Page 62 of Death Kiss

What do you say to that? Any excuse will sound as false as it is.

‘Nothing,’ I say. The minute her eyes soften as she comes closer, I know I’ve only made things worse.

‘Kat.’ Ellie stops in front of me, her eyes cataloguing my injuries. ‘This isn’t nothing. Did Liam⁠—?’

Oh shit.

‘No. God no.’

‘It’s okay. I love him, but I won’t stand for this. Is this why you wouldn’t come back to the hospital? Does he hurt you?’

I grab her hand and squeeze. ‘Ellie, listen to me. I promise it isn’t that. Liam would never hurt me.’

Well, not unless I beg real prettily.

‘Then what the fuck is going on? Liam ends up in hospital looking half dead. You look like you’ve been scrapping. You both keep disappearing and cancelling on me. Everything's changed ever since you and Liam got together, and I don’t know why you keep freezing me out.’

‘Ellie…’

‘Don’t give me more bullshit. Something's going on, and I don’t like it. Stop freezing me out.’

It’s killing me to keep my best friend in the dark, but what choice do I have? Telling her endangers us all. And for what? It’s not like she’s going to want to be besties with a bloody murderer.

‘I can’t…’

Ellie’s brows raise, her voice dipping. ‘Can’t, or won’t?

‘Does it matter?’

‘Yes, it fucking matters!’ Her voice cracks as she raises it. ‘First, Sam disappears on me. Then I get cool real fast about you fucking my brother behind my back, and now you treat me like I’m a stranger. Freddie came in all hot and excited, and I’ve barely heard from him in days. I’ve had it up to here with everyone's fucking bullshit.’

Ellie snaps one hand up next to her head to illustrate her point.

I feel even worse. Because Freddie being quiet figures when we sent him into a crime scene. Fingers crossed he hasn’t fucked things up, and we’ll be able to keep his silence if we ever need to.

The bedroom door opens, and Liam staggers out, bleary-eyed and not quite fully back to standing without a wobble. He clutches his side as he walks, having aggravated his ribs on Saturday.

Liam takes in the scene; Ellie's raised voice must have woken him.

She looks from him to me before her lips draw into a tight line. ‘You don’t have to protect me from whatever’s going on. You can trust me.’

‘It’s not about trust. It’s about keeping you safe,’ Liam says, moving over and wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

‘Safe. From. WHAT?’ Ellie punctuates each word with a little rasp of rage.

Neither of us has an answer. Not without spilling out a bucket of worms that will take on a life of their own.

Silence stretches, growing more awkward with every passing second. I want to reach out and hug my best friend. To confide in her and know she has my back, but this isn’t about being dumped by a boy or hating my parents. This is cold-blooded revenge.

‘Fine,’ she sighs, wiping her eyes. ‘Whatever it is that’s so bad, I want you to know I love you both. And I’m on your side no matter what. Unconditionally.’

God, I hope we never have to put that to the test.

‘Ellie,’ I say. But I have nothing to follow it up with.

She’s done with the conversation. Scooping up her bag, she leaves, slamming our door behind her.

The floor is cold when I slide down onto it, feeling utterly drained. Liam slides right down next to me. Well, half slides, half grunts and twists while holding his ribs.