LOUISE
Sean drove me home in my car and saw me to my door. When I asked what he was going to do with the two guys, he said he’d take care of it, and that I never had to worry about them again.
I didn’t have to ask what that meant. And however much my stomach turned at the thought of it, I’d be lying if I said a little part of me didn’t light up with the dark glow of vengeance.
Stacey’s face fell when she saw me. I couldn’t tell her anything, which only made her worry more, and Kayley had woken up and was pale-faced with concern, too. Eventually, Stacey and I managed to get her back to sleep and I dozed fitfully on the couch, leaning against Stacey’s side.
In the morning, I made up a story about a bust pipe at the garden store causing a flood, and all of us being summoned in to help clear it up, and a guy at work saying something that had upset me.
I wasn’t sure either of them bought it and I hated having to lie to them.
It seemed like I was lying more, every day, just to keep the grow house covered up.
When I returned to the grow house the next day, the two guys were gone and Sean had put the plants back on the tables. I taped up the ones with damaged stems—with proper care, I hoped they’d survive.
A week went by and I didn’t see Sean at all: I was there in the day and him at night. I told myself it was better, this way. I’d seen the darkness that surrounded his life. I’d been right all along about the danger that came with being close to him.
But none of that stopped me from wanting him. It was more than just lust, now. I needed him in my life.
Then, one day, the alarm on my phone went off, triggered by the sensors at the house. I checked what the numbers were telling me, my jaw going slack in disbelief. Then I ran for the elevator and tapped out a text message to Sean on the way down.
PLANTS ARE DYING.