Relentless by Cindy Stark Page B

down, Hannah.  Why were you worried?"
    "My mom heard about the accident and went to the house to check on you.  When you didn't show up for a couple of hours, she got worried and called me.  I hurried back from Roosevelt, and we've been looking for you for hours.  I didn't know if you'd been hurt, too, or what."
    Lily took a step toward her friend.  "You can't get mad at me for that.  I didn't know you'd come look for me.  You weren't even supposed to be home tonight."
    Hannah let loose a semi-hysterical laugh, and Luke wondered if she'd gone completely off the deep end this time.  "That's right.  You waited until I left town and then jumped at the first opportunity to trick Luke into bed."
    Luke couldn't let this continue.  "That's not what happened, Hannah."
    "Stay out of it, jackass.  It's pretty damn obvious you fucked her.  The only question is, did you rape her like you did me, or did she use you for a good fuck like she said she was going to before she dumped you on your ass?"
    "Whoa."  Luke took the emotional blow, but didn't back down. 
    Lily slapped Hannah's face, the sound echoing through the room.  "How dare you?"
    "Bitch."  Hannah raised her hand, but Luke caught it before she made contact with Lily and threw it back at her.
    Adrenaline screamed through his veins, but he retained control.  "I did not rape you.  I did not sleep with you.  I did not touch you.  Take back what you said, Hannah.  This has gone on far too long."
    Hannah seemed momentarily stunned by the anger in his voice, but it didn't take her long to recover.  "You're just lucky I never called the cops."
    "Get out."  His voice shook with every bit of anger and resentment he'd held toward her.  Hannah opened her mouth, but he cut her off.  "Now."
    Tears flooded Hannah's eyes.  "This isn't over.  It isn't over by a long shot."  She turned and stormed out of the room.
    He met Lily's gaze and held it.  She cringed when Hannah slammed the door.
    He inhaled what he hoped was a sustaining breath.  "I didn't rape her.  I never even had sex with her."
    "I know," she whispered.
    "When is this fucking nightmare going to end?"  He kicked a stool near him, sending it toppling over.  Lily flinched again, but remained silent.  He'd had all he could take.  The years of lies, of people whispering behind his back, the way they looked at him like he was less than.  Now she'd label him a rapist.  He was done with it.
    There was just one thing.
    He pinned Lily with a look, needing to see her face when he questioned her, needing to know if there was one person in this God-forsaken town that he could love and trust.  He swallowed the burning bile in his throat, knowing deep down how this would end, but praying it wouldn't.  "Was Hannah lying about what you said, too?"
    Lily's eyes watered over before she dropped her gaze.  "Not exactly," she whispered.
    "What the hell does that mean?"  His heart might as well have been ripped from his chest.  It couldn't have hurt any worse. 
    "I didn't mean it when I said it.  It was before I knew you."
    "So you routinely make suggestive comments that you don't mean?"  He knew his bottled emotions had taken control of his words, but he didn't care.  He had to get the hell out while he still had a shred of his soul.  "Never mind."  He grabbed his jeans, his keys jingling in the pocket.  "Don't answer.  I've stayed in this fucking town too damn long as it is."
    She grabbed his hand, the gesture tugging at his shattered heart.  "Luke, you have to understand.  That was before I got to know you.  I'd only heard Hannah's side of the story."
    He shook her off.  He wanted to believe her.  He really did.  But he was so damn tired of games and lies and trying to figure out who wouldn't ultimately break his heart.  "Doesn't matter.  I'm done.  I don't need this shit.  I don't need to wonder if you're really the type of girl who would do that.  I don't need to wonder if you can get past