Page 55 of Protected from Malice
“I know.” It’s barely audible. “I know they can.”
Around the table, everyone tenses.
My heart pounds so hard I’m sure they can all hear it.
“Eden.” Indy looks at me. He’s not pissed anymore. Not worried. He looks scared.
I’ve never been able to lie to his face. Not as a kid, and not now.
“What aren’t you telling me?” he asks quietly.
I close my eyes for a second, wishing I could be anywhere but here.
Rafe’s big hand engulfs mine. His thumb rubs across my palm. “Maybe you two should talk privately.”
Indy’s gaze jumps to Rafe’s. “What are you talking about,Rafe?”
Rafe doesn’t blink as he looks at his best friend. “That’s not for me to say.”
Indy starts to stand. “She’s mysister. If you know something?—”
I can’t just sit here, letting this escalate. Letting Rafe take the blame for keeping my secret so long.
“No.” I get up. “We do need to talk.” Tears blur my vision. “Indy. I have to talk to you. Just us.”
Confusion and betrayal war in his gaze. And it makes me feel horrible.
But he doesn’t argue. Doesn’t question. “Okay.” He angles his chin towards the bedroom. “We can talk in there.”
I give him a jerky nod.
It takes everything in me not to burst into tears as the years of fear and worry and guilt come rushing to a horrible climax. “Okay.”
Indy moves first, heading towards the bedroom door.
As I move to follow him, Rafe touches my hand.
I turn back, meeting his gaze.
What I see there…
It’s so much more than words.
It makes me want to throw myself in his arms. Beg him to hold me and never let go.
I want to ask him to come with me. Hold my hand again.
Be my buffer against the pain I’m about to cause.
I want?—
Everything.
“I’m here for you,” he says, so low only I can hear it. “You want me in there, I’ll go. You want to leave right now, I’ll take you. Whatever you need, Eden, I’ll do it.”
For a second, I almost take him up on his offer.
But as I look back at Indy, standing in the bedroom doorway, I know I can’t put this off any longer.
