Almost.
Lily is hiding something, a secret so big, she came out of a year-long coma and her first instinct was to lie.
Who does that? Someone who is afraid. No—not afraid.
Terrified. And it’s my job to take that fear away.
My partner and I have spent countless man-hours hunting down the cold-blooded killer who did this to her. Meanwhile, Lily’s spent her waking hours recovering. Getting stronger. Getting smarter.
Staying beautiful.
Never get involved emotionally. That’s my dictate. Never get attached.
When you realize you’re caught in a triangle, it turns out there is no exit.
Crossing a line is easy. Holding a line takes strength.
Lily’s shooter knows that she’s my weakness.
One I have to get back.
No matter what it takes.
“How can you stand there in front of me after kissing me like that and tell me everything will be okay when you know there’s no way out?”
“If I thought there was no way out, Lily, I wouldn’t be here.”
“And if I thought there was a way out, Duff, I wouldn’t be here, either.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means, hypothetically,” she says slowly, “that you’re asking me to give you information I don’t have.”
The tipping point happened.
I lost.
She’s gone over the edge. Or maybe I’m the one who’s gone over the edge. There’s no backtracking here. But I’m planting seeds, and seeds, when exposed to sunlight, eventually have to grow.
“Lily, you don’t have to tell me anything.”
“I know.”
“But if you did, if you were going to give me one shred of information, I would ask this: Is the person who tried to kill you standing in this stairwell with you?”
I just handed her my heart. Pulled it straight out of my chest and held it up, waiting for her to take it.
“If I thought there was no way out, Lily, I wouldn’t be here.”
“And if I thought there was a way out, Duff, I wouldn’t be here, either.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means, hypothetically,” she says slowly, “that you’re asking me to give you information I don’t have.”
The tipping point happened.
I lost.
She’s gone over the edge. Or maybe I’m the one who’s gone over the edge. There’s no backtracking here. But I’m planting seeds, and seeds, when exposed to sunlight, eventually have to grow.
“Lily, you don’t have to tell me anything.”
“I know.”
“But if you did, if you were going to give me one shred of information, I would ask this: Is the person who tried to kill you standing in this stairwell with you?”
I just handed her my heart. Pulled it straight out of my chest and held it up, waiting for her to take it.
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Such a pretty cover! Love the roses and spiders!
ReplyDeleteGreat cover.
ReplyDeleteIt’s so cool that this book is part of an ongoing series! I really love those. Your book title makes me think of this great song by Christina Aguilera from her album, ‘Mi Reflejo’, called “Falsas Esparansas.” It’s zesty and spicy, just like your writing! I love that you live in New England. My family and I lived there for 3 years and couldn’t get over how gorgeous it was. I really miss it, especially the changing of the seasons.
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