Blaze (Virtues & Lies 3)

I face him, and he knows what I’m going to ask. It’s obvious with the sheepish expression on his face.

“Did you know?”

He swallows, nodding as though he can’t find his words. It’s not good enough. I want to hear him speak his confession.

“Answer me! Yes or no, Ryan, did you know?”

“Yes.”

My disappointment in him is crushing. I trusted every single one of these people, and in one way or another, they diminished my faith in them.

“You watched my heart break again and again. Day after day. You watched it all when you could’ve saved me. You could’ve been the anomaly, but instead, you are just another liar.”

I’m unable to run, but if I could, I would be running as far from here as possible, instead of standing in the middle of the courtyard, trying to decide where to go from here.

“Wait.” Ryan grabs my arm, spinning me to face him. “Fleur—”

“I kissed you, and you didn’t stop me!” The grunt behind my push ricochets around us. “All those things you said…”

“Listen to me,” he grits out, circling my wrists and hauling me to him.

Releasing me momentarily, his hands find purchase on my waist before I can get away.

“Listen to you?” I push and hammer at his chest. “I listened to you all this time. Everything you said…”

“Fleur…”

“No! I trusted you, Ryan.”

“We were trying to save you!” he yells back at me.

“By deceiving me! Whispering pretty words while hiding the truth!” My voice echoes around us, and when I finally manage to push Ryan away, I see him. Watching us from the top of the stairs with his arms crossed over his chest.

Casper knows. It’s written all over his face. The hurt and anger he can’t hide.

Good, I hope he feels it, and I hope it suffocates him like his lie threatened to end me.

With my rabid breaths, my lungs threaten to disintegrate. And I can’t stand here anymore, looking between them like I’m making a choice.

They’re both liars. And they’ve made me just like them.

I turn, looking around me for an escape. There isn’t one, but the red stained-glass roses catch my eye. Before I think any better of it, I charge for the last place I ever thought I’d seek refuge.

It’s unlike any other church or chapel I’ve ever been to. The vaulted ceilings are decorated with simple depictions of angels and mythical creatures in deep blood reds and earthy greens. Rose chains line the arches with red stars speckling the otherwise cream walls and pillars.

There’s one image that catches my eye—a nude of a couple holding a dagger together in one of their hands, and the others are touching with red trailing down their forearms, dripping into the stars surrounding them.

It’s an odd thing for a chapel. I’ve never seen anything like it in a Catholic church. It’s got a pagan edge to it.

Leaning against the pillar in front of the altar, I trace the lines of it with my eyes while catching my breath.

He’s alive, I finally tell myself.

I should be dancing around like a fucking fool, but instead I’m angry, disappointed, and hurt. I don’t understand how he could put me through the last week and a half. All that time, I wished and wished to have him back. To hold him and tell him how much I love him. And now I’m suffocating.

Footsteps echo into the cavern-like space, and not wanting to be found yet, I shuffle into the shadows.

“I warned you that this would backfire.” Ryan’s angry voice reverberates inside.