Knife's Edge

CHAPTER THIRTY

By the time I make it to the Coleman's house after work, my anger hasn't subsided any. I haven't had any response from Bailey – no calls, no texts, nothing – and I can't exactly go home without her. After all, we're supposed to be on shift together.

There's no way I'm going home and dealing with the brunt of Stella's anger when she finds out that Bailey lied – which she will – because this is a lie I won't cover for. Bailey can come clean with Stella herself, and manage her own mess for a change.

I've given her so many chances. I've covered for her so many times. She promised she would stop this. She promised.

And now her chances are done. I'm done.

I thought I could handle this until Charlotte got here; I thought wrong.

I'm done.

And, if Bailey wants to retaliate, she can tattle on me all she likes. She can tell Stella and George whatever the hell she wants about my involvement with the Coleman's, like she threatened to do that morning I wouldn't let her go watch movies. Even if Stella and George will be disappointed in me, even if it messes up my job at Wilson's, even if Bailey never speaks to me again – I'm too burnt out to care anymore. And I'm too angry to play her stupid games.

I knock on the front door, venting out some of my frustration against the wood.

Lucas opens it only a minute later, dressed in some sweatpants and a loose hoodie that simply reads, 'No,' across the front in big, graphic writing. 

He looks surprised, an emotion which, over time, I've come to be able to detect in his expression. It's in the way he raises his eyebrows – a mere millimetre of movement that's almost impossible to discern – and the way his forehead crinkles when he frowns. It has nothing to do with his eyes, which remain as guarded as ever.

"Where is she?" I ask before he can say anything.

His frown deepens, his surprise turning to confusion. "What?"

He glances over his shoulder at something before returning his attention to me, his jaw clenched. His hand remains rooted against the edge of the door, a clear 'keep out' stance if ever there was one. The message is only intensified as he pulls the door closed against his side, blocking my view of the inside.

"Bailey," I reply. "She's here."

"No, she's not," he denies, his voice gruff. He glances over his shoulder again when a loud thud sounds from inside the house, shortly followed by a few choice curse words from what sounds like Finn. Lucas sighs. "You need to go, Jade."

"You're lying," I accuse, my anger running away with me a little. The words are enough to regain his full attention, even as another heavy bang sounds from behind him. "I know she's here."

I could guess a number of ways that Lucas Coleman would react to being called a liar but, if you asked me to name one, the word offended wouldn't naturally come to mind. Yet, here he stands, staring at me with an expression that can be described as just that: offended.

It's enough to knock the anger clean out of me, now replaced with a feeling of guilt as some of my sense returns.

Lucas may be many things but, as far as I can remember, he's never lied to me. Evaded the truth, maybe – but lied? I don't think so.

Accusing him of dishonesty is unfair and I quickly revise my tactics before 'offended' can turn into 'murderous rage,' or something similar.

"...Or, at least, I know she's with Alex. Is he here?"