I feel her hand wrap around my forearm, and I jerk it away, glaring at her, but not stopping.
And those eyes.
Fuck me tender.
They are sober, and there is no anger in them but rather apology.
Still, I keep walking, barefoot, along the scorching sand, though I don’t care because after two years, our feet are callused and hardened.
“Can we talk?”
I whip around abruptly, and she almost slams into me.
“About?” I meet her gaze that is hesitant now, as if she is not sure it’s a good idea. “Exactly,” I snap, turn, and keep walking.
“Kai, please.” She grabs me by my forearm, and I whip around, jerking my arm away from her.
“Don’t touch me,” I warn in a whisper.
“Are these all scars…?” She reaches with her hand toward my chest, but I catch her by her wrist just in time.
“They are none of your business,” I hiss. “Do. Not. Touch me. Understand?”
I whip around and go straight for the boat.
But the little blonde is on a mission now.
“About last night. And before. Let’s talk,” she pleads.
“You already apologized last night. I guess you don’t remember. Case closed, petal.”
I am bitter. And I use that nickname that I gave her a long time again. And, oh, does it feel good to use something that meant a lot back then.
I approach the boat that is tied to a beam of the old pier, undo the rope, and jump in. But before I push off the beam with my foot, Callie hops right in and sits on her haunches, staring at me.
What’s her fucking deal?
“I am coming with you,” she says, suddenly so sure.
I want to laugh because she is not a good swimmer, she doesn’t have a life vest on, and she has no clue where I am going.
Suddenly, I have an idea. It’s the anger in me that ticks my mind with an evil thought.
She is about to say something when I jerk the motor switch and the sound of it drowns everything else.
Slowly, I stir the boat along the familiar path, veering among the rocks scattered around and protruding out of the water here and there. The day is beautiful, but my anger makes everything around darker.
Callie thinks she can say sorry for what she thought, sorry for what happened to us.
Oh, petal, brace yourself.
I am about to show you exactly what you did years ago.
17
CALLIE
I don’t knowwhere we are going. The boat is loud. I don’t want to say anything, because the words will get lost.