Fallen Crest Forever (Fallen Crest Series Book 7)(96)

That flame inside me was building. I wasn’t enjoying this walk down Adam’s memory lane.

“Then when I heard he was cheating on her, it was only a matter of time,” he continued. “She’d find out, and there was no way she’d stay with him. No way. Not a girl like her. She had spine. Morals. Values. And those stupid friends of hers. Both of them. They were horrible. One was screwing the boyfriend, and the other knew about it. I ended things with Ashley. First excuse I got, I jumped on it. Everything was lined up. It was a matter of time. I was willing to wait, then move in when Sam dumped him, and she would fall in love with me.”

He looked at me again, his jaw hardening. “Then you came along, and I didn’t even know it. That was the thing. I had no clue.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “You would’ve moved faster?”

“Yeah. I would’ve asked her out right away. I wouldn’t have tried becoming friends first.”

“You had since first grade to become friends with her. Don’t put that on me.”

A vein popped out in his neck. “Shut up.”

My eyebrow went up. “Excuse me?”

“You heard what I said.” A growl started in the back of his throat. His hands were in fists again, pressing against his side. He looked like he wanted to lunge, but restrained himself. “You and your fucking brother. I had no idea how much I would hate you guys.”

I frowned. “And if you had? What?”

“I would’ve handled it before now.”

What the fuck was this guy saying?

“You want to elaborate on that?”

A car’s lights swept over the parking lot as it turned in, but it parked far away. I tried to see who it was, but couldn’t. The air was thick with tension. If I moved, I didn’t know what Quinn would do.

I was still wondering about that damn coat. Why wear a coat? He didn’t grab it by accident. There was a reason.

“I don’t need to.” He started shaking, but he didn’t seem to realize it. Fury shone in his eyes. “You took everything, Kade. Everything.”

Voices sounded from the gym’s door. It was two football players, but they didn’t come our way. They headed to the section where the other car had parked. Who had that been?

“And Becky,” he started, his head hanging back down.

We were on a loop. I didn’t know why he came here, but he was going to repeat everything he just said.

Then someone appeared behind him.

He wasn’t looking at me, and I opened my mouth to tell them to leave, but the words died in my throat.

Sam looked at me. She saw me, then Adam, and I watched the blood drain from her face. Horror filled her eyes.

No.

No.

Icy dread formed in my gut, but I could only shake my head and motion for her to go.

She started to come forward.

I mouthed, “NO!” I put my hand up in a stopping motion.

She skidded to a stop again, her eyes on Adam. I could see a question in there, but she closed them for a moment.

I breathed a little easier. She was going to stay silent.

I motioned for her to leave.

She shook her head.

I did it again, an abrupt and almost savage motion.

She shook her head again, crossing her arms over her chest.

This woman—

Adam lifted haunted eyes back to me. “Why’d you have to take Becky from me?”

Sam’s frown deepened. Her forehead wrinkled.

“Kade!” he barked at me.

Fuck. He’d been expecting a response. “What?” I rubbed a hand over my face.

This could go from bad to worse. Sam had to get out of there. How the hell could I make her leave without letting him know she was there?

“Monson called her. What did he say?”

My alarms were blasting. This was why he’d come. Not Sam. Becky, because Nate called her. I stilled. Nate never actually talked to Becky. It was a bluff, one that he bought.

“How do you know he wasn’t honest with her?”

His nostrils flared again. “You told your best friend to take her from me. Logan slept with Ashley. You took Sam from me. Now it’s Nate’s turn, right? He’s going to make Becky fall in love with him, isn’t he?”

What?

I was distracted.

Sam was here.

He was talking.

Nate.

Becky.

“Kade!” he yelled, a vein pulsing in his neck.

“What do you want? You tried to set me up, you fucker.” Take the offense. Make him go defensive. I started for him. “That video could’ve put me away for years. My future would’ve been ripped from me.”

He stepped back.

It worked.

“It wouldn’t have,” he said. “You always get off. You and Logan. You get the girl. You get the life I wanted. You get the future.”