‘Bless you.’ I picture his sweet little face as he sat there at eight, after all that trauma, trying to fool the social services.
It’s Kat. Using Will’s phone, mine is dead, and I thought I’d check in to see how your week is going.
Liam has already checked his family app to make sure she’s at her mum’s. Ellie replies in under ten seconds.
KAT. Oh my god. Where have you been all week? I’ve messaged you loads. I was this close to sending in thepolice…
Another text arrives before I can answer.
Wait, why the fuck are you with my brother?
Will and I have been seeing each other. I didn’t know he was your brother at first, and then I did, and I didn’t know how to tell you.
A pause. Longer than her usual response time.
You’re banging my brother? Jesus Christ, that must be breaking at least five girl codes.
It’s a long story.
You’re telling me my best friend and my foster brother are an item?
Yeah.
KAT.
That’s fucking epic. You can get married and be my mother-fucking sister!
Brother-fucking, I guess.
Kat! I’m going to need the full gossip asap. Friday night.
Are you still at Sam’s? You should bring him.
I feel like an ass saying it, knowing he’s dead half a car’s length away from me.
He’s been a bit weird these past few days, super distant. I think he might not be into me.
The only thing he’s going to beintois a thirty-foot well.
Aw babe. His loss.
I look up from the phone at the dark road ahead when Liam pulls over.
‘Time to turn it off,’ he says. ‘Phone towers. We don’t want them tracking us out here.’
Pressing the switch, I wait for the screen to go black.
‘Give me your necklace,’ he says, holding out his hand. I do. He closes his fist tight until I hear a small crunch, then he extracts the broken tracker and goes outside, burying it below the roots of a tree.
‘We can’t keep the trackers if we’re going to start this vengeance path together. We’ll need to be careful.’
I take my necklace back and slip it over my head, feeling naked without it. Then I eat another fry.
We drive the rest of the way in silence, through dark lanes I know so well, until Liam pulls onto the grassy verge and cuts the engine.
‘Are you ready?’ he asks.
I nod. ‘Are you?’
