Page 22 of Beautiful Lies
None of us spoke as Killian drove through the streets of Bay Ridge.
“I’ll drop off your car tomorrow,” Killian said as he pulled up in front of the two-story house we’d grown up in. Seamus grunted, knowing he’d been beaten, and slammed the door behind him as he left.
Five minutes later, Killian pulled up in front of Ava’s house. The porch light was on and Ava stared out the window, making no move to leave. “Come on, babe. Everything will be okay.”
“It’s not me I’m worried about,” she said quietly, resting her palm on my cheekbone. “Connor…” Her eyes filled with tears again. I couldn’t bear to see her cry.
“Don’t worry about me.” I reached over her and pushed the car door open. She climbed out of the SUV, turning to close the door but I wasn’t about to let her face this on her own.
“Be right back,” I told Killian.
“You should go,” Ava said, her voice hushed as I walked next to her. “I don’t want you to get in more trouble. I can handle this. It’s no big deal.”
I gave her hand a little squeeze as the front door opened and Ava’s parents stood in the doorway. Her mother stepped onto the front stoop and planted her hands on her hips.
“Where have you been, young lady? Do you know what time it is? You didn’t even answer your phone.”
“I just…lost track of time…”
“I had to call Seamus.” She shot me a look. “Like your poor father doesn’t have enough to deal with. His job is stressful enough without you—”
Ava’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. “Seamus—”
“Drove us over here,” I said. A quick glance over my shoulder confirmed that the tinted windows and darkness hid the identity of who was behind the wheel of my father’s SUV. “It was my fault. All of it. I dragged Ava to a party. She was ready to leave but I wasn’t.” I shrugged like I didn’t give a shit. Her mom’s eyes narrowed into slits.
“Have you been drinking?”
“I had a few too many. Ava didn’t touch a drop of alcohol.”
“Connor doesn’t drink,” Ava said.
“Babe, you don’t have to cover for me.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “So yeah…my father insisted I own up and apologize because it’s the right thing to do.”
“Connor, why are you—”
“It’s all on me,” I told her mother. “Go easy on her. She tried to do the right thing, but I got carried away.” I gave her mom a mock salute and walked away.
“Connor. Wait,” Ava called after me. I kept walking without turning around.
“Get in this house right now, young lady,” her mom said as I yanked open the passenger door.
“Connor. Wait.” Ava put her hand on my arm and I turned to look at her.
“I love you, Connor. I…it feels like I’ve loved you forever. I don’t know. Maybe I have. In another life or something…” She shook her head and laughed a little. “That sounded crazy. But I just wanted you to know. You are loved.”
With a little smile, Ava turned and walked away while I stood by the SUV, dumbfounded.
I climbed into the passenger seat and fastened my seatbelt, watching Ava’s house through the window as Killian pulled away from the curb, her words echoing in my head.You are loved.
Killian didn’t say a word until we’d gotten back to the apartment. “You should have put some ice on it earlier,” he said, emptying an ice tray into a kitchen towel.
“Thanks,” I said, collapsing on the sofa, pressing the ice against my cheekbone.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” I said, even though my head was throbbing and every breath I took made my ribs scream in protest.
He leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “If you want to keep living with me, you need to be more responsible.”
