Page 7 of InfraRed

I peeled out of the property and turned onto the highway, going faster with every mile. Tears blurred my vision, and soon after, rain blurred the windshield as I raced down the empty, dark highway with no clue where I was going. My chest heaved with heavy, tortured sobs as my heart splintered and shattered into a million pieces.

Two weeks later, I opened my eyes and met my dad and my uncle’s bloodshot, worried gazes. Each on either side of my hospital bed, holding my hands. When Dad realized my eyes were open, his head fell onto the bed, and he sobbed. Uncle Henry stood up and walked away, his hands laced on top of his head as it fell back, but I could tell he was crying, too.They looked exhausted, and I was once again the cause of their stress.

After the doctors checked over me and determined I was okay, telling me I was in an accident, Dad and Uncle Henry stood over me with crossed arms, tears dried, looking more furious than I’d ever seen either of them. Instead, they both hugged me tight, then they told me they knew it wasn’t an accident—Uncle Henry spent hours checking out the scene in seemed.

When they asked why I did it, I knew I couldn’t tell them the truth. I knew if either of them knew what I overheard, they would kill my mom. It would mean more sacrifices and suffering because of me. So I said the only thing I could think of.

“Graham.”

I’ve never regretted telling them it was a crushed heart caused by unrequited love more than I do at this moment as I step out of Dad’s office straight into the arms of my newly returned stepbrother. Because I know my dad’s reaction willnotbe great.

Graham’s hands wrap around me to keep me upright, and I hate that my heart skips from the contact. “It seems you’ve developed a habit of running into me, Sunflower.” His smirk makes my belly swoop.

I step back, glancing quickly over my shoulder at my dad’s door before looking at the floor. “S-sorry,” I mutter, wondering if it would look weird if I took off.

“No hug?” His arms stretch wide, and I automatically step forward into his embrace. My entire body is rigid when they wrap around me, but then I relax, inhaling the cardamon, vanilla, and rum, a scent I’ve associated with him for as long as I can remember.Why does he have to feel like home?“I’ve missed you, Sunflower.”

As soon as he says the words, my muscles tense all over againbecause he’s the one who put so much distance between us. He cut me off and out of his life without thinking twice, and my impulsiveness is the reason. I wish he wouldn’t say things like that. But I also wish my stupid heart wouldn’t flutter when he does.

Then the sound of Dad clearing his throat makes me jump back until there’s a few feet between us, and guilt seizes my stomach, twisting it into knots that almost double me over. Dad glares at Graham, and I can see Graham stiffening, his eyes turning suspicious, curious… and offensive.

My muscles twitch as my eyes dart toward the elevator. It would definitely be weird, but I would be away from this awkwardness.

“Graham.” Dad’s hand extends, and Graham accepts it after the slightest hesitation.

“Liam. Good to see you again.” Neither of them appears sincere.

I hate it because, while Dad doesn’tblameGraham for what I did, he doesn’t want me around him. I can’t fault him. Of course, I can’t when he thinks Graham’s the reason I ran the car off the road.

Graham, on the other hand, has no clue. He believes it was an accident like everyone else. But he’s sharp. He recognizes the tension emanating from Dad, and he’s reacting to it.

When he turns his attention to me, my entire body feels like it’s consumed by flames. “Casey, we need to have lunch one day and catch up.”

My eyes shift quickly to Dad, whose entire demeanor is stiff and tense. His shoulders are rigid and tight, his eyes sharp as they dart between us, and his jaw clenches, the muscles ticking. You can feel the protective energy radiating from him.

I swallow hard and give a quick nod. “Um-yeah. Sure.” I don’t mean it, but I don’t know how to refuse without raisingquestions. Graham will want answers, and Dad will tell him. Then I’ll have to stand here and lie some more, knowing it will hurt Graham. Or tell the truth and hurt my dad.

Either way, I am screwed.

“Don’t you need to go before you’re late for class?” Dad interjects.

Keeping a straight face through this entire ordeal is hard. I’ve gotten pretty good at hiding things from people after years and years of practice, but right now, I feel like I’m failing. I know my discomfort is showing. I can feel how hot my face is. My palms sweat like a hooker at confession. “Yeah, I-uh…” I hitch a thumb toward the elevators. “I’m going to go.”

“I’ll walk you out,” Graham says, and I don’t even have to look to know Dad’s reaction. It’s hard not to notice a six-foot-six body standing taller.

He opens his mouth to say something, but someone calls his name. His jaw locks, the muscles flexing as he looks between us. Then he grabs me, pulling me into his chest, and resting his cheek on top of my head. “We agreed you’d stay clear of him,” he whispers.

I nod because Ididmake that promise, even though I haven’t had to do anything. Graham has stayed away all on his own.

Dad squeezes me tighter, then turns toward where he’s needed.

I offer Graham a wan smile when he gestures for the elevators. We walk down the corridor, passing the executive offices in silence. My eyes dart around, staring at the floor, the walls… anywhere and everywhere but at Graham as we wait for an elevator.

The doors slide open, and I prepare myself for a long trip down in awkward silence as I stand as far away from him as possible and keep my gaze on the floor.

But I should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy.

“How are you since Friday? After everything with your mom?”

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