Burn (Virtues & Lies 1)

I don’t know if I can do this anymore. After everything that’s happened…

“Cassie,” Spinning on my heels, I’m ready to lose myself in Leo’s embrace. But the minute I find his face, my stomach ties into a hundred knots. “I have to tell you something else.”

Chapter 30

Leo

Heart in my throat, I guide Cassie up the steps to my old room. Walking in ahead of me, she spins when she reaches the foot of the bed, looking around like she’s in one of her beloved galleries.

The walls are the same shade of white-washed blue, lined with shelves full of books and football trophies. Running and fencing medals hang on the walls with my certificates. It’s like a time capsule in here, and for a moment I expect Kit to come barging in to tell me off for touching his video games.

Except he doesn’t, and God, how my chest hurts.

Picking up one of the many photos of me and Kit, she studies it. “You’re taller.”

“Not by much.”

She looks between me and the photo, and as she puts it down, she says, “You’re more like your mum.”

The silence is stifling with the knowledge of what I’m about to tell her, and it’s so much easier to consider fucking her on the bed than hurting her. But this drip-feeding business isn’t working.

Picking up another photo she winds the strands framing her face around her finger. When she’s had a good look, she puts it back down.

“You said you hate him.” She fusses with the open collar of her navy striped shirt.

“I do.” She has no idea how much.

“His smile…” Her eyes find mine and meander down my face to my lips.

We share smiles and build, and the same knack for hurting the people we love.

Coming closer, she pauses a couple of feet in front of me. “He doesn’t look like a bad person.”

“Don’t be naïve.” The words come out rougher than I intend and although I can tell they land hard, she doesn’t flinch or cringe.

“Leo, you—” Taking a step forwards she tucks her hair behind her ears.

“I what? You think his fucking smile makes him a good person? He got your grandad killed! It was him, not some fucked up accident!”

Face falling, she comes closer. “What did you say?”

I can’t bring myself to repeat the words, so we both stand chest to chest, unmoving. Waiting for the dams in her flooded eyes to break.

“What. Did. You. Say?”

“You heard.”

It comes out of nowhere. I don’t see it coming and I’m sure as fuck sure she doesn’t realise what she’s doing until it’s done.

My cheek stings, it burns with the impact of her slap and I honestly believe that she’s going to go for another. Except she doesn’t.

“I hate you.” Her trembling lips distort her voice and with a blink, tears sluice down her face. “You told me to wipe out the people who cause my tears, remember?”

How could I forget?

“Done. You. Me. All this crazy shit. Wiped.” Proving her point, she wipes her tears before she heads for the door.

She can wipe whatever the fuck she wants, but if she thinks she’s wiping me, she’s fucking deluded.