Page 31 of The Tower

"I should have known," she whispers. "How could I not see? All this time I thoughtIwas the bad seed, not good enough for a family that is so commendable in every aspect. I feel so stupid."

"They fooled a lot of people. The public, but also their own friends and family. It's what they did. They mastered the art of deception," I say in a low voice. "I'm sorry, Libby. You don't deserve any of this."

She snivels, shaking her head on the pillow while reaching for my hand.

"Thank you." Her voice is thin and weak, emitting desperation.

"You have nothing to thank me for," I object, guilt rushing over me as I remember the moment my misguided bullet brushed her hip.

"Yes, I do."

"For what?"

She intertwines her fingers with mine, her thumb gracing my skin as she brings my hand to her lips and places a gentle kiss on my knuckles.

"For saving me," she says in a low voice.

Her words weigh heavily on my heart, pushing me down into a puddle of guilt.

She trusts me. She really thinks I'm her savior.

But I'm not sure if I can live up to that expectation.

Chapter 17

Keane

She's doing it again.

Every single morning since we got here, Libby has managed to sneak out of bed before me, catching the sunrise while she's standing outside in the garden, carefully rotating her shoulder and moving her arm.

I had a minor freak-out when I woke up the first morning and didn't find her sleeping next to me. Grabbing my gun from the nightstand, I rushed through the house, my panic rising with every room I found empty. I yelled out her name when I noticed that the door was wide open, fearing the worst.

Did she run out? But where?

Or did they come and take her? But how?

The Covey doesn't know this house exists. I bought it under my new name, leaving no hint that could trace it back to me. I have no ties to this area, I never mentioned anything to anyone, and I left my Covey phone at the medic safe house so they couldn't track me.

No. There was no way they could find us up here. Not this fast, at least.

All these thoughts tumbled through my crazed mind as I darted through the door, calling for her.

And she just stood there, bathing in the early sunlight while wearing nothing but the pair of men's sweatpants I gave her. Her pale skin reflected the sunlight, dancing across her nipples, hard and stiff from the cold as she turned around with her eyebrows arched in surprise.

"Don't fucking do that to me!" I yelled at her.

"Do what?"

"Just... disappear like that!"

She let out a chuckle then, shaking her head. "Disappear? I'm right here, aren't I?"

I added a lecture about her self-prescribed physical therapy, reminding her not to overdo it and spare her wounds for a few more days to heal.

She nodded then, but she didn't listen to me.

Today is the third day I wake up to find her doing the same thing. Sneaking out of bed long before I'm awake, wearing nothing but sweatpants as the cold morning air tightens her bright skin while she tries to rotate her shoulder as much as possible.

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