Chapter 47
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Right before I get out of the room, Kyan shrugs me off and ignores me like I’m nothing.
That drops me on my ass right back into reality.
He’s ignoring me again. Right after, he just looked into my eyes like all he wanted to do was crawl into my skin.
Like he could see all my secrets and loved them all.
My chest hurts. I wanted that look to be real.
I needed that look to be real. It started welding something together that I didn’t realize was broken.
I stare at the doorway where they disappeared, shock rolling through me. Shock, followed quickly by numbness.
I swore this wouldn’t happen again. That I wouldn’t chase after someone like this. It’s just…Kyan acted so different…like he actually cared.
Of course he did. That’s how they all act.
Shame heats my cheeks until I hear the sound of retching. Turning, I see Holli puking onto the floor. Numbly, I walk over to her to hold her hair back.
She doesn’t push me away, just grabs onto my knee for support, fingers digging into me. We stand there, holding onto each other like the building is rocking around us, until Holli speaks quietly.
“I…need to sit down.”
She’s pale, and her eyes look a bit…sunken.
Immediately, all I want to do is take that look away from her.
To keep her safe from…everything. I guide her to the wall, where both of us slump down against it.
We’re silent, listening to the rain fall outside.
There are scattered shouts from inside the villa, but what can I do about it?
I don’t have a gun. There’s nowhere to run, not even the woods are safe.
Clearly, Kyan is not the help I thought he’d be.
That thought breaks my heart, and I squeeze my hands together into fists.
When that doesn’t hurt enough, grab my knees and dig my nails in.
My old habits are screaming at me that if I were good enough, this wouldn’t have happened.
But reality, the harsh, cold reality that I’ve started to learn on this island is settling in, hammered home by that disgusted look Kyan gave me.
And that’s that sometimes other people’s behavior has nothing to do with you.
Sometimes, other people are just pieces of shit.
I stare at the ugly hotel carpet. It sure feels like it has everything to do with me. I wasn’t enough to convince Kyan to stay.
There’s movement to my side. It’s Holli. Her hand creeps up to where mine are clenched on my knees, gently prying at my fingers. I don’t realize how hard I’m squeezing until I relax them.
She lets go. Neither of us speaks. We don’t have to. It’s like there’s an understanding that this is fucked, the world is fucked, and we have very few options. Why talk about it?
We stay that way for a while until footsteps come down the hall. And then, the worst thing happens—Kyan walks in.
“Oakley! You’re still here!” He rushes toward us. He’s covered in red splatter, sans shirt still.
I stand stiff, glaring at him. I hate the flare of hope I feel when I see him, and I stuff it back down.
Kyan takes a second to register my look, but slows.
“Back off.” Holli steps up beside me, and we stand there together.
Kyan’s brows knit, and he stops. “What’s wrong?” He looks between us.
What’s wrong? The earnest look he’s giving makes me want to forget the resolve I made earlier. Makes me want to melt back into his hold and ask him why he changed.
Holli’s hand brushes mine, and I straighten. “Nothing.”
“Okayyy.” He drags the word out, looking between us again. “You gonna introduce me to your girl?”
This is so odd. He met her in the hotel room and acted like he knew who she was. But the way he says ‘my girl’ makes it sound like we’re an item. And for some wild reason, that makes my chest feel warm.
“This is Holli,” I say mockingly. He wants me to play along, then fine, I’ll play along until he gets us off this goddamn island.
I expect Holli to sneer at Kyan. For them to throw threats back and forth like they did before.
Instead, Holli holds her hand out as if she’s going to…shake his hand?
“Fourteen.” Her voice is…not sweet, but it’s a lot nicer than it has been. I turn to look at her in shock, but then Kyan grabs her hand and brings it up to his mouth, kissing it.
Kissing it? A hot rush of something pours down my spine, and before I realize what I’m doing, I’m pulling Holli’s hand away from him.
Kyan throws a tiny smirk at me, eyebrow cocked.
“Don’t…you don’t…” I can’t finish the thought. What the hell is going on? First, he won’t acknowledge me, and now he’s flirting with…my girl?
“Don’t worry, mousey…I don’t get jealous.” Kyan throws a full wink at me, then nods his head at Holli. Who…astoundingly…throws him a small smile.
My mouth drops open. Have I lost it? I’ve completely lost it. What’s with the switch-up? I think my vision gets a bit red.
“Well,” Kyan’s voice is deep and unhurried. “I hear you guys have been trying to get a lift off this island.”
I can’t comprehend what’s happening. My ears must start ringing ‘cause I don’t register what’s said next. All I know is Holli is gripping my arm. I look down at her, and she gives me a strained smile. It doesn’t meet her eyes. “A ride, right?”
The strained look in her eyes snaps me back to reality. She’s faking it. She’s not actually being nice to him.
I’m not completely losing it. I take a deep breath.
“Well then, stowaways. Follow me.” And with that, Kyan turns on his heel and stalks away. Holli starts to follow, but this time I’m the one grabbing her arm, hissing at her. As soon as Kyan makes it through the doorway, I pull her back into me. “What’s going on?”
Holli hisses, “Play along.”
“Play along?” I’m pulled as she tries to follow Kyan. “He’s acting… Something isn’t right.” I yank so hard she’s pulled back into the room.
She rounds on me with a stressed look in her eyes. “Do you know what D.I.D. is?”
I stare blankly at her.
“Dissociative Identity Disorder.” She glances at the door, like she’s expecting him to come back in. I still have no idea what she’s talking about.
“Multiple personalities,” she hisses.
Suddenly, Kyan pops his head back in. “You guys coming?”
“Yep!” Holli takes a step back and looks at me, her eyes pleading. “Sorry, we’re coming.”
My head spins, but I take a step to follow. Multiple personalities? I’ve seen it in a movie once, I think. But I thought that shit was fake?
But I don’t have time to think because Holli is dragging me into the hallway where Kyan is whistling some nursery rhyme. The cheerful, light tones echo in the hallway as we go deeper into the hotel, then my foot slips. I stagger, caught by Holli as I look down and choke on a startled scream.
Blood. Lots of it. And not two feet away, a body.
I’m frozen there for a second. A body. Like, a real body. It’s a man, and he looks like he’s sleeping, only with his eyes open and his head covered in blood. For a second, I’m startled by how much he looks like a Halloween decoration.
Then Holli is yanking me forward.
“He won’t bite you, mousey.” Kyan turns to wink at me. “But I will.”