Page 66 of Dark Angel

“No!” Valarie shouts out, then clasps her hand over her mouth, remembering their sleeping parents are at the other end of the hallway, “nobody is killing anyone. We will be engaged within the season, and nobody will suspect anything. But you need to let him leave now, Jordan, before mother and father wake up and realise what is happening.”

Jordan’s eyes seem to soften for a second, before they look at Lewis. “Leave.” His voice is icy.

Lewis does.

As soon as he is gone, Valarie sinks onto the edge of her bed. Overwhelmed with guilt, she sobs loudly. Tears drip down her cheeks, splashing onto the warm fabric of her dressing gown.

Jordan’s heart still races with anger as he watches his sister bawling her eyes out. Lifting his hands behind his head, he exhales loudly, trying to calm himself down. “You did something incredibly stupid, Val.” He grumbles at her.

He wants to comfort her, but he’s still heated with rage.

“I know I did, Jordan,” she sobs out quietly, “but I love him.”

Jordan’s mouth tightens as he looks at her. “I know you do, Val. You two are terrible at masking your feelings for one another. But you could have ruined yourself. Do you know how risky that was?” he shakes his head at her in disappointment. “Just be thankful it was me who caught the two of you and not our parents or Rosa.”

She nods at him, her cheeks stained with dampness. Her eyes reddened from crying. “I know all right. I know it was stupid, and I know it was wrong, but I have wanted to be with Lewis since I first saw him.”

“And you couldn’t wait until you were wedded to spend the night with him?” Jordan questions her.

“It’s not as if we planned it.” She sobs.

Jordan lets out a low sigh. His temper lowers to a more manageable level. Sitting down beside her on the bed, his arm goes around her delicate shoulders, holding her until her crying becomes muffled and quiet.

“Will you ever forgive me for this?” she mumbles.

“Yes,” Jordan says softly, “you’re still my sister, and I will always protect you, even when you do stupid things like this.”

She lets out a snotty snort in between her sobs. “Can you quit calling me stupid?”

“That depends. Will you continue being stupid?”

She pulls herself back and shakes her head. Sapphire eyes blurred with tears. “You know I can’t promise you that.”

The corner of his mouth twitches into a smile. “Yes. That’s what I am afraid of.”

24

Secrets Can’t Stay Hidden

Clarence knocks on the door, waiting for him to answer. The air is colder this early in the morning, winter is arriving quickly. Frost coats the grass and plants in a thin layer of white. The sun will no doubt melt the iciness away once it fully rises.

Holding his coat closed, the door opens up to his uncle’s sombre face. “Angels, it’s freezing. Get inside, Clarence.”

He doesn’t have to tell him twice.

Clarence steps in quickly, the door closing behind him and Will helps remove his coat, folding it and placing it on the small seat beside the door.

“What brings you here this early?”

He follows his uncle into the parlour, where a mug is already sitting on the side table, half drunk. An open book is placed on the arm of the chair, keeping it open. “I actually thought we could talk.” Clarence says as casually as he can muster.

“Tea?” Will offers to Clarence.

Clarence gives an answering shake of his head.

Will returns to his armchair, and his nephew sits down opposite him.

Clarence’s eyes move onto the bowl of browning produce in the middle of the table dividing them. Red apples bruising and peeling like they’ve been sitting there for a week too long.

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