Page 77 of The Next Lie

I don’t answer because she’s not entirely wrong.

She shifts her weight. “Fine.”

I wait.

Her jaw works. Then she throws both hands up. “Fine. You want to talk? Let’s talk. But I want to know everything.”

“No.”

Her eyes flash. “Excuse me?”

“You do not want everything.”

“I promise you I do.”

“No. You want clean answers. Villains in the correct places. A story with a beginning, middle, and end. You want to know who to hate so the rest stops hurting.”

For one second, her expression opens. I see everything, all the hurt, all the anger, all the fear. Then she slams it shut.

“I want to know why my dead sister walked into Noir Night with rosary beads tattoed on her wrist and looked at me like I ruined her life by still having one.”

Ahh. That’s the real rub. It isn’t me. It’s not Cal. It may not even be her parents; I’m not sure.

It’s Delia, or more precisely, Delia’s reaction to her.

I say nothing, just tip my chin in response.

Reva steps closer. “I want to know who is trying to kill me. I want to know why. I want to know about ‘Ash.’ I want to know if that was you in the bar that night. I want to know why Cal knew you and never told me. I want to know why you let me come here if you already knew who I was.”

“I did not let you do anything.”

She smacks a palm on the countertop. “Do not split hairs with me right now, Deacon.”

“I am not. Let implies control. If I had control over you, Reva, you would still be in Chicago.”

Her mouth opens and closes. That one bothers her.

“I would have left you alone,” I say.

Her voice lowers. “No, you wouldn’t have.”

“Yes, I would have. I would have let you live out your happy little unbothered, snarky little life.”

“Then why did you bother with the letters?”

Is that…hurt…I hear?

“I just wanted to make sure you were happy, I guess.”

“And why did you feel the need to watch me? I’m sure you had Cal sending you reports? Or updates?”

I keep it brief. “To keep you alive.”

She steps closer, eyes shining now. “You keep saying that like it’s gonna make it less insane.”

“It does not make it less insane. Just…necessary.”

“Necessary for whom?”