Page 49 of Betrayed

He opens his mouth, butCharlesis already talking again.

“That man—the man you’ve obviously beenfucking—was your brother’s cellmate.Notonly that—he was in prison formurder.”

“Murder?”Ican’t believe this—it keeps getting worse!

“By the way, the realKanetold me he never answered a single one of your letters.Tobe honest,Irather doubt he’s even literate.”Charlessniffs.Clearlyhe doesn’t approve of my brother—myrealbrother.

I let that thought sink in.Canit really be true?

I look back atKaneagain…or whatever his name is.

“Tell me,”Isay, my voice shaking. “Tellme what’s going on.AreyouKaneor not?”

“No,” he says heavily. “But, baby,Ican explain?—”

“No!”Ifeel sick and my voice is shaking butIknow what to do.Iscramble off his lap and ohGod—his cum is still leaking out of me, running down my thighs!I’vebeen fucking a manIdon’t evenknow.

“Baby…Sunny…” he begins again.

“No!”Ishout. “No, get out!Getout of my house right now!”

“I wanted to tell you!” he says, standing and pulling up his sweatpants. “Look, your letters saved my life!Ijust couldn’t?—”

“You lied to me.”Myvoice is cold now—cold and hard though insideIfeel like screaming and crying. “Youlied for two whole years and pretended to be my big brother.Thenyou came here and took advantage of me—took advantage of how badlyIwanted to have family back in my life.”

“But, baby?—”

“I want you out.”Ipoint at the front door. “Getyour things and leave—now!”

“But there are thingsIneed to tell you—things you have to know about yourself.Aboutwhat we are,” he says desperately. “RememberItold you about my people?Well, you’re one of them.Youneed to know?—”

“The only thingIneed is for you to be gone,”Isay.

“You heard her—get out!”Charlessnaps.

Kane…no, notKane—the man who impersonated my brother—gives him a dark look but it’s clear he’s finally going.Hegoes to the bedroom and comes back with the keys to his truck and his cellphone and nothing else.Ishe not even going to take his clothes?

I tell myselfIdon’t care.Hecan leave the house naked if he wants to, as long as he leaves.

Charles stands by the door like a sentry with his chest all puffed out but the man who pretended to beKanewalks past him without even looking.Then, at the doorway, he turns and looks at me one last time.

“I’m sorry,Sunny,” he says and his deep voice is quiet and sincere. “Inever meant to hurt you.”

Then he’s gone, into the night, andI’msureI’llnever see him again.

29

CONNOR

Fuck that fucking boyfriend ofSunny’s!Ican’t believe he blew my cover like that.Ishould have known better—should have knownIcouldn’t keep my lie going forever.

I get in the beat-up pickup truck and start the motor, revving the engine in pure rage.Iwant to go back inside and wrap my fingers around that fuckingCharles’ skinny throat and choke the fucking life out of him!

But that would only makeSunnymore upset.Shealready feels betrayed and lied to andIcan’t fucking say thatIblame her.Shewasbetrayed and lied to andI’mthe one who lied to her.I’mthe one who betrayed her.Evenif she was willing to listen to me,Idoubt she’d ever believe another word that came out of my mouth.

The relationshipIhad with her is done—it’s over.Thebridge is burned and there’s no going back.There’snothing for me to do now but go home toFairlaneand go back to my old life—the oneIhad before prison.

I put the truck in gear and roar off, through the empty roads ofSingingRock—the roads that feel as empty as my heart.

---