Page 54 of Seeking Vengeance

“Sit,” Cole grates. “We’ve got things to discuss.”

My stomach grows heavy. “Like what?” I reach for my sister’s cutlery to my right, pretending I’m immune to the tension.

Anissa pastes on a friendly smile. “How have you been handling life without Stella?”

“I’m doing well.” I fight a frown. It’s no secret my brother’s wife and I have had our share of trials over the years. We don’t do feelings, which is why it’s strange for her to ask. “Obviously, it’s tough. But I’m handling it.”

“You’re glowing,” Penny adds. “Have you met someone?”

My hand pauses in the middle of reaching for the dirty serving spoons. I’m caught at what to say and know it seems entirely forced when I chuckle a few seconds later. “I guess my new skincare regime is working. I have late-night online tutorials to thank for that.”

“It’s definitely working,” she adds. “I’ve never seen you like this.”

My heart pangs. Guilt follows.

She’s never seen me like this because I’ve never felt like this. Not even while married.

“Is this new skincare regime the reason you cancelled your credit card?” Cole raises a taunting brow. “Have you been making purchases from a disreputable company? Were you scammed?”

He’s playing with me. Mocking. The worst part is, nobody attempts to save me from his underlying recrimination. They all sit and stare, waiting for answers.

“I lost my purse.” I hold my brother’s gaze. “It’s not a big deal.”

“When you were out of town?” Keira asks.

“Yes,” I grate. “While I was out of town.”

I keep staring at Cole as his eyes narrow, the authority in his gaze raising my apprehension. I know this look. I know what comes along with it, too.

“You’ve met someone.” Keira pushes from her chair and grabs my dirtied plate topped with cutlery. “That much is obvious. You walked in here with a bounce in your step and this subtle giddy smile.” She starts for the kitchen. “I don’t know what I’ve done to be blocked from the happiness in your life, Lay, but it hurts that you didn’t share this with me.”

I don’t deny her observation.

I keep staring at my brother as crockery clutters into the sink. He’s angry, but not like my sister. The tightening in his jaw lets me know he’s positively fuming.

“What, Cole?” I sigh. “You told me months ago that it was time to move on. Are you retracting your approval now that you’ve seen me happy for once?”

“So it’s true?” He leans back in his chair, crossing his arms over his suit-clad chest. “You’ve met a man?”

I raise my chin, unwilling to voice a response.

Despite daydreaming about romance, I didn’t let myself truly believe there was a possibility of a relationship until now. Until the moment when my brother could destroy it for me.

“Is he the one who hit you?” he seethes.

All eyes remain on me, the weight of their scrutiny making me nauseous.

“No.” I square my shoulders, raise my chin, and bite back an emotional response. I can’t win this battle unless I focus. “He didn’t hit me.”

“Then who did?”

“I fell.” I use all the conviction I have to continue holding his stare. “I tripped on the sidewalk and stumbled into a brick wall. It’s no big deal.”

Cole shoves aggressively from the table, the legs of his chair screeching across the tile. “Don’t fucking lie to me.” He leans forward, placing clenched fists on either side of his dinner plate.

I don’t react. Don’t move. One badly timed blink and he’ll dig in his heels, demanding to know everything. Not only about Matthew, but about where we met, and why I was there.

He can’t learn about Denver. If he finds out he’ll put a stop to my plans, then I’ll never be able to make amends or prove my loyalty to him.

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