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"It’s all connected. I know it," I say to no one in particular. My gut feeling has not been wrong over the last five months.
Rhys skipped his morning practice.He said if he sees Kellan or any of the guys, he'd probably end up pounding their faces for no reason other than breathing.
Entering the kitchen, I stop in my tracks. Camden, Lanning, and both of my adopted parents sit at the table, talking in hushed tones. Rhys is still upstairs, getting dressed, and I intended to make my tea while waiting for him. Taking in the scene in front of me, I get the feeling I should've stayed in my room and let him bring me my tea. Lanning clears his throat, and four sets of eyes instantly are trained on me.
Well, if that isn’t uncomfortable.
"Lilly, you may want to sit down." Heather’s voice forces my focus on her. I don’t like where this is going.
Slowly, I approach the empty chair at the end of the table and lower myself down. Heart pounding in my chest, I scan the faces of all four adults. Agent Camden returns my gaze with a wary expression. Lanning radiates pity, and where Heather has concern written on her forehead, Tristen is once again indecipherable.
I swallow hard. "What’s going on?"
Camden exchanges a look with Heather, both women seemingly debating how to breach the news to me, when Lanning slides his tablet over to me.
"Connor!" Camden barks at her partner.
"What? She has to deal with it one way or another. There is no way to sugarcoat this," he defends himself as I draw the device closer.
I lower my eyes to the screen. A news article with today's date shines back at me from the display. It's not one of the big, reputable papers, but it’s still a well-known source for entertainment news. The headline alone makes me want to throw up.
Kidnapping Victim #1, Lilly McGuire, in a Secret Relationship with Her Adopted Brother
Underneath isthe famous picture of me wrapped around Rhys, tongue down his throat, and his hands on my ass in front of Denielle's house. I force myself to read one line after another until I can't stomach it anymore.
The above photograph has been circulating on dozens of social media accounts linked to Westbridge High, the school Lilly and Rhys McGuire are currently attending. A reliable source revealed to us in an exclusive interview that the illicit affair between the adopted siblings seemingly has been ongoing while Mr. McGuire was still in a relationship with his longtime girlfriend and head cheerleader, Katherine Rosenfield.
Shortly after the relationship news broke, Miss Rosenfield attempted to confront Miss McGuire to clear up the rumor, which resulted in Miss McGuire attacking her peer violently in front of the entire junior and senior class, followed by her fleeing the scene of the physical altercation.
That was the last time she was seen until her reappearance, six days ago, at Hill Crest Medical Center in Nebraska. An independent media source was able to get a visual of Miss McGuire after her admittance and told us that she appeared to be heavily medicated but was unable to determine if said medication was self-administered or by the hospital. The question that arises now is, was she really a victim of The Babysitter? Could this all be an elaborate scheme to redirect from the lack of adult supervision in the McGuire household? Or is this something Miss McGuire did to herself because of the guilt of seducing her adopted brother?
My pulse increaseswith every word until my hands are trembling so badly that I let the device drop back onto the table. I’m going to be sick. Pushing the chair back with too much force, it topples over. I’m unable to look at the four people in the room. The chance of them, the public, not believing my memory loss was a possibility, but this?
Mortified, I spin and slam straight into Rhys's chest. His hands shoot out to steady me, and our eyes lock. His jaw tenses, but he doesn't ask what's wrong. He wraps his arm around me and leads me upstairs to his room.
