Page 55 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

‘How can you not know? How?’

‘I told you. I was drunk.’

‘God, you really are so fucking blind!’

‘I can’t deal with this right now, OK?’

‘When are you dealing with anything in the first place, Lachlan? You ignore everything! You’re barely even here anymore! You don’t see what she’s…’ Jules trails off, both hands gripping Lachlan’s shirt. ‘I feel like I’m losing you. Like he’s stealing you from me little by little, drip by drip.’

‘Nothing happened.’

‘You’re lying.’

‘Jules—’

‘I can tell when you’re lying, Lachlan! You swore to me you wouldn’t!’

‘It’s my job to protect you.’

‘From the truth?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’m not a kid. I can handle it.’

‘I don’t want to—’

‘Did he fuck you?’ Jules asks, voice shaking. ‘Did he rape you? Because he’d do that, I know he would. I see how he looks at you. I remember what you said that night. If it keeps you safe, don’t intervene next time. But I will always intervene because I love you! That’s what love is.’

‘I don’t remember. I really don’t.’

‘But you know some things.’

Lachlan says nothing.

He’s never seen this boy so pale.

‘Not really.’

‘I can’t stand not knowing.’

‘It drives me crazy, you needing to know every little detail.’

‘Something happened, and you know more than you’re telling me, so tell me what I don’t know or I’ll—’

‘You’ll what?’ Lachlan snaps, irritation biting like tungsten teeth into his soft, frail patience. ‘Throw a tantrum? Brat out?’

‘I’m not anywhere near stupid enough to fall for that. Was it…?’ Jules pauses, gesturing vaguely while he visibly tries to phrase his questions to yield maximum results. ‘He made you do something?’

Lachlan’s patience snaps like cotton thread.

No reverb, no smack or sting, just a broken connection.

He makes his decision.

‘You want the truth?’

‘You know I do.’