Nightfall (Devil's Night #4) - Penelope Douglas Page 0,129

and me. He can’t prove it, but he has no intention of trying to, either.”

So they all just let him believe it was them? Why would they do that?

“I guess it’s good to be you,” I said, pretty grateful.

Will came in close, looking down at me. “They’ve filled McClanahan’s grave back in. The family has had a change of heart.” He cleared his throat, reciting the news. “‘It’s become a landmark.’ Which basically translates to they don’t want to deal with constant vandalism, so they’ll leave him where he’s always rested.”

So, it worked.

It actually worked.

“Everything is real,” he stated.

Huh?

“That’s what you said last night as you were climbing into your bed,” he pointed out. “Everything is real today. Am I less real at night? Is that why you’re pulling away this morning?”

Yes. I swallowed over the pain in my throat.

I mean, it was fun. I would love for it to happen again, but…

“Who’s doing that to your body?” he demanded.

I tensed, taking a step back.

“You have bruises everywhere.” His eyes trailed up to my brow and the small cut I’d covered with makeup. “Is it your brother?”

My hands trembled.

He was figuring it out.

I knew he would. I blinked away the sting in my eyes.

“Emmy, stop lying to me,” he said softly. “I know something’s wrong. I know it. Tell me.”

The lump in my throat stretched. God, I wanted to tell him.

I didn’t want to lose this. I wanted to let him hold me and protect me. He cared.

As much as I wanted to pretend that he didn’t, I knew he cared.

And my heart that ached to keep him hurt worse than anything Martin had ever done to me.

But I couldn’t tell him. If I let this go on, he’d interfere. He’d make trouble, stand up for me, and I could be separated from her.

I could be sent away. I didn’t want my grandmother alone.

My chin shook, the words on the tip of my tongue. It would feel so good to dive into his arms and look forward to more with him. I wanted to tell him everything.

But I just clenched my teeth so hard my jaw ached and backed away some more, forcing a scoff. I shook my head, my bitter smile fixed on him.

I looked at his mouth and then his hands, remembering how all of him was mine last night.

We couldn’t be together.

Maybe someday. Not today.

He grabbed my elbow and pulled us close again. “Don’t you know you can have anything you want?” he repeated his words from a couple of weeks ago. “I’d hurt anyone for you. Who the hell is it?”

But I just laughed, feeling the tears well. God, go away.

I balled my fist and ripped my arm away from him. “Let go of me.” I glared at him. “Go have fun with your friends. They’re all you really have, so hang on to them. I don’t love you, and I don’t want you.”

The words were like razors in my throat, and I wanted to throw up.

But I stayed steel as fire hit his eyes, and his heavy breath poured in and out of his chest.

“Emmy…”

Jesus, just go! Stop torturing me with everything I wanted and nothing I could have. I’d make his life horrible.

“Leave me alone,” I gritted out.

“You’re pushing me away. Just—”

“We’re just too different.” I backed away some more. “You thought this was serious? You’ve been on half the girls in the graduating class! If I knew that you thought last night was something more, I never would’ve come to Homecoming.”

He bared his teeth. “Stop it,” he bit out. “You hear me? Stop it. Last night was it for me. I don’t want anyone else but you.”

Tears sprang to my eyes, and I forced back the sob in my throat.

God, I loved him. This hurt. I had to get out of here.

I couldn’t be someone he had to take care of. Someone pathetic who would just bring a shit ton of baggage on him that he’d get sick of dealing with.

Drawing in a deep breath, I forced the words out, my stomach wracking with pain.

“I wanted you, too,” I said, my voice hard. “And I had you. It was fun. Even better than the gossip says it is. Now I’m done.”

“Goddammit.”

“I’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone better in bed,” I told him. “That’s for sure.”

Whipping around, he slammed his fist into the lockers, and I stared wide-eyed and hot in my gut as he looked ready to kill.

Yes. Hate me.

Please hate me.

“Such a