Possessed by Lies (Truth or Lies 5)

Milo may have taken her love, but I still believe I can get it back. Somewhere deep down, her love is still there, hidden away. I just have to find it.

“Never,” I say getting out of my chair and walking to the door, knowing I’ve pushed Kai far enough for today.

“I’ll never stop loving you, stingray. There is nothing in this world that could stop me. I’ve denied myself loving you for too long—never again. Milo hurt you, I get that. But I’ll never give up hope that you can find your way back to loving me. So that is the one request I’ll never give you. I will keep fighting for you, forever.”

TURNS out fighting for Kai is a lot harder than I thought it would be.

Kai tests me, every fucking day.

She tests me by not talking to me.

By not letting me touch her.

Feed her.

Clothe her.

Shelter her.

That one day was the only day she communicated with me. The only words she spoke to me. The only time her eyes spoke to me through blinking.

Now I get silence. If she even looks at me when I enter the room, I consider it a victory.

Most of the time she spends with me is locked away in her own head, or staring out at the ocean, reading a book, or watching TV. She’s effectively shut me out.

It wouldn’t worry me; I understand after what she went through with Milo she needs time and space to heal. She needs to feel safe and secure again. Her body has mostly physically healed, but the mind takes far longer.

So how long she is taking isn’t my concern. My concern is that she is healing, just not with me.

Kai talks to Liesel—a lot.

Every single fucking day—for hours.

Liesel shares every meal with Kai. And then she will stay and talk for at least an hour or more. I’ve even overheard them giggling together.

It stings. Every fucking giggle stings.

I love Kai’s laugh. I love that she is smiling again.

But I hate that I’m not the one bringing the grin to her face. I’m not the one easing her pain away—Liesel is.

Since when did Kai begin to trust Liesel so much?

And each day their relationship continues, it gets harder and harder for me not to stand at the door and listen to every word they say.

I hear their whispered words, and it takes everything inside me not to rest my ear against the door. Or find the security tapes and watch every single conversation. Because I know Kai is telling Liesel the truth. Whatever happened that made Kai stop loving me, she tells Liesel.

And all I fucking want is the truth—and I’m about to get it.

I won’t invade Kai’s privacy; she would never forgive me for that. But I can make Liesel talk.

I pace in the hallway a few feet away from Kai’s door. It's mid-afternoon. Liesel brought Kai lunch as always, and I know they are about to finish for the day. Liesel always heads to the pool by herself in the afternoon.

I torture myself by standing close enough to hear Kai’s voice, but far enough away I can only make out the occasional word.

Milo.

Rain.