Her baby blues sliced to mine, and her arms crossed over her chest. “No. It doesn’t concern you, Cole. And I can’t trust you.”
Ouch. I knew I deserved it, but fuck if that didn’t burn. My head tilted, and my lips flattened. “I’ve changed. I’m not the same stupid fuck I was in high school.”
Another shaky sigh left her pretty lips, and I wanted nothing more than to swallow it whole. She wasn’t budging, though. I could tell she was set in her decision. She had that I’m determined face on that I'd seen a time or two.
“I could just go ask him.”
Her eyes grew wide. “Cole, no!”
The panic I heard did not sit well with me, and that was how I knew I wasn’t necessarily jealous of her and Ryan any longer, but more so etched with worry. “Mazey, did he hurt you?”
She bounced her gaze all over the room, nibbling on her lip, and that was when I froze. I felt my heart pick up pace. The thumping of my pulse pounded against my skin. No. Fuck no. “I hope to God that what I’m thinking right now isn’t true.”
Mazey didn’t even bother to look at me, and my head screamed with memories of that night. Memories that I tried like hell to sort through since the moment she left.
I leveled my voice, but I was anything but leveled. “Was it him?”
The hole that Mazey was burning into my floor with her gaze ceased to exist as her fearful eyes climbed to mine. He was dead.
Something that had been dormant for so fucking long woke right up. Hot, angry blood rushed to my fingers. “I will fucking kill him.” My back was turned to her as I tried to reel in my choppy breaths. My teeth sunk into my closed fist as I stood, shaking inside my bedroom. Control. Control. Control.
“Goddamnit, tell me it’s not true.” I spun around quickly, and the truth on her face was plain as day.
“Cole.” Her hands went up with caution as she moved a tiny step toward me. “Don’t do something stupid, please.”
My head shook, and all I could think about was her face that morning when her gaze met mine from across the room. And the marks on her legs. The sickening feeling that burrowed deep into my core, which had yet to leave, even now, standing here looking at her.
“Was it him?” My temples were throbbing, and the room began to close in.
“Cole.”
“Answer me!” I shouted, and her eyes shut the second my voice grew loud.
Fuck. Control, Cole. Fucking get it together.
My chest was climbing in speed, and I needed something to snap me the fuck out of it.
“Mazey!” I yelled again, my fists tight balls beside my legs.
A sweet, shaky breath climbed from her lungs. “Yes.”