Page 140 of The Twisted Beats

“Yes, Lily.”

“Are you mad at me?”

I take two strides to get to her side. “No, love. I’m just…”

I don’t know what to say to her. Anything could come across wrong and that’s the last thing she needs.

She places her palm on my face. “You don’t think my panic attack last night and taking my medicine made this happen, do you?”

“No! This was because of what my uncle did.”

“How do you know for sure? I’ve done this before. I killed her.”

What the fuck does she mean by that?

I stare into her eyes, trying to figure out her words. Her pupils are the size of pinpricks. The painkillers have kicked in and she must be feeling it. That’s why she’s not making any sense.

“Lily, you didn’t have anything to do with this.”

She lowers her hand and turns to face the window. “You know, I don’t feel that bad anymore. It’s weird. I feel kinda good. Relaxed, like nothing matters.”

“Yeah, that’s the medicine my ma gave you. That’s what it does.”

“She’s a good mom. I’m glad she’s here for us.” Livianna sinks her head back into a pillow. “My mom wouldn’t be so nice.”

“She might surprise you.”

“I don’t think so. You know it’s better this way.”

Something about Livianna’s statement crashes against my heart like a demon is stomping on it and is about ready to pound it into the gates of hell.

I crease my brows. “What is?”

“This situation is easier now. We don’t have to deal with it.”

“It?” I lose my breath as the demon rams his iron foot intothe muscle that beats inside my chest. “You mean we don’t have a baby to think about anymore? That’s better?”

“I’m not mad at your uncle.” She turns her head my way. “Maybe he did us a favor.”

I’m about to lose my temper when I remember she’s high as fuck right now. This isn’t her talking. It’s the drugs.

I push myself up and try to hide my trembling hands by shoving them in my pockets. “I’m gonna get you something to eat. You could use some food so the painkillers don’t make you sick.”

“Oh, maybe that’s why I feel a little nauseous. I thought it might be because…” She releases a deep sigh and gazes back out the window. “Yogurt and toast sound good.”

“Yeah, okay.” I leave her room fuming.

I can’t be angry with her when I know once she comes down, she’s gonna feel ten thousand times worse than she does now. It’s not something I’m looking forward to. And that realization has my thoughts racing about ways I will get my revenge on my uncle.

A Day Later

Bren places his phone down on the kitchen counter. “My parents come back on Sunday, so we have a few more days until Livianna has to face them.”

“My ma got her an appointment for tomorrow, so that’s plenty of time to make sure she’s okay. Hopefully, Livianna will come down here before then.”

“You ever gonna tell me what happened yesterday? I know she miscarried, but something seems off. You’re pissed at the world and it’s more than what she’s dealing with.”

“I’m going through it too, dickface.”