Page 71 of Light It Up Red
“I can’t,” she repeats. And without another word, Lili turns and walks away. It’s only then that I notice the two bulking men in black suits trailing behind her. I was so wrapped up in seeing her I didn’t notice anyone was even watching us.
Chapter Thirty-One
Ishould not have gone to the game last night. I wanted to be there for Travis. I was hoping to be there for him without his knowledge, though. When my father handed me a jersey, told me to put it on, that we were going to the game, I couldn’t argue with him. Not after I had been fighting with myself about it all day.
I definitely should not have gone to the locker room, and I should not have let Travis hold me the way he did. I wanted to fall against him and never let go. I wanted to fuse myself to him, sink into how safe I always feel in his arms.
I can’t do that. I can’t risk his safety. My head is so messed up right now. I have no idea what the right thing to do is anymore.
I pick up the phone, scroll to my group chat with my cousins Tilly and Aurora, and hit the video call icon. Maybe they can talk some sense into me—well, maybe Tilly can at least. She’s the smart, sensible one. Not that Aurora isn’t smart. She just doesn’t use her brains for anything good.
“Hey, stranger, how’s Canada?” Tilly picks up first.
“Cold. How are things at home?” I ask, my heart aching a little when I mention the word.
Home. This city was supposed to become my new home. I was supposed to start a life with Travis here. And now, I have no idea what I’m going to do. I quit my job in New York. I had interviews lined up with advertising agencies all next week.
“Quiet, considering everyone is in Vancouver with you,” Tilly says.
“Bitch, why has it taken you this long to call?” Aurora enters the chat with her usual bravado.
“Sorry… I’ve been…Well, I’ve been… you know?” I shrug.
“What happened? Who do I need to make disappear?” she asks.
“No one,” I tell her.
“How’s Travis?” Tilly chimes in.
“He said it’ll be another two months or so before he can play again.”
“But how is he?” Tilly presses. I look at Aurora, and she’s staring right back at me, scrutinizing my every feature.
“I broke up with him,” I whisper.
“Why on this God-given earth would you break up with that man? Have you seen him? Shit, Lil, he’s insanely hot. And I can tell by the way he moves on the ice that he fucks well. So, again, why the fuck did you break up with him?” Aurora lifts a challenging brow. “Unless he did something to hurt you?”
I know what she’s doing. She’s baiting me. Waiting to see if I’ll react. But I’m too exhausted to play into it. “He was shot, Aurora. Because of me,” I tell her. “I can’t be with him and risk it being what gets him killed.”
“Bullshit. That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Tilly, you’re the smart one. Tell her that’s stupid.”
“First of all, I’m not the smart one. You’re both very intelligent. And secondly, for once, I agree with her, Lil. That was stupid. It’s not a reason to break up with someone,” Tilly says.
“Keeping him safe isn’t stupid. I could never live with myself if anything else were to happen to him because of me.” I sigh.
“Why do you keep insisting it had anything to do with you in the first place? Wasn’t that King guy shot not all that long ago? That had nothing to do with you.”
“I overheard Dad and Mr. Monroe talking, and they said that whoever shot Travis told him it was for me. Because of me.”
The girls let out a collective gasp. “Wait, but I thought your dad had nothing to do with it?” Aurora asks, and I shrug.
“He didn’t.”
“So who was it then? Who on earth would have a reason to shoot Travis for you?” Tilly questions.
“I don’t know.” I shake my head. “I’ve been trying to figure that out. I have no idea. And no one else is any closer to finding out who it was either.”
“I’m so sorry, Lil.” Tilly wipes at her face. She’s always been emotional—the girl cries over a tissue commercial. While I appreciate all the work that goes into a good advertisement, that’s a little much… even for me.
