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“Yeah, you did.”
That catches her attention. She looks at me, her brows pinching together. “What are you doing here, Piper?”
“I told you, I came to check on—”
“Butwhy?” Her voice breaks on the word. “Why do you care?”
I’m here for Benjamin. That’s true.
But the moment I walked into this apartment and Noelle’s mom told me she was worried, I couldn’t quash the concern.
No matter what Noelle has done, all the hours and laughs and phone calls we’ve been through together still exist.
God help me,I still care.
“Because you’re one of my best friends, Noelle. I’ll always care about you.”
Tears fill her eyes, and she flops forward onto the mattress. Her hand finds mine. Her fingers are dry and papery as they twine through mine. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I’m so—”
Deep in the apartment, I hear a thud.
I turn my ear to the door, listening. Maybe it was Noelle’s mom. Maybe it was her wheelchair moving around the apartment. Maybe—
“Where is she?” a deep voice growls.
Instinctively, I squeeze Noelle’s hand as tight as I can.
Each footstep feels like an earthquake. The grimy windows rattle in their painted-over frames. My heart trembles.
Finally, Noelle hears it. She frowns. “What is—”
The door is thrown open so violently it bounces off the wall. The knob leaves a crack in the plaster.
Timofey takes up the entire doorway, his shoulders heaving with every breath. His nostrils flare. When his eyes land on me, heat races up my spine. I’m soldered to the spot.
Then he turns to Noelle, and he is murderous.
“Looks like you crawled back into the dank hole you came from, you conniving fucking bitch.”
36
TIMOFEY
For Piper’s sake, I was going to let Noelle live.
As it turns out, though, a vital part of that plan was never seeing Noelle ever again. Because the moment I lay eyes on her, huddled in bed like the sad, helpless victim she definitely isn’t, I want to wring her traitorous neck.
“Piper!” I boom. “Get up. Now.”
Piper stands up and shifts between me and Noelle, as if that bitch needs shielding. As ifI’mthe threat in this situation.
“Timofey, calm down. I came here on my own. Noelle didn’t—”
“I’m not here because I thought you were kidnapped.”
“Then why are you—”
“I’m here because you’re a fucking fool.”
