Chapter 25
“When a man plays God, he forgets one thing. God’s fall too.”—The Dean’s List
LILAH
No. No. No.
I stare at Charlie and wait for someone to laugh.
Axel.
Jude
Someone, anyone. It’s like a bad movie, except nobody is laughing, and Charlie looks absolutely crestfallen. Edward’s older, more distinguished with his gray hair, but his black suit is pristine just like the very real looking gun he has at his right side.
There are no cops.
Only us.
And only one of us is armed and just minutes ago she was pointing the gun at all of us.
This is hell. A sick game. A joke. Because how are we going to get out of this? My best friend has been lying to me for years. Has she been using me too? Do I even want to know? I need to get out of this situation first.
The girl I’ve been sharing a dorm with is Jude’s half-sister. I wonder if all those times she was just begging for us to get close so she could get close to him. Was any of her advice even real?
Charlie's hand shakes around the gun. "You always were a jackass, at least according to her."
I finally find my voice. “Charlie, it’s going to be okay.” I reach for her.
“Don’t.” The single word cracks through the parking lot like a whip. I finally find my voice.
"Don't say my name like you know me."
"I do know you."
"No."
Charlie shakes her head. "You know the girl who helped you study. The girl who listened to you cry. The girl who made sure you got home safe. The girl who pretended she wasn't dying every time someone mentioned family." She points the gun at me. "You do not get to say you know me."
The sound of a car door slamming echoes through the lot.
Then another.
Then another.
Axel mutters one word. "Shit."
I don't have to turn around to know we’re surrounded now. And that it’s not by good guys with cheerful intentions. He wants the list and the only way out of this alive…is to hand it over.
Jude’s father's voice cuts through the night. His eyes drift toward Charlie. “Are you really gonna fucking shoot your father?”
"I should." She says through clenched teeth.
"You won't, you’re built more like your mother. Easy prey, weak, you aren’t a killer." He sneers. “You don’t have it in your blood to be anything more than average at best, which is fine, forgettable but fine. Now hand over the gun.”
The bastard doesn’t know when to stop talking.
He thinks he’s disarming her further, but he doesn’t know Charlie; he’s enraging her.
This tactic only works on people who have something to lose, who are full of fear.
But I can see the truth on her face. She has no regrets, no fear. Everything has led her to this moment.
His eyes flick toward Jude. "You're too much like your brother."
I feel sick.
Charlie laughs, but there's nothing funny in it. "I'm nothing like him."
"No?" Jude’s father takes one step forward.
"I got rid of you because your mother was inconvenient. I got rid of him because he was inconvenient. That is, until I needed him for a one small purpose.” He shrugs. “I truly fail to see the difference.”
I grip Jude’s arm. "What is he talking about?"
Charlie wipes angrily at her tears. "I'm talking about the fact that I'm done being everyone's secret."
She points the gun at Axel. "The list."
Axel doesn't move.
"The list, Axel!" she screams. “Give it to me now!”
"It won’t fix anything. Can’t you just trust me, Charlie? Trust that I would never hurt you, that this can’t hurt you or fix you."
"You owe me." It’s like she can’t even hear him.
"I know," he says.
"I have been chasing this thing for years!" Her voice cracks. "I need that list!"
Axel's hand tightens around the drive. "Charlie..."
She screams. "Don't you dare!"
In one motion, Axel lifts the drive toward his mouth. "I'll swallow it."
My father swears.
Charlie goes pale.
"I'm on it!" she yells. "I've been on it from the beginning!" The gun swings wildly between all of us. "I need that list!"
I shake my head.
"Oh, for God's sake," Jude’s mutters.
And then...
Sirens.
One.
Then another.
Blue and red lights flood the parking lot.
Everyone freezes.
Charlie's gun lowers.
Jude’s father looks around. "What the hell?"
Axel smiles. It’s big. Smug. It’s perfect. "Please." He brushes imaginary dust from his coat. “Like I wouldn’t have a fucking epic backup plan.”
He nods toward the approaching police cars.
"It seems someone was very interested in keeping their name off the Dean's List...
" His eyes settle on Jude’s father. "...
and very interested in telling the police about all your business dealings.
" He turns toward Jude. "I may have fumbled the books a little. "
I blink. "The books?"
Axel shrugs. "Accounting isn't really my thing."
He looks back at Jude’s father. "Have fun in prison."
Edward actually laughs. "You think this is enough?"
Axel's grin grows. "I know a very important dean who's currently singing like a damn canary."
He winks. "The pictures helped."
Jude frowns. "What pictures?"
But Axel isn't looking at Jude anymore. He's looking toward the entrance of the club. We all follow his gaze. Police officers escort a man outside. His hands are cuffed. His tie hangs loose around his neck. His face is pale. My fingers tighten around Jude’s.
