AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Why?”
I gesture to her hand clutching the plush toy. “Because you never go anywhere without one.”
Her lips tip up. “I’ll allow it.”
“I wasn’t asking for permission.” She scowls, turning away, but I’m not ready for her to leave me yet.
“You want to come draw with me?”
She pauses, eyeing me. “Really?”
“Yeah, come on.” I hold my hand out to her. She skips over to me, linking her arm through mine instead of taking my hand, but I don’t mind.
After that, it’s Rabbit and Beckett forever.
Until it isn’t.
* * *
“She remembers,”Vance speaks around a cigarette as we sit on his patio.
“Everything?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “No, she made no mention of the night of the murder. I think that’s still blocked out.”
“It would make sense. You saw the pictures, it was gruesome. And she was…” I trail off. The horror of seeing her covered in blood stains, asleep between two decaying bodies, is something I’ll never forget, no matter how much I want to.
“She was never the same after that. The small amount of time she stayed with us after the murder, she woke up screaming. Wouldn’t stop unless I slept with her. Her sparkle never returned. Even now, it’s still not as bright as it was.” He pauses, looking over to me. “Why’d you do it?”
I know what he’s talking about, I don’t need it spelled out. “At first it was just a way of distracting her, but then, it became something so much more, I couldn’t stop. And I hadn’t realized how much I fucked up until it was too late. I feel bad, but I don’t regret it.”
“I get it,” Vance says quietly. “But now you have to make it up to her. She has a lot going on, probably some sadness from the life she could have had, not to mention the psychopathic killer after her. She’s going to need you.”
“She’s never needed me. She’s always allowed me to be in her orbit; I’m the one who needs her.”
“That’s disgusting. We may be friends—”
“Best friends,” I cut him off with a grin.
“You wish, fucker.” He rises. “I’m going to head out while you two fight it out, but try not to tear my fucking house apart.”
“You owe me a new car. Your sister, your problem.”
He sighs. “I have a garage full of them, pick one.” He pauses. “And not out of my nice-car garage, use the commoner-car garage.”
“Are you going to give her one too?”
He rubs his palms over his eyes. “After her little demonstration of how she treats cars, I’d rather not, but of course. Like I’ve ever denied her anything. She’s still my little sister. The only person on this entire earth I would melt for.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You sure about that?”
He stares at me, the coldness frosting over his eyes. “Positive.”
I want to ask what happened between him and Primrose, but I have bigger things to deal with at the moment.
* * *
I can’t helpbut think of how she’s never told me her real name to this day as I watch her sleep. Light lashes sitting on dark freckles, hair wild and untamed sprawled across the black pillowcase. I run my fingertip over her cheek. She smiles, eyelashes fanning like butterfly wings. Her hand reaches up, holding mine as she turns her face into it. It would be stupid to think she has any idea what she’s doing in her state of unconsciousness, but the sight still warms my blood. She peeks up at me, shining eyes fading to red-hot anger. “Why are you here?” She throws my hand off her.
