Page 71 of Twisted Truths
“Okay,” I whisper.
Turning to leave, I pause when he calls after me. “Don’t keep anything else from me, Hadley.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
NASH
After Hadley leaves the barn, I return to the boxing bag, trying to ease the tension thrumming through my veins. When that doesn’t work, I punish my body with a gruelling workout of push ups, box jumps, squats, and sit ups. Still, I can’t get the image of her beautiful, tortured face out of my head. She fucked up by not telling me about Franklin sooner, but I can’t ignore the way her presence has been the only thing to bring me peace since returning to Barrenridge.
I felt it when I first bumped into her at the market, and it only grew from the moment I kissed her, twisting and conforming into something dangerous. Something that feels a hell of a lot like hope, even when I don’t want it to.
Yet, I don’t know if I can forgive her for keeping my nephew a secret from me. I feel so fucking betrayed, but I’m also confused, because as much as I hate what she did, I don’t hate her—not even a little bit—and it’s messing with my head.
When I came home to bury my family and find justice for my sister, I wasn’t counting on being hypnotised by a stranger, let alone one who is involved with the SunfireCircle.
Giving up on my workout, I drop onto the mat and rest my hands behind my head, staring up at the wooden beams lining the roof of the barn. Ever since I met her, Hadley has invaded my every thought. It started because she was intrinsically linked with the Solomons and the Sunfire Circle, and after I discovered she knew my sister, I thought I could use her for answers. Yeah, I know how much of a hypocritical bastard that makes me. But then she called me out for thinking I was the only one who cared about what happened to Ziggy and I realised she wasn’t merely a pawn on my chessboard.
I was drawn to her vulnerability and ensnared by her selflessness in putting her life at risk for someone she’s only known for a short time. Hadley is heart and fire and the kind of fierce loyalty I never knew I craved until she kept showing up when I didn’t even realise I needed her—Friday at the river, yesterday at the funeral, last night when I was feeling so alone.
Does that outweigh keeping this secret from me?
Hadley didn’t keep Franklin’s existence a secret to hurt me. She did it to protect my nephew. If I’m honest, she was also protecting me from doing anything stupid and reckless, and that somehow makes it worse, because it means her heart was in the right place, where mine feels like it’s being ripped in two.
A groan escapes my lips, and I cover my face with my hands. I should be focussing on finding the murderer, not warring with myself over starting something with Hadley. Yet no matter how hard I try, I can’t forget the feel of her soft lips on mine, the way she felt in my arms this morning.
The way it felt so right.
I push to my feet, knowing I can’t hide out here forever. Gabriel and Hadley aren’t going anywhere, and if I’m going to uncover the truth before I have to head back to the States then I need to work with them. The rest I can figure out later.
As I climb the steps to the back deck, my phone beepswith an incoming message. I slip it from my pocket and wince when I see who it’s from.
Levi: Want me to swing by after training to pick you up?
I run a hand over my face. With Gabriel and Hadley hiding out here, I need to keep Levi away. My gut tells me he won’t understand why I’m trusting them. I’m still not sure I understand it.
Nash: Raincheck on dinner? I’m not very good company.
Levi: I can come over. Keep you company.
Nash: Thanks, man. I appreciate it, but I just need some time alone to process everything. I’ve got the keys to Mum’s car. I’ll come past in the next day or two. Tell Paige I’m sorry.
Levi: You don’t have to do everything on your own.
Nash: I know. I’ll reach out when I’m ready. Thanks for checking in.
Blowing out a deep breath, I pocket my phone and push open the back door. Gabriel’s low tone comes from down the hall, but as I head in his direction, I glance in the living room and come to a stop.
Gabriel has completely ripped up the carpet and rolled it into two piles against the far wall. The furniture is back in its general location, but everything feels slightly off-kilter. The angle of the coffee table is wrong. One couch is too close to the door. The other is too far to the left of the window.
Hadley stands with her back to me, looking at the photographs lining the mantle over the fireplace. The floorboards creak underfoot as I step into the room, and she startles, her eyes going wide when she turns to face me.
“Sorry,” she murmurs. “I was only?—”
“It’s fine,” I cut her off, striding over to stand next to her. Her comforting scent of lavender and mint causes me to draw in a deep breath, but I make sure to keep a small distance between us.
My gaze drifts over the array of photos my mum proudly displayed, lingering on one from my high school graduation—the last family photo we have of all of us.
