Our Fatal Failings (Twisted book two)

Chapter 5

Finals week passes, and the new wards are the strongest the twins have ever installed, but I'm still frightful. All I can think is that he knows, he knows where I am and if he knows where I am he's already coming. Or already here.

"We should go on the road again," I say during dinner one night. "Why don't we just drive out of here right now? We can find another old car and be in some small town hundreds of miles away from here in a couple days. We can start over, start fresh."

The twins exchange a glance. Iris speak. "The wards are strong, your wolfsbane is made well, we're fine. Just calm down, everything will be alright."

I check my phone. There are no calls from my mother or father since their lines were first disconnected. The feeling of worry in my stomach is so strong I can't eat and I can't think. "I'm worried. Worried and nervous and scared. I know he's coming for me, I can feel him coming for me."

Nia folds her hands over mine. "Why don't you text your boyfriend and ask to watch a movie? I'm sure he'll make you feel better."

"No I can't-" Iris snatches my phone from my hand and texts a message.

"Well, I can. He's coming to pick you up at eight, look pretty."

"Iris," my voice is an annoying whine. I cringe. "It wasn't your place to do that."

"I can't watch you jitter here like an animal caught in a trap for any longer. Go out, have fun and bring back more candy."

"But-"

"Go."

Shedding my pajamas I put on a pair of leggings and an oversized knit sweater. I'm not in the mood to dress up. Just as I finish putting my jumbo braids in a bun, the doorbell rings. "Imani!" Iris calls, "it's him, hurry up!"

I open the door, halfway relieved that I can get my mind off this whole mess. But the face I open it to is ashen and leaden. "Cole? What's wrong?" His hand is sweaty as we walk to the car. I sit in the passenger's seat As he starts the ignition, I put my hand over his. "What's wrong with you?"

"Can we just.....I need to talk with you." My heart thumps in my chest. I shut the door behind me and he rubs his palms on his pants. "I'm sorry to say this, but we're falling apart."

"What?" My mouth curves into a hesitant smile. This must be a joke, this must be some type of joke. Falling apart? What is he even saying? We have our arguments, but we're strong, we're okay. My eyes search his, but he's stone-faced, unreadable.

I can barely hear him as he starts to talk. It's like water fills my ears. The only thing that I can hear in the thumping of my own heart. Boom. Boom. Boom. "Imani...I don't love you anymore and I've been..."

"You've been-"

He purses his lips together and he turns away. I feel like throttling him. The anxiety is curling up in my stomach, moving me inches away from needing to vomit. "Say it!"

He spits it out. "Seeing someone else. Someone who makes me happy, someone who doesn't give me problems. Or have them."

"Problems?" The words come as a shock to me. I never told him the whole truth of my trauma, how could I? He would never believe me, but I did tell him about the after effects. "Yeah because my pain just gave you problems." I curl my lip and sneer. The tears don't even come on, though I know they will later. "It's not like I didn't suffer did I?"

"I'm sorry, it's how I feel."

"How long has there been another girl?"

"I think it's best that you leave."