Page 130 of Without Fault

I shut the door on her face before grabbing Sage’s hand. “Who is that? Do you want her to leave?”

She only nods, and when she pulls in a deep breath, I think she physically can’t let it back out.

I plant a quick kiss on her forehead before opening the door again, just a bit so she can only see me as I keep Sage covered. “Leave.”

The girl looks up at me likeI’mthe one who shouldn’t be here. “Who the hell are you?” I glance at the bruise under her eye before giving her a once-over.

“Who the fuck areyou?”

She pulls in a breath before rubbing her nose on a nasty-ass napkin in her hand, and I inch away from her, although there’s plenty of space between us.

“I’m her best friend. I just–”

Sage suddenly swings the door open, and I wrap an arm around her waist because with how quickly she moves, I think she’s going to attack the homeless girl in front of us.

“You arenotmy best friend, and you never have been, Helena.”

It suddenly clicks who the hell this chick is, and I let Sage go because this girl deserves to get her ass beat, and my money is on Sage.

“Sage, I am so sorry about what happened. Can you please just let me explain?”

“You’re sorry forwhat happened?” Sage shakes her head, and I hate how hurt she looks. “You mean you’re sorry for trying to ruin the biggest day of my career because that’s what happened.”

Helena keeps her eyes on Sage, and I swear it’s as if she’s forcing her tears out. “I did it for you, Sage. I was trying to help you, why can’t you see that?” She takes a step forward, and I wrap an arm around Sage before pulling her a step back because this girl actually sounds manic with the way she tries to justify this.

“That doesn’t even make sense, Lena! You know I’m not one of those models who self-sabotage for attention, and even if those were your intentions, you should’ve come to me with the idea before cutting a hole in my fucking dress five minutes before I needed to go on fucking stage!”

My eyes slightly widen because I’ve never heard Sage curse. I like this side of her; I just wish she didn’t have to be hurt for me to see it. I realize she has a slight accent that slips as she yells, and I bite back a smile as I watch her.

“I don’t even care about the dress. I don’t care that it was a Moore show. It was the fact thatyoudid that.” She shakes her head again, and I see her lip trembling.

“If it was anyone else,anyoneelse, I would’ve brushed it under the rug, but you–” She pulls in a deep breath before trying again. “We started this together. At nineteen, it was just you and me, and then you—I would’ve never–” Her voice breaks, and I think my heart does too. “I would’veneverdone that to you.”

A single tear treks down her cheek before she walks away. Helena grabs her arm, and I grab hers. “Do not fucking touch her.” I push her hand away, and Sage escapes for the elevator as I turn to Helena. “If I so much as see you on thisstreet,I’ll drag you out myself. Let this be the last time you eventhinkof her damn name.”

I shut the door, and she slightly jumps before I walk past her and get into the elevator with Sage. She’s quiet until we get to my car, but it’s clear she’s trying not to cry.

“I’m sorry–”

“Do not apologize, Sage. That was not your fault, and if you want to cry, then go the fuck ahead.”

She looks up at the ceiling of my car as she blinks her tears away. “I don’t want to ruin my makeup. She isn’t worth it.”

I give her thigh a reassuring squeeze, and after a minute, she pulls in a deep breath and turns to me.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

She bites her lip, and I know she does. “I used todreamof becoming the greatest model to ever walk a stage. I’d dream of winning it all, and every time, in every dream, Helena was by my side, winning with me.”

She shakes her head before glancing out her window, and just as she does, we watch Helena walking for her car.

“I loved her like a sister, and she tried to humiliate me on my biggest day.”

I glance over at Helena, and she walks with her head held high like she has no shame in what she did to my girl.

“Do you want me to run her over because there’s still time, and we can make it look like an accident?” I turn the car on, and Sage grabs my hand before filling the car with her perfect laugh.

“Are you crazy?” She laughs harder, and I lean over before kissing her dimples.

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