Not wanting to make this a big deal, which it will be if I tell Theo because he’s a fucking gossip, I don’t bother explaining.
“I get the feeling you don’t want to share, so I won’t push, but you know where I am if you need to talk.”
“Nothing worth sharing.”
“Yeah, if you say so,” he sets the bottle aside. “I better go pick up River. Mom’s probably pulling her hair out by now.”
“She had seven of us, and we were all different. I doubt there’s anything she can’t deal with.”
“I’m sure, but—”
“You miss him already,” I chuckle, walking him to the door. “Call me if you need a babysitter. I mean it.”
“I know and I will.” He pats my back, stepping out of the condo with a stupid grin. “Put a word in for me with Thalia next time you see her, alright?”
I burst out laughing, but it dies on my tongue when I notice Blair. She freezes midway into the hallway, eyes jumping between Theo and me. A second before he follows my line of sight, one eyebrow raised, she dashes round the corner.
“You alright, Cody?” he asks, still frowning. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I’m good, just... never mind.” I shake it off as if I had a hallucination or remembered something I didn’t want to remember. “Say hi to Mom and Dad.”
“Do it yourself,” he huffs, backing away toward the staircase. “Mom’s complaining she only ever sees you at the get-togethers these days. Make an effort.”
“I will.”
He turns the way he’s heading, lifting one hand in a silentsee yaas he disappears behind the same corner as Blair.
I listen, waiting until he sees her and freaks the fuck out, but other than retreating footsteps, the building is completely silent. She must’ve gone upstairs.
A minute passes. Then another, and I’m still rooted to the spot in my doorway, waiting for her.
Eventually she peeks around the corner like she’s checking the coast is clear. Her face falls, chin wobbles, and my veins fill with red-hot fury.
I’ll kill whichever fucker laid a finger on her.
She’s barefoot, her stockings ripped at her thighs, dress torn at her cleavage, barely hiding her areolas. Her hair is messy, and her makeup doesn’t look any better: red lipstick smeared up to her ear, black mascara river deltas traversing her cheeks.
A cold, icy dread settles in my stomach. I need whoever did this right here, right now. I’ll fucking kill him, I swear.
“What happened?” I ask, my voice raw, the anger stirring within me almost impossible to rein in. “Who did this to you?”
She pinches her lips, a futile attempt to keep her emotions in check as she steps further into the light to cross the hallway, tightly clutching her keys
“Don’t brush me off, B,” I warn, gripping her elbow. “Who hurt you?”
The way she jumps away from me turns the lava filling my system to ice. I grind my teeth, shoving the dark scenarios away, but it’s useless. They scramble to the front of my imagination, driving me insane.
“I’m fine,” Blair whispers, the words strained, voice brittle.
“Turn around,” I hiss.
She shakes her head, pushing the key into the lock. I have half a mind to spin her around myself, but after her reaction to my touch I’m second-guessing my every move.
“I’m fine, Cody. I promise,” she insists, barely keeping her composure.
“Fuck! Baby...turn.Around.Please.” The desperation in my voice is pitiful, but in this moment, I couldn’t care less because... shit... I don’t think I hate her anymore.
She stills. I watch her entire demeanor change before my eyes. She squares her shoulders, lifts her chin, pushes out her chest and locks herself like that as she turns to face me.
