A tear slipped free. “It’s way too late for that.”
Dread filled his expression. “What are you saying?”
“I . . . I’m just . . .” The confession lodged itself in my throat.
Richard pulled me into his arms, hugging me tight. I could feel the frenzy buzzing to his bones, his voice so hard that it sent a rush of terror zinging through my blood. “Tell me, Emily. Fucking tell me who hurt you . . . for what? Because of me? They’re dead.”
And that was the thing. Without question, he was telling the truth. That was a consequence I couldn’t swallow.
I wrapped my arms around his waist, and the refusal was out before I could stop it. “No one hurt me, Richard.”
I wondered if he could taste the lie the way I did.
Perverted and vile.
How was I ever gonna get this out when one atrocity was hinged on another?
“I’m just . . . I’m worried about you.” I pulled myself back to look up at him. “Who is she, Rich?”
Maybe if he could give me something, I could give him something back.
Instead, he went rigid.
Chills raked down his spine, freezing him cold. He pressed his mouth to the side of my head, words so hard I could feel them penetrate to my soul. “No one.”
Then he peeled himself away and strode for the bus that was waiting to haul us to the next city, his big body rushing across the lawn as if he were trying to run away.
Escape.
I knew in that second that his lie was as big as mine. And I didn’t know how many more we could tell before everything came toppling down.* * *“I’ll see you and raise you a hundred.” Rhys slammed a hundred-dollar bill down on the table as if he was some kind of high-roller. He, Leif, and Richard were playing Texas Hold’em on the tour bus.
Darkness pressed in on all sides as we traveled through the night, the low rumble of the big engine humming as we barreled down the road.
“Ah, come on, dude, that shit is not fair. You really gotta go there?” Richard moaned, a forced smile perched on his face as he glanced between his hand and Rhys and back again, scratching at his chin as he contemplated his next move.
Trying to act as if all of this was normal.
As if things hadn’t busted up between us four days ago, walls coming down for a flash before we’d both shoved the barriers between us back into place.
“Pussy,” Rhys goaded, flapping his hand of cards toward his face without giving him a peek.
Richard swatted them away. “Uh, yeah, you’re on to me . . . I do love me some pussy.”
“Ha. If only you could get some.” Rhys smirked.
Leif laughed and threw a wadded-up napkin at Rhys. “Stop projecting, asshole, and play.”
“Projectin’?” A scowl the size of Canada took over Rhys’s face. “Come now. Who do you think you’re talkin’ to? I could have had any lady in the house tonight, and I only took two. I am the picture of self-restraint.”
He gave a bow where he was stuffed behind the small table.
Melanie looked up from her tablet where she sat next to me on the couch, voice wry. “You are actin’ like you deserve some kind of dignitarian award.”
“With the way those two were grinnin’ when they walked out, I think it’s safe to say I do. Just doing my part at makin’ the world a happier place, one woman at a time.”
“Sounds like someone needs a big ol’ slice of humble pie to me,” I sing-songed under my breath, my knees curled under me as I doodled in my notebook.
Trying to act normal, too.
Three hours ago, we’d wrapped a show at Olive’s, a trendy bar in Gingham Lakes, Alabama.
We’d had to leave there right after the show in order to get to the next venue in South Carolina in time, the wheels grinding and eatin’ away at the miles to get us where we needed to be.
It was gonna be a long night.
I jolted when a flying card impaled me in the chest. I jerked my head up to glare at the culprit, Rhys, who was just smirking.
“Who needs humility when you look like this?”
Mel rolled her eyes. “If your head gets any bigger, there won’t be any room left on the bus for us.”
He tapped at his chin as if he were contemplating curing world hunger. “Huh. You know, I haven’t really had any complaints about the size of my head.”
“You are disgusting,” she told him.
I grabbed the card and flung it back. I had to stick up for my best friend and all. “I second that.”
Of course I had to go and miss him by about a mile.
“So dangerous, Em,” he ribbed. “You should watch yourself with sharp objects.”