Page 101 of Phantom

“I’m hideous Scarlett. Believe me, Iknow. I’ve been horrified and ashamed at what was done to me for over a decade.”

“No, Sol, you don’t—”

But I can’t hear her excuses, not withthatlook still plastered there.

“Why are you down here, Scarlett. You shouldn’t be here.”

Her gaping mouth finally shuts and her fingers massage her temple. When she finally seems to remember her purpose she gazes up again at me and anger flares back into her eyes.

“When did you start following me?”

Her question catches me off guard and my mind scours itself for reasons why she would want to know thatnow. I come up with nothing so I go back to what I’ve done all weekend and answer in a way that won’t endanger her. Until I find the full connection between Gus Day, his murderer, and the Chatelains, telling her my theories could only put her at risk. Or make her hate me more than it looks like she does right now.

Or worse… Scarlett is loyal and protective to a fault, especially over her father. If I tell her that I suspect he still dabbled in the criminal world, working for the wrong side, and that he could be the reason why she was assaulted and he was murdered, all that could easily drive her straight into Rand’s arms.

“When, Sol?”

I swallow and carefully blank my expression. “After your father passed away.”

As soon as I see hurt crumple her face after the words fall from my mouth, I know they’re the wrong ones.

“Whenexactly?”

My jaw tics. “The night of.”

Her eyes flare at that. “Why then? Were you there?”

I keep my mouth closed. There’s so much I can’t say yet.

She’s not one of ours.

She’s not, but she’smine.

That puts her in even more danger.

But what if telling her will save her?

What if telling her pushes her away for good? In the wrong direction?

“Secrets again, huh?” she tsks. I’ve never heard her voice with such venom. “Okay. How about this one? When did youhireJaime to be my friend?”

My jaw falls open, stunned, but she keeps pressing.

“When you hired him, did you tell him he was going to be a professional cockblocker? All so what? So myvirginitywould remain intact? Foryou?How fucking disgusting.”

My head shakes hard. “I didn’t know you were a virgin, Scarlett. Not until that night you told me.”

“Oh, right, when you assaulted me while I was drugged.”

“You weren’t drugged yet,” I growl. “It’s not my fault you begged a phantom to get you off.”

“Ugh, it’s only your fault!” she shrieks, tears of fury suddenly spilling down her cheeks.

Her accusation stings, but it’s her despair that breaks me. It echoes off the stone walls, crashing back into my chest, pulverizing my weakest muscle. My heart only just started to grow stronger because of her, and now the pain I’ve caused is crushing it to pieces.

“Scarlett, it wasn’t like that—”

“No! You’re not getting out of it this time!Allof this is your fault,” she repeats and glares at me. “Me thinking I was going crazy. Me thinking I had started a true friendship—”