Read Online Open Wounds by Camille Taylor - Free Book Online

work the ensemble, looking elegant with her hair pulled back off her face in a ponytail. Amelia knew it was nothing she tried to accomplish; it was natural and ingrained in her. She had looked that way for as long as she could remember.
    Amelia could feel Kellie assessing her, probably determining just how volatile she was at the moment. She was amazed she’d even approached her. Many of the men at the LAC knew when she hit the bag she was not in a good mood and it was best to keep clear of her, but Kellie had never been one to put up with her crap and had fought her all the way. Until she hadn’t.
    Not the easiest teenager, she hadn’t changed much — only gotten worse. Her temper had shortened with age, and her patience wore thin much quicker these days.
    She’d had a habit of putting herself down and was easily discouraged. A memory skittered across her mind of Kellie refusing to let her give up. Back then they’d been inseparable, both born in a section of Harbour Bay known as Coleani’s territory.
    A sadistic man, he oversaw every criminal element in town. Years ago it had only been a twelve block radius of his strip club, the Satin Thong. The neighbourhood was a breeding ground of druggies, prostitutes, and a healthy number of homeless. The council liked to pretend it didn’t exist and thus Coleani was free to continue ruling over the inhabitants and making their lives more miserable than they already were. Amelia had lived with her grandparents at the caravan park, whereas Kellie and her mother had resided in a tenement a few blocks south.
    “I’m sorry it had to be me.” Kellie’s voice came through her self-reflection.
    Amelia shrugged. If it hadn’t been her, it would have been some other IA agent with a career to make for themselves. Looking at it objectively, she was better off with Kellie. She wasn’t the type to stab someone in the back just to get ahead. She worked hard, and from what she had heard around the office, got to the truth and never made any decision without being absolutely sure.
    She was certainly the Kellie she remembered. Even back then, she’d been honest and loyal. The blonde hair and blue eyes often fooled people into thinking she was either brainless or a push-over, but growing up in their neighbourhood, nobody had the luxury of being one or the other.
    “Are we going to talk about it?” Kellie asked softly.
    “What’s to talk about?”
    Kellie caught hold of the bag as she took another swing, the impact reverberating along her arm since she was unprepared for the lack of motion in the punching bag.
    “You’re obviously angry with me.”
    She narrowed her eyes. “I think I have a right. You’re the one who walked away and destroyed ten years of friendship.”
    Mascara coated eyelashes fluttered at the charge.
    “I couldn’t do it anymore. I wanted to forget and you wouldn’t let me. It was in every word and gesture. I was ashamed and embarrassed and every time I looked into your eyes I saw sympathy.”
    She swallowed against the lump in her throat. “What did you expect? It didn’t just affect you. It almost killed me too, watching you suffer, knowing I couldn’t do a damn thing to help you. That I wasn’t there to protect you when you needed me.”
    She slammed her fist against the bag hard, which moved only slightly with Kellie holding it still. She took a step back to compensate for the force of the blow.
    They had been friends since they were children. Back then, Kellie had been the ambitious one and she had simply followed. Or rather had been dragged since Kellie refused to leave her behind. Then their world had changed overnight and Kellie had pushed her away. Not knowing what else to do, she’d allowed it. It was her biggest regret. She didn’t make friends easily, and due to her job and the hours she kept, along with her personality, she could count the number of friends she had on one hand.
    She smacked the bag harder. “You just left. No explanation.