Page 9 of Break Me Gently

I rushed to Amber’s door and snuck into her room, grateful to close it against the abomination taking place under this roof.

Did Amber know her mother was getting railed?

I gagged again.

“Zach?”

I wiped the tears of disgust from my eyes, trying not to heave all that turkey onto Amber’s floor.

“Is that you?”

I held onto her door.

“Yeah,” I rasped.

Chapter 5

Amber

What was he doing back in my room?

I reached out and switched my lamp on. The warm glow instantly lit up my room. He stood beside the door, a hand braced against it. He looked ill.

“Who is Luke Newbury?” he spat out.

I sat upright.

“Mum’s fiancé.” I shrugged.

“There is something off about that man,” he said, before crossing into my room.

What was he expecting me to say? He hadn’t stuck around to see my mum struggle to function, hide her sorrow, or pick up the pieces again.

“She deserves to be happy,” I said, my voice stiff but determined.

His face darkened beneath the warm light.

“And my dad deserved to fucking die?”

“Nobody is saying that, and you know Mum never left his side at the hospital.”

He grunted, sitting on the chair beside my desk. He stretched his legs out while he continued to stare at me. I had some stuffed toys on my bed, and his eyes lingered on them.

“Dump Nolan.”

What the hell?

“No.”

His lips tugged at the corner. A slow, cruel smile I remembered well.

“We both know who you really love, Amber.”

How could he bring that up? After—Alisha.

“I was a thirteen-year-old with a stupid crush,” I said, my voice cold and calm.

“A few weeks away from your fourteenth birthday, as I recall,” he drawled.