Page 75 of Liars

I didn’t hesitate. “Yes. I’ll find a way to make it happen.”

“If something happens,” the cadence of her tone altered, barely perceptible but there, “this is my personal cell. Call me. Anytime.”

I swallowed hard. “Okay,” I assured, but my mind was already racing. Donovan had kept her from me. From this investigation. Why?

My godfather had alluded the person or persons responsible for my parents’ death might still be out there, possibly looking for me. I was the last loose end that needed to be tied up in this case. I was the one who lived. The only one who saw them.

I was a liability.

If they could kill my parents in cold blood, what would stop them from hunting me down and finishing the job, leaving no stone unturned?

I’d thought Donovan’s protection had been extreme, but now I wondered… What if it wasn’t enough? I could be shot at any time.

I could walk out the front doors of Public, and bang, hit in the head by a bullet.

Morbid and frightening as hell, but the speck of possibility was there.

And it scared me.

More than I’d been before I made the call to Detective Reyes. Something in her voice sent prickles of alarm in my chest.

Getting out of the house and to the police station was luckily my biggest obstacle this week, which meant it wouldn’t be easy, and I had three Corvos and a bodyguard to contend with.

The excitement over Raven Night faded by midweek. By Friday, no one talked about what happened in the cellar, but they sure as hell hadn’t forgotten the damn kiss. It haunted me at every turn. Whispers followed me through the halls. Stares lingered too long.

When Saturday rolled around, I was itching for a distraction.

I asked Poppy to take me on a few errands, sliding in a casual, “Oh, and we’ll just swing by the station real quick.” Afterward, maybe we could grab a drink and do something normal, and if she was up for it, maybe I’d finally introduce her to my other friends.

Guilt gnawed at me for how long I’d gone without seeing them.

It was crazy how time could stretch the space between people. The longer we were apart, the more distant we became.Maybe they’d moved on and assumed I had too. Maybe they figured I’d accepted my new reality.

And in some ways, I had, which only made the guilt worse.

Poppy and I were in her car, heading toward the station, my detail close behind. Raven Night was old news for everyone except Poppy. She hadn’t pressed me about what happened, giving me space, letting me breathe, but my avoidance had run out.

“I still can’t believe Kreed Corvo saved you,” she finally said, flipping her turn signal on.

I huffed. “And? I’m sure he had selfish motives in doing so. He doesn’t give a shit about me. He only cares about himself and his crew.”

“I mean, he’s never intervened before. Never. It makes you different. Now the entire school knows you’re under their protection.”

I thought about the kiss.

Then quickly shoved it away.

“I’m not,” I said, my jaw tight. “Besides, it’s them I need protection from. Who’s gonna save me from them?”

Poppy’s head swiveled left and right while she waited for the intersection to clear. Her two long deep red braids swung with the movements. “Yeah, I can’t help you there. I’m too baffled to think straight. All of Public is still in shock.”

“Poppy, this isn’t a joke. I have serious problems here.”

“You have no idea,” she said, shaking her head. “You’ve just made enemies with every Raven groupie, which, in case you haven’t noticed, is like half the school. Even the girls who like girls somehow have a thing for Kreed.”

I groaned. “You’ve made your point. I’m screwed.”

“Yup.” She pulled into the station’s parking lot. “Do you want me to come in with you?” she offered.

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