Read Online Scarred by Amber Lynn Natusch - Free Book Online

me.”
    “Because there's a lot of it in you, Sean,” I said, turning into his chest, “but you only see the bad. I feel like it's what you want to see. I don't get it.”
    “I accept it, Ruby. I don't fight it. There's a difference.”
    “I don't believe you,” I said, spinning away from the counter to stand toe to toe with him. “I don't think you accept it at all. I think it haunts you—it's the one thing you can't seem to escape. It makes me sad when you're like this. You push me away. I'm not even sure you know you do it…” I tried to soften my face, lighten my tone, but a frustration was building in me that I couldn't control. “I'm going to go,” I said, heading to the door. “I guess tonight you succeeded.”
    I moved past him without any resistance. It was maddening that I was doing exactly what he expected, but I just couldn't deal anymore. My temper was rising and I didn't want to say anything that couldn't be taken back or push too far. I had finally learned that occasionally it was best to walk—not run—away.
    My hand lingered on the door before turning the knob.
    “Are we done here?” I asked, giving him one last opportunity to stop the ridiculous turn our conversation had taken.
    “Are you done here?” he countered, emotionless.
    “I'm done with whatever it is we're doing right now. And there didn't seem to be much else to discuss regarding the Rev, so...” In that moment, I had a minor epiphany, and I glared at him with questioning eyes. “There never was much to discuss about him, was there? We could have done that over the phone. Why did you make me come here to have it?”
    “What's your point?” he asked, leaning back against the kitchen island.
    “That you didn't bring me over here to talk about the Rev at all. Something else is going on.”
    “Wrong.”
    “Really?” I quipped. “I know you didn't bring me over here just to see me. You already saw me earlier tonight.”
    I felt the heat emanate from him immediately.
    “Yes, I did see you earlier,” he said, eyes nearly glowing in the dim light of the room. “A lot of you.”
    “I'm out of here. Whatever you're doing right now, I'm not up for it,” I said, flipping my hand through the air for emphasis. “I'll call you once I talk to Alan.”
    “I'll expect a full report,” he replied as I swung the door open. I turned back to see him, unmoved and unfazed by my exit. A real cool cucumber.
    “I don't know why you're doing this,” I said, my voice wavering slightly. “I feel like I just got you back. Thanks for fucking that up for me.”
    I slammed the door before he could say something else—put any more nails in the coffin. He had done a near one-eighty in a single night, and I couldn't wrap my head around it. Something was eating at him, and true to form, he wasn't sharing. If I wanted to know what was up, I needed to outsource for information. I pulled my cell out of my purse and punched in Peyta's number.
    “Hey, P. Is Jay there? I need to talk to him...”

6

    “What's up, Ruby?” he asked, sounding somewhat exhausted but concerned nonetheless.
    “Jay,” I said sternly, “I need some answers. Now .”
    “About what?” he replied, his tone turning quickly to confusion.
    “Sean.”
    “Oh boy...”
    “I'm serious, Jay. Are you going to help me or not?”
    “Well, that's going to depend entirely on what kind of answers you need, Ruby. I'm not at liberty to openly discuss PC business with you.”
    “Says who?” I asked, voice rising.
    “Who do you think?” he said, annoyance starting to taint his words.
    “So you can't tell me why I had to go over to his house tonight?”
    “He told you why,” Jay replied, sighing outwardly.
    “No. He told me he wanted to discuss the Rev. That could have been a two second phone call. I want to know what he really wanted to see me for.”
    “Ruby,” he said in the voice used to address small children, “do you think it is possible that he just wanted to see