Page 55 of Reconcile

I walk closer to her just as she stands, and I try to take her hand in mine, but she yanks it away. “Don’t touch me.”

Fuck.

“Piper, listen to me.”

“No.” She clutches her stomach. “You fucked my sister to get even with your brother and probably your father too. You devastated me for revenge. You didn’t care about me.”

I reach for her again, but she steps back, tears filling her eyes. “Don’t.”

“Piper—”

“Get out of my room.”

“Piper, let me explain.” Even though there’s really nothing I can say. I did it. She saw it. And Spence effectively made it so much worse today.

“No. I don’t want to hear it. I was right about keeping everything in the past. I was right about us not being friends or really anything.” She swallows, and it looks nearly painful, like she’s trying to rid herself of a bad taste. “Is everything a lie?”

Her eyes dart to the wall she shares with Audrey. “No,” I say firmly and take a step closer to her. “No.” I say it louder the second time.

“Get out.”

“It’s not a lie with her. I swear. I’m not that stupid kid anymore.”

“You didn’t tell me about Spencer and Paisley.”

“We haven’t talked about it. You haven’t let m?—”

She cuts me off quickly, “And I was right!” She quiets her voice, taking a deep breath, “It’s too painful to go down that road. I don’t want to. Now get out before I take Audrey and leave.”

The fear rippling down my spine paralyzes me for a moment. “You wouldn’t.”

“I would. Now get out.”

There are so many things I want to say, but I can’t risk her leaving.

I can’t risk Audrey.

And as I leave, anger boils in me, nearly simmering over the surface as I make it to the downstairs gym to take my frustration out on the punching bag.

Because everything always goes back to that night.

33

SAWYER

EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD…

“Piper!” I call out after Piper, but she’s gone. I lift Paisley off me, and she glares at me with her bloodshot eyes.

She’d been crying when I ran into her at the party tonight. Why, I have no idea. I didn’t really ask. I just drank myself into oblivion and watched as she did the same.

“Fuck.” I sit on the edge of the bed as she pulls her dress on over her head.

“Why are you so upset? That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”

She grabs my phone off the bed, and I remember the picture she took with her straddling me. Both of us naked, although that’s as far as we got. “What are you doing?”

She lifts her shoulder, looking pretty damn out of it. “Don’t worry about it. She hates you now.” She tosses my phone on the bed next to me. I find the pic and quickly delete it.

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