Dane nods. “The rest isn’t important.”
“It feels like you’re leaving huge chunks out. Important chunks,” Ryder tells them both.
Icy tendrils of disgust and fear snake their way down my spine as lava builds in my chest from absolute, unfettered rage. An odd combination that makes for a volatile cocktail.
“Was she raped?” I ask, my voice low and threatening.
Dane’s eyes snap to mine, wide and surprised. “What?”
“Was. Cara. Raped?” I repeat, slowly, with barely contained fury.
“No!” he yells, leaping from his seat. “She didn’t even want a doctor.”
“And that’s supposed to mean what exactly?” I hiss. “You are not stupid. I know you’ve seen her flashbacks.”
Maddox’s eyes dart between the two of us. He’s gone pale. I know this is a rough subject for him,and because of that, I know he should know something too. “Did she tell you?” I wonder.
He shakes his head. “She’s never said a word.What flashbacks?”
“Cara wasn’t fucking raped. She would’ve told us,” Dane continues to insist. “A lot of shit went down that night. Most people would be affected.”
I stand up,shaking my head. I hope to God he’s right and not just in denial.But I know something else happened besides what he’s saying. Something, I guess, Cara hasn’t told him, but I know that’s all I’m getting out of them.
I leave without another wordas they murmur amongst themselves. When I’m in the hallway, a hand to my shoulder stops me. “What was that about?”
I turn to my best friend. His jaw is tightly clenched, and his lips pressed firmly together.
“You didn’t see what I just saw, Dane. You didn’t see how completely shattered shewas.”
“So, this inquisition – all the demands for answers – it was just because she freaked out on you?”Ikeep my face asstraight as possible. I know what he’s really asking, but I’m not in the mood to deal with his freak out right now.I nod without a word. His face grows harder. “Bull-fucking-shit, Jake.”
I raise a browin challenge. “What else would it be? I was worried about her. She is here to take care of Lyra. I need to know she can do that.”
“Don’t do that,” he scoffs. “Don’t use Lyra as your scapegoat. You’re better than that.”
“I’m not using Lyra,” I snarl at his accusation.
“You were with mewhen I brought her home. If this were about that little girl, you wouldn’t have been so quick to accept Cara’s offer.”
I need to walk away because right now,I am so pissed. I am pissed at what she’s been through. I’m pissed that she’s still going through it. And part of meblames Dane.
Logically, I know it’s not his fault. Hell, I’ve told him as much when I could see the guilt eating at him. But he’s the one who confronted me in this hallway,knowing I’m already pissed. I inhale sharply, getting my mouth in check before I say something I don’t mean. “Then you tell me, Dane. Tellme what this is all about.”
I wait, knowing what he’s going to say before he says. Iwant to hit something,and he is priming himself to be that something.Because I swear, when he loses his shit, I will punch him in the face, and right now, I will enjoy it. I’ll save the guilt and remorse forlater.
“How about you answera question first. How long have you had a thing for my sister?”
And there it is. What he’s been dying to ask me for months, probably, and what I’ve wanted to tell him for years.My fists clench at my sides as the corner of my mouth tips up. “Long enough,” I sneer. “Too goddamn long.Longer than I should.”
Anger flares in his eyes. Lines forms around his blue eyes,and his nostrils flare. I’m ready forwhatever he brings.“You still haven’t answered my question, Jake,” he grinds out.
“For years, Dane. For fucking years,” I yell.
The door to Maddox’s room opens. They all come out. They stand there watching,ready to jump in at any minute but won’tinterfere before it’s necessary.
“Since you haven’t seen her inyearsuntil a few months ago, I’m guessing longer than it’s been appropriate,” he accuses, daring me to deny it.
Except, I’m not in the mood to deny anything right now.“Since the first time I saw her,” I grinwithout the slightest bit of mirth.“You pissed, Dane?” I taunt. “You pissed that your best friendwantsyour baby sister? You want to kick my ass?”
