“Whose blood is that?” she asks.
“What blood?” I glance down at our body, pretending to be shocked.
“Don't play dumb, bitch!” Blaze barks from behind. Tired of this shit, I throw our head back and bust him in the face. Blaze pushes me to the ground while Aaron rushes and checks on him. He must've been standing beside him the entire time.
“Layla!” Ryan yells. I look back at her.
“I'm not Layla,” I say in all seriousness. She looks at me dumbfounded. In our peripheral vision, I see Ryan’s knife on the coffee table. I move quickly to grab it and run for the door. Blaze tries to grab me, but I stab him in the shoulder before he can catch me. He lets out a groan and I make my way out the side door. Ryan screams from inside of the house. Sorrow fills me and that confuses me. I've never felt remorse before. I'm assuming it's from Layla’s connection to Ryan.
With no time to dwell, I take Blaze’s Jeep again and take off. Must be a shit day for him! I know where I'm heading this time. There's one place that's always brought us peace.
Chapter 24
Ryan
What in the ever loving fuck? I rush to Blaze's side and I hear Aaron in the background on the phone with emergency services. My hands are shaking as I check Blaze's shoulder.
“I'm fine, Ry. It's okay.” Blaze groans. I’m trembling and I feel sick to my stomach.
“I can't believe she stabbed you!” I say worriedly.
“Somethings off in her head, Ry. We need to find her.” Blaze suggests. I nod my head in agreement.
“Shit, she took my Jeep again.” Blaze exhales. The only vehicle left is my dad’s most prized possession, but he’s not here anymore.
“My dad’s got a car in the garage, let me grab the keys.” I run into my dad’s study for the keys in the safe and meet Blaze int he garage.
“Where's Aaron?” I ask.
“He's staying behind for the police when they show up,” Blaze replies. I take a moment to process that and unlock the doors to my dad’s blacked out, 1970 Chevelle SS454. He may have been a bastard of a father, but he had great taste in vehicles. I plop behind the wheel and crank it. The Chevelle roars to life and I feel the vibrations under me. Blaze lets out a “Hell yeah!” and I can't help but laugh at him.
“Ryan…” he says in all seriousness. I look over at my best friend. He reaches over the center and connects our foreheads.
“No matter what happens tonight, I need you to know I love you. I always have and I always will,” he states. I see the sincerity in his eyes and as much as I love my sister, I can't help but love Blaze, too. I think I always have, I was just too afraid to admit it.
“I love you, too.”
Blaze crashes his lips to mine and I feel his tongue begging for access, so I give it. We get lost in our kiss like it could be our very last one. Agony forms in my gut and I finally pull away to admire his beautiful face.
I feel like we've been driving around for hours. Aaron called and said the police are searching as well. We’ve checked everywhere except for one spot and I kick myself for not thinking of it first. It's the one place Layla goes for alone time.
Blaze fell asleep next to me about thirty minutes ago and I worry since he refused to let me drive him to the hospital. I make a mental note to just drive straight to the hospital after we find Layla.
I pull up to the old park by the woods. Where Layla is sunshine, this park is creepy. I guess even darkness calls to light, sometimes. I park by the fence and I spot my step-sister sitting on a swing, letting the breeze sway her back and forth.
There's supposed to be a storm tonight and the clouds are already rolling in, hiding any light the moon may have provided. I contemplate waking Blaze up, but think better of it. This meeting will probably go a lot smoother without him there.
Walking toward the swings, Layla jumps up when she sees me.“I was wondering if you'd come find me.” She smirks.
“Layla, you have to talk to me. I have to know what's going on.” I plead with her. We walk toward each other until we’re only inches apart. She tucks a chunk of my hairbehind my ear.
“I told you, I’m not Layla…”
“What do you mean? I don't understand.” I say. I’m so sick of this fucking secretiveness.
“I'm Layla, but a different version of her. I only come out when she's triggered. She has no control over my actions,” she explains. My mind is going haywire.
“But why? How are you—” I start and she stops me before I can finish.