Page 68 of All That Glitters
“That’s my job as your big sister.”
He scoffed and I grinned. A real grin, too. It felt good and I almost felt normal. Almost.
“By two minutes.”
“They’re a very important two minutes and need to be acknowledged.”
“Brat.”
“Takes one.”
Hale finished his whisky and his smile fell.
“You’re not going to stop seeing him, are you?”
“I haven’t seen him in several days. I haven’t talked to him or heard from him.”
“That’s not an answer.”
I sighed. I wanted to say yes. I wanted to say that whatever Hale suspected was over and done with.
“No.”
“You’ll be careful, won’t you?”
“Hale…”
“Please, Helen.”
“I’ve already said I would.”
“And you promise that you’ll get out if it becomes too much?”
“I’ve already promised that.”
But how could I keep that promise when I was already there, when I’d already broken it? I was way in over my head in this little devil’s bargain I’d made with Ashton.
I still wasn’t willing to tell Hale what Ashton was going through mentally, of the anxiety that gripped him every time he thought about getting behind the wheel of a car… Any car. Not just a race car. I wouldn’t betray Ashton’s confidence like that, not even to my twin.
He’d lost enough already. He was pushing everyone away, almost to the breaking point. He would soon find himself alone without a ride, without a crew, without an engineer, without his friends. I wouldn’t betray him, and I wouldn’t walk away from him.
Someone needed to help him and he’d chosen me.
“Helen…”
“All I can say is I will ask for help if I need it. You’re going to have to trust me.” Even if I didn’t trust myself.
“Okay,” he said, reluctance etched across his face as he watched me stand. “That’s better than nothing.”
16
Ashton
She was the first thing that crossed my mind and reaching out to her was all I… She was what I wanted. Why did she affect me so much? I didn’t want or need anyone, but waking up in a panic with the nightmare still fresh, the imaginary flames licking my skin, the snap of bones from impact…
Helen.
She was the peace I needed.
