Page 24 of Tempting Fire

It took everything Chloe had not to pull her hand back.

“Trenda, you’re pushing,” Zoe admonished.

“You know I’m right,” Trenda said. “Zoe, we have to help her. Look at her, she’s fading right before our very eyes. I refuse to let her deteriorate and do nothing about it. Not on my watch.”

This time Chloe was able to pull away from Trenda’s grasp. “I won’t be talked to like I’m not even here. Like I’m not even a person.” She shoved out from beneath the covers and stood up beside the bed.

“Get away from me. Both of you!”

“What did I do?” Zoe asked.

“Out! Both of you! Out!”

“Trenda was the one out of line,” Zoe protested.

“I hate you both,” Chloe was vibrating with rage.

Where had that come from?

“But I didn’t do anything,” Zoe said standing toe to toe with her.

“No shit you didn’t do anything. You never do anything. You’re never where you should be, you’re always shirking your responsibilities. You’re always gallivanting around and just leaving it to the rest of us to shoulder all the hardships. Get the fuck out of here Zoe!”

Zoe went rigid.

“You don’t mean that.” Trenda stood up slowly from the bed.

“Get. Out.”

From the corner of her eye she saw the door open further and Zarek stand in the doorway.

“Please Chloe, let’s talk.” Zoe begged.

“There’s nothing to talk about.” Chloe’s breath was sawing in and out. She felt like she was going to pass out, but she’d be damned if she would sit down. She wasn’t about to show any weakness, they’d use it against her.

“Chloe, if you’d just―”

“Time’s up Ladies.” Zarek said as he stepped into the room. “Chloe made her position perfectly clear. She’s coming to Dallas with me.”

Chloe turned away from the people in the room and eyed the solace of the bed. Couldn’t she just crawl under the blankets and hide?

“You’re not going with him, are you? You know that’s the wrong decision. You need us.”

Trenda managed to say the exact wrong thing. Chloe looked her sister dead in the eye. “I’m going with Zarek.”

Chloe turned to see if Zoe had any arguments and saw that she was hunched over, holding her stomach like she’d taken a body blow. It took a moment to remember what she’d said to her twin that had left her with such a stricken expression.

“You hate me,” Zoe gasped.

Chloe shut her eyes, trying to block out everything.

“Everything hurts, Zoe. Everything is a reminder, and I’m angry about a lot of things. Zarek’s right. I need to get away from here.”

Zoe slowly straightened up and stared at her, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “Come on Trenda, let’s go.”

“At least let us help you pack,” Trenda offered.

Zoe and Chloe both let out identical weary laughs. Trenda couldn’t help herself. She was a big sister until the bitter end.