Fallen

The look on his face confirmed what she’d said. To his credit, he obviously felt at least moderately ashamed. But it didn’t change the fact that he’d deceived her. Used her. Was that what the flirting had been about? Even the kiss? She’d thought him unpracticed at both, but maybe what he was doing was pretending. God, she felt embarrassed. He’d tried to get close to her as a means to an end, but he hadn’t quite been able to go through with it. Whether that was because he had a scrap of honor, or whether it was because the lie of his attraction toward her was too difficult to sustain, she didn’t know. And really, did it matter?

“It’s the reason you installed the lock and sealed up the crawl spaces? You were worried about them searching the house while I was there? They didn’t listen to you, though, did they? You fought about it. You were fighting that day at the hardware store. Why? Why did you care? Did you think you’d get caught?”

He cast his eyes downward. He had lied to her over and over and over since the moment they’d met, so why couldn’t she feel angry? Why was her overwhelming emotion hurt? She let out a long breath and then she stood. He came to his feet immediately as well.

“Scarlett—”

“No.” She held up her hand. “I get the picture. I’m sorry I ruined all your plans. Obviously, I can’t have Mason working at the house anymore. He’s more interested in his own agenda than in seeing my goals for the house to fruition. If I find anything that might help in your efforts to locate your families, I promise to hand it over. I’m sorry for the suffering the three of you endured and I wish you well. But let me make this perfectly clear: Lilith House is mine. I’m going to run a business from there, I’m going to build a life for me and Haddie there. And there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

She knew she must be imagining the glint of respect in his forest-green gaze, because his allegiance to his two friends would have prevented something like that. It didn’t matter though. She didn’t care what he thought of her anymore. Scarlett turned on her heel and marched down his steps, getting in her car and peeling away from the curb.

When she glanced once in her rearview mirror, she saw him standing on his porch, leaning on one of the pillars and watching her as she drove away.CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVENThirteen Years AgoKandace grimaced as she leaned toward the shiny silver napkin dispenser, using it for a mirror as she picked a large scab off her cheek, but breathed out a sigh of relief when it came off clean. She stepped back, taking herself in as well as possible, turning right and then left. Her face finally looked halfway normal despite the wavy nature of her reflection in the makeshift mirror. Red, shiny, and still flaky here and there, but she no longer resembled Freddie Kruger, thank God for that.

“Let me see you,” Aurora said, coming up behind her. Kandace turned, showing her face. “Better,” Aurora breathed, dragging the word out with a smile. “So much better.”

“Told ya,” Kandace said with a smile. “Baby’s”—she leaned in and lowered her voice dramatically—“ass.” But then she clapped a hand over her mouth as a wave of nausea overcame her, turning and taking the two steps to the toilet where she went down on her knees and vomited into the bowl. At least her hair wasn’t in the way.

Bonus to having it hacked off by a power-hungry maniac.

Kandace groaned, bringing her head up as she took the paper towel offered to her by Aurora. “Thanks,” she said weakly, wiping her mouth and standing, remaining still as the toilet flushed, to make sure the wave of nausea had passed.

“Did you take that test, Kandace?” Aurora asked. Kandace filled the cup on the sink with water and rinsed her mouth. She couldn’t bear the thought of toothpaste at the moment. It would make her hurl again.

“No. I already told you. It can’t be that kind of bug,” she assured her. “I appreciate the risk you took, I really do”—she smiled softly at her—"but . . . it can’t be.” Aurora looked at her dubiously and she knew why. They both had histories of frequent casual sex. Hell, she probably couldn’t list all the guys she’d been with if someone offered her a million dollars to do so. She wasn’t necessarily proud of that, but it was a fact of her life. However, she’d had her period right before she got there . . . but not since. Odd because she was usually right on time but . . . stress could do that to a girl, and Lilith House offered stress in spades. Some of it she’d even brought on herself by choosing to sneak around the way she had. And get caught and severely punished. Anyway . . . “No,” she repeated. “Not possible.”