Page 74 of Beautiful Defiance

She smiles. I smile back.

“You and an older guy, huh?”

“Love at first sight.” She slides her arm across Cam’s shoulders. They’re sitting on the bed, resting against the headboard. “Will you tell Henry?”

“Not my secret. So all those parties you’ve been going to while your parents are gone is to come here?”

“Yes.” She plants a kiss on Cam’s hair.

“Henry said Brody’s older brothers are perverts who like the girls young. If they’re not pedophiles or weirdos, why not tell Henry? He was worried.”

“I’m sorry he misled you. He has good intentions. Thinks Cam will hurt me the way Ashley hurt him.”

“I don’t understand.”

She bites down on her bottom lip. “Leigh, Henry’s ex is Cam’s younger sister.”

Everything falls into place. “Awkward.”

“It is. Can you see why he wouldn’t like me and Cam to be together? That’s the reason you’re here, isn’t it, to report back to him what you find?”

“I’m not a snitch.”

“I can trust you?”

“Hannah, I’m not a pawn to be played by you and Henry.”

Keeping her secret reminds me of what I did for my mother. What I’m doing for Sorrow. Nothing ends well where secrets are involved.

“We should tell him, babe.” Cam takes her hand and kisses her knuckles. “My sis can be a real bitch, and I don’t want her representing the family. We’re better people than that, tossing someone away when they’re not useful any longer.”

What does he mean by that? It doesn’t look like Henry’s ex used him for money. This place must’ve cost a fortune.

“I said I don’t want you to tell. Not yet, Cam. Give Henry time to get over Ashley, and then we’ll get him used to us.”

Was that what they were talking about? What I misconstrued as him forcing himself on her, doing whatever the eff he wants? I walk backward until I’m at the door.

“I should go and give you two privacy. Again, I’m sorry for attacking you.”

“Nah, no worries. Hannah told me about you. You’re cool having her back like that, coming to her rescue with those mean-as-fuck fists of yours. Nice to meet you, Leigh.”

“You too, Cam.”

I leave them be, relieved there wasn’t a baseball bat nearby. Or mace and a switchblade in my hands. Needing space and a quiet place to collect myself, I walk past groups of kids dancing to rap music and drinking from red cups.

The perfect spot presents itself. A bench on the back side of a wooden shed. I sit, and closing my eyes, I rest back against the shed.

Poor Henry. To go off to college with someone you believed loved you, only to be cheated on and dumped for the next best thing.

Is that what Seven will do when I stop defying him? He’ll lose interest and move on to the next target? Or he’ll realize I’m not good enough, will never belong in his world of money, and ditch me for someone who does?

Then I hear it. Seven’s voice in my head. “Leigh, in this, can you just be and enjoy what you have in the here and now?”

I smile. How did that boy get so wise?

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