Page 9 of Twisted Lies

I’m haunted by them day and night. Daylight helps a little, but they are never far away. Even after forcing myself to become a different person, the old me slips into the darkness, and I hate her. They left me in the dark and pain as if I had never existed. Just like when we were kids. As long as they had the other, I never mattered. They left me behind, but after years of never understanding them, I finally understand one thing about them.Revenge.

* * *

ELIJAH

Beeping machines invade the darkness of my dreams, waking me from my slumber. The irritation I feel from the little beeps lets me know I’m still alive. At least for the moment.

“I know you’re awake, you did a puff of annoyance,” Lily says from the side.Great. Just great.On top of the beeping, I get the world’s most bothersome nurse. I think she takes great joy in seeing me like this.

“Firstly, I don’t do puffs of annoyance,” I say, keeping my eyes closed. Even with my eyes shut, I can sense her raising an eyebrow.

“If you say so. The nurse brought food a few minutes ago. She said you need to eat once you’re awake.”

The day keeps giving and giving. The food here sucks, it’s all bland and cold. Every meal comes with Jell-O. Who eats Jell-O and enjoys it? They could at least add vodka to it and maybe it would improve the taste and the point. But that would be a bad use of vodka. It’s as if the hospital tells me I have overstayed my welcome and to get the hell out.

I would be more than willing to get out if the damn doctor would release me. We got into it yesterday. I would have won if not for Claire and Alex’s interference. I had the doctor right where I wanted him till they wandered in, giving him the strength to say no. Claire was none too happy with my antics and made it clear I could not make a nuisance of myself to the staff any longer.

“The sooner you eat it, the sooner it’s done. The taste is not going to improve the longer it sits,” she points out. I hear her stand and move to place the food closer to my bed.

“I’m not eating it. I refuse. I will not die from lack of food in a few days,” I groan, sitting up in the bed, eyeing the food as if it may come alive and attack.

“Are you really going to be that big of a baby? Just eat a few bites.” She grabs a spoon and opens the orange Jell-O. Who the hell eats orange Jell-O? At least give the poor souls in here cherry.

“Did you just call me a baby?” I demand, eyeing her as she moves closer with the poison.

“No. I saidbigbaby. Which you are. Even Becca is not as much of a pain as you are with food.” At my niece’s name, I grin. She had come yesterday for a visit and brought me her newest artwork. It was a purple cow. Or at least I think it was a cow. It could be a dog. I’ll need to take a closer look.

“You have been spending too much time with a four-year-old if you think you can bully me into eating that jail food,” I point out, moving deeper into the pillows.

“Fine. I’ll tell Mia you refuse to eat,” she says, tossing the Jell-O onto the pale plate. Her large green eyes flash with annoyance; she has a lot of opinions for such a petite body. In her past life, I swear she was, at the minimum, a hit man. Shit, she could have been the boss. Her brown hair is straight today. Most days, it has more wave. When the hell did I become such a fucking chick and start paying attention to hair?

“When did everyone decide they get to tell me what to do? This is not how it works,” I growl, and try to sit up to make more of a point but wince at the unexpected pain. Thankfully, Lily is looking down and misses my look. The last thing I need is to give her and my sister more ammunition.

“Since you got yourself shot and everyone got worried. Sorry people give a shit,” she barks, stomping from the room.

“Well, next time, don’t concern yourself,” I yell after her. Next, I see her one hand flap back into the doorway with the middle finger held high. “Now, you’re getting it,” I call after her. I hear her groan before she leaves me alone with my thoughts and the beeping.

* * *

LILY

The man is infuriating; it’s no wonder he got shot. He could tempt a saint to sin. He commands everyone around as if he’s the commander-in-chief. His word is not law. At least not to me.

While he can be an ass, there is more to him than that. I once caught him late at night in his office near the fireplace with a lost expression. In these moments, my heart softens a little. Till he says something dense. Itnevertakes long.

I owe Mia. She’s helped me more than she’ll ever know. She gave me a place to live and a position I love. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t met her. I would have figured something out because I always do, but I would not be in as good of a place as I am now. That’s thanks to Mia and Becca. Dare I say it,andKevin. From what Kevin and Mia have told me, Kevin works in security. I’m not sure how much I believe that, but I have found it’s best to just keep silent regarding the unexpected blood on clothes or hushed words when I enter rooms.

I know Mia and Kevin will never tell me the truth. There are parts of them they will never tell anyone. One too many situations that cannot be fully explained. They are entitled to their secrets, just as I am. They don’t have to worry about me digging in their past. I sure don’t want them digging into mine.Nothing good comes from digging.

It’s been a while since I have felt a rush of fear like I did the night Kevin was shot. When I reached him, the shooter was gone. I was distracted by the blood and his expression. His face was frozen in fear and shock. As if the devil had come to his door. The blood affected me more than I thought it would. I believed I had gotten better. I hoped it was past, but seeing blood pool on the floor had me flying back in time. It seems time doesn’t help with everything.

Mia calls my name as I exit the elevator to the garage. “How is he?” she calls over as she walks in my direction.

“The same. He wants out and wants everyone to know it. He’s decided to go on a hunger strike.”

Mia rolls her eyes. “Of course, he is. He’s an idiot. He’s coming home in the morning. I think everyone else wants him out. Can’t say I blame them.”

“Did they catch who shot him?” I inquire.

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