Page 68 of Ghosts Don't Cry

Lily’s shoulders tense, and her breathing changes.

I’m doing this on purpose, hurting her and using Amy and Kate as weapons, because apparently I’m too much of a masochist to walk away. The satisfaction of seeing her react wars with self-loathing so sharp, it makes my chest ache.

“You don’t believe that. Not really.”

Amy huffs out a small laugh at Lily’s words. “Sounds like someone thinks she still knows you.”

“She doesn’t.” I don’t look away from Lily, daring her to say otherwise.

Kate laughs, the sound fake and high. “Well, here’s to new beginnings.” She lifts her glass.

“And old endings,” Amy adds, tapping her glass against her friend’s.

I lean back, toying with Amy’s hair, and watch Lily’s face while I do it. Each touch is deliberate. Each gesture aimed to hurt. I’m good at this. At using whatever tools I have to create distance, and push people away.

Her lips press into a thin line, but her eyes give her away. A flicker of anger, jealousy, and hurt. Gone as quickly as they came, shuttered behind her lowered lashes.

“Tom says you’re doing amazing work up there.” Kate lifts my hand, and places it on the table, palm up, so she can stroke over my fingers. “Says you know exactly what you’re doing.”

“Everyone is talking about it.” Amy touches my arm. “The ex-con with the golden touch.”

“Is that what they’re calling me?” I arch an eyebrow.

“Among other things.” Amy is practically purring. “Such a mystery. Where did you learn to be so … capable with your hands.”

“I guess prison is good for something.” I drop my voice lower, turning it rougher.

“God, that’s hot.” Kate’s fingers curl around my wrist. “All that time to work on yourself.”

“Build muscle.” Amy squeezes my bicep. “And learn new skills.”

“It was prison, not a vacation.” Lily’s voice cuts through the air, cold as ice.

Silence settles over the table. Amy and Kate glance between us, eyes sparkling with malice. Cassidy’s hand moves, I guess she’s touching Lily’s hand hidden beneath the table, but Lily doesn’t look away from me.

I smirk. “I guess that depends on your perspective.”

Lily sucks in a breath, but there’s fire in her eyes now. I wanted a reaction, and now I’ve got one. It doesn’t give me the satisfaction I was hoping for.

“It must have been hard though.” Kate’s voice drips false sympathy. “All alone in there. Just like when you were seventeen, and living in that abandoned fact?—”

I’m out of the booth before she finishes speaking. Everything inside me focuses on a single point of need.

Get out. Get away. Get somewhere I can breathe.

The bar is suddenly too small, too hot, and full of eyes waiting for me to unravel. My vision tunnels. My heart picks up speed. Sweat drips down my spine. The music pounds in my ears, merging with the sound of my pulse, turning into the memory of cell doors slamming, and echoing with Kate’s voice saying words that were never supposed to be spoken out loud.

I push through the crowd, shouldering past people who don’t move fast enough. Someone calls my name. I don’t stop. The door is right there, five steps ahead of me. I focus on that, and it keeps me moving forward.

Then I’m through it, gulping down cold night air that doesn’t quite fill my lungs.

Chapter Twenty-Six

LILY

The temperaturein the booth drops by ten degrees the moment Ronan leaves … or maybe that’s just my reaction to watching how Kate’s words got under his skin. Amy’s nails tap against her glass, a rapid staccato sound that grates against my nerves.

“Did I hit a nerve?” Kate’s voice drips with false concern, but her eyes gleam with the thrill of having caused a reaction.