of Colt’s Explorer. “Won’t she find it weird that I’m here?”
“Maybe.” His fingers drum impatiently on the steering wheel. “Are you coming, or not?”
My breath rushes out my nose. “Fine.” I reach for the handle, focus still out the windscreen at the café across the road. “Why didn’t we meet her at her place?”
“How on earth should I know?” Colt exits, promptly standing at the hood of the car to wait on me.
I slide out of the passenger seat and close the car door softly behind me. The loud chirp of his alarm ruins any chance I had at a subtle arrival.
Willow lifts her head from her phone, shoulder-length wavy hair wild around her face as she searches the street. Her smile grows … and then she spots me.
Crap.
“Told you she wouldn’t be happy,” I hiss toward Colt as we make our way across the road.
“Get over it.” He steps up onto the sidewalk and receives Willow with a reluctant hug.
“Colt.” Her voice is light and airy. Nothing like when she greets me. “Lacey.”
I suppose we have a few issues to work through first. “Hi.”
Unspoken words appear to teeter on her tongue before she snaps out of her daze and jerks her attention back to the empty table. “Why don’t you both sit? I already ordered a drink, but waited until you got here to see if you had eaten.”
“We’re okay.” Colt pulls the metal seat out for me.
I tuck my coat underneath my arse and let him adjust the chair for me.
“Christian has a lot to say about you,” Willow drops my way cool as day. “I can’t understand why.”
“Look, Willow—”
“Save it.” She licks her lips, one eyebrow raised. “You made your stance clear when you bailed and left me to pick up the pieces.”
“I didn’t choose to leave you like that,” I state, eager to set the record straight. “I was left no choice. You know what our parents can be like.”
“The least you could have done is give me a heads up,” she hisses under her breath.
The frustration is clear in Colt’s gaze as he stares blindly at his hands on the table before him. “I hope you kept your contempt in check when speaking with Christian?”
Willow slowly turns her head to address Colt. “You need to ask?”
He tilts his head casually to one side, eyebrows raised. “There seems to be some unresolved animosity between you two. Forgive me for drawing conclusions from that.”
“Is that why you’re here? To warn me about Christian?”
“He’ll look for a reaction out of you.” Colt’s fingertips fidget across the marble table. “Don’t give it to him?”
“Why?” Willow jerks back in her seat, folding her arms over the cashmere sweater dress she wears. “Because it could harm your precious sister?”
Colt’s closed fists slams the tabletop making both of us jump. “Because it could harm you.”
Willow continues as though unaffected. “You don’t care about me that much.”
I, on the other hand, rub clammy hands on my coat. Colt rarely loses his temper; it’s disarming when he does.
“I care about all of us, and what happens with you, happens with Lacey, and eventually happens
