Page 8 of Bake the Town Red

I’m worried. Ian’s eyes are lost. Insanity dabbles with panic and worry. So far from me. Out in space, miles away from the world.

I’m also hopeful. Ian will be gone for a few days, find us a place to live, and call me. He’ll have a chance to regroup. He’ll be better once he clears his head.

He and I, we’ll always be crazy. What Al has put us through will forever leave a stain on our souls. But I can’t afford to believe Ian will be lost for good. He won’t. He can’t.

He’ll find himself.

When he does, I’ll have him back.

New start. New us.

Minus Tyler.

I’ll have my heart broken, sure. Wouldn’t be the first time. When Ian told me Mom and Dad were killed, a part of me died with them. When Al crushed my spider pet under his filthy boot, I hurt like a fucker.

I hate his boots.

I’ve survived his boots. I’ll survive being separated from Tyler.

“I’ll call you.” My brother leans in for a last hug and kisses my cheek. A wet kiss. A kiss that’ll leave a red, bloody lip mark on me. “See you soon. Take care of her, Tyler.”

The anger doesn’t leave Tyler’s body. His eyebrows scrunch, mouth pinched in a straight line. “So help me, if she spends one day in jail for this…”

“So make sure she won’t. Tell them I did it.” Ian turns away, bolting out of the room.

“Little savage.” Tyler grabs my chin, his eyes remaining on mine and not the naked parts of me. “We have to call the cops.”

His touch feels nice. Demanding and warm and not the least bit sexual. Even though I long for it to be.

“I did it.” I step closer to Tyler, my bare feet nearly slipping on the blood.

Tyler catches me by the waist. Places me at a safe distance from him. “You couldn’t have.”

“Yes, I did. I can prove it.”

Since I know Tyler isn’t a perv, this makes everything easier. Easier to step back, easier to spread my legs. Even though I get tingles down there, I’m confident Tyler wouldn’t. That he wouldn’t violate me.

That he’d just look.

“Dahlia, Jesus.” Tyler stares for a beat. He’s quick to recover, tugs off his much larger T-shirt, and tries to throw it over my head. “Please, cover up.”

“Tyler, stop.” I grip his T-shirt and toss it aside. “Look at me. No one raped me, and you found me lying on the floor. So how did all that blood get there, between my thighs?”

Tyler scowls, his gaze firm on my face. “You really did that.”

“Yes.”

“I should’ve come here sooner.” Tyler’s brown eyes turn dark. They’ve changed, looking a lot like eighty-five percent chocolate. Murderous. “I should’ve killed him. I would’ve killed him a million times over for everything he’s done to you two over the last six months.”

“Ian didn’t mean what he said. You’ve helped enough that one time you punched Al.” A small smirk rises on my lips. “When you stormed in here and put yourself between us and him. He called the cops on you and you still did it.”

A giggle bursts from my lips. He tilts his head, wondering just how far gone I am. I don’t think I’m that crazy. Yet. It’ll come, though. Once the shock wears off, I can kiss my sanity goodbye for a few good hours. I always do.

“Help us again by not calling the cops. By giving Ian an advantage.” I’ve never begged anyone for anything. I am begging him. “Until he’ll tell me where to meet him.”

“You think you’re leaving? That you’re going to live in God knows where? In the street?” Tyler grips my cheeks. It hurts. “You’re not allowed to leave. I’ll make everything better. For you and Ian. You’ll see. You won’t have to leave. I have you. Both of you.”

My naïve neighbor. Thinking he could save the world.

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