Page 97 of Love Sick

With my heart in my throat, I quicken my steps because I can see light at the end of the corridor, which means Luna has found the door.

The closer I get, I see her standing in front of the doorway, peering down at the long drop.

“Luna!” I whisper-yell.

She turns over her shoulder, and when she sees me, she stubbornly attempts to climb out. In her haste, she loses her footing and slips.

“No!” I cry out, lunging for her and clutching onto her arm to stop her from falling to her death.

She fights me, but I wrap my arms around her and drag her back inside.

I keep her back pinned to my chest as she wriggles frantically. But I won’t let her go.

“Please, stop. I’m not the enemy. I love you. Please understand why I did it.” I’m tired, so tired, and it must show because Luna stops wriggling.

I kiss the top of her head gently, wishing she’d stop and see why I did this. But I understand she feels nothing but betrayal.

“She’ll let us go. Just let me play this concert and then we’re free. This benefits her career. She’ll get all the love she wants after this from others.”

Luna’s breaths slow and she calms.

I slowly release her, half expecting her to throw me out the window.

But she doesn’t.

She just looks at me with nothing but betrayal. In her eyes, she’d rather have died than me save her life and “owe” Alanna anything.

“This is where we will agree to disagree,” I state. “I would have sold my soul to the devil to save you.”

Luna wets her lips before she says two rough words which has me realizing we will never be okay. “You did.”

I’ve not spoken to Dutch for days. And that’s not because my voice hasn’t returned.

It’s by choice.

Every time I look at him, all I can see is his betrayal.

How could he make a deal with Alanna? Has he forgotten what she’s done? One good thing doesn’t erase all the other horrible shit she’s done.

And just in case he’s forgotten, she is responsible for Misha’s death.

There’s no coming back from this for any of us.

If Dutch isn’t with me, then he’s against me. I wish it were different, but my freedom means nothing if Alanna doesn’t suffer for what she’s done.

I have decided to go along with this charade of a concert because, what better way to humiliate her than a public execution? I’m still doubtful she will allow me to attend, which is why I need her on my side.

She knows I am hardly the reliable witness for Parkfields, but maybe she thinks my freedom is more important than my revenge?

Regardless, I have a plan, one which will go against all my convictions, but I have no other choice. Kyle is aware of it, and he has my back.

Dutch is in the dark because his hero complex is sure to kick in and ruin everything.

I’m sitting with Bobby in the kitchen who is drawing a picture quietly. I’ve been so intent on formulating my plans of revenge that I haven’t even paid any attention to his art. However, when I look at it, I blanch because no little child should be drawing something so horrible.

There is a boy who is holding a woman’s hand. Both appear to be looking at a body lying on the ground. The red around the body hints that something unfortunate happened.

“Is this you?” I ask him softly, as my voice is still very hoarse.

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