Chapter 15
VANESSA
Iwas worried about Lila. She’d not answered my texts overnight, and I’d promised wine.
Something was off.
So, I did what any decent ride-or-die would do, and turned up at her house at nine AM, just in time to see the police patrol car leaving. Panic jumped into my throat as I ran past them to Lila, who looked at me with surprise.
“Are you okay?” I held her at arm’s length and studied her, looking for any injuries. She wore a loose black t-shirt over leggings, her eyes ringed with dark bags. But no injuries that I could see.
“I’m fine,” Lila reassured me, stepping back to let me in the house.
“Uh, then why were the police here?” My eyes were so wide they felt like they were going to fall out.
Lila rubbed the back of her neck and winced. “I hit Cami.”
I laughed. Lila wouldn’t hit someone; she must be kidding. That’s why I did it.
“Come on,” I said, rolling my eyes. “What did you really do? Not pay a parking fine?”
Lila moved to the coffee pot, pouring us both a cup with trembling hands. “You better sit down.”
I plonked myself on the chair and stared at her, taking the black coffee eagerly. “Okay, I’m sitting.”
Lila swallowed, pushing her hair behind her ear. Her eyes looked haunted, and panic started to well in my stomach.
You know that saying, how your best friend would help you hide a body? I was starting to think Lila had done something completely off the charts and out of character.
Had she killed Cami? Or worse still—my brother?
Oh my god.
“You’re spiralling.” Lila remarked, reaching over and grabbing my hand, staring into my eyes. “I hit Cami, and she called the cops.”
“Okay…” I said, letting out a breath of relief. If she’d called the cops, it meant she was alive, right? So it couldn’t be that bad.
“And I kinda told them I was with you that night.” Lila took a sip of her coffee, waving a hand. “But I can just admit it if it will make you feel immoral or anything.”
“Bitch please. Tell me when and where we were, and we were there.”
Lila looked at me gratefully. “Thank you. You have no idea how surprised I was when they turned up here this morning. I thought I’d gotten away with it.”
I shifted in my seat and sipped my hot coffee. Damn, it was bitter. “I bet! What happened?”
So, Lila told me how she went to the bar I’d told her about, how she’d caught Cami tossing out trash. How she’d smacked her in the nose and kicked her in the lady junk.
I couldn’t stop laughing at that.
“For real? Girl, that would be fucking painful.” I cackled with glee, wishing I could have seen it. “So, did someone see this happen, or…” I raised an eyebrow and waited, wondering how she’d gotten caught.
Lila shrugged. “There weren’t any cameras or anything. I told her I was his wife though, so she must only be fucking one married man right now to know who I was.” Lila forced a smile, but I could see the fresh devastation in her eyes.
“Honey,” I said softly. “I bet he hasn’t even seen her since you found out.”
Lila scoffed. “I bet he has. Have you seen her? God. She was beautiful. Dirty, but beautiful.”
“Lila. No,” I responded, shaking my head. “She’s a homewrecker. Homewreckers aren’t beautiful; they’re scummy. Ew. I’m surprised when you kicked her in the lady junk, you didn’t get infected.”
Lila froze, looking up at me. “Oh my…do you think she gave Victor STDs?”
“Hopefully,” I remarked with a smirk. “I’m sure he wore protection. She’s a stripper!”
Lila turned away, her brow furrowed.
A stab of guilt hit me in my chest, and I reached out for her. “I’m sorry. Let’s talk about something else.”
Lila exhaled, then gulped down some coffee, looking like she was bracing herself to tell me something else.
“Oh god, what now?” I whispered.
Lila looked at me, then back at the table, her fingers tracing a pattern only she could see. She was buying time.
Fucking hell, what has she done?
“I torched Victor's truck.” Her words came out in a rush, and my mouth fell open.
Who the fuck was this woman?
She torched his fucking truck?
I didn’t know what to say. So, I sat there gaping at her.
“Say something,” Lila whispered, her eyes tired. “I know he’s your brother and you’re probably mad at me—”
“No,” I interrupted her once I’d found my voice, shaking my head.
“No. If it were any other man, I’d be supporting everything you’re doing.
So I’m treating him the same. I’m just so fucking sorry he made you so…
” My words trailed off, and she watched me, fiercely dependent on my next choice of words. “Badass.”
I grinned at her even though I did feel bad for my brother. Just a tiny bit. But my best friend had had to watch a video of him fucking another woman.
He could pay for the rest of his life as far as I was concerned.
“Badass?” Lila arched her brow and hummed. “Maybe.”
“Maybe?” I scoffed. “You torched his truck. You smacked the whore. You changed the locks and demanded a divorce. I’d say you’re pretty fucking badass, Lila.”
Lila smiled a little, and it changed her whole face. “It did feel good.”
“I bet!”
“When he came out of Enzo’s, I told him to call the fire department,” Lila added with a chuckle.
“He saw you?! Oh my god!” This shit was hysterical. My cheating brother was paying big time, and I was here for all of it.
“Yeah, I didn’t care. Then I sent him the video of him and his trashy bitch and told him to sign the divorce papers.”
Sadness flooded her eyes for a second, but when she blinked, it was gone.
Divorce.
Such a heavy, final, bitter word. It sat heavily between us until she asked in a small voice, “Do you think he’ll tell the cops it was me?”
Immediately, I shook my head. “No. He knows he fucked up. You’re his wife—he fucking loves you.
This is on him. He pushed you to this, but as your best friend, I need to bring you back from the ledge.
” I smiled and reached for her hand. “I’ve got the day off, which is rare, right? So why don’t we go shopping?”
Lila perked up. “With his credit card?”
I snorted. “Of course.”