Page 86 of Rumi: The Hawthornes

“At least fuckin’ look at me when you lie,” I snapped.

I had never been more angry in my life. I’d been scared and guilty and a million other emotions, but this blind rage was new. Was this why she kept showing up looking like crap? Was she seeing some guy that was beating on her?

“I had too much to drink.” Her eyes rose to meet mine, and swear to God, I felt something in my chest pull taut. “I tripped on the deck and hit my face.”

“No you didn’t,” I replied, lowering my voice.

Jesus, her face. It hurt just to look at her.

“I did.”

“Who were you drinking with?” I pressed. “Because the last few nights I’ve been with Olive, Meg, and Brody painting the outside of my house.”

“A couple of friends,” she hedged.

“Oh, yeah? Which ones?”

“You don’t know them.”

“That’s pretty fuckin’ weird.”

“They’re from work.”

I took a step closer, and she took a step back, and we were still the same distance apart, but it didn’t feel like it.

“Sugar.” I looked at her face. The hollows in her cheeks that hadn’t been there before. The dark circles under her eyes. The massive shiner. She barely looked like the girl I’d loved for most of my life. “Who hit you?”

“No one,” she snapped defensively, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Someone did.”

“No one hit me,” she repeated, backing up again as I moved forward.

She bumped into the side of the building and winced, and it took everything inside me not to completely lose it. She was hurt in more places than just her face and suddenly fear seemed to overshadow the rage that was flowing through my veins.

“Nova,” I said, getting even closer. “Sugar, just tell me who did it, okay?”

“No one did it. I told you, I tripped,” she replied, her voice almost desperate as she looked toward the front of the clubhouse, hoping for someone to interrupt us.

“No,” I murmured, clenching my teeth as she flinched again. Oh, fuck. Where was Nova? My Nova? The one who didn’t take shit from anyone? Who was this woman who flinched and cowered andlied? “Just tell me who did it,” I said softly. “I’ll take care of it, yeah?”

I forced myself not to reach for her as her eyes filled up with tears. I wanted to hold her so much that my palms were tingling, but she looked so fragile. I’d never considered Nova fragile before. She was tall and strong and took no shit.

“Just leave me alone, Rumi,” she whispered, raising her hands in supplication. “Just go, okay?”

“Not a fuckin’ chance.”

“No one hit me.”

“Stop lying to me.”

“Jesus, why can’t you leave it alone?”

“Are you kidding?” I hissed, leaning forward. “What planet are you livin’ on that you think I’d ever let anyone hurt you?”

“The planet where I haven’t heard from you in months,” she replied simply.

“That was your choice!”

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