The man’s lips press into a thin line and he tips his chin.
Then, he walks up to me, looks me straight in the eye, and says, “Autumn Blackwood, you’re under arrest for suspicion of criminal resurrection.”
Chapter 22
Unleashing Pandora
My mind is a whirling cyclone of jumbled thoughts as the federal agent pulls my arms around my back. His hands are surprisingly smooth as he places cuffs around my wrists. The cold metal, however, digs into my skin, putting things into sharp contrast.
“Arrest? She didn’t do anything wrong,” I hear Wade sputter, but his words are so far away. It’s like they’re completely separated from reality.
Arrest…
As we move toward the SUV, everything moves in slow motion. It’s as if I’ve managed to slow down everyone else while I’m moving super-quick. Only, I know better.
Instead, I’m trying desperately to cling to the moment because my future has just come crashing down around me.
I can’t go to prison. I can’t go to prison.
No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to focus on anyone or anything. It isn’t until my eyes land on Diana and a broad, goofy grin spreads across her face that I come crashing back to Earth. Her smile snaps everything back into focus as a deep pool of anger flares through my veins.
Just as I open my mouth to give her a piece of my mind, she winks at me. Like, actually winks. The gesture is so out of place in this situation, and while she doesn’t pull it off in the same suavity as Wade, it pulls me up short.
“Wait—” Colton says, stepping forward and holding his hands out in front of him. He takes a deep breath and exhales it slowly. “Wait.”
The agent stops moving us toward the black vehicle. “Step aside, kid.”
Colton shakes his head, getting between me and the vehicle. His eyes are wide and he shakes his head frantically. “No, you’ve gotta listen to me. It’s not her. You have the wrong person.”
“That’s ridiculous. All the evidence is pointing directly at her,” the federal agent says.
My heart catches in my throat and I hang my head in defeat.
“I have a hunch you should hear him out, Blake,” Diana says, smirking as she crosses her arms over her torso.
Blake doesn’t even bat an eye. As if there’s not even a question to her hunches, he turns back to Colton. “I’m listening.”
Colton runs his hand over his mouth, his dark-brown eyes pleading with me, but I don’t know what we’re bargaining for.
“What’s going on here?” Cat asks, her face full of concern as she steps up to Colton and reaches for his arm.
Colton swallows hard, glancing from her back to Blake. “It was me. I was the one who was summoning them. All of them.”
My mouth pops open.
“What?” Wade growls behind me. “All this time—it was you?”
Colton flicks his gaze to Wade, but ignores the comment. Instead, choosing to focus on the federal agent. “It started out harmless—really. All I wanted to do was get rid of…” his lips tighten and he stares at the ground. “I thought if I made it look like he was bad news, Autumn would break up with him.”
My anger bursts into flames. “It was you? The anonymous text? The video that went viral around the school? What in the hell, Colton?”
“I know—I never meant for you to get involved, Autumn. It was just supposed to be him. If I had known…” he says, his voice drifting off.
“I can’t believe this,” Wade says, taking a step back and running his hands through his hair. “You were trying to ruin my life—my reputation and relationship. Make me leave Windhaven. Who the hell do you think you are?”
“You don’t deserve her,” Colton spits, his face contorting with anguish. “She deserves better—she deserves…”
“You?” Wade snickers. “Come on, man. You think this is better? Or that this is what she wants…or what would impress her?” Wade moves toward Colton with clenched fists. “You clearly have no idea who Autumn really is.”
“Eh—that’s close enough, lover boy,” Diana says, holding her hands out and stopping Wade’s forward momentum. Her chin tips downward, making her pink hair ruffle in the cool breeze.
“But you heard him—” Wade says, through clenched teeth.
“I did. And so did everyone else here,” Diana says, pointedly.
Colton throws daggers at Wade with his eyes. “Whatever, man. You shouldn’t even be here. Dominic’s told me about you. Your kind shouldn’t even be anywhere near her.”
Dom’s eyes pop open and he raises his hands. “Hey now, don’t bring me into this.”
Wade takes a step back, rolling his eyes. “Again with the my kind bullshit.”
“But it’s true,” Colton says, frowning as he faces Dominic. “You said he’s forbidden—that he shouldn’t be anywhere near her, and if he was outta the picture, I’d have a chance with Autumn.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t mean this way,” Dominic says, shaking his head.
Colton eyes are glassed over and his words come out choked. “But what about the kiss?”
Wade’s head whips toward me. “Kiss?” The level of heartbreak evident in his eyes makes my soul ache.
Dammit—I should have told him sooner.
I shake my head. “It wasn’t—it’s not like that.”
Colton’s eyes narrow. “It’s exactly like that. We kissed, Autumn. You can’t erase that, even if you think you want to.”
“You kissed me, Colton,” I fire back. “I didn’t ask for it—and I certainly didn’t expect it.”
“But…” Colton says, his eyebrows tipping up in the middle.
“Wait—what?” Cat says, gawking. “When did this happen? How did I not know about it?”
“Looks like Autumn’s been keeping it from everyone,” Wade mutters, taking a step back.
Holding Wade’s gaze, I try to will to him my thoughts and feelings, but it’s no use. I can see him slipping away from me right before my eyes.
I look over to Cat, trying to ignore the thrumming of my heartbeat against my chest. “It was nothing. I’d written it off as a momentary lapse of reason. It’s why I didn’t tell you, Wade. It was nothing.”
Wade’s face is
