I put my phone down beside my pillow, unsure if I could pull myself from this state to even walk into work. Everything hurt too much.
My phone dinged again, and I sucked in a breath of anticipation as I read the screen. Only for that hope to disappear as I found a text from Jen instead. She added me to a group chat with Xavier and was checking in.
Both were questioned by the detectives last night, and neither of them were in trouble. They denied anything and everything they knew of the basement. But that was only part of why Jen texted in the first place.
Jen: Have you seen the news?
I frowned and wiped my eyes. As I propped myself up on my elbow, she sent through a newspaper article.
During the early hours of this morning, several hours after the detectives dropped by to speak with the owner, The Den was burned to the ground. Everything inside was nothing but ash and the skeletal remains of a building. There were witness reports of hearing explosions, which explained why it would’ve burned so quickly before anything could be salvaged and used in evidence.
They described the fire as suspicious, but we all knew better.
Xavier: Damn…
Xavier: So I guess we're unemployed now?
I wasn’t sure how to respond to anything. Truthfully, I didn’t care about The Den, Antonio, or anything that happened within that place.
I switched my phone to silent and rolled over beneath the covers, pulling my spare pillow closer to my chest.
It was amazing how fast someone could become a stranger again. And how quickly it took me to fall into a miserable daze as I sat on my couch, eating chocolate chip ice cream directly from the tub.
I somehow managed to drag myself into work this morning but was nothing more than an emotionally drained shell of a person who painted on a smile and happy façade for the clients. The second I was home again, with the apartment to myself with Kira at work, I changed into my pajamas, tucked myself up in front of the TV, and wiped the mask away.
Being alone didn’t help. The ache in my chest was worse with the growing loneliness. But I also had no intention of moving from the couch, so I watched any movie outside the romance genre just to keep my mind blank. That didn’t help either. Everything reminded me of him.
When the front door opened, I wiped my eyes with the hem of my shirt.
Kira and I hadn’t seen each other since before the fight — before my world was turned on its head for a second time. I wanted to get a leash on my emotions first before I brought up the bruise on her arm.
Her usual happy hellos whenever she got home were a thing of the past. I couldn’t remember when she did it last or when her happy arrivals diminished. The skip in her step that made her red curls bounce, was gone. So were the many plants in the apartment. Either wilted or dead, save for the few that could survive being forgotten.
When she walked into the living room this time, she barely looked in my direction as she passed by the couch on her way to the kitchen. Mustering the slightest of smiles when she reached the fridge, she pulled open the freezer door and simultaneously brushed her thick hair behind her ear. Only to move it back again quickly.
It was too late though. I already saw what marked her right cheekbone and pushed up from the couch to get to her side.
“Kira, what the hell happened?”
“It’s nothing. I tripped,” she said quickly, taking a bag of frozen peas from the freezer to press to her cheek. She offered me a faint smile. “I didn't expect you to be home. I thought you might be with Dean after last night.”
Something pinched in my chest at the mention of his name, but I remained focused and reached across to brush her hair back carefully to get a better look at the bruising. “Did Aiden do this?”
She pulled back slightly, her brown eyes widening as she shook her head quickly. A warning to keep my voice low because we weren’t the only ones home.
“Nice to know you think of me so highly, Lily,” Aiden said sharply.
I turned to find him standing by the hallway, his eyes narrowed on me. Usually, I would’ve expected my heart to race or completely stop after being overheard. I might’ve even stammered over an apology if I didn’t loathe the sight of him.
My heart was too hurt to care.
I squared my shoulders. “You can’t blame me for being cautious.”
“Not all men are out to abuse women,” he scoffed spitefully. “She said she tripped.”
“Aiden, she didn’t mean it,” Kira said quickly.
“Sure she didn’t.” His glare was on me for a second longer before he walked into Kira’s room. Shutting the door firmly behind him.
