I Promise You (Dare, #2) — Chapter no 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

DEKE

I PULL UP TO the clubhouse and turn my SUV off. I see Cole parked out front but still sitting in his car. I exit mine, and ask, “What’s up?”

“I need to talk to you,” he says as he climbs out of the driver’s side.

“That’s what your text said.” I frown. “Is this about what you wanted to tell me at the hospital?”

“Yes.” He turns toward the door to enter but stops and faces me. “If Austin asks, I just had lunch with you.”

“Okay.” Simple as that. No questions at all.

“Hey, babe!” Austin calls out from the top of the steps. “How was lunch with Deke?”

“It was great,” I answer, entering behind him and rubbing my stomach.

“Gotta love sushi.”

Cole glares at me over his shoulder, and I wink back at him. I’ve got your back, buddy. I hope he wasn’t specific about where we were going to eat.

“Austin, will you come down here for a second?” he asks.

The smile drops off her face, and she straightens her shoulders.

“Everything okay?”

He doesn’t answer. “Just come down here.”

I sit on the couch. My eyes going back and forth between Austin and Cole. I’m confused. I thought this was something he wanted to tell me.

Honestly, I didn’t think she would even be here.

“What’s going on?” she asks, concern taking over her features.

“Sit next to Deke.”

She looks over at me, and I just shrug. When she sits down, we both look up at him. He sits down on the gaming chairs and leans over, placing his elbows on his knees. “There are some things you need to know.”

“We see that,” I say, nodding.

“Did the police find something?” Austin asks. “Are they gonna take you guys to jail?” Panic evident in her voice.

He shakes his head. “Nothing like that.”

“Then what is it?” she demands.

He takes in a long breath. “It’s about the car wreck.”

She frowns, and I tilt my head to the side. “What about it?” Austin asks.

“I wasn’t driving.”

“We know that.” I nod and clarify. “Well, I did.”

“You did?” Austin asks, looking over at me. She looks as surprised as Cole is at my confession.

“We had our suspicions that he was lying. I was the first one to know about the accident. Shelby called me from the hospital and told me what happened. She said that Cole was brought into the hospital.” I shift in my seat. “She informed me that he was the only survivor. That everyone had been thrown out of the car.” I nod toward him. “She snuck me back there to see him in ICU. You were in the hospital bed and didn’t have a shirt on. The bruise was still fresh across your chest. I knew then it was the seat belt and you were covering for the driver.”

Austin fists her hands in her lap. “Why didn’t you say anything?” she snaps at me. “You guys let the entire town believe he killed three friends!”

“Austin—”

“No, Cole!” she interrupts him. “Why wouldn’t you stand up for him?” she demands.

I look at my best friend when I answer her. “Because I know Cole, and if he didn’t want anyone to know the truth, then I wasn’t going to out him.”

Cole sighs and sits back in his seat.

“I don’t understand why all of you would cover for Eli like that,” she growls.

“I didn’t cover for Eli,” Cole tells her.

Interesting. That’s also who I thought he was covering for.

“Yes, you did. You told me that day up in the loft that you took the fall for him.”

He shakes his head. “You assumed, and I never corrected you.”

A long silence fills the clubhouse. She opens and closes her mouth a few

times.

I frown. “Then who was it?”

He takes in a deep breath and lets it out. I stiffen, knowing I’m not gonna

like whatever his answer is.

“It was Becky.”

Austin stares at him wide-eyed while I shift in my seat. “What …?” I shake my head. I must have heard him wrong. “Becky? My Becky was

driving?”

“Yes.”

He doesn’t correct me that she wasn’t mine then or now. “I don’t understand. Why was she with you?” They didn’t hang out. As far as I know, they didn’t even talk. He knew how I felt about her. All the guys knew. Why would he keep this a secret from me? Why not just tell me?

Unless he … My eyes narrow on him. “Were you sleeping with her?” I demand, and my heart begins to pound in my chest.

“No,” he answers immediately.

I stand and so does he. My hands are already fisted ready for a fight.

“Why was she with you?”

“I wasn’t sleeping with her, but she was sleeping with someone.”

“Who the fuck was it?” I shout.

“Eli.”

Austin remains on the couch, looking back and forth between us. I run a hand through my hair. Why hasn’t she told me this? It’s not that I don’t believe Cole. I do. One hundred percent. He has never lied to me. Well, maybe he has. He’s kept this secret from me for a year now.

I’m breathing heavy, and I fist my hands by my side. I wanna punch his fucking face in. I don’t care if he wasn’t sleeping with her or not. “Why would you not tell me this?” I demand.