Page 43 of In Plain Sight

“I fucked up.” Her voice was barely audible.

“How did you fuck up?”

“Michael.”

My heart sank.

I’d worried about this happening when she told me she was dating her supervisor a few months ago. Her work had a strict no-fraternization policy, but she’d insisted that he was worth the risk and that he could be her forever person.

I’d never met Michael, but she’d told me enough about him that I’d formed a deep dislike for him.

For one, he was ten years older than her, and he was her immediate boss, so the power imbalance between them was a giant red flag. He also treated her like crap at work and would only see her or spend time with her when they were at his apartment. She said it was to throw off suspicion and she was fine with it, but I knew how much it hurt her to be treated like a dirty secret.

My sister was an amazing person, but she had issues when it came to men. She was so desperate to find someone that she was willing to settle for any asshole who showed interest in her.

“Did they find out about you guys?” I asked.

She sniffed again and nodded against my chest.

“I’m so sorry.” I rubbed her back. “Are you okay?”

“No.” She wiped her hand over her eyes and pulled away from my hug. “I also found out that he’s married.”

“What?” Anger flowed through me like a living thing. That asshole wasmarried?

“Apparently his wife found pictures of me on his phone and told him he had to end things or she was leaving him.” She flopped back against the couch in a heap. “It would have been fine if he just dumped me, but I guess he wanted to make sure I couldn’t cause trouble for him, and he told his manager about us.”

“Heratted you guys out?” I clenched my fists, my vision going hazy around the edges. “Please tell me they fired his ass too.”

She shook her head dejectedly.

“I’m going to kill him,” I snarled.

“No, you’re not.” She shot me a small smile. “He’s not worth going to jail over.”

I relaxed my hands and tried to calm down. She didn’t need my anger right now.

“Have you told Mom?”

Jade shook her head. “I came here right after I left the office. I can’t face her right now.” She winced. “She was just telling me a few nights ago how proud she is of me. How am I supposed to tell her that I fucked up and now I’m going to be stuck living in my old room for even longer?”

“It’ll be tough,” I agreed. “But she loves you. And I’m sure she’ll see things the same way I am. This isn’t your fault.”

“Of course it is.”

“No, it isn’t. He took advantage of you. I know you think he didn’t, but he did. He lied to you, and he threw you under the bus to protect himself. He’s the asshole here. You’re not to blame.”

She blew out a breath. “Yeah, I guess. I just feel so stupid. You warned me he would do something like this. You said I’d bethe one who got punished if anyone found out about us. But I didn’t listen.”

“Because you thought he was worth it.”

“I wish I was gay—or bi.” She shot me a look I couldn’t read. “Dating women would be so much better than being stuck with men as my only option.”

“I imagine there are a lot of queer women who’d disagree with you on that one.” Guilt churned in my gut as I bypassed yet another opportunity to tell my sister the truth about my sexuality.

It wasn’t that I didn’t think she’d be okay with it. I knew she would be. Being bi wasn’t the problem; lying to everyone was, and I was terrified of what would happen when she found out I’d kept this hidden for so long.

I’d had so many chances to tell her over the years, and I could have said something just now, but the words just wouldn’t come out.

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