Bitter Kisses (It's Just High School #3) - Thandiwe Mpofu Page 0,94

he hears me.

“Fuck that. People survive, sure, but trust me, a part of them dies and never really comes to life no matter what they do.”

Story of my life right there.

“But you’re my best friend. I’m an asshole sure, and maybe if you had pissed me off a bit, I’d be comfortable to let you rot behind bars, but I can’t. I can’t let you suffer for what that asshole did to her!”

It’s in that moment that I see it clearly. What I thought was fear before isn’t that at all. It’s desperation to bring some semblance of justice back.

“Yeah well, life isn’t fair,” I grumble.

“There must be a way out, still,” Cole says, standing up now and then he starts pacing. “Mia and Nicky’s testimony about Nathan may be dismissed as hear say, one because Mia has amnesia, her testimony cannot be trusted and two, Nicky might just be a woman scorned. With no evidence abuse and Nancy dead, trust me, he’ll swing around and blame you.”

“You see, that’s’ why I’m willing to—"

“No! Even with all of that, there’s always a flaw…” he says then trails off, dropping back down in the chair. “Little Liam is still mad at you.”

I blow out a breath and then look away, my body sagging into the mattress as tension seeps out of me.

“Yup.”

“He’ll come around.”

“I wouldn’t hold my breath.”

We’re silent for a while.

Cole just sits there with me, not saying a word. When the silence gets too heavy, he gets up and switches on the television.

“Don’t you have some place to be?” I mutter, staring blankly at the screen, my throat working when he changes the channel after a college football game comes up.

“I do.”

“Then go.”

“Nah, I’m good. Told you before, one of us was going to be a housewife,” he says sarcastically. “Might as well get my hours in now since you’ll be useless for the foreseeable future.”

“Asshole,” I grumble.

He laughs and we fall silent. Then after a while, I feel his gaze on me.

“I know it’s killing you,” he mutters after a while. “But you’ve never been the type to roll over and accept defeat. Don’t start now.”

I clench my jaw and refuse to look at him.

“She’s safe, that’s all that mattes now.”

“You think so?” he fires back, giving me a pointed stare. “He’s out there. He’ll be back.”

Shane.

That’s just the thing.

That motherfucker will be back, and I might not be here to keep her safe. But then, she got in this mess because of me so if I step away…

“Either way, I’m with you, every step of the fucking way.”

I just shake my head.

“You know, sometimes I think you have a death wish.”

He’s silent. Then, “You have no idea.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Mia

I have no idea how long it is until Nicky, I mean, mom, agrees to leave so she can go shower and bring me stuff to also shower and change.

I had to practically beg her to leave after we both saw that the police took Nathan downtown. I was as safe as I could be but still, I had a sense that there was more no one was telling me, especially with the number of cops that were milling around after I woke up.

I heard whispers of the Matthews but no one was upfront about it.

I need to find a way to ask about Kristine and her baby. What happened to them? Where are they? Are they safe? This is a hospital after all, I can only imagine that they had to rush me here so it must be the closest to where those idiots had me captive.

I need to know what happened to Shane and Sean. I couldn’t ask because well, that would reveal my fake amnesia.

I need answers and there’s only one place I can get those answers, even if I won’t be able to get anything else.

I have no idea what time it is as I slowly get up from the bed, but I know it’s pretty late.

My hospital door is open, and I think I see a guard out there, but I try not to be suspicious with my movements.

If I can slip out when he’s not looking, I can just blend in with nurses and doctors passing the hallway and go find Julian myself.

I’m halfway to getting down from the bed when I hear a new smoky, sultry voice.

“You know, that was quite a scene today,” the new voice says. Startled, I snap my head up and look directly into the most unlikely pair of