Deception

Chapter: Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

"No, that's not true. Niles wouldn't do that. He wouldn't sleep with you or anyone. He told me," I spoke, tears burning my eyes.

There was no way Liam's hunch could be correct. It had to be something else. She hardly needed a reason to change clothes if she wanted to. More importantly, Niles wouldn't do that to me. I'd never believe that could happen.

I expected Clary to come up with a retort and insult me, but she didn't. She remained quiet, and that made me wonder if it could be true. Niles, who'd never slept with anyone but me before. We weren't together, but that still hurt me. It wasn't like I could expect him to stay celibate when I broke up with him, but that's what he'd done before. I pictured his heartbroken expression.

Had I hurt him that much, had the breakup affected him this much, he would go and sleep with Clary. Just to hurt me? To make himself feel better? To betray me and, for that matter, Liam, by sleeping with Clary. He'd protected her before, but they were only friends, if even that. Why would he sleep with her? Why would she allow him to? Did she hate me that much?

"Clary," Liam spoke sharply.

"What?" she demanded.

He walked toward her, making her jump as he took her arm. "What did you do? Tell the truth."

"Liam," I spoke pathetically.

I couldn't tell if he was being rough with her or not, but I didn't want him to be. Even if this turned out to be true, I'd have no satisfaction seeing her be harmed by him. Even if she'd done it on purpose just to hurt me, I couldn't wish that upon her. Not after what I'd said to Liam.

She seemed shocked for a moment he was questioning her about this. Her shocked expression quickly became one of anger and annoyance. Hurt and betrayal also.

"I didn't do anything," she snapped, jerking away from him, but he held on to her arm.

"It happened, didn't it? You two had sex?"

"I didn't say anything happened. Your jum-

"Cut the shit. You wouldn't have changed clothes if you didn't. Come to brag about it now? Take advantage of Niles's weakness and do something else to hurt Britt? Are you that self-centered and pathetic?"

"I'm not doing anything to get at anybody. If anyone's doing something to hurt somebody, it's you. Just like you always do," she spat.

"Why would you sleep with Niles? Answer me!"

"Why are you blaming me? I didn't make him do anything. I didn't even suggest that he do anything. He's the one who wanted to when I was just talking to him."

"Bullshit," Liam growled.

"It's true. Since you know when I'm lying, you should know when I'm telling the truth," she argued.

She wasn't denying it instead, she was insisting it wasn't her who started it. So then it had happened? She was going to reveal the two of them had been together sexually and that it was him, not her, who instigated it?

This possibility hurt worse. It would be easy to paint Clary as the villain, as I'd so often done before. As Liam seemed to be trying to pin it all on her. As though she'd seduced an innocent broken Niles. It was still painful, yet a tempting thought. It just wasn't a realistic one.

She couldn't make him do anything. No matter how beautiful she was, he didn't have to be seduced by her. He could have stopped it, he could have said no. Was it true? Did this really happen?

"Did that really happen? Did he instigate it?" I asked softly.

I wanted an answer that I knew only she could provide. Again, I expected she'd say something snide to taunt me, but she didn't. Her face was guilty, and she said nothing. Guilty because it had happened. What other reason was there?