fucking bitch, had come between Noah and me. I hadn’t understood it at all. Then after I dreamed of Courtney one night, I woke with a start, and a knowledge. A knowledge that I’m in love with Nina Drake.
Noah had seen it; that’s why he had been so angry with me when I begged him not to hurt her. And I couldn’t help but feel that, because of his anger with me, he had gone further than ever before. Not just tearing apart Nina’s life, but the final piece of thread that held my family together.
But, and closing my eyes as I realize this, I miss the life I had with Noah. If I’m honest with myself, I haven’t just lost my brother, I’ve lost a career that I loved. I miss the click of my camera, the life I captured in the lens, and each breath caught on film; breath that had been many women’s last.
And I’ve started to imagine what she, Tricia, would look like in the click of death. I don’t like the way she is with Nina; her mouth has no filter. She’s reckless with her tongue, using it to shoot bullets that are having critical impact. She’s too self-absorbed to even notice how incredibly broken her best friend is.
“I ’M GOING TO MISS YOU, ” I sob to Tricia as I hug her tight to my body.
She pulls back, her own eyes full of tears, and nods. “Thank you for trusting me.” She smiles. “I love you, babe. But please, please, put it behind you. Like I said, he won’t be back for you. It was just his last way of hurting you.”
I nod but she and I both know I don’t believe her. “What will you do?”
I shrug as we both wave to Devon when he pulls off his driveway and disappears down the road. “I have no idea but I need to start trying to get a life back somehow. I’m running out of money.”
She frowns. “I can lend you a bit. I have some savings, but . . .”
I shake my head sternly. “No, don’t be silly. I love you for offering but . . .” I blow out a breath. “Like you say, I need to move on, as hard as it might be.”
“Well a job will hopefully give you the confidence you lost too. Then maybe one day soon you may make it home.”
I grin at her, more tears running down my cheeks. I know she misses me. I miss her, and who knows, maybe she’s right and one day I will make it home. But I’m not ready yet. Home isn’t safe and still holds too many horrible memories.
Tricia looks towards Devon’s house and gives me a sly smile. “Well, you’re already making new friends.”
“Friends, yes,” I warn, knowing exactly where she’s going. “Text me when you get home.”
She chuckles but nods her head then hugs me tight again before she climbs into her car. A loud sob bursts from me and I wave like a lunatic as she pulls away and follows in Devon’s wake, her car lights blinking at me as they turn around the corner.
I blink down at Steve when he curls himself around my legs, purring at me as though he senses my sadness. More likely that he’s hungry. He’s always hungry.
I scoop him up, nuzzling his soft fur as I carry him into the kitchen, my gaze towards the darkening sky. “There’s a storm coming, big fella.”
I’m apprehensive as the tree in the front yard sways towards the window with the force of the wind, its movement making the light from the streetlamp eerily chase across the walls of my dark lounge. Rain beats hard, the rattle of the glass pane causing me some concern. I pray that it holds against the sudden rainstorm that rolled in an hour ago. Summer storms are always the worst for me. The memories that come flooding in with them as destructive to my soul as they are to the surroundings.
The fire rages, and I pull the blanket higher up my body, snuggling down with my Kindle. It moves freely, and I blink at the bottom to where Steve is usually curled up.
“Steve?” I shout, looking around to see if he’s curled up someplace new. But he isn’t around. Frowning, I move off the sofa and check the house, my heart beat slowly increasing the more I hunt
Noah had seen it; that’s why he had been so angry with me when I begged him not to hurt her. And I couldn’t help but feel that, because of his anger with me, he had gone further than ever before. Not just tearing apart Nina’s life, but the final piece of thread that held my family together.
But, and closing my eyes as I realize this, I miss the life I had with Noah. If I’m honest with myself, I haven’t just lost my brother, I’ve lost a career that I loved. I miss the click of my camera, the life I captured in the lens, and each breath caught on film; breath that had been many women’s last.
And I’ve started to imagine what she, Tricia, would look like in the click of death. I don’t like the way she is with Nina; her mouth has no filter. She’s reckless with her tongue, using it to shoot bullets that are having critical impact. She’s too self-absorbed to even notice how incredibly broken her best friend is.
“I ’M GOING TO MISS YOU, ” I sob to Tricia as I hug her tight to my body.
She pulls back, her own eyes full of tears, and nods. “Thank you for trusting me.” She smiles. “I love you, babe. But please, please, put it behind you. Like I said, he won’t be back for you. It was just his last way of hurting you.”
I nod but she and I both know I don’t believe her. “What will you do?”
I shrug as we both wave to Devon when he pulls off his driveway and disappears down the road. “I have no idea but I need to start trying to get a life back somehow. I’m running out of money.”
She frowns. “I can lend you a bit. I have some savings, but . . .”
I shake my head sternly. “No, don’t be silly. I love you for offering but . . .” I blow out a breath. “Like you say, I need to move on, as hard as it might be.”
“Well a job will hopefully give you the confidence you lost too. Then maybe one day soon you may make it home.”
I grin at her, more tears running down my cheeks. I know she misses me. I miss her, and who knows, maybe she’s right and one day I will make it home. But I’m not ready yet. Home isn’t safe and still holds too many horrible memories.
Tricia looks towards Devon’s house and gives me a sly smile. “Well, you’re already making new friends.”
“Friends, yes,” I warn, knowing exactly where she’s going. “Text me when you get home.”
She chuckles but nods her head then hugs me tight again before she climbs into her car. A loud sob bursts from me and I wave like a lunatic as she pulls away and follows in Devon’s wake, her car lights blinking at me as they turn around the corner.
I blink down at Steve when he curls himself around my legs, purring at me as though he senses my sadness. More likely that he’s hungry. He’s always hungry.
I scoop him up, nuzzling his soft fur as I carry him into the kitchen, my gaze towards the darkening sky. “There’s a storm coming, big fella.”
I’m apprehensive as the tree in the front yard sways towards the window with the force of the wind, its movement making the light from the streetlamp eerily chase across the walls of my dark lounge. Rain beats hard, the rattle of the glass pane causing me some concern. I pray that it holds against the sudden rainstorm that rolled in an hour ago. Summer storms are always the worst for me. The memories that come flooding in with them as destructive to my soul as they are to the surroundings.
The fire rages, and I pull the blanket higher up my body, snuggling down with my Kindle. It moves freely, and I blink at the bottom to where Steve is usually curled up.
“Steve?” I shout, looking around to see if he’s curled up someplace new. But he isn’t around. Frowning, I move off the sofa and check the house, my heart beat slowly increasing the more I hunt
Similar Books
