Page 20 of Taming Liberty

“Desiree’sdead.”

“And?”

I rear back, my eyes widening. I can’t even think of a response to that.

Naomi sighs. “God, are you seriously worked up over this?”

I don’t respond.

“She was acunt, Liberty.” I flinch at the animosity in her tone. “Desiree wantedyoudead. Remember? She set you up, hoping they’d kill you. Please tell me you remember that.”

“I remember, but I…” I clear my throat. “Fuck, I’m not amonster.”

Tears burst from my eyes, and Naomi sighs before stepping toward me. She pulls me in for a hug, her cast rubbing against my back as I cradle my face in my hands as if that’ll hide my crying. I’m several inches taller than her, so I have to bend to hide in her embrace.

“I know,” she says, her voice almost a coo, but not quite. It’s stiff. There isn’t a trace of sincerity in her attempt to comfort me. “Just like I know you’re not a whore. These people force us to be things we’re not. It sucks, but you did what you had to do.”

I shake my head against her shoulder, then jerk away. “Ikilledsomeone, Naomi.”

“You said it was an accident.”

“It was, I…” I swipe my hair out of my face. “I didn’t mean to, but it still happened.”

“So what?”

The bitterness in her tone has goosebumps breaking out on my arms, and I stare, dumbfounded. This isn’t what I was expecting. This is … wrong. This is so fucking wrong.

Naomi’s eyes soften, but a tightness remains around her mouth. “Look, I’m sorry. Obviously, this is a big deal for you, and I don’t mean to be a heartless bitch.”

“But,” she continues before I can cut in. “There’s good that can come out of this.”

I search her face for meaning. “What are you talking about?”

She bites her lip, then turns and walks to the end of the hallway. There, she peeks around the corner before continuing into the living room. I reluctantly follow her, waiting as she creeps up to the back door and looks out.

“What are you doing?”

“Making sure he’s outside.”

“Why?”

She spins to face me. “I don’t see him on the patio. Is there somewhere else he could be?”

I shrug. “I guess. Why?”

“Do you think he’d go to the beach or something?”

“Naomi,” I groan. “What are you trying to do?”

She looks around her as if she’ll find Angel hiding in some hidden crevice. Once she’s satisfied, she turns to face me and leans in. “Last night, he came to your rescue again, right?”

I blink.

“I thought for sure you were dead, babe. A lot of us were in the playroom when it happened, so we didn’t hear about it until later. Lily was barely comprehensible, but she told us Desiree went to find you. Then Desiree winds up falling from the third story while Lily was outside, and sheswearsshe saw you push Desiree over. That’s like… People do not get away with that shit here.”

“It was an accident.” I draw in a deep breath, ready to explain the whole thing, but Naomi puts a hand up to stop me.

“It doesn’t matter either way. My point is, I thought they killed you. Then Lover Boy shows up on the beach and starts talking about how you need somebody to confide in, and then it occurs to me why Sawyer said Mr. A killed Desiree, even though people have already found you guilty.”

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