Page 88 of Dance of Devils
I frown deeply. “Evie, I wouldnever?—”
“Brooklyn, you called me last night asking to crash at my house, then showed up withnothing. No pajamas, no toothbrush?—”
“I told you,” I say quickly. “My building management didn't give us notice and just started spraying. I couldn’t?—”
“You also looked scared half to death—no,stop, this is what I’m talking about.” She smiles sadly. “I’msheltered, Brooklyn, but I still have eyes. You were terrified when you arrived. And then halfway through the night—I’m not sure if you even remember—you were having some kind of a nightmare in the next room, and I went to check on you, and the PJs I lent you, the top was riding up…” She peers at me with sad eyes. “Where’d you get that bruise on your stomach?”
I swallow, a whining noise in my ears.
“I...”
She shakes her head. “Look, Brooklyn, I’m happy to let you sleep at my place, and lend you pajamas and a toothbrush. You don’t have to tell me. Just please don’tlie.”
I wince, looking down.
“James,” I murmur. “I ran into James last night.”
“Oh myGod, Brooklyn?—”
“It’s fine, really,” I say. “It’s not what you think, not really. We got into a fight, and he pushed me. I turned too fast and tripped over a parked bike on the street. That’s all.”
Ihatelooking into the eyes of people who love me, and lying like this.
But my whole life is a wobbly house of cards right now. Making the James thing a big deal means getting the authorities involved, and they'll find out where I’ve been living for the last year, and it'll all come crashing down.
TheImperiya Koronawants no part of that.
“Pleasedon’t tell anyone,” I say quietly. “It’ll get back to Val, and he’ll go find James and it’ll be this whole big insane thing.”
Evelina’s face falls. “I won’t, if you don’t want me to. But Brooklyn, youneedto deal with James. He keeps coming back into your life, and he’s dangerous, and?—”
“I know,” I croak quietly. “I’m taking care of it. I… I’m actually filing a restraining order tonight. That’s another reason I can’t go out.”
God, these lies…
“Do you want to come back to my house again tonight?” she asks.
No, because I have to go take my clothes off and dance on a fucking pole so I can keep the one family member I have left out of jail.
I smile and shake my head. “I’m good, but thank you. Really.”
“Love you,” she sighs, giving me big hug. “Don’t forget that.”
I smile weakly. “Love ya too, Evie.”
And I’m so sorry for lying to you.
Early this morning,I left Evie’s early and slunk back to where I’d parked Pearl.
It…wasn’t great.
Some of my crappy shit—my beaten-up flats, my older dance gear, a few bits of my rattier clothing—was still there, if strewn on the street and sidewalk.
The good stuff was gone: the bag with all the fancy dance gear Kir bought me. The new Freeds. All of it.
Also, someone had used my windowless, unlocked car to shelter from the rain last night, where they also smoked about three packs of cigarettes and possibly crack in the front seat.
Awesome.
