She nods, still smiling, as I stand. No one notices me slip away, too wrapped up in their own conversations as I head past the table toward the hallway that leads to the bathrooms. Tonight has gone better than I expected. Bringing everyone to Ligonier was the right call. It might be a small town, butLuminousare all from a country town in Australia. They understand what tight-knit communities feel like.
And more than that, I knew Effaneededthis.
I’d seen it in her. The way she’d been retreating into herself. The way her mind would drift when she thought no one was looking. There was something she wasn’t saying to me, and I was almost certain it was about Jett.
If she couldn’t open up to me, then maybe she could open up to Gran or Kiera.
I’ll admit it was a dick move to eavesdrop when I was supposedly getting the luggage, but I couldn’t help it. And hearing her tell Gran she thought she might have led Jett on, that maybe she’d somehow caused what happened… that nearly sent me through the roof. Nothing triggers my overprotective instincts faster than her blaming herself. I don’t handle Effa blaming herself well because she did nothing to deserve what that bastard did.
Nothing.
The thought of Jett Jones makes my blood spike all over again as I push through the men’s room door. The hallway outside is dim, almost claustrophobic, the light casting long shadows along the walls. It’s quiet back here, removed from the laughter in the main room.
On my way out, my mind is still turning.
I need to let it go.
I need to stop replaying what could have happened.
To what did happen.
But he could have killed her.
The door swings open, and a figure standing just beyond the threshold makes me halt. My body goes rigid before I even fully register who it is.
Lilah.
Of course, it’s her.
“Lilah,” I say flatly, moving to step past her, but her hand shoots out and grabs my arm.
“Kaden, stop…please.”
Every muscle in my body tightens. I glance down the hallway to check if anyone’s coming before looking back at her. “You have ten seconds.”
Her breathing is uneven, sharp, like she’s trying to steady herself and failing. Her eyes flick nervously down the hall and then back to me. “Why did ya’ll bring her and everyone else here?”
I blink once, then let out a short, humorless laugh. “What the fuck?”
“She’s a junkie. And y’all brought her and her drug-infested crew intoourtown.”
Something inside me snaps.
I yank my arm free from her grip and take a step closer, lowering my voice. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I’m not. Y’all come here shovin’ this sick joke in my face, bringin’ drugs into our peaceful town. What the hell are ya thinkin’? Are you usin’ now too?”
Her southern drawl hasn’t faded, not even after all these years.
I rake a hand through my hair, forcing myself not to explode. “What the fuck are you talking about, Lilah? Those arerealpeople sitting out there. People I care about. No one is bringing drugs into this town.”
Her mouth opens, but I don’t let her speak.
“Effa didn’t overdose because she was using. She was drugged… roofied, by someone else. And if you’d bothered to ask before judging her, you’d know she’snota drug user.”
Her face falls, but I’m not done.
“I don’t owe you explanations. What you do owe is an apology for assuming the worst about people you don’t even know. They’re not the problem here. You need to take a long look atyour own behavior before you start throwing stones.” I go to step around her again, but she grabs my arm a second time.
