She whirls around, pointing her finger at me as her chin trembles, but she isn’t crying. And I don’t want her to.
“I said I would tell you my secrets, as long as they were mine to tell. That one isn’t. It was for a friend who is too scared of you guys to go there herself.” She spins back around, and jumps as I cover the distance and grip her hips.
“Listen to me right now, I never once thought there was something going on between you two, okay? But, you cannot trust him, with anything. You certainly cannot go in there on your own.” I brush my thumbs against her bare skin, and she sighs before turning in my hold.
“Why not? If this isn't about you trusting me, then what is it?”
“I don’t have proof, only this gut feeling and circumstantial evidence, but I think Cole is keeping your sister sick.” The words rush out and her brow furrows as she takes a step back.
“What are you talking about? Why would Dr. Stevenson want to make my sister ill? Why would you even think that?” Her eyes narrow and I can see the cogs whirring around in her mind. Trying to figure out if I could know about her and him.
“I have been talking to one of the higher ups at the hospital, and they’ve noticed it themselves. Whenever Cole isn’t there, i.e. here, she seems to improve. Her moments of lucidity last far longer, and she doesn’t just drop out. It’s more gradual. But when he’s there, it’s few and far between, almost as though he’s putting her in that state. Please, tell me you can see it, that you don’t think I’m crazy.” I reach for her hands but she takes another step back, and my heart splinters.
I don’t care what the others think, but I need her to believe me, to believe in me.
“Is he the reason she’s in the hospital?” Her voice is cold and sounds detached, like she’s not hurting or fearing for my sanity.
“I don’t know, probably not though. It’s the reason behind why he’s doing it that is concerning me, Luna. What if...” I can’t finish that sentence. I can’t tell her what I know without breaking the rules set for all of us.
“What if, what? Aeron, is there a reason why my sister is suffering? Why the man I thought was the good guy, would do that to her?” She rubs furiously at her arms, almost as though she’s cold, but I think it’s more of an internal chill, considering the balmy air outside.
“Ask me a question, Luna.” I step into her space and she stares at me incredulously.
“Are you crazy? Just tell me what is going on. I don't want to play your games, Sin.”
She used my nickname, that has to be a good sign. Maybe she isn’t trying to avoid me, maybe it’s because of her guilt surrounding Cole.
“I don’t want to play games either, but I can’t tell you. Please, Luna, just ask me and I will answer truthfully. If I know the answer, then I will tell you, I promise.” I grip her hands, but she yanks them free.
She stalks over to the window before spinning back around to face me.
“Why can you answer a fucking question, but not just tell me?” She shouts, and I’m loving the soundproof room right now. Shit, Little Zero just cussed, that is not a good sign.
“Because if I tell you, then I’m breaking the rules, not usually something I care about but it’s ingrained within me. I can’t go against them. But if you ask, then it means you’ve thought about it, that you already suspect the answer and you just don’t want to face it. I’ll have a slight deniability. Not a lot, but I can live with that. Besides, they’ll know it was me. I’m the only one weak enough to spill everything and lay it at your feet. They will have to tell Sir and I’ll be ruined. No money, no future. Even if I denounce myself, no one will ever take a chance on me. I will have nothing. Just give me this.” I yank at my lip ring, welcoming the sting as I hear her footsteps bringing her closer.
“Did Cole know Poppy when she was in here?” She’s still moving away from me, so I stop trying to reach her.
“Yes, she spent a lot of time in the medical center. I don’t know why though.”
“Could Cole be working for someone?” Her eyes meet mine, and a small smile spreads across my lips.
“That’s what I’m wondering about, beautiful. Put her in a state where she needs constant supervision, somewhere your mom couldn’t possibly afford. What would someone inherently good do to help their mom and sister in that situation?” My eyes bore into hers as she steps closer.
“They’d sign up for the one place that could answer all their problems, the same place ran by a man who makes all his wives look like imitations of my mom.” Her voice is getting slightly higher, as I cup her face.
“Someone who you are the spitting image of. What if that’s the reason Sir brought him back here? To keep you close and exactly where he wants you.” I rest my head against hers, our breath mingling as one.
“To what end? What is the point, when he’s forcing Emmet’s hand into marrying me?” Her frustration is almost tangible, I can feel it as easily as I can feel my own.
“Don’t know, but if I’m right, then you can’t be around Cole. Whether he’s here because of Sir or not, I don’t think that is the reason he came back. Honestly, Little Zero, I think he may be obsessed with you.”
I’m not sure what reaction I expect my words to have, but her laugh isn’t it.
“Emmet was obsessed with me, Cole doesn’t even try to get anywhere near me. You’ve got nothing to worry about there, Sin, but if you’re right, and he’s been doing that to my sister then you have nothing to worry about. I won’t set foot in that place as long as he’s on rotation.” I pull her into my arms, and her breath rushes out of her as I try to settle myself.
She doesn’t see what I do when it comes to Cole, but it doesn’t matter. I won’t let him get within an inch of her, no matter what it takes.
“One last question.” She meets my eyes, and I nod my head.
“How many girls have died in this place?” Her eyes burn into me and I swallow hard.
“More than I could ever count, even before I set foot in this place. The killing didn’t start until twenty-two years ago, but I could never give you an exact number.”
“How many have you killed?” She doesn’t sound scared, even goes far enough to rest her hands on my chest.
“None. I don’t think my conscience could handle it. Life is already too short, without us stealing it from one another ” I kiss her softly as she sinks against me, and I hope she never becomes witness to the darkness that used to go down here. In all honesty, this time around has been fucking tame.
I fill the guys in on everything I’ve discovered, and the air is more than a little charged by the time I’m done.
“You really think my dad put him up to it? Just in case Luna applied to come here. That’s a big fucking risk, man,” Emmet points out, as Thallon stays quiet, and Tucker doesn’t say anything over the phone.
“I don’t know, but I know I’m not wrong about Cole. The motivations, maybe. But I know he's the reason Poppy isn’t getting any better. Any of you know of a good enough reason why Sir would settle an account when he’s still owed eighty grand?” I cast my eyes around the two in the room, but no one speaks for a few minutes.