Scorch (Virtues & Lies 2)

Her free hand grabs at my wrist, scratching with the deep drags of her breath.

“You silly little girl. He’s doing it for you. Not me. You.”

Nails clawing into my flesh, she scratches at my neck, a scream rasping out of her constricted throat.

Before I can even let her go, I’m thrown to the ground, pinned to the stone floor by a barking Toby. His teeth bared and eyes wild, he drops dead weight on me while Cassie holds on to his collar.

Sputtering, she rubs her throat, and I cringe at the red prints left by my fingers.

Fuck.

I’m losing all my control.

Fuck.

I’m losing my fucking head.

Fuck!

“You ever touch me like that again,” she grits raggedly, between fast breaths, “I’ll let him kill you.”

Walking away, she calls Toby, and the beast of a dog follows at her command. I have to take a moment to get my head together. I’ve never touched my sister in any other way than with care. I’ve always looked after her. Always protected her…

Today I hurt her.

My guilt intensifies and twists with my grief and bitterness. It burns my insides like gasoline.

What’s happening to me?

Picking myself up, my chest tight, I go find Cassie. Standing at the kitchen sink, she fills the kettle up with fresh water.

“Cassie…I’m…”

“Don’t bother, Christopher.” Turning, she sticks the kettle on. She remains quiet for a second before she adds, “You should go.”

“Cass…”

“Please, just go.” As she turns, her eyes meet mine, and just as quickly they fall to the floor. “I’ll tell Leo you dropped by.”

“Why won’t you tell me where they are? I can tell you’re hiding something!”

“Welcome to the fucking club, Christopher!” Her voice breaks with her strangled yell. Hand rubbing at her throat again, she turns away.

“Don’t punish me now.”

“Punish you?” Her chuckle is dry. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve hurt her that bad or because she thinks I’m pathetic. “I’m trying to protect you, like you protected me.”

“There’s a difference between us you don’t understand.” Hate heats my chest, inflating it with all the dark wants and wishes and needs coursing through me. “I want to kill. I won’t stop until I find the people who took my daughter from me…who hurt my wife.”

Arabella.

Her name echoes through my thoughts, and although I can’t bring myself to say it, thinking it hurts just as bad. “I’m going to destroy them. I want their blood on my hands. It’s where it belongs.”

Pulling on the hem of Leo’s T-shirt, she fidgets on the spot. When she looks up at me, my heart freezes with the cold look she gives me.

“You think I don’t want you to have your revenge. You think I don’t want justice for you? For Bella and…” Shaking her head, she swallows down the rest of her words. “I want all those things too. For you and me…everyone.?

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