“They were the Bates, same old story. Except this time, it ended with him chasing me down the basement stairs and falling.”
“Why was he chasing you?”
“Because it was Tuesday.”
I grimaced, hating that for her. Yet I immediately understood what she meant by that.
With uncertainty in her stare and tears in her eyes, she admitted, “Nobody knows, but I think I killed him.”
Her words knocked the air out of me, though I remained calm, years of practice working in my favor. Instead, I drew her into my arms, and she settled on my lap.
Her heartbeat was in sync with mine. Cradling her face in my hands, I wiped her tears with my thumbs.
“I’m here, Isla. Nothing you tell me changes the way I see or feel you, the way I care about you…”
Relief quickly washed over her face. “You promise?”
“I swear it.”
“Do you think the cops are?—”
“No.”
She sighed deeply, leaning her forehead on mine.
“Do me a favor?”
“Anything.”
I spoke with conviction…
“Now that you’re with me, you let me worry about everything.”
CHAPTER
THIRTY-FOUR
KRAVEN
Maythe bridges I burn light the way… -Dylan McKay
Two months later.
One year, seven months together.
“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Julius! Happy birthday to you!”
I stood in the background, leaning against the column, watching everyone sing. It was early Friday afternoon. There was no school for teacher planning day, and Isla had thrown Julius a surprise party for his nineteenth birthday.
I didn’t want to be there.
Let’s just say, the past two months had been hell to pay. There was no going back from that night.
It changed everything between us.
I spent even less time there, making sure Julius was working when I did show up for clothes for school and stuff. Those nights, I’d play for Isla through the wall. It was basically our way of communicatingthese days. Although she always left me a plate of food in the fridge.
In a month, I’d be eighteen…
