Page 23 of Split You Open

“You just said we’re safe,” I point out. “We’re both going to get some sleep tonight.”

“Rhett, we shouldn’t lower our guard⁠—”

“Blair, we’re both no good like this,” I interrupt, scowling. “Even if it’s just for a few hours, we both need to sleep.”

Blair frowns, looking from me to the dark world around us. I know she’s going to argue so I shut it down at once.

“Get in the damn van, Blair. I’ll drag you in myself if I have to.”

Her eyes flash with indignation. “I need to keep us safe.”

I heave a long sigh, and toss the butt of my cigarette down. The toe of my boot smashes it further into the dirt. When I’m sure it’s completely out, I look back up at Blair.

“So, this is how it’s going to be, is it?”

Before she can open her mouth to give some lame ass excuse to avoid telling me what’s wrong, I swoop down, scoop her up, and drape her over my shoulder.

“RHETT!”

I ignore her shriek of outrage and flailing as I turn and climb into the van. I slam the door shut behind us, lock it and then dump her onto the mattress. She lands with a huff. There’s not a lot of room to move in here with two people, so I sit beside her as she scrambles to sit up.

“What the fuck, Rhett? Don’t you get that someone needs to be on the lookout at all times?” She demands. “We could be snuck up on, or a sniper could find the right spot to shoot us when we wake up or⁠—”

“Or nothing will happen,” I point out as I yank off my boots.

She scoffs as she pushes her messy hair out of her face. “Have you not been paying attention at all? They’re hunters, they will find us again.”

“But tonight we should be in the clear.”

“Rhett—”

“Blair,” I yank off my jacket. “How about you tell me what’s really going on?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I don’t even bother calling her out on her bullshit. I simply shoot her a deadpan look before grabbing one of the thin pillows and fluffing it. It takes a minute but eventually the fight in her ebbs away. With a frustrated scoff she slaps the comforter.

I toss the pillow back onto the bed, ready to listen.

“I’m angry and I’m scared and I don’t have a healthy outlet,” she admits. “Ledger, the man I trusted and loved with my entire being fucked me over for no reason. This isn’t the life I wanted. In fact, I left my dad to fend for himself so I wouldn’t live a life like this. I became a nurse to help people—I was tired of the killing. Yet here I am back in the shadows, running for my life, murdering people over and over again. I hate this! I hate it, I hate it, I hate it!”

She reaches up to cover her face with both hands.

The move gives me a second to compose myself.

Blair loves Ledger?

It’s not the first time she’s said this but it’s the first that I'm beginning to understand what she means. She’s not referring to a paternal love, as I assumed before. This is a romantic love. Her heart is breaking because she’s in love with Ledger.

A ridiculous wave of jealousy rears its ugly head inside of me.

I try hard to tamp it down.

“What’s worse is that I keep expecting Ledger to show up,” she whispers between her fingers.

I stiffen. “What? Why?”

“Because in the past, when horrible things were happening and Dad and I were in trouble, Ledger would always swoop in and save us. Dad didn’t need to teach me about not fearing death because I was never scared of it. I knew it would never reach me, not with Ledger in this world.” She lets out a bitter laugh. “God… Do you hear how pathetic that sounds?”