"It kills me to say this, but I can barely look at her without wanting to strangle her fucking neck and kiss her face." Xavier's voice cracked, and I almost felt bad for him and whatever happened with Avery.
"So you're not going to talk to her?" I asked against my better judgment.
"No, quite the opposite. I'm going to get as far away as possible from her."
My shoulders sagged. Our families would forever be joined. Xavier couldn't ignore Avery for the rest of his life. That would be impossible.
"We've known Avery long enough to know she's a blunt bitch with a big heart. I'm sure she didn't mean whatever she said." His face softened, and I paused, swallowing back the dejection that settled over me thinking about what else had been revealed today. "Did you really not know? About Mom not being my mom?"
His eyes widened with innocence. I didn't need to hear his answer to know it. "No, I had no idea, Aid. None at all. I swear it."
All I could do was shake my head again. My life was a mess, and everyone was a liar. The one thing I had in my life I could count on to bring me happiness and stability was gymnastics, and that's what I needed to be doing.
Gymnastics had always been my outlet.
I zipped up my bag, ready to hit the road, when my cell phone started ringing. I glanced over my shoulder. My phone was on the dresser Xavier was leaning against. He followed my gaze and picked it up. Lowering his brows, he stared at the screen before glancing up at me with inquisitive eyes.
"Coach?" he asked, snooping. "Is that Konstantin calling you?"
My heart dropped.
His eyes hardened. "Why is he calling you?"
My jaw bobbed up and down. I tried to find the right words to say without appearing guilty. I reached for the phone the same time it stopped ringing. Xavier placed it in my hand and I released a breath, staring at the device like it was layered with poison. Thank goodness he didn't answer it.
"Yeah," was all I could muster, avoiding eye contact. Smooth, Adrianna. Real smooth.
"Why is he calling you, Adrianna?" His tone went from tender and understanding to brisk and demanding.
"Probably to make sure I'm keeping up with my cardio. Yesterday Madeline called to make sure I'm seeing my physical therapist. They're always on me for something, especially since it's meet season."
I didn't do cardio. I didn't do therapy. Not while I was home, anyway.
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
His head angled toward me but I refused to make eye contact. "Yes, you are. I can see it in your face."
"Drop it, Xavier."
"If I find out he put more than a friendly coach whatever-the-fuck you want to call it hand on you, he won't live to see the next day. I'm not kidding, Adrianna. I will fucking kill him."
I was a liar just like them. Possibly the dirtiest with the most shameful secrets. The sight of Xavier's balled-up fists and strained forearms spoke louder than his labored breathing. His appearance had changed drastically in the course of a year. He shifted from healthy and charismatic to lean but gaunt. His eyes were sunken in, bruises—both new and old—peppered his body, and there were often scabbed up cuts on his lip. His attitude was dismal at times. And while I hadn't been around him much aside from holidays, my brother was obsessed with social media. He uploaded and posted about every waking minute of his life for the world to see. Tracking his change had been too easy. I didn't know what caused it, and I never inquired. Not while I was presently swimming in a black sea of depravity with something that could taint the family. That would be a dead giveaway. Playing naive was a better alternative.
With my eyes still cast on the floor, I walked back over to my bed and slung my duffle bag over my shoulder.
"So, you're leaving early," Xavier stated, breaking the silence.
I nodded, then turned around. The truth in our eyes collided in a flash—we both knew there was more going on behind the scenes than either of us were willing to let on.
"I need to be back at World Cup…it's my home now. I need to center my focus again."
He bobbed his head and rolled his lips between his teeth, unsatisfied with my response.
"I'm always here if you need me, sis," he said as I stepped past him.