Page 42 of Sinful Palace

I nodded slowly. “Oh, that. I got it, but I didn’t have time to look at it yet. Sorry.”

Mom’s shoulders sagged, and she briefly looked down at the floor. “It’s fine. I know how busy you get with work. I just thought you might like it, that’s all.”

The look of defeat on her face sent an arrow of guilt straight to my heart. “I’ll try to read it later.”

Her face brightened again. “All right. Let me know what you think,” she replied before smothering a yawn. “Anyway, I desperately need a coffee. Say hi to Willow for me.”

“Will do.”

When I finally reached the double doors that led into my and Willow’s suite, I motioned for Mal to unlock them for me before quietly stepping inside.

The room was completely silent. Willow lay in a motionless lump on the bed, tucked all the way under the thick blankets.

With a heavy sigh, I sat on the other side of the bed and pulled the duvet away. Willow’s face was blank, and her eyes had frozen over, robbed of their usual fiery passion. The pillowcase beneath her head was damp and stained with mascara. She must’ve cried all night before the numbness took over.

I sat there quietly for what felt like an eternity, not knowing what to do or how to express all the things I wanted to say to her.

How the hell was I supposed to tell this girl the truth about something I couldn’t even work out for myself? If it didn’t make any sense to me, there was no way I could make her see sense in it either.

“I didn’t do it,” I finally said.

Willow remained still and silent, like I wasn’t even here.

“Hey,” I said, gently shaking her left shoulder. “Jared’s fine. Nothing’s going to happen to him.”

She blinked. “What?” she said in a croaky murmur.

“I said your brother is fine. Nothing is going to happen to him. I made the whole thing up.”

Willow sat bolt upright, eyes wide. “You didn’t call Frank?”

“No. I just pretended to do it,” I muttered. “I’m not proud of it, but that’s what happened.”

She slowly shook her head, brows pinching together. “Is this some sort of sick joke?”

“No. I’m serious.”

Her eyes came alive again, blazing with rage. She let out a strangled cry and started pummeling on my chest with her little fists. “Why would you do that to me? Why?” she shrieked, tears leaking down her face. “You let me think you were going to kill him! You locked me in here and let me fucking cry all night, knowing I couldn’t stop it!”

“I know.” I lifted my palms and let her take her emotions out on my chest. I deserved it.

“How could you?” she asked, voice cracking. “How could you do something so horrible?”

“I was fucking pissed at you,” I muttered. “I wanted to hurt you. Teach you a lesson. But I took it too far. I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry?” Willow’s eyes widened with incredulity, and she shook her head and scrubbed a hand across her face. “I don’t get it. You’ve been holding this threat over my head for months. Now suddenly you feel bad about it? Suddenly you’re sorry?”

“I know how it sounds. But it’s off the table now, okay?”

“What is?”

“This shit with Jared. I won’t hurt him, no matter what. I won’t hold that over your head anymore.”

“I don’t believe you,” she said, shaking her head again. She sniffed and wiped her tearstained cheeks. "This is another game.”

“I understand why you think that, but it’s not.”

“Really? Why would you change your mind after all this time?” she asked, voice rising again.

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