Page 102 of Words We Didn't Say

“Why are you lying?”

“It’s nothing to worry about.”

Likehellit was nothing. “Tell me the truth!”

“Zach—”

“Who did that?”

Her lower lip wobbled. “I ruined everything, didn’t I?” A fat tear trickled down her cheek.

Shit.Shit!“No… No… I’m sorry.” I took a deep breath and buried the fear deep in my chest. It wasn’t helping. “I’m sorry I raised my voice. I’m just freaking the hell out because—” Helplessly, I pointed at her arm, my own resolve crumbling. “Please, tell me what happened.”

Eden shook her head. “I—I can’t. Not yet. Not until after…” She hugged herself into a tighter shell.

“No. There’s nothing more important than this. Tell me right now.”

“You’ll hate me. I should’ve walked away, but I couldn’t.” She hiccupped through every strained breath, and wet lines trickled down her cheeks.“I couldn’t.”

“Tell me,” I insisted.

Eden didn’t speak. For the longest time, I thought this was another secret she’d lock away and toss the key. “I saw…Chris…at the party.” She refused to meet my eyes. “He hits her, Zach. I saw him.”

A freight train barrelled into my chest and forced me a step back. “What? I don’t—Lola—but—” My fingers speared into my hair, tugging at the roots, my eyes frantic on all the clutter. Nowhere was safe to look. I had too many questions and no answers.Wait.My fingers hovered over Eden’s arm. Those bruises were an answer. “Not just Lola.”

“Zach—I—”

“Chris touched you?”

Eden still refused to meet my gaze, but her chin jerked down in a nod.

“Grabbed you?”

Another nod.

“Hurt you?”

Another nod.

“Did he threaten you?”

She didn’t speak, but the way her big eyes lifted and stared at me, not blinking, I knew the answer was yes.

Rage boiled inside me until it scorched so hot, so deep, it ate away every other emotion. Nothing was left but a dark void in the hollow of my chest. Chris had hurt Eden, and where the hell had I been? Protecting her? No. I’d been sipping a drink whilesome moron from marketing yammered on about the stock market.

Eden didn’t protest when I scooped her in my arms and carried her to the bedroom. She was a mess of tears and snot and hiccups. I slipped her safely in bed, folding the floral sheets snugly around her chest, and blotting her tears with a tissue I snagged from the nightstand.

This time, when I rang the salon, Andie’s gruff voice answered. Only a few words passed between us before she declared she was coming.

Eden turned her head into the pillow, clutching it tighter to her chest. “Do you still…love…?”

I smoothed back her hair and tucked the loose strands behind her ear, but I couldn’t reassure her. My mind had flipped an off switch. Time passed. Maybe a minute. Maybe an hour. I wasn’t sure of anything except the circles I patted on Eden’s back to coax her to sleep. It was like I’d shut down.

Just like two years ago…

The front door creaked open.

“Andie’s here,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to Eden’s forehead. “She’s a good friend. Watches out for you. Everything’s going to be okay.” A rusty smile creaked onto my face. Eden really was worth burning the entire world to ashes.

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