Page 98 of Who's Saving You
I turn and square off with her, feeling Stone come right up behind me. Neither of us makes a move closer; instead, we wait for Eva to show her hand first.
“She’s safe, Nik. For now.” A sly smile curves across her lips, and it makes my gut roll. I don’t see Noelle or Rhett anywhere. “Don’t believe me?”
I shake my head. “Show me.”
She raises a brow. “This is the problem, Nik. You're too emotional. You react and ask the wrong questions instead of looking at reality and what is needed, step by step.” Shetsksme, but opens the two doors she’s standing in front of anyway. They swing wide open into a garage. The floor and walls are concrete, but the garage door is all glass. I try to look at the make of it, if it rolls open, or if it’s mechanical, no doubt having no power to open it anyway.
I track Eva as she walks inside, and when she turns on a floodlight, illuminating the room, my heart stops. Off to the left is Noelle, sitting in a chair with her arms behind her. She’s got a rag wedged into her mouth and tied behind her head. Her eyes plead with me to save her.
And behind her, Rhett. My hands bunch into fists, and only when I feel Stone grab my bicep, holding me in place, do I realize I was already walking towards him.
Tamping down my anger, I speak lowly. “What is all this about, Ev–”
“You wanna know why?” Her voice cracks into something raw. “When you were born, he stopped looking at me. Ten years of being Dad’s world, gone the second you arrived. And once you started playing football, it was worse. I was invisible. So I found a way back in. I learned sports management, played the doting sister, and helped Dad with the bets.”
Her laugh is sharp. “I kept his secrets, Nik. Even when it meant getting close to men who wanted more than business. Even when it meant selling pieces of myself to make sure he keptyousafe.”
My chest tightens, heat rising up my throat, but she keeps going, each word a strike.
“And just when I was getting to the point of starting my own business, built on the money I helped him win, he said he couldn’t do it. He wouldn’t riskyourfuture. He tossed me aside again, because it’s always you, Nik. Always.”
Her voice breaks then, rage and grief twisted together. “And I was supposed to just smile, play the good sister, and watch the two of you ride off into glory while I rotted in the shadows?”
“Den eínai efkairía”. She spits on the floor, eyes still locked on mine. “Not a chance.”
I don’t even know who I’m looking at right now. She’s manic, yet stoic. Her voice is sharp, but laced with hurt.
“So, I convinced him. One more big game. Just do one more, get us some cash, and be set for life.” She’s smug like she’s the smartest one in the room. “I knew your bowl game was key. Dad never owed anyone else money, though, Nik. That second crew he got in deep with?” She laughs. “It never existed. Unless you think Ghosts are real.”
“Eseís.” My eyes burn into her.
“Mou.” She nods, proud of herself. “I really loved working with Dante. He was so accommodating.” She scoffs. “And so was Dad. He had buyer’s remorse, so to speak. He wanted to come clean and wanted you to know what had happened. He wanted it all out in the open so he could move forward with a clean conscience. But I knew that couldn’t happen.”
She scoffs, circling around Noelle. “It’s so funny to me, how your Saint personality has everyone fooled. You never dropped a pass. You never failed to cover your best friends. It was clear as day, Nik, and I don’t know how nobody else saw it.”
My stomach twists, but she doesn’t give me time or space to answer.
“You made me so proud going to work for Dante. You were just like me after all. And Club Trick owned by W. Priestly?” She raises a brow and slow claps. “Nice touch using our name like that. I always knew you’d make an amazing Warrior.”
I don’t know what to say. I feel like I can’t even process what I’m hearing. Her words crawl under my skin. Every part of me wants to shout that she’s a liar, make her take back what she’s saying. Make Dad stay. But the worst part is she’s not lying. Not completely.
I remember Dad’s hand on my shoulder after a win, pride thick in his eyes. I remember Eva standing just off to the side, smiling that practiced smile that I see her wear every day she's in the office or meeting with clients.Or standing at my draft night.I never asked how she felt, or if she was happy. She just carried on like her life was exactly what she wanted it to be.
My stomach knots. What if she’s right? What if I goteverything I wanted because they gave up what they wanted? I ball my fists, nails biting deep into my palms. No, she ruined this. She ruined it with jealousy.
Eva cuts off my thoughts again. “Your reporter started sniffing too close. I knew I could get to her, maybe scare her, maybe make her disappear.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal. “I figured she’d be afraid, she’d back off you and leaveghostswhere they belong.” She smirks. “But I should’ve known better. She fell for you, and Saint Nik came charging in to save the day. Always the golden boy.”
I stare her down, hands fisted. I won’t give her the satisfaction of being worried.
“Dad thought if you found out what he and I did, you’d never forgive him.”
I erupt. “Butyoudid it! You made him think he was in deep when it was just you using him to benefit yourself!” I take a deep breath. “I would have given you money. I would have helped you both start whatever you wanted.”
“I didn’t want it from you!” she explodes, losing her cool but immediately tucking it away, gaining her composure, like always. “Dad didn’t want to be cut out. I assured him he’d always have a place with me, but that wasn’t enough. He wanted to bewith you. On the fieldwith you.”
“What did you do?” I ask dangerously low, thoughts beginning to swarm my mind about where Dad is now.
“I gave him an incentive to take a trip.” She sneers.
