Page 37 of Steal

“All I’m saying is to give the guy the chance to explain his side, Perrie. What harm could it do?” I say but wince as the words come out. Before she can shout at me, I quickly continue, “You love him, Perrie, you have since the moment he told you where to go all those years ago, and you put him on his ass. He became your best friend, your everything, but he was struggling with things none of us knew, still don’t know, and he loves you too, Perrie; anyone can see it, including you.”

She’s quiet for a moment, and I bite my bottom lip and wait.

Finally, she admits, “I do love him. When we first met, he was so angry. I knew his dad was nasty, and I also knew that’s why he didn’t want to go further with me when I kissed him at sixteen. I knew he had feelings for me, but he’s been trying to protect me from himself….”

“Then why not hear him out?” I hesitantly whisper.

She sniffles. “Because he slept with me, then left me alone, vulnerable, and then slept with Andrea. Even if she is lying about being pregnant, he still slept with her.”

Ah yes, the lovely Andrea, faking a pregnancy like the bitch she is while our mother stands by her.

Perrie isn’t telling the whole truth. I know it, and so does she. The rape affected her more than she wants to admit. I clear my throat and state, “That’s not why you won’t, though, and we both know it. That thing with Andrea, yeah, it’s heartbreaking, but it’s also forgivable; he didn’t cheat, he made a mistake.”

“Cass…” she begs.

I retort, “No. What you went through was horrific, but I’m not going to sit here and allow you to ruin your chance at love.”

She sobs, “What chance, Cassidy? They raped me, tore my innocence, and ensured I could only have sex from behind while standing up, bent over so that no one could grip my hair. I can’t even orgasm. I’m ruined, broken….”

Anger fills me that she believes that, and snapped, “You’re not broken, Perrie, and you’ve already told me that you slept with Acid after your attack. Did his hand go into your hair? Was it from behind?”

I can feel my body vibrate as she admits, “It was on the counter at the diner. I was sitting on it, and his-his hand was in my hair….”

“And you didn’t panic?” I confirm, and she sighs, giving me the answer I want, and I continue, “See. He is your one. You both need to sit and talk, Perrie, and honestly, Acid needs to open up about why he thinks he’s not good enough for you, and yes, thatis the vibe he’s giving. He loves you, Perrie, but I think he put you in the friendzone for a reason, and you need to know that reason. Don’t let him push you away, don’t let yourself give in to fear….”

She sighs again and reminds me, “He slept with Andrea, Cass….”

Yeah, I don’t think he did, but I don’t believe Perrie is ready to hear that just yet, so I hum and state, “Yeah, I know, but clearly, that was a mistake, and she’s not pregnant, Piston confirmed that. Don’t let that one little mistake, that bitch, ruin your chance of finally being happy…. I want my sister back, Perrie, and right now, you are cold and closed off, and while, yes, you had every right with everything you’ve gone through, I still want my sister back, and I believe Acid is the solution.”

Perrie is quiet for a moment before a bang echoes, and Moira screams, causing me to turn quickly. I groan, seeing she’s knocked the dining chair onto her leg.

Dammit, she was just watching TV a minute ago.

Sighing, I say, “I’ve got to go. Just think about what I said, alright? Love you, little sister,” before I hang up and shake my head at my crying daughter.

Rushing over to her, I pick her up as she cries, “Mommy….”

“It’s okay, sweetheart, I’ve got you…” I murmur and hold her close while rubbing her leg as she clings to me, crying.

The thought of her being hurt like my sister was….

I promised I’d stay out of it, that I’d let it go because she got her revenge when she stabbed the Aldo brothers, who raped her, but I don’t think I can; they need dealing with, and they needdealing with now, and there’s only one person I know who will do what I need—it just means going somewhere I never wanted to go to again.

I press my nose against Moira’s curly, dark red hair, and inhale.

Swallowing hard, I whisper, “Mo-Mo, do you want to spend some time with Uncle Tanner?”

Moira nods a little, and I smile as I grab my phone and quickly call him, happy our hours are nearly the same, which means we both have today off.

It’s time I slayed my sister’s demons so she can move on with her life with Acid.

An hour later, I pull up outside the clubhouse gates and swallow hard, my pulse racing because I'm back here again.

The prospect on the gate frowns and walks over as I put my window down.

His dark green eyes look at me suspiciously before he says, “Sorry, love, club parties are not until the weekends.”

That said, he taps the door and goes to walk away. “Perrie Halliwell is my sister. "

---