Page 100 of The Edge of Never

Their eyes widened and their free hand curled around the edge of the table as if to steady themselves.

“I’m fine, you don’t need to worry about me… I don’t want to see you… well, I’m not in town, I’m staying with someone outside of it… okay, okay, hold on…”

Kit put their hand over the phone, bringing it away from their ear.

“Sienna’s in town. She flew up here to see me and she’s not taking no for an answer. Dad must’ve told her where I am.”

The thought of Kit having to see Sienna filled me with anger. And the fact she’d come all the way up here was suspicious. I couldn’t imagine a person like Sienna doing anything out of the kindness of her own heart after the shite Kit had told me about her. This was to serve her own self-interests.

“What dae ye wannae dae?” I asked quietly as I tapped my fingers on the wooden table.

“To get this over with… but I’d also like it if you were with me when I speak to her.”

“Invite her here then.”

As much as I would rather not have Sienna at my place, the pleading look in Kit’s eyes was more than I could take. There was no fucking way I would let them face their friend alone. Not when they’d specifically asked for me. They told me back in the tent that they felt safe with me. So I’d keep providing that for them as long as I was with them. Besides, it was probably better for them to have a conversation with Sienna in private rather than out in the open in a café in town.

“Thank you.”

Kit stood and continued talking to Sienna.

I got up and moved into the living room to sit on the sofa.

I wondered what would happen when she turned up. If she would upset Kit and how I would handle that. There was no point in trying to predict it. I would do what was necessary depending on what occurred when she got here.

After Kit got off the phone, they grew more and more anxious with every passing minute. They paced the living room, wringing their hands and looking as though they’d rather be anywhere else.

This wasn’t what we needed. Not after my parents turned up yesterday and Kit told me how exhausted they were. What I wanted was for both of us to rest, but that wasn’t going to happen today. Other people were determined to disrupt us.

Hadn’t we dealt with enough already? When would we get the time to decompress and process everything we’d been through? I had no fucking clue at this point.

“Kit.”

They waved me off.

“I’m fine.”

“Ye’re no fine.”

“No, but I have to do this. I just can’t believe she came all the way here, that she couldn’t wait until I got back. It’s not like her, you know, she always puts herself first.”

Kit said no more and continued to pace until a car pulled up in the driveway. Sienna must’ve hired it at the airport. It made me wonder what she did for a living if she could leave at the drop of the hat and afford to come up here. But it wasn’t important enough that I would ask Kit about it.

When Sienna stepped out of the car, I took in the tall, slender woman with long red hair and brown eyes. She looked far too perfectly polished against the background of the snowy landscape surrounding my house. As she glanced around, she wrinkled her nose. Then she walked up the steps to the deck. Kit rushed to the front door, sliding it open for her.

“Hey,” they said with hesitancy in their voice.

Sienna’s haughty expression changed to one of fake concern at the sight of Kit. Her eyes darted over them, checking every inch before her lips pressed into a thin line.

“You’re okay.”

“Of course I am. Didn’t Dad tell you?”

She crossed her arms over her chest.

“He did, but I had to see for myself.”

Kit stood in the doorway, looking incredibly awkward.

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