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“Spill what?” I try for innocent, but even I can hear how hollow it sounds.
“Don’t play dumb with me, Callie.” She plants herself between me and the door like she’s ready to hold me hostage until I talk. “You’ve been weird ever since you got back to town, and right now, you look like you’re planning your own funeral instead of getting excited about having your own space again.” She pauses. “I thought you wanted to move out.”
I sink onto the windowsill, the cool glass pressing against my back. “Remember why I told you I left the city?”
“Because you were tired of the hustle and wanted to come home?” She nods. “Why?”
I exhale. “That’s not the reason.” Fighting a scowl, I confess everything. Tell her about Theo, how stupid I was thinking he loved me, how he stole my art and how I ran. Again. She joins me at the window seat, concern wrinkling her pretty face, and the more people feel bad for me, the more the knife in my chest twists. I was always the strong one. I never used to cry. I was tough.
But the wrong man can break you and turn you into someone you don’t even recognize. He can steal your light, snuff out your glow, and strangle all the good from your body until you’re nothing but a shell of who you used to be.
“I know, I’m pathetic, right?” I ask, the lump in my throat big enough it hurts to swallow.
Lily’s face darkens. “No, Callie. He’s pathetic. What kind of artist has to steal?”
“Not a good one,” I rasp.
“Should I castrate him?”
I laugh. “I love the violence, but that’s probably a bad idea considering he’s not done screwing me over.” The words taste bitter. “He’s suing me for IP infringement.”
“That piece of shit,” she mutters. “He’s dead.” Grabbing her phone, she fires off a few messages.
“What are you doing?”
“Finding a mercenary.”
My eyebrows rise. “You know mercenaries?”
“No, but I know some people.”
“Some people,” I parrot, face scrunching. “What types of people?”
“None of your business.” She locks her phone and pins me with a look. “He’s trying to intimidate you. That’s what bullies do when they get caught.” There’s a flicker of darkness in her gaze that wasn’t there before. Like maybe she really does know some hit men.
“You’re not serious about the whole killing him thing, are you?”
She ignores my question. “Tell me you’re not rolling over.”
“I’m not rolling over. I made an appointment with Mr. Davidson. Maybe he’ll have some magic lawyer trick to make this disappear.”
Lily pulls me into a hug. “If he doesn’t, I’ll help you pay for a better lawyer.”
“What happened to the hitman?”
She pulls back and waves her hand. “Whatever happens, you’re not dealing with this alone. I don’t care if I have to work extra shifts or sell plasma.”
“No.” My words are sharp. “I’m not dragging anyone else into this mess.” My parents offering to help pay for it is bad enough. I should be able to handle this on my own.
She opens her mouth to argue, but I’m already moving toward the door. “I don’t think this place is right for me anyway. Really. Everything is fine. I have it under control.”
It’s a lie, and we both know it. The apartment is perfect, and control is the last thing I have.
“We’ll keep looking,” Lily says gently, following me out of the apartment. “But I’m serious, Callie. Tell me when you need help.”
“I know.” I force a smile that feels like broken glass. The last thing I want to do is drag more people down with me. So while I love her for wanting to help me, I’m determined to handle this on my own. Theo is my demon to fight.
My steps slow as I emerge from the building, exhaustion weighing heavier on my shoulders than I care to admit. The conversation with Lily replays in my head like a broken record. Theo’s threats, the lawsuit, my spectacular inability to handle anything without everything falling apart.
