Page 215 of Beautiful Venom
“I was scared. I still am.” Her hands shake, her face turning pasty white. “I…didn’t want to drag you into this, but I think I already have. I’m so sorry, Dahl. I really am. I’ll pay you back for everything.”
“Hey.” I stroke the tears on her face. “Nothing I ever do will compensate for what you’ve done for me all these years. You don’t have to be sorry. You’re the victim here.”
Her chin trembles and fresh tears form in her eyes, making them a darker denim blue. “I am not. The real victim is Susie Callahan, who was stabbed to death in front of me while I did nothing.”
“That…wasn’t your fault.”
“It is! It was! I could’ve stopped it, but I was a coward. I can…I can still hear her calling for help in my nightmares. All the time.” Vi falls to the floor, looking small and wounded.
I drop to my knees in front of her and hold her hands again. “You couldn’t have stopped it. The guy had a knife. Her tragedy doesn’t justify what Jude did to you.”
She grows still. Her sniffles, her trembling.
It’s like she’s turned into a statue.
Her fingers twitch in mine, her face so pale, I think she’s having a stroke.
“Vi?”
“He didn’t do anything.” Her voice is barely audible.
“What? Of course he did. He stalked and attempted to kill you.”
“He wasn’t behind what happened to me.”
I frown. “Then who was it?”
My heart thunders so fast, I think it’ll stop. It couldn’t be…?
“Was it K-Kane?” I ask, barely hearing my voice over the buzzing in my ears.
She shakes her head.
I hate how relief sinks in my chest.
“Then who?”
“You don’t need to worry about it.” She clutches my shoulders. “I’m a moving target, Dahl. You’re not. You should go. Maybe somewhere sunny on the West Coast. You’re smart and such a tough cookie, I’m sure you’ll be okay no matter where you go.”
“No! I’m not going anywhere without you.”
“Listen to me?—”
“No,youlisten to me. You never abandoned me, no matter how hard it got. If you think I’ll ever turn my back on you, I’ve got a news flash for you. Won’t be happening.”
“These people don’t compare to our sleazy landlords or touchy foster parents, Dahl.” Her tone turns spooked. “They kill people and get away with it.”
“I know. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”
“You…have? Oh, Dahl.”
“It’s okay, nothing happened to me. Kane did it to protect me?—”
I bite my lower lip.
I need to gargle some bleach so I can stop thinking about him and saying his name.
“The guy you kissed on TV at the end of the last game?”
