“No, I’m getting that.” Zane’s expression darkened but I didn’t have time to analyze it because the car spluttered to life.
“Sounds like she needs a tune-up.”
“There’s nothing wrong with her,” Nix murmured, tucking his face into my shoulder. “Wake me when we get there,” he said.
Within seconds his breathing evened out and his body went heavy beside me.
Zane met my gaze again and I asked, “How bad was it?”
Tension bracketed his mouth. “It could have been worse, but those fuckers held me and Kye back while they—”
“Z, man. He wouldn’t want her to know that.”
“Well, yeah, maybe she should.”
“Zane,” my voice cracked. “Do you have a problem with me?”
“No… fuck, B, it’s not that. I’m just worried.”
“Because I’m back.” A heavy weight plunked in my stomach.
He ran a hand down his face and let out an exasperated breath as Kye drove toward The Row.
“Look, I’m happy you’re back. I am. I just don’t know where all this ends. You’re… one of them now—”
“I’m not.”
“Aren’t you? You live there, in that house. You go to their school. Hang out with their kids.”
Breathe, just breathe, Harleigh.
I tried counting backward from ten. When that didn’t work, I tried twenty. Desperately fighting the rush of tears burning the backs of my eyes.
“I know it isn’t your fault. Fuck, I know that. But things are different now, you’re different. And Nix has a chance at getting out of here. He can’t afford to blow that. Not when he’s so close…”
I wanted to run. To push Nix off me and shoulder the door open and escape. Everything Zane was saying made sense, but my heart couldn’t accept it.
I couldn’t accept it.
Nix had options. Before I came along he had real options, and now that I was back… I shut those thoughts down. I couldn’t spiral, not here.
Not while Nix was asleep and Zane was looking at me like this was all my fault.