Page 193 of Losing Faith

We end the call on that and I toss my phone aside before looking down at Lisette.

“Who was it?”

I scan her face, watching her reaction carefully. “How was your photoshoot yesterday?”

Her brows slightly pinch before she shrugs. “Fine.” She tries to kiss me again, but I turn away.

“I’m trying to talk to you. Can you stop kissing me?”

A furrow grows between her brows as her eyes narrow on me. “Who was that?”

“How was the photoshoot?”

“Whocalled you, Jackson?” Her temper quickly grows and I shake my head at myself for not seeing it.

“When you came from your photoshoot I asked you if you were okay and what did you tell me?”

We both stare at each other, her eyes filling with guilt and anger as I force mine to remain understanding, but I’m so mad at myself. I thought she was only tired yesterday because that’s what she told me and that’s what I excused her slurred words for. Tiredness. That’s the main reason I asked her to sleepover.

“I asked you a question.”

She tries to climb off of me, but I keep her in my arms.

“Let me down.”

“Answer me.”

Her eyes meet mine and I prepare for her harsh words, but she surprises me when I see the tears in her eyes. “I lied.”

I nod in return as she blinks her tears away. “It was just so hard.” Her eyes drop as a pink blush covers her face. “I couldn’t face my siblings, but I needed to be there, or they’d know I wasn’t sober.”

I nod in response before setting her on the bed and we both remain silent as I finish getting dressed.

I’m putting my deodorant and lotion back in their place when she speaks up behind me.

“Are you mad at me?”

I shake my head in response as I reorganize the top of my dresser three more times. When a sense of ease passes through me, I speak up. “I wish you hadn’t lied.”

“But are you mad?”

I turn to her and when I see her picking at her nails, I close the distance between us and cover her hands with mine. “No, sweetheart.”

Her eyes meet mine and she doesn’t look like she believes me for one second.

I lean over and kiss her gently. “I promise, mi reina.” I kiss her more firmly before lifting her into my arms.

She wraps her arms and legs around me before I lead us out of my room.

“We can’t continue like this, Lisette.”

She buries her face in my neck as she holds me closer. “I know. I’m going to get better.”

Rubbing her back gently I kiss her cheek. “You keep saying that, sweetheart, but what are we going to do to make sure you get better?”

She’s quiet the entire way downstairs. When I get an alert on my phone, I know my camera just picked up Sire’s car pulling in. Heading for the door, I quickly open it before he can knock and wake up Isabelle.

“Lis, can you get down for a minute?”

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