Page 163 of Coveted

“Alright. What is it?”

“Worthington was sleeping with Hannah.”

The blood in my veins turns to ice. “He told you that?”

She nods. “When she wanted to stop, he believed she would tell someone and⁠—”

“He murdered her to protect himself.”

“Yes. And I think Parker suspected Worthington and confronted him in the forest during the Founder’s Run.”

My stomach sinks. “But he underestimated what a vicious bastard Worthington was.”

“All of us did. He was good at wearing a mask. He killed Chuck Fairchild for suspecting him too.”

“I wish Parker and Chuck shared their suspicions with me.” My voice is hollow. “Or the police. Or anyone.”

“They wanted to be certain. Probably because they knew what you’d do to Worthington.”

It’s a hard pill to swallow, but their actions are out of my control. The entire past is. I can only influence the future, and I will, having learned from that past.

Pushing down my frustrations, I clear my throat and focus on Sadie.

“Thank you for telling me about Hannah,” I say. “But now you need to rest. That’s your only job.”

Her eyes scan the mountains of flowers. “Are those all for me?”

“Your friends dropped by. The enormous peony arrangement is from my father.”

She rubs her unbruised eye. “Your father sent flowers?”

“Sure. He likes you. And he knows how I feel about you.”

My last words sound undeniably loaded, which I regret. Now’s not the time to talk about my feelings for her. It’s too much pressure.

Sadie tries to sit up, moving awkwardly due to her injuries and the IV drip.

“Easy,” I murmur, leaning forward.

“I’m fine,” she says.

“You’re clearly not.”

“I’ve got it.”

I take a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll let you do it.”

It feels unnatural to do nothing while she shuffles with painstaking slowness to sit with her back against her pillows.

“Are you hungry?” I point to the tray table. “The nurse just brought it.”

Sadie presses a hand to her stomach. “Maybe. I’m definitely thirsty.”

I’m on my feet instantly, but she’s already pulling the tray toward her.

“I can manage,” she says.

My jaw ticks. “That had to hurt.”