Page 49 of The Love Penalty

My insides quake, and the second Caroline’s hand touches my arm, the words slip out. “It’s Lani.”

“What?” Caroline’s head tips back, fear stark on her face. “Is she okay?”

I shake my head and notice Caroline’s skin go even paler in the glow of the porch light.

“I mean, yes and no.” I wince. Scraping my fingers through my hair, I huff. “She’s in my room. She’s okay, but… she just told me something, and…” My throat constricts. “It’s not great.”

Caroline’s lips part. “What?”

I work my jaw to the side. “It’s not my place to tell you.”

“You’d better tell me something.” She hits my arm. “What did you do to her?”

“Nothing.” I shake my head. “I didn’t do anything to her.”

Caroline immediately picks up on my tone and goes still, studying my face. “Someone hurt her?” Her voice shakes. “She won’t tell me anything, but did she tell you? Do you know why she’s been acting so differently?”

“Yes,” I croak.

“And it’s bad?”

I clench my jaw and nod, finding it hard to swallow.

“What is it?” she shouts, slapping my arm again.

“It happened at a party,” I whisper, hoping she can read between the lines. “With a guy who… He wouldn’t stop.” I wince, hearing her voice in my head again. “I don’t know when it happened, but?—”

Caroline gasps. “I do.” Her blue eyes bulge, her fingers trembling as she sprints for the front door.

“No, wait. She’s sleeping.” I chase after her, snatching her arm before she can open the door.

“Where?”

“In my bed.”

“What?” Caroline spins around to frown at me.

I point at her, ignoring her incredulous look. “Don’t you fucking wake her.”

Caroline’s frown deepens into an intense scowl as she shakes my hand off and shoulders the door open.

Turning to Casey for a little backup, I find nothing but another angry face. “What?” I snap.

“Don’t grab my woman like that, man. Shit.”

“I’m sorry,” I mutter, slumping onto the front step. “But Lani needs sleep. She needs to switch off and…” I sigh. “She needs peace.” Shaking my head, I lick my lips and stare out at the front yard. “You should have seen her face, man.”

Casey still doesn’t know exactly what happened, but maybe he can guess. The thing I love about the guy is that he doesn’t need to know all the details. Squeezing my shoulder, he gives me a sympathetic wince while the puppy sniffs around our feet. We don’t say anything as Fezzik snuffles the stairs, his little snorts and frantic movements entrancing me.

It’s good. I don’t want to look at Casey right now.

I don’t want to try and make conversation.

Because there’s nothing to say.

That fuckhead wouldn’t stop.

And now Lani’s paying the price.

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