Deadly Illusions(59)

“What?” Finn was incensed.

“Hey, I didn’t mean to stare,” James said, holding up his hands in a placating manner. “Every time I looked at her I thought of what she went through and I felt really bad for her. It made me want to kill her father. It wasn’t on purpose.”

Finn relaxed slightly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because it wasn’t my secret to tell,” James replied, shifting a look toward Mandy. “It’s Emma’s secret. She needs to tell you.”

“I already know.” Finn’s bitterness was palpable. “I already know. I can’t put the genie back in the bottle.”

“If you confront her before she’s ready, Finn, you could drive her away,” Mandy warned. “Is that what you want?” Finn was silent, causing Mandy to furrow her brow. “Oh, God, is that what you want? Are you done with her now?”

Finn shook his head. “I need to think. This is all a mess.”

Mandy had sympathy for Finn’s plight, but she had righteous indignation on her side when it came to Emma. “I told you,” she hissed. “I told you that you shouldn’t pursue Emma unless you were sure.”

“How could I be sure about something like this?” Finn challenged.

Mandy opened her mouth to answer, but someone else’s voice filled in the conversational void before she could.

“You couldn’t.”

James, Mandy, and Finn froze when they heard her, each one of them slowly swiveling so they could see the figure at the top of the stairwell. Emma, her brown hair loose around her shoulders, her skin positively glowing from the facial this afternoon, and her eyes full of betrayal and regret, was standing less than six feet away – and yet it felt as if a chasm was separating her from the other three people in the small room.

Mandy jumped to her feet. “This isn’t what it looks like.”

“I’ve been listening for a few minutes,” Emma said. “I know what you were talking about.”

Finn’s ascent to a standing position was slower and more deliberate than Mandy’s. “I don’t know what to say,” he rasped.

“I don’t expect you to say anything,” Emma said, her tone chilly. “I knew this would happen. Why do you think I was so adamant about not going out with you? I knew it was a mistake the minute I agreed – and yet I still agreed. That’s on me. That’s my fault. It’s not your fault.”

Finn’s mouth dropped open. “What?”

“I should have told you what happened … what he did … from the beginning,” Emma said. “That would have chased you away before things got out of hand. Instead, I was weak. I let myself get closer and closer to you because you made me feel so good about myself. I didn’t think of what it would do to you.”

Emma moved down a step.

“Actually, to be fair, I did think of what it would do to you,” she continued. “I was going to tell you that night when we got back to the apartment – but you’d lit all the candles and, well, I’d never danced with anyone before.”

James raised his hand to the back of Mandy’s neck and pulled her closer to him. He was uncomfortable with the conversation, but the only thing he realized with any clarity was that he and Mandy were outsiders in this.

“Then, last night, I had another chance,” Emma said. “You asked me what was wrong when we left the bar. I could have told you then, but I just couldn’t make myself say the words.”

Emma kept her face blank as she slipped down another step.

“You shouldn’t blame yourself for anything, Finn,” Emma said. “This was all my fault. You’ll never know how truly sorry I am.”

When she hit the main floor, Emma straightened her shoulders and focused on Mandy and James first. “I want to thank you for all you’ve done for me,” she said. “You’ve really gone above and beyond. If it’s okay, I hope I can spend tonight in your apartment, and then I’ll be out first thing in the morning.”

“You don’t have to leave,” Mandy protested. “You can stay there as long as you need to. It’s just sitting empty. You don’t have to go.”

“No,” Emma said, shaking her head slightly. “I think it would be better for everyone if this was a clean break.” She turned to James. “I’m sorry that you almost lost her because of me. I understand why you dislike me.”

James cleared his throat. “I don’t dislike you. I … .”

“You pity me,” Emma filled in. “Trust me, I’m used to it. Don’t blame yourself.”