Easton sits back down and rests his elbows on his knees. “I'm sorry. I had to ask.”
“You really didn't.” I pause to breathe, knowing he very well may off me for the next part. “But while I may not have helped them get together, he went after her because of me.”
His gaze locks with mine, and there's something angry brewing behind them. “Go on.”
“I guess I stopped acting the way he wanted me to,” I explain. “He kept sending me on these bitch-boy errands and constantly demanding more and more shit of me. I started to ignore him and not do the things he asked. He started dating Amelia because he saw that she's someone of importance to me and he could get to me through her.”
Rolling his eyes, he brings his beer to his lips. “He's such a fucking asshole.”
I follow suit and then continue. “I tried to warn Amelia, but what was I really supposed to tell her? That her brother had a drug addiction caused by her boyfriend? I couldn't betray your trust like that, and she wouldn't believe me when I couldn't give her an answer.”
He leans back and sags into the couch. “I guess I need to have a conversation with my sister then, huh?” A dry laugh bubbles out of his mouth as he shakes his head. “She's going to tell our parents, and they're going to flip the hell out.”
I feel bad and wish his bad choices could stay locked in the vault, but he has a point. If there's anything that will get Amelia away from Blade, it's knowing what he's up to. Even if that means everyone he worked so hard to hide this from ends up finding out after all.
IT'S THREE IN THE morning by the time I'm finally tired enough to go to sleep. Easton and I stayed up for hours just talking. It felt good to have him not avoid me anymore, not that I blamed him when he was. The only thing to do now is hope that when he talks to Amelia, she finally gets away from Blade. And hope that he lets her.
I'm about to go grab a bottle of water and head to bed when Easton's phone vibrates on the coffee table.
Who the hell would call him at this hour?
He's dead to the world and obviously won't answer, so I go over to see who it is. The number isn't saved in his phone, but it's a local one. I swipe to answer it and bring it to my ear.
“Hello?”
The sound of someone sniffling comes through. “Uh, hey.”
Worry overtakes my senses. “Amelia? What's wrong?”
“Is Easton there?” she asks sheepishly.
I look at my sleeping best friend. “He's out cold. What's up?”
She sighs heavily. “Never mind then.”
“No,” I stop her before she hangs up. “What's going on? What's this number you're calling me from?”
“It's, uh...” She huffs. “It's the Campton Police Department. I got arrested.”
“You what?” I whisper-shout, careful not to wake Easton.
Amelia starts to sob harder. “It turns out you were right about Blade.”
Shit. “Okay. How much is your bail?”
“No, it's fine,” she cries. “I should've listened. I'll just wait until Easton wakes up tomorrow.”
“Don't be ridiculous,” I tell her. “How much?”
“Five hundred.”
That's going to wipe me out, but I also know I can't let her sit in a cell. Prison is no place for someone like Amelia Donovan.
“I'll be there in an hour.”
I hang up the phone and book it up to my room to grab the cash. As soon as I count out enough, I grab my keys and run out the front door.
Maybe Easton won't need to tell her after all.