"Dad?" I whisper.
He doesn't answer. He doesn't fight. He just keeps talking. In fact, this is the most I’ve seen him talk. He doesn’t even spare us as much as a glance. He just keeps talking and talking and talking to the detectives.
He’s trading secrets, trading lives, all to save himself. I’m not stupid enough to think it has anything to do with me or Jude. This is all for him.
The realization crashes into me all at once. Seven years ago Jude’s father handed him over to save himself. Tonight, my father is doing the exact same thing.
Jude’s father watches the scene unfold. Then he looks at me. A slow, cruel smile spreads across his face. "You really thought your family was any different than mine?"
My entire body goes rigid. My father never once looks back at me. He just keeps talking.
And somewhere beside me, Charlie starts laughing.
A chill runs down my spine. The sound is soft, broken, and completely utterly hopeless.
Everything happens in slow motion.
I hear someone scream.
Then the crack of a gunshot rings out; it fills the parking lot and echoes off the brick buildings around us. For a second, nobody moves, then another shot follows. I grab Jude’s arm, and he looks down.
Sees what I see, and his eyes flare wide.
Blood.
My stomach drops. Fuck, it’s everywhere. Warm, sticky. Is it his? My stomach rolls, it’s dark, too dark, I check my chest, my shaking hands, my legs, then move to Jude, doing the same.
A body crashes into me softly, then falls to the pavement. I blink down. Once. Twice. No, no, no, no this can’t be happening.
Axel looks up from the ground, one hand pressed to his stomach, blood seeps through his fingers.
His face is completely pale. Someone screams out his name, and I abruptly realize it’s me.
And then it’s like cotton has been shoved in my ears.
I hear the shouts around me, but I can’t seem to make it clear above the pounding of my heart.
Charlie doesn't move, she just stares. I look around wildly. My father. The police. Detectives. Everyone’s shouting and running around at once in a chaotic response. My ears begin to ring. Jude and I drop to our knees next to him.
“Axel! Axel!” cries Jude.
He laughs. Actually laughs. “Well…” Blood drips out of the corners of his mouth. “This sucks.”
"You idiot." Jude’s voice breaks. “You absolute idiot!.”
He coughs. “I know. I know.”
I grab his hand. "Who did this?"
His eyes drift past me.
I turn.
Charlie is still standing there. The gun is gone from her hands but they’re shaking as tears stream down her face. She looks small. So small.
Axel squeezes Jude’s hand. “We good?”
“What? What the hell?”
"We good, man?" he asks.
Jude shakes his head. "Fuck no."
He smiles anyway. "Good, just like I expected." He winces. “Would’ve hated to die with you pissed at me.”
"You're not dying," Jude says through clenched teeth.
I’m full on crying, sobbing. But somehow I find my voice. “Somebody help!”
Police rush forward. Paramedics. More chaos.
Everyone’s shouting. Shouting.
Everything blurs together. Axel reaches beneath his coat with what little strength he has left. My heart stops as he pulls out a folded piece of paper. Blood stains the edges. He presses it into Jude’s hand. “The page I pulled…for Charlie. Not in thumb drive.”
Jude stares down at the paper, and I read it over his shoulder.
One page.
Torn from the original Dean's List.
Charlie's page. Her origin. Her mom. Everything.
Jude’s gaze falls back on Axel. "Axel..."
He shakes his head.
"Keep it safe, wanted to keep her…keep her."
Charlie finally moves. One shaky step. Then another. She drops to her knees beside him. "You stupid—" Her voice cracks. “Man.” She sobs. “Why! Why would you save me!”
Axel smiles at her.
It isn't the smile he gave Jude.
Or me.
It's softer. Like he finally understands what a real smile means. “I know.”
She hits his shoulder. "I never asked you to do that."
"No, you didn’t." His eyes close for a second. "But you deserved one person who would fight for you, and the minute you said yes, I volunteered."
The entire parking lot disappears.
The police.
My father.
Jude’s father.
The Dean's List.
The lies.
None of it matters.
Charlie breaks down falling across Axel as his blood pools. Jude’s cousin is dying. I have no idea who shot him. And our world will never be the same.
He glances at Jude. Then at me. His voice is barely there. "Take care of each other, world’s ugly, list is uglier."
His hand slips from Jude’s.
Paramedics push us back.
People shout.
Someone is arrested.
Someone is reading rights.
I don't know who.
I don't give a fuck.
Because Charlie is kneeling in the middle of the parking lot, covered in Axel's blood.
And for the first time since I've known her...
She isn't looking at the Dean's List.
She isn't looking at Jude’s—her—father.
She isn't looking at revenge.
She's looking at the only person who ever chose her.
And realizing what it cost him.