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And then I run.
I end up at the beach. I'm barefoot, forgetting my shoes in my rush to get away from the beach house, which will now be the house of death for me.
I know I'm avoiding what I'll have to face sooner or later. I'm floating, and I'll have to hit cold, hard ground any moment now. But I'll take it for as long as I can. I close my eyes for a while, make myself believe I didn't hear any of that.
I wander the beach aimlessly, my feet digging into the wet sand. It's an ugly day, the first one since I got here. Up until now it's been all sunshine and rainbows, but now it seems like there’s storm in the making. How fucking appropriate, I think sarcastically.
"Cassidy?" a voice interrupts me, pulling me away from my reverie.
I look up from the sand, my eyes landing on a figure approaching from the mist. I can tell it's a guy, but I don't know who until he takes a few steps closer and comes into better view.
Adrian.
Fuck, I really don't need this right now.
"Let me be," I say, just as he reaches me. He's much taller than I am, and even though I don't want company right now, it feels strangely reassuring to have him close. It's like he's a rock I can hold on to if the sea tries to wash me away.
"Are you okay?" he asks, and I can tell there's genuine concern in his voice. "Is something the matter?"
I look up at him.
Everything. Everything is the matter, and nothing will ever be the same again. But maybe, if I choose not to see it, I can be Cassidy for just a moment longer. Because as soon as I come to terms with what's going on, I'll see myself for who I am.
A fucking bad daughter.
A girl who chose to hunt down her stepbrother, let him fuck her and enjoyed it while her Daddy was fading away. And she didn't even notice.
"I’m fine," I say bitterly, forcing a smile on my lips. I'll do it. I'll pretend. "What are you doing here, anyway? There's going to be a storm."
We both look up, trying to see the sky through the heavy mist that has settled over the ocean. It's dark and cloudy, and I can feel thunder rumbling in the distance.
"I was just walking," Adrian shrugs, but his eyes are still full of concern for me. I fucking hate it, because I don't deserve the smallest sliver of it. Thankfully, he doesn't voice his thoughts. "Do you need me to walk you home, Cassidy?"
"No." I shake my head furiously. Home is the last place I want to be. "I'd rather go for a walk with you."
The words are just spilling from my mouth, and I can't control them. Anything that will get me away from that house and the people in it. Those liars.
And I can't help but think that maybe this is the way it's supposed to be. The whole thing with Dom... it was a stupid daydream, a relationship that could never happen. I'd been deciding who I liked more – Adrian or Dom, and I think I made the wrong decision.
"Okay," Adrian says, and I land back in reality. "Come on, we'll go to that café near the harbor."
I nod and follow him, my steps slow and unsure. I feel like I'm going to fall, and I guess Adrian shares this sentiment, because he reaches for my hand. It feels good to have him hold it in his strong and capable fingers.
I feel reassured.
I know it's wrong, but that's the way it is. And right now, my mind is too preoccupied to worry about that, too.
We're walking, apparently to no destination, because the fog is heavy in the air. His hand clutches mine; my heart is slowing down, beating steadier.
"So, where's that brother of yours?" Adrian asks, and it's like he just punched me in the gut. I gasp for air, and he gives me concerned look, asking if I'm okay. I shake it off and nod, knowing I have to answer him soon. I pull my hand out of his.
"He's at the house, I guess," I say.
"What's going on between the two of you?" Adrian gets straight to the point, and I look at him out of the corner of my eye. I don't know what he means – does he know about what happened between us?
My blood freezes in my veins, and I shrug to cover up my discomfort. "I think he's okay," I say.
"Oh yeah?" Adrian laughs. "I think you're getting quite nice and cozy with him."
I stop abruptly. "Why don't you get leave, Adrian," I say. "I don't need your judgment on top of everything else I've got going on."
He raises his hands as if to say he gives up. "Sorry, Cassidy. Just wanted to let you know you should be careful. He may not be the person you think he is."
