Page 83 of Pieces of Us

In what world has anything good resulted from that sentence? Dread fills my lungs as if I’m drowning.

He takes a step back, faltering slightly in hesitation. Stepping over the threshold and turning towards the living area, I chance a glance at him, seeing that he’s wearing an unsure, vulnerable look across his face. I’m anxious as hell to find out what—or who—has him so twisted.

Trudging behind me, I quicken my steps to try and create a gap. He’s making me want to run for the hills. Catching up, he grasps my upper arm and whirls me around, enveloping me in a breathless hug. I’m motionless as our bodies press against each other, too shocked at his behaviour. My arms sag beside me, but knowing this could possibly be the last time I can touch him, I flail them around his body.

‘Something is up,’ I sigh, feeling like wet spaghetti against him. ‘I’d rather you just tell me so we can talk through it.’ I try to subtly inhale his fresh scent, but he can definitely hear me.

We pull apart but I hold my breath in suspense.

Touching the side of my cheek, he gives me a grim smile. When he lowers it, I feel a twinge of bereftness at the loss.

Slumping back into the lounge with his eyes resting towards the ceiling, I can tell he doesn’t know how to begin. I sit across from him, unsure if I need or should be near him. Do I want to be?

‘Where’s Uncle Jacob?’

‘He’ll be here in a bit. Uh, we needed to go over something.’

I cut him off. ‘About me?’

‘Yeah.’ Cryptic fucking much?

As much as I want to throttle him, I don’t want to jump down his throat, so I budge him a little further.

‘And Jas?’

‘Out with friends.’

‘Okay.’

Silence.

‘So, you said we should talk?’ I prompt with irritation in my tone.

‘Yes…and you’re not going to like what I say. Actually, you’re going to be pretty fucking mad,’ he starts.

My worst nightmares are coming true.

‘Oh my God. You slept with Billie!’

‘What? No!’ He almost jumps off the lounge before plopping back down again.

‘Someone else?’ I urge.

‘No!’

‘You have an STD?’ His eyes are wild and conflicted with emotion.

‘God. Just stop. It’s nothing like that.’ He settles beside me and takes my hand. ‘I wouldn’t do that to you again. Never again,’ he states firmly.

Blinking back impending tears, I’m close to losing it.

‘Linc. You’re scaring me.’ I search his face for any type of clue.

‘Dad and I heard your interview with Jas.’ He gulps, searching my face for a reaction, but I have none. I’m stunned. You could slap me across the face with a wet fish, and still, I’d be motionless and emotionless. It’s like a fail-safe has been activated, and everything inside me is vaulting up.

‘I didn’t mean to. We didn’t mean to. Before I knew it, I was crouched outside Jas’ room.’

Mild annoyance courses through me at the invasion of my privacy, but I feel despicable, that he had to hear the very worst of me. Unable to look at him, my eyes lower to the ground.

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