Nero(81)

Nero took a deep breath. “I thought you would say that.”

Nero raised his hand and they heard the back door to the house open. He watched Chloe see them appear. He could tell she contemplated running away. A moment later, however, Amo and Vincent joined them in the gazebo.

Amo and Vincent sat on either side of her while Chloe held her hands tightly and tried to become as small as possible. Both made sure an inch of room separated their bodies from hers.

Vincent handed Chloe a book. Chloe swallowed as she took it, flipping to the first page.

Nero watched her flip through the pages. She had clearly never seen it before, not knowing that Elle had made it. He studied her face carefully as new pictures unfolded.

When she was on the last page and there were no more to be turned, he spoke. “Now, walk me through the pictures and tell me how she got every mark.”

Chloe’s eyes danced between the boys. “I-I can’t. You all are n-not going to hurt me.”

Nero pushed his hair back, uncertain of what to do. He’d thought it would spill out of her when she was surrounded by them. She was calling his bluff, though. And I don’t want to have to—

“I think she needs some persuading, brother.” He heard Lucca’s voice from behind the gazebo and watched him walk up to join them.

Nero looked back at Chloe and saw her grip the photo album in her hands. As Lucca walked up, towering over her, Chloe slowly looked up at him and swallowed. Then Lucca gently placed his hands on the open book and started pulling. Chloe released it, letting it slide right out of her hands.

“Thanks, darlin’.” Lucca placed the book on the black, small iron table meant for iced tea and beer. Then he picked up the table and dropped it down right in front of her, making her jump from the noise.

Nero watched his brother push his chair close to the table. Nero stood up, as well, pushing his in closer. He had a feeling the two had already met. When was that?

He looked over at Amo, who was squeezing his fists, clearly not happy with Lucca’s appearance. Nero pushed his thoughts aside; he wasn’t here for that. He looked down at the book before them that was still on the last page.

Lucca pulled out a cigarette. “We’ll go backwards.” He lit the end. “Tell him everything you know.” Then he flipped the lighter closed.

Chloe watched the smoke envelope her face and then looked down at the book. “I-I-I—”

Nero jumped in. “Let’s start slow. What did she tell her parents when she came home with bruises, scratches, and broken bones?”

Chloe tried to start. “A-at f-first—”

Lucca flicked his lighter on, weaving it through his fingers.

Chloe took a deep breath, staring into the flame. “At first, she tried her best to hide them by wearing lots of clothes. She told me she would slowly reveal a different mark each day to pretend it happened that day.” Chloe squeezed her hands tightly together. “Then, when they got worse, she lied and told them she’d joined soccer. She got away with it because they hardly left the house since her dad was still recovering. That made it easy for her. They didn’t get caught up in the details, worrying over his accident. Eventually, I think they got used to her getting hurt since she pretended to be so clumsy, so she was able to stop telling her parents she played soccer, and they just believed she was accident-prone.”

Nero squeezed the bridge of his nose. That was only the beginning.

He watched her turn numb, staring blankly into the fire Lucca held in his hands. She went through the pictures, explaining what had happened and who had done it. His body turned numb with hers, his mind taking in all the information, careful not to miss a detail. He had been taken through the first half of senior year, junior year, and sophomore year. When she got to freshman year, she told him about how Sebastian had taken a fucking book to her face and her arm.

Chloe turned the page, coming to the first picture of her and Chloe together. There weren’t any visible marks; however, that was when Elle’s hair was the shortest and Chloe’s scars the freshest. Chloe didn’t say anything about the picture.

Nero watched Chloe’s face turn from nothing into sadness. There was something she wasn’t saying.

He went into his pocket and pulled out a picture from his billfold. “I found this behind that picture.”

Chloe watched Nero toss a picture of Elle on top of the other one. She started shaking her head. “I d-don’t want—”

Nero leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees. “Tell me.”

“I c-can’t do it. You’ll hate me.” Chloe couldn’t stop fidgeting with her hands.

“Maybe she’s had enough,” Amo told him.