“I don't get it,” she whispered, so low I had to strain to make out her words. “What's the big deal? You know what's around the corner. You told me what he's like. Isn't it better to introduce her to this now?”
“That's not your fucking problem. I told you to march. Do it.” He looked like a cobra, bowed up and ready to strike.
Izzy was the first to break their barbed wire gaze. She slipped past me, faster than necessary, clicking her heels on the hard floor as she left the kitchen.
When Evan turned toward me, I started to shake. God, I'd never wanted to open up a hole in the floor so bad and plunge straight through.
Would he punish me too? The man looked like he wanted to wring my neck for ruining his kitchen.
“Lessons are over for today. Go to your room. I'll fix you a plate.”
Every instinct clamored in my head to shut up and listen. But I couldn't ignore what I'd heard, the strange little whispers, this whole crazy scenario...
“I can't, Evan...there's something I need to know.” Gulp. I strained to push a rock down my throat. Evan watched me gulp down fear, and then nodded his head. “What was she talking about? What's around the corner?”
“Nothing you need to worry your pretty head about, babe. It's shit between Izzy and me.”
“Where's your wife?” I snapped. “Why do you live with your sister-in-law? Forgive me, Evan...it's just...this whole thing is weird. I'm scared.”
His face twitched as if he were going to explode when I said wife. Then it turned to stone, revealing nothing. I looked for something – anything! A little quirk of the lips, an eyebrow twitch, a pulse in his fingertips. I'd seen nervous ticks before in abusive liars like daddy, and I knew I should've been seeing one now.
It never came. He stepped forward, stern and serious, towering over me.
“You don't trust me?”
I'm starting not to. I don't know anything about you, much less the woman who just went nuts and beat me.
Who the hell are you, Evan? Where am I? Really?
What's this all about?
“It's not that.” My turn to lie.
It took all my strength not to reveal too much, especially when he was so close, only a whisper away from feeling his hot, angry breath on my neck. He put out an arm, spread his hand on the cupboard above me, and leaned in.
“Let me make this clear, Cassie: my house, my rules. Don't fucking question me. I'm being fair, and that's all you need to know. I'm not gonna let any harm come to you while you're here. Even if the stupid asshole I live with says otherwise. You hold tight and believe it, even if you don't want to.”
“I can't be alone with her again.” The words rushed out of my mouth. I shook my head. “It's her I don't trust.”
And you, I thought.
Christ. I was the liar.
“That's fair. Right now, I need you to do what I asked: go to your room. I'll bring your food. You ought to rest after all this shit. Last thing I need is you fucking up your wounds again. Don't need your sweet ass stressed or doubting. Switch your brain off, babe. Trust me.”
God, I wanted to. I really, really did. I stared at him, melting before the intensity pouring out his eyes. I wanted to lean on him, my own personal rock, bend around him in every sinful and soulful way a girl can.
But I wouldn't bend no matter how much he made me ache and burn. I couldn't. Not while there was a terrible secret between us, something so bad it turned him pitch black, fearsome and desperate.
“You don't want help cleaning up this mess? It was kinda my fault.” Fire lashed at my cheeks.
No, not just there. My nipples were hard through my dress, embarrassing peaks grown sensitive and almost painful to touch.
Had I really been corrupted so quickly after all? No good girl was supposed to feel this for a stranger. Much less a man who was treating me like he owned me, hiding something that chilled me to the bone.
“It's my fucking mess, Cassie. Always is. Now, go.” His eyes narrowed.
The look he was wearing said he wouldn't tolerate any more talk, or more questions either. I walked, shuffling down the hall to the huge door with the heavy locks.
When I got back, I headed straight for the bathroom attached to my little room. The shower felt good, the first one I'd taken by myself. The spectacle I'd lived through for the past hour deadened the pain on my cuts.
It was just as well. I needed to look out for myself now. There was no way I was letting that vicious, horrible woman anywhere near my body again. And Evan...something was off.
No matter how politely he treated me, or how perfect this house seemed, he had another motive. I felt its eerie gravity between every word he said, especially in the raging friction between those two.
Somehow, it was about me.
I didn't have a clue why I was really here. But I was going to find out, even if it brought me face to face with all the corruption and demons the Prophet had warned about.