Page 122 of The Jealous Girl

‘What are you implying?’ Ben demanded, stepping closer to my side.

I blinked as I stared at him. Stunned by how defensive of me he sounded.

Janine shook her head. ‘Nothing, of course. I’m just trying to understand what we are all doing here.’ She jerked her head towards the police station.

‘Do the police think you were involved in Charlotte’s death?’ Dad asked quietly.

I swallowed. They hadn’t said that. Not exactly.

They were too busy accusing me of fraud.

42

THEN

Late August

Last Friday

‘When are you going to tell me what’s going on?’ I asked Ryan, as I clambered into bed beside him.

He stared at the ceiling. He didn’t turn. Didn’t move.

‘Nothing’s going on.’

He’d been pulling away from me for weeks. I’d tried to be patient. To give him space. Time.

But how much time was enough?

‘Ryan, I’m worried about us,’ I said, my voice softer as I reached for him across the bed. My fingers brushed his arm and he jerked it away as though my touch burned him.

I let out a short, disbelieving breath. ‘Right, nothing’s going on,’ I said, pulling back. ‘This is completely normal.’

His jaw tightened. ‘It’s late, Kirsty. I’m tired.’

‘So am I, but we need to talk about this.’

He rolled onto his side, tugging the sheet around him. ‘This isn’t the time.’

‘Then when is?’ I pressed. ‘Because you’ve been avoiding me for days. Recoiling at my touch. Shutting me out.’

‘Just leave it alone.’

‘Leave what alone, Ryan?’ I said desperately.

‘You don’t understand what I’m dealing with.’

‘Then explain it to me,’ I said, shuffling closer. ‘Let me help.’

‘You can’t,’ Ryan said flatly.

‘Why not?’

‘Because you’re not part of this world.’

I shook my head. I’d heard those words so many times before from Denise and Charlotte. But never from him.

‘You don’t know what it means to be part of a family,’ Ryan continued. ‘What it takes. What it needs from you. What you have to sacrifice for it.